Possibilities: Moving Forward

There's no telling what the future holds for the building at 290 Main Street. The building was built in the 19th century, endured through the 20th century, and is still standing proud in the 21st century. Over the years it has gone through many different incarnations, and will no doubt witness many more changes in the years to come.

Knowing some of the history of the building, I've considered improvements and uses for the building that I feel would help insure its continued longevity, and be in keeping with its character.

Some of these are:

Make the building more energy efficient, and use renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, in order to reduce the building's carbon footprint.

Implement drainage and infrastructure improvements to the building and lot, including a retaining wall and grading.

Make renovations to the building to make it more commercially viable, and include handicap accessibility and sidewalks.

Remove invasive plant species and replant with native species to help protect and create habitat, promote biodiversity, and beauty.

It's a great old building, and with a little TLC and some hard work it should last another hundred years.

Site improvements include a retaining wall behind the building and new drainage to control runoff from the slope in back. Improvements to the front of the building include a new bluestone walk, curbing, and a brick terrace for planters.

New Plantings feature native plants to promote biodiversity and create habitat.

This is a video of a 3D model of the building I created using SketchUp.

Today at 290

The building at 290 Main Street today houses an apartment, artist's studio, and a landscape architect's office. My apartment and art studio occupy one side of the first floor. On the other side is the old "dance hall," where they used to have the dances and movies on the weekends, and auctions. The dance hall side is currently being used for storage, but will soon be available for rent. It would be an ideal location for an antique store or gallery, or even additional studio space.

Here's a photo of my studio, and some samples of my work:

My studio

View of the Rondout Reservoir, oil/canvas, 12x24"

View of Mohonk, oil/canvas panel, 6x12"

Black Dirt Fields, oil/canvas, 10x20"

Catskill Mountains (View from Poet's Walk), oil/canvas, 12x16"

Kezia-lain Farm, oil/canvas, 9x12"

Moonbeams Preserve, oil/canvas panel, 9x12"

Frozen Pond, oil/canvas, 11x14"

Winter Field, oil/canvas, 10x20"

Winter Woods, oil/canvas, 12x9"

Painting a winter scene on location in the Catskills

Here's a link to my website: http://www.davidmunford.com/

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Restaino Design, Landscape Architects, PC, is located on the second floor. Barbara Restaino is a LEED certified landscape architect whose work focuses on green infrastructure, restoration, and promoting healthy habitat and biodiversity through the use of indigenous plant species.

She has worked on several local projects, including a stream corridor restoration project for the Chestnut Creek sponsored by the New York City Department of Environmental Protection, the Sullivan County Soil and Water Conservation District and the Town of Neversink.

"Envisioned as a 'Demonstration Project,' the plan specified colorful native species of plants to create habitat for wildlife, control erosion and provide an attractive environment for Town Hall visitors and employees as well as community residents. The Chestnut Creek project continues to be a source of educational opportunities for the local Tri-Valley School whose horticultural program uses the project as an outdoor classroom."

Barbara Restaino also designed a grounds improvement plan for Grahamsville's historic Daniel Pierce Library building.

"The plan specified use of local materials where possible and included: a new fieldstone retaining wall, bluestone sidewalks, flag pole, brick base, site amenities and new plantings. The redesign contributed to the Town of Neversink winning the Sullivan Renaissance Grand Prize Award for 2001."

Recently, she provided a site plan and planting plan for the new Daniel Pierce Library and Museum Village that opened this year.

The office and design studio of Restaino Design

Plantings along the Chestnut Creek behind Neversink Town Hall

Stream corridor restoration project

Historic Daniel Pierce Library

New Daniel Pierce Library and Museum Village Site Plan

Barbara Restaino on the site of the new Daniel Pierce Library and Museum Village

Here's a link to her website: http://www.restainodesign.com/

A Work in Progress

My brother bought the building in the early 1990's, and it was pretty much a wreck then, in need of plenty of work and TLC. It's a large building and there's much that needs doing after years of neglect, and money is tight these days, so Progress has been a little slow. The first major project that needed doing after my brother bought the building was to install a new heating system and to convert some of the rooms on the first floor into a small apartment. Also, the original laid-up stone foundation was in need of repair, including new drainage.

I moved into the building in 1993, renting the newly outfitted apartment on the first floor. It's a small apartment but I have room for my art studio in the back. The first project I undertook soon after arriving was to finish sheet rocking and painting the walls and ceilings in my apartment and studio. I also insulated the crawl space underneath the studio.

A couple of summers after that we painted the building exterior and roof. The building was grey with white trim, which we liked, so we matched it using a Cape Cod style blue-grey, white trim, and chose a nice colonial blue for the doors, and red for the metal roof. We liked the red, white and blue color scheme. Next, it was time to remove the old rusty fire escape and replace the front porch which was beginning to fall down. My friend Steve helped me with this—actually, he did most of the work and I just helped him.

Since then there's been more work done on the interior, this time upstairs, as a new space on the second floor was renovated and brought up to code. Whenever possible, we try to save the original tin that covers the walls and ceilings throughout much of the building, but this large room on the second floor didn't have any tin, which made remodeling it much easier. The space currently houses a landscape architect's office.

The old building was grey with white trim.

 Lots of prep work needed to be done before painting.

Applying a primer coat to the bare wood.

Lots of priming.

Almost finished priming...

Applying the top coat, the roof is finished.

Before: old front porch and fire escape.

 After: new front porch and railings, before being painted.

Steve working on the new porch.

New paint. New porch. New era.

Tin covers many of the walls and ceilings throughout the building.

Newly renovated second story office.



Odd Fellows Continued...

I've met several people who say they remember going to movies and dances on Saturday nights at the old Odd Fellows Hall. They also remembered the Halloween parties that were held there.

Frank J. Shannon, who now lives in the Albany area, said his father, Frank P. Shannon, was the one who showed the movies in the dance hall.

In a letter to Carol Smythe, Town of Neversink Historian, Robert Hornbeck recalls how the building at 290 Main Street was "the social center of town." He writes:

Dear Carol,

Regarding your request for info about the Odd Fellows Hall, I'll relate what I know. I was a junior member of the Chestnut Valley Rod & Gun Club who purchased the property in the 1940's. Fred Akerly of Curry, also a member, held the mortgage.

This was the social center of town for a number of years. Alton Carney from Roscoe (ran the Roscoe, Livingston Manor movie theaters) brought in first run movies on Saturday nites which would be followed by dancing. No alcohol could be served but, as a youth, I was drawn to watching many adults making a lot of unsteady trips to their cars. Fun was had by all, some more than others.

The building was held by the club into the early fifties when it became too much for the club to sustain due to dwindling membership. Fred took the building back and it was sold to later become a clothing manufacturing operation. Also an auction house for a period of time.

Robert Hornbeck included a drawing in his letter that shows a floor plan of the building, then owned by the Chestnut Valley Rod & Gun Club. The rifle range was located on the second floor and the dance hall and movie house were on the first floor.

Floor plan drawing by Robert Hornbeck showing indoor rifle range, dance floor & movie house.

Although it has had several different owners since then, many locals still refer to the building as "the old Odd Fellows hall." Today, it houses a landscape architect's office upstairs, and my apartment and art studio downstairs.

The fact that I live there has prompted some local humorous types to claim that an odd fellow still occupies the building.

Odd Fellows Hall

This building used to be owned by the Independent Order of Odd Fellows (IOOF) and many of the older local townspeople still refer to it as the "old Odd Fellows Hall." The IOOF held meetings in the building as well as other functions such as dances and parties, and also rented space to other organizations, including the local area grange and WCTU.

According to the IOOF website, the Independent Order of Odd Fellows began in 18th Century England for the purpose of "giving aid to those in need without recognition and pursuing projects for the benefits of all mankind." The organization, whose members are sometimes referred to as "Odd Fellows" or "Rebekahs," first appeared in North America in 1819, in the United States and Canada, and has since expanded to include 26 countries worldwide while "striving to make the world a better place in which to live, seeking To Improve and Elevate the Character of Mankind."

Source: IOOF

A familiar symbol of the IOOF is the "Three Link Emblem" which stands for Friendship, Love and Truth.

According to the IOOF, the three links "symbolize the chain that binds members together and illustrates that a fraternity is strongest when joined together. The 'F' in the first link represents 'Friendship,' the strongest bond of fraternity that teaches goodwill and harmony. The 'L' represents 'Love,' the basis for all life's ambitions, service to others and family. The 'T' represents 'Truth,' the standard by which we value people and the foundation of our society."

Photo by David Munford

Here is the "Three Link Emblem" inscribed in the concrete steps to the building entrance, a penny is embedded in the center.

It's very likely that the IOOF bought the original building and made the renovations which doubled the size of it to its present day configuration, inscribing their emblem at the entrance of the new addition. The penny is worn and the date is impossible to read, but it would probably be the same year that the renovations were completed.

To find out more about the Independent Order of Odd Fellows here is a link to their official website: http://www.ioof.org/

One of the organizations that rented space in the building from the IOOF to conduct their meetings was the local chapter of the National Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU).

The WCTU was formed in 1874 to try to stop the sale of liquor. According to their website the "WCTU hoped to obtain pledges of total abstinence from alcohol, and later also tobacco and other drugs. The white ribbon bow was selected to symbolize purity, and the WCTU's watchwords were 'Agitate - Educate - Legislate.' "

Source: Time and the Valleys Museum, Grahamsville, NY

This undated photo shows the members of the local WCTU.

I believe that this photograph was donated to the Time and the Valleys Museum by Tom Smith who recalled that the WCTU met in the building. According to Smith: "They had white uniforms...Mabel Hill was president at one time. Her doctor had prescribed a shot of whiskey for whatever ailed Mabel. She asked Hank Smith to purchase it for her without telling anyone. That way she could follow the doctor's suggestion and not compromise her position as president of the WCTU."

Source: Time and the Valleys Museum, Grahamsville, NY

Names of the members are written on the back of the photograph.

Back Row: Mrs. Kortright, Della Merrett, Mrs. Dice, Grace Sheeley, Anna Hastings

Front Row: Jennie Tillison, Ina Parter, Mable Hill, Pearl Rose

To find out more about the Woman's Christian Temperance Union here is a link to their official website: http://www.wctu.org/index.html

Another organization that rented space in the building was the local grange. A grange is a local chapter of a fraternal association of farmers known as The National Grange of the Order of Patrons of Husbandry. According to their website, the organization was formed soon after the end of the American Civil War "to unite private citizens in improving the economic and social position of the nation's farm population." Its members "provide service to agriculture and rural areas on a wide variety of issues, including economic development, education, family endeavors, and legislation designed to assure a strong and viable Rural America."

Source: Time and the Valleys Museum, Grahamsville, NY

Here's copy of the of the Treasurer's Logbook from the Grahamsville Grange. The first entry, dated January 19, 1933, reads: "For rent of I.O.O.F. Hall - $15.00."

The Chestnut Valley Rod and Gun Club purchased the building from the IOOF sometime during the 1940's.

Looking Back

Times change. Here in Grahamsville, a small community located just within the southern edge of New York State's Catskill Park, change may come a little more slowly, but there's still no stopping the persistent march of "progress." The building where I live—290 Main Street—is over a hundred years old and has stood as a silent witness to some of the changes that have taken place in town.

What used to be called "Main Street" is now present day Route 55, a state highway that stretches from the Connecticut border all the way to Pennsylvania. Once a relatively wide, tree-lined dirt road with bluestone sidewalks along either side, it is now an asphalt covered highway with some remaining trees and no sidewalks.

The original building, at 290 Main Street, was built sometime in the 1860's or possibly 1870's and was about half the size that it is now. Renovations were made sometime after the early 1900's with an addition being added on which doubled the size of building and also changed the roof design.

(Fig. 1) Source: Time and the Valleys Museum, Grahamsville, NY

This photograph, from an old postcard, was probably taken sometime in the early 1900's and shows the original building (second from the left). In later renovations the building would be enlarged and the roof style would be changed in the process. The building next to it is the old Post Office.

(Fig. 2) Source: Time and the Valleys Museum, Grahamsville, NY

This postcard from 1905 shows a view of Grahamsville looking 'uptown,' the building and Post Office can be seen on the right.

Early postcards were like the email of their day, an inexpensive, informal and easy way to keep in touch. This one reads:

Dear George: - I hope you are all well - haven't had but one letter since your papa & mama were here - Love to Helen, Mary & yourself. Your Aunt Ellen. Dec 18 - 1905

The photograph shows a horse and buggy on the left which the author describes as: "Kil" - our horse.

(Fig. 3) Source: Time and the Valleys Museum, Grahamsville, NY

This postcard shows the building after it was remodeled, doubling the size and changing the roof. Note the basement doors and the piece of slanted wall at the corner of the building on the Post Office side.

One elderly local man told me that he remembers going to get haircuts when he was a boy at the barber shop located in the basement of the building. He also said that they sold ice cream there (and quite possibly something a little stronger for adults).

(Fig. 4)

This is a view 'uptown' taken last year. Note the piece of slanted concrete wall on the corner of the building that can be seen in figure 3 is still there. One of the basement doors can also be seen. The old Post Office is long gone, but the small house up the street which is clearly visible in figure 2 is still there.

Over time, due to continued re-paving, the road surface has been raised. The front steps of many of the houses along the road are now lower than the road.

(Fig. 5)

Here's what the building looks like today.

This Old Building

If buildings could talk the one located at 290 Main Street would surely have some stories to tell. It's an old building, and all the local folks in town have some memories of it. Whether it's a recollection of a time when they were actually inside the building, attending some event or another, or whether they just recall passing it everyday as they drove by on their way to or from some other place, everybody in town knows the building at 290 Main Street.

 Just about every old timer, it seems, has a story or two to share about the old place, and I've heard a few of them. I've lived in this building since the early 1990's, and so I have a few stories of my own about this old place. I don't own the building (my brother is actually the landlord) but I've called it home for nearly twenty years, and have grown quite attached to it. The local people never refer to it as "290 Main Street," depending on who you're talking with they'll either refer to it as "the old Odd Fellows hall" (because it used to belong at one time to the Order of Odd Fellows) or they'll call it "the old Catholic Church" or "the old auction house." It's been many things to many people.

The original building, legend has it, was build in the late 1860's (or possibly 1870's) by a Norwegian immigrant. Over the years the building has been used for many things, including: an auction house, a movie theatre, square dances, a grange, saloon, ice cream parlor, barber shop, indoor shooting range, factory, Catholic Church, lawyer's office, apartments, and Odd Fellows meeting hall.

Currently it houses my apartment, and art studio, on the first floor, and a landscape architect's studio on the second floor. This blog is my attempt to tell a bit of the story of this old building, as well as some of my own story.