HomeMy WebLinkAboutContinuation Sheet - 7 E. Main, Trumansburg.pdfN.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 7 East Main Street
Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg
Narrative Description of Property
Constructed c. 1864 after a massive fire demolished the north side of Main Street,
the current building is one of three brick blocks that survives of Trumansburg Italianate
commercial period. It is situated along the eastern bank of Trumansburg Creek. The first
floor is used for commercial purposes and the second floor contains apartments.
7 East Main are the western end of the block, flush with #15 to the east and
towering above Trumansburg Creek to the immediate west. It is one of four commercial
units that appears to have been constructed as part of a concurrently developed block that
included the current units at #7, 9, 15, and 19. Despite their historically unifying
appearance, 7, 15-17, and 19 East Main currently reflect the aesthetic alterations that
accompany differences in ownership and unit usage.
Of all of the units, #7 reflects the highest architectural integrity, likely due to its
nearly century -long ownership/occupation by the same family. (See Narrative
Description of Significance.) It is the only unit with its cast iron facade visible (Cheney,
Rochester, NY.) This foundry also produced the storefronts visible at 47-55 East Main
Street.
A corbelled cornice line extends the length of the street (south) facade. The three
second -floor windows have decorative treatments, with round -headed arched windows
with keystone, spring stones, and stone sills, identical to those on 47-55 East Main Street.
The window openings have been in -filled to allow for installation of standard 1/1 vinyl
sash. The bottom center opening is significantly lower than the flanking windows,
suggesting that this was originally a door that opened onto a cast iron balcony that's no
longer extant.
An enclosed staircase is attached to the west facade of the unit, rising above
Trumansburg Creek. This has historically been the means by which the second floor was
accessed. (Visible in Sanborn Insurance Maps between 1887 and 1929.) A single window
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 7 East Main Street
Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg
Narrative Description of Property (continued)
is on the second floor of the west fagade, in the same configuration and with the same
architectural detailing's and modern alterations as the two standard windows on the main
(south) fagade.
The rear (north) fagade of this stretch of brick buildings is an assortment of
building materials (wood, concrete block, metal) for staircases and decks, reflecting the
private/service functions.
Narrative Description of Significance
Trumansburg Creek was an important early source of power in the community
and small-scale manufacturing developed along its banks. The earliest identified site in
the general proximity of 7-19 East Main Street is Scheneck's Tavern, constructed ca.
1815, known as "a great resort for people of sportive tendencies," patronized by early
local luminaries such as Hermon Camp, Oliver Comstock, and Allyn Boardman (Covert).
By 1819, Boardman, now a very wealthy man, owned the property, now known as Bond
Hotel, routinely renting rooms to tenants "highly objectionable to more sedate villagers."
It seemed to be quite the disreputable establishment and repeated calls for reform by the
owner met with little success. Finally, a group of masked men attacked the wooden
building one night, evicting the tenants and demolishing the structure (Sears, 12-13).
Trumansburg has an unfortunate history of massive fires, and buildings that
stretched the length of the north side of Main Street from Union Street to the Presbyterian
Church were consumed in a monstrous conflagration on February 22, 1864. In The
History of Trumansburg (1890), local historians record the fire in the following way:
There was no fire apparatus of any description in the town ... it became apparent
that the town must go not with out standing the almost superhuman efforts of the
people to check the conflagration. Lines of men, women, and even children were
formed, buckets of water were passed, and the advancing flames persistently
fought at every step until delicate women would fall to the ground from sheer
exhaustion....Main Street from the bridge to the Presbyterian Church and Elm
Street to the corner of Whig were filled with the house hold goods and
merchandise of all descriptions ... Thee scene at daylight beggards description.
One half the town in ruins, scores of homeless people searching the saved
property for their belongings. (As quoted by L. Sears, 53.)
The Trumansburg New York Incorporation Centennial (1972) notes that many of
the buildings devoured in the fire were of wood and the majority of owners chose not to
rebuild, instead selling the lots. A meat market was reputedly at the site of the current #7.
The new owners overwhelmingly constructed their new buildings out of brick,
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 2
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 7 East Main Street
Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg
Narrative Description of Significance (continued)
historically an urban guard against fire, and adopted more uniform designs and greater
set -backs. The block at 7-23 East Main Street reflects this new building style.
15-17 East Main are two of four commercial units that was originally constructed
as part of a concurrently developed block that included the current units at #7, 9, 15, and
19. (Current historical evidence is unclear as to whether it was developed by a single
person, or if the buildings were constructed individually and simply decorated in
cooperation with the neighboring units. Structural analysis necessary to determine
origins.) In 1885, the first floor harness shop was owned by J. S. Hunter. On November
14, 1885, the Free Press published its first edition upstairs. It would merge with The
Sentinel (first printed in 1866) in 1895. During the April 1887 survey for Trumansburg's
first Sanborn Insurance Map, a harness shop was noted on the first floor and a hand
printer on the second. These uses were still present in the December 1893 survey.
By December 1898, an insurance office was installed in the unit; this would be
the purpose of the first floor up through the 1977 historical survey, although the owners
and company names undoubtedly changed. Notions on the map indicate that the second
floor was used as an office.
Seven years later, the December 1905 survey showed that the first floor continued
to be in use as an insurance office, while the upstairs housed the Jelep Exchange Office.
Exchange was the term used to indicate a telephone exchange, an early local example of
the technology in commerce. These continued to be the same uses of the building in the
December 1910 survey. In the less detailed September 1929 survey, #7 is simple
designated an office.
Village Historian Lydia Sears writes, "January first, 1953, Ruth and Edward
Farrell purchased the insurance agency and building from Frank Bower who had been an
agent since 1913 when he joined R.J. Hunt. The Farrells also took over the Dennis
Messler agency; Messler had taken the agency in 1937 when the owner, Joel Horton
retired. The Farrells called their agency, "The Farrell-Messler" (157).
The 1977 survey included an interview with the Joseph Farrell, owner of Farrell-
Messler Insurance. The owner indicated that this company had occupied #7 (then known
as #9) since 1906. Prior to that, two other insurance offices occupied the space. The 1935
flood washed away the rear of the section and it has not been replaced, although in 1977
the interior still had a door leading to the non-existent rear section.
After nearly 100 years of occupation/ownership, the Farrell family sold #7 in
2002. It currently houses Gimme Coffee.
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 3
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 7 East Main Street
Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg
Narrative Description of Significance (continued)
History of Ownership of Building_ Date Acquired Book Page
Frank Bower
Edward and Ruth Farrell 1952
Joseph Farrell and ancestors 1906
Joseph E. Farrell, Jr. ?
(current owner) February 5, 2002 2503
4604
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Figure 1: Main (south) facade Y+_
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 4
N.Y. Historic Resource Inventory Form - Continuation Sheet
Address: 7 East Main Street
Village/Hamlet: Trumansburg
Sources
Digital Sanborn Maps 1867-1970. Arm Arbor, Mich.: ProQuest UMI, 2001.
Goldstein, Carol and Tania Werbizky. "9-15-19 E. Main Street," NY
Building Structure Inventory Form, Division for Historic Preservation. Albany,
NY, Spring 1977.
Martin, Carolyn A. Trumansburg, New York Incorporation Centennial." Trumansburg,
NY: The Trumansburg Centennial Association Incorporated, 1972.
Sears, Lydia. A History of Trumansburg, New York, 1792-1967. Location unknown: I -T
Publishing Corp, 1978.
Tompkins County. "Property Description Report For: 7 Main St E, Municipality of
V. Trumansburg." Image Mate Online. Accessed July 29, 2014.
Compiled by Katelin Olson, August 15, 2014 5