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Effective January 1, 2025 the Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society stopped

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Matters (BLOG). The first article on the new site was posted January 15th .

The Kezar Falls Hardware Store

 

We continue our series of looking at the old original Kezar Falls businesses and public buildings that still exist by crossing the bridge to the Parsonsfield side of the village. Let’s start with #23 Federal Road – The Kezar Falls Hardware Store.

The Kezar Falls Hardware Store as it looks today –

now owned by Peter Cormier.

From a deed search and according to a ledger acquired by the Hiram Historical Society, Sutton Edgecomb was the earliest owner of this store starting in 1848. He ran  a combination grocery and hardware store here until his death in 1884.   W.D. Davis owned it next and also ran a Post Office here as postmaster from at least 1887 - 1892.  He was followed by Frank Edgecomb. During Frank Edgecomb’s ownership an ell was added to the side of the building. Then E.R. Bachelder ran the store until about 1908. 

Will Norton bought the store in 1908 and continued the hardware business until he died in 1932 after which Neil Hamilton and Clarence Sawyer took over the store.

Norton Hardware as it looked in the 1940’s and 50’s.

The Hamilton family lived in the large apartment on the second floor.  Neil’s wife, Mavis ran a small “Five & Dime” in the back corner of the store and Frank Shaw ran a barbershop in the small addition with the lower roof on the front. 

About 1962 Roger Stanley and Charles Mitchell purchased the property and ran a hardware and propane business here until 2000.  Two apartments were on the second floor and a laundromat replaced the barbershop.  In 1988 a fire destroyed all but the floor and front wall on the first floor and the hardware was rebuilt as a single-story building to look as it does today.  

Greg Schick purchased the building in 2000 and continued to run it as the Kezar Falls Hardware until his death in 2013.  It was then purchased by the current owner, Peter Cormier and the Kezar Falls Hardware “lives on” to serve the community today.

****************************************************************************************** The Parsonsfield-Porter Historical Society wishes the happiest of holidays and a bright and Happy New Year 

for all our members and friends.

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.

The Knights of Pythias Hall

 We are featuring another building on the Porter side of Kezar Falls in this series of original public buildings that still exist.  This building at #10 School Street is now privately owned and not being used for business.   It is best known as the Knights of Pythias (K. of P.) Hall and was once a busy place.  

Former K. of P. Hall as it looks today.

The original building (see below) was built in 1888 by Jacob A. Libby.  He had a grain store on the first floor.  The Knights of Pythias - Ossipee Lodge No. 40, chartered in 1884, had been wanting their own hall for some time, so they made a unique arrangement with Mr. Libby to build the 3^rd floor for their use.  They moved in on Jan 23, 1889, and shared their quarters with the Odd Fellows lodge.  In 1900 disaster struck!  A fire destroyed the entire building. Only the lodge records and charter were saved. The K. of P. members voted to rebuild.  They purchased the lot and in 1901 rebuilt the building that stands today with the lodge hall above and a public hall with a stage located on the first floor.  (Its stage curtain was hand painted and hangs today in Porter’s Town Hall.)  

Jake A. Libby’s store and Knights of Pythias Hall above. Circa 1889.

In 1907 the “Ossipee Valley Weekly” described the new building as follows: “The K. of P. Hall is commodious and finely finished.  The upper story is reserved for the meetings of the Order and is inaccessible except to those who can speak the password.  The lower floor is devoted to “hall purposes” and provides an excellent place for concerts, plays, school entertainments, etc.  The basement is devoted to kitchen and banquet hall.  This hall is one of the best buildings in the village.”   

Knights of Pythias – Ossipee Lodge No. 40 (1884 – 1978).

The K. of P. hall was used for many public events including school plays, church Christmas parties, etc. and remained active until about 1977 when it was dissolved.  It was then deeded to the town of Porter in 1977 and was used for Porter town meetings until 1986. 

On April 6, 1988, it was sold to the current owners Eugene and Cynthia Tewksbury.  For a time, it was leased by some small businesses, but today is no longer used for business purposes.

          PARSONSFIELD-PORTER HISTORICAL SOCIETY                    Our last meeting of 2024 will be at History House on October 26 at 2:00pm.   Join us for an interesting program presented by Jean Stanley – “From France to America – the Blazo Family of Parsonsfield, Maine”.  Hope to see you there.

 

 

 This month we are looking at #14 River Street, Porter - another old original Kezar Falls business building that still exists. It looks pretty sad these days, however it is serving a useful purpose for the current owner, Tyler Dunbar, as a storage building for his business.  Although it is certainly looking old in this picture, it is hard to imagine its long and varied history.

The building was originally built for the Kezar Falls Free Meeting House in 1842 on the lot in front of the current Methodist Church at the corner of School Street and Bridge Street.  That makes it one of the oldest buildings in Kezar Falls.  The church was sold to the Kezar Falls Methodist Church in 1867.  They built a new church and sold this building to Clark Watson about 1883, and he moved it to the current location on River Street.  Notice the church like windows still evident in the picture below.

The building continued to evolve over a period of years and was used for many purposes.  Dr. E. R. Chellis bought it in 1887 and made it a large public “Village Hall”.  There was a carriage shop here and Herman Pike’s repair shop was here in 1896. 

This is how the building looked in 1908 when it was owned by the Charter Oak Grange.  They raised the roof for a 3rd floor and made an apartment on the 1st floor.  Myron Ridlon had his first drug store here in 1910 on the ground floor next to Frank Holmes’s dry goods store. From 1910-1912 there was a roller-skating rink on the 1st floor.  In 1916 Downs’ Pant Shop was located on the 2nd floor.  In 1924 it was ravaged by fire destroying the 3rd floor.  Orman Stanley and Jim Wiggins purchased it and rebuilt it without the 3rd story and sold it to William Garner in 1937.

Mr. William Garner remodeled the second floor for the school gym and the lower part for a much-needed fire station.  It was presented to the town of Porter in time for basketball season in 1941.  Everyone who went to school here before 1967 has many fond memories associated with it.  In addition to basketball games, the gym was used as a large auditorium where most school functions were held including programs, variety shows, proms, Saturday night dances and graduation exercises.  Apparently, the Garner family actually held the deed for the property until 1958 when it was passed on to the Town of Porter.  Porter continued to own it for several more years and “Activities Unlimited”, a group of parents, sponsored youth activities here from 1979 to 1989.  Melvin Clark bought the property in 1990.  It has several owners after that: Geraldine Anderson in 1989, Perter Mavris and Nan Gurley in 1992 and then in 2016 to the present owner, Tyler Dunbar.

Who knows how many more years are left for this old building?  But don’t count it out yet.

COMING UP NEXT ON OUR CALENDAR OF EVENTS:

A meeting and program at History House on Sept. 28th at 2:00 pm.  Sylvia Wilson will present a program “Keeping in Touch – the Fenderson Letters”.  We look forward to seeing you there.

Riverside Methodist Church

 This month we continue our look at the old original Kezar Falls buildings that are still in use by crossing Bridge Street to Riverside Methodist Church.  Located at #5 School Street at the intersection of Rt. 25, Bridge Street and School Street, it is one of our oldest buildings.  Most of us are so used to seeing it throughout the years overlooking the village center that we hardly give a second thought to its long history.

This picture taken in 2006 looks the same as it does today.

 The Methodist church settled here in Porter about 1839 and as it began to grow in 1867 it came into possession of the dilapidated Union Church building just in front of this location.  It soon became apparent that it needed to be replaced.  So, the old building was sold and moved to River Street and the new building was erected in 1883 and dedicated in 1884.

Many changes and improvements have taken place over the past 140 years such as the addition of electricity, central heat and stained-glass memorial windows.    A most unusual and visible addition was the stainless-steel star placed on the steeple about 1951 in memory of Mrs. S. Evelyn Devereux.  This still adorns the steeple today and makes the Riverside United Methodist Church instantly recognizable.  The new parish house wing was completed in 1963.  Through the dedication of faithful parishioners many renovations and updates have been done to maintain the whole building as a place of worship, fellowship and of service to the community.

The Riverside United Methodist Church is the only active church left in the town of Porter with a full membership and active schedule on a regular basis.  The Methodist Church building long ago became a center of activity in this community.  The vestry and parish house are in constant use, not only for church functions but for meetings by various groups of all ages, benefit suppers, fundraising events, programs celebrating special occasions, rummage sales, holiday parties, “Meals on Wheels” preparation, and the “Food Pantry”, to name a few. 

 Next on the list of the old Kezar Falls Village business buildings that still exist is:

#15 Bridge Street adjacent to the former Kezar Falls Market.   

       According to Owen Griffith, this very old building was originally a blacksmith shop located farther back from the street.  David Stearns bought it from William & Frank Stearns of Hiram in 1904 and moved it forward, put it on a foundation and made it into a store with an apartment above.  It has housed many businesses since then with the apartment being occupied as well.  

It was “Stearns Meat Market” until 1925.  In 1930 Claude Kelly leased the first floor and basement for “Kelly’s Meat and Groceries”.   In 1946 it was sold to Irwin John Chapman and Geneva Chapman of Bath.  In August,1947 they sold it to Vaughn and Carol Good who ran “Good’s Restaurant” there until 1952. 

In 1953 Carol Good Stanley sold it to Clarence and Phyllis Clark and they sold it to Erma Giles in 1956. Erma ran her “Apparel Shop” there while she and her mother lived in the apartment above until Erma’s death in 1976.  Howard Giles of Saco inherited the building and sold it to Arlan and Ann Norton in 1976.  They ran “Al and Ann’s Jewelry and Clothing Store” there until Arlan died in 1997 – the last business to be located there.   The former “Al & Ann’s Jewelry & Clothing Store”, above, as it looked in 2006.  It has been closed since 1997.

Although there is no longer a business here the building is still owned and occupied by Ann Norton.