William Chapman House

 This house at the corner of School and Main Street is the last in the series of the original public buildings that still exist on the Porter side of Kezar Falls Village.

Although it has not housed a business for many years, it started as a leather shop that made boots, shoes and other leather goods.

Today #19 School Street is an apartment building owned by Randy J. Ruginski who purchased the building in 2015 and has made major changes to the building and removed the ell and large attached barn.

The Oxford County Record Newspaper reported about this building in detail.  On August 25, 1883, it reported that “William Chapman has bought a lot on “Printing House Square” and will erect a building next season”.  By June 27, 1884, it announced that William Chapman erected a building here for Chapman’s Leather and Harness Shop on the first floor.  By the end of August, the second story was finished as a residence for his son.  On March 21, 1885, that building was destroyed by a fire that also burned the Oxford County Record Newspaper building next door.  Chapman immediately rebuilt it and by July 4, 1885, it was back in business.  William Chapman died and left the property to his son, James E. Chapman in 1919.

Shown here L to R: Jacob Ridlon, William Chapman, Frank Gammon, James Chapman, Ernest Hatch, Irving Mason, Ed Ridlon and Fred Storer.

Sometime later there was a candy and ice cream shop located here.

In 1921 Charles and Ida Cole purchased the property from Orman Stanley and it remained in the family for many years.  By 2006 the building was a three-story apartment house.

 In Jan 1999 the building was purchased from the Jessie A. Cole estate by William Pulcifur and Sandra Emerson.  Then in 2015 it was purchased by the present owner.

So, this old building has stood at this corner for nearly 140 years and has seen many changes, but it continues to hold a place in the history of the Village of Kezar Falls. By 2006 the building was a three-story apartment house.

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THE PARSONSFIELD-PORTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY 

WISHES EVERYONE A WONDERFUL THANKSGIVING.

History House is now closed for the season, but we will do our best to assist you with any research questions you may have during the winter.  Send them to: pphs@parsonsfieldporterhistorical.org or mail them to PPHS, PO Box 250, Parsonsfield, Maine 04047.