HomeMy WebLinkAboutnewharts store 3 2022 Sue Thompson NL ArticleNot Just a Store “The Hall” by Sue Thompson Enfield Historian, historian@townofenfield.org
This a partial story about the red, two-story building located on the corner of Enfield Main and Enfield Center Roads in Enfield Center. It is a private residence now but at one time
it was called Wortman/Wrights/McFalls/Newhart Store and or the Hall.
This building was the Presbyterian Church built in 1835-36 on the lot in front of the Presbyterian cemetery in Enfield Center. Activity of church found was that the Church was used as
a public hall in 1837 and a Temperance lecture with Mr. J.P. Coffin, a “celebrated” temperance lecture in the U.S. was held in 1845. In 1879 John G. Wortmanpurchased the corner lot in
Enfield Center, where according to the Ithaca Daily Journal he was to “place a building to make as fine a hall as any other in our country towns”. Florence Fish (he was a stone and brick
mason) and brothers were reported to placing a foundation under the new Hall building at Enfield Center in July 1879. Wortman doubled the size of the building. The original church section
was turned into a general store on the first floor, plus a local undertaker business. Wortman was a wood worker and made his own caskets. The second floor was a dance/ meeting hall.
According to previous records the Enfield Valley Grange held their second meeting at Wortman’s Hall in Enfield center on February 16, 1875. This reference is puzzling since Wortman did
not own the Hall until 1879. Can we assume the Grange met at the Church building before it was moved? When the Grange did use Hall they rented it for fifty cents an evening. In 1925
the “landlord” was told they must provide outside entries on the second floor level of the hall for public gatherings, this did not happen so Grange no longer met there. 1925-26 a Grange
building was built at Enfield Center.
Uncle Tom’s Cabin was presented as a play in January 1881 at “Wortman’s New Lyceum” and “Wortman’s Opera House” at Enfield Center for six consecutive evenings. During one performance
they held a contest for the handsomest man and the homeliest man.
The Republican Committee of Enfield held their meetings at the hall (1888 and throughout the years) to nominate officers and delegates to County Conventions. In 1889 the Enfield Town
Board voted to rent the basement as a polling location for General Elections. The Town rented the basement until 1952 for elections.
In 1975 John Wortman’s granddaughter Irene M. Brown, reported he operated Wortman’s Store until his death in 1894. She stated he never lived in the store, his home was just south of
Presbyterian Cemetery. After Wortman died George Lord was storekeeper for about four years, then Corey Harvey from 1898 to 1903. George A Lord was listed in an 1895 Business Directory
from Ithaca as a General Store Merchant in Enfield Center. It was said that he offered a framed 16 x 20 inch crayon portrait to each customer buying $10 worth of groceries. In this same
Directory Charles Wright was also listed as Postmaster and Merchant in Enfield Center. Next to operate the store was Charles Wright. There was one reference that the Farmer’s Institute
held their meeting at the store in 1914. Charles died in 1915 and the store became in possession of the Fred and Etta McFall family. It was a busy place in 1916 when a Temperance Play
was held during one of the Methodist Church Bazaars at the Hall. Democrats in Tompkins County held a meeting there. At this meeting speeches regarding state and national issues were
given by Charles E. Treman, former state superintendent of public works and Professor Nathaniel Schmidt. In November a Jury Trial was held “Thompson vs. Mrs. Jerome Holly” on a farm
issue. The Enfield Valley Grange held “Degrees” candidate meetings there in November. In 1918 a dance was held there with a reported 50 couples attending; Olen King, Town Tax Collector,
collected town taxes there in January and February and a Farewell Party was held for Herman Brown, who had been inducted into the medical corps. 1919 a Victory Loan meeting was held
with speakers Major James A. Meissner; Private Frank S. Baker and Professor G.W. Cavanaugh. Dances, Grange Box Suppers and musical events with local orchestras were held through the
years at the Hall.
In 1928 the Ithaca Fire Department was called to a fire at the store. (Enfield Volunteer Fire Department was not started until 1948). By the time they got there a volunteer bucket brigade
had put most of the fire out. Damage to the building and merchandise was valued at $1,000. The Tompkins County Adult Library station was located at the store in 1931. Carl and Fran Newhart
purchased the store in 1944. The Enfield Fire Company installed an alarm circuit at the store in 1951. The store was operated by different members of the Newhart family and stayed open
until sometime in the late 1980s.