Carpenter House at North Norwich

[From: Next Stop, Galena - A Historical Perspective of North Norwich, New York 1849-1999]


Carpenter Hotel in  North Norwich. Notice Post Office sign at far left side of building. Mr. and Mrs. Sam Hayes are among those on the porch balcony. Chenango County Historian's office
                              
                                              By Mildred Hazard
    Stephen Merritt built a two-story hotel in 1816 on the southeast corner of Main and Cayuga Streets. In its early history it was called Tavern Stand. Merritt kept it until about 1840, and then sold it to John Wight. (1)
    In 1865, a North Norwich native, Lewis E. Carpenter, became the proprietor for 12 years. He was a popular and entertaining landlord of what became known as the Carpenter House. Lewis Carpenter was engaged in lumbering, operating a sawmill (2) and was a carpenter by trade. He added a third floor to this building and made extensive alterations and improvements. The 1869-1870 Gazetteer and Business Directory lists Mr. Carpenter as proprietor of “North Norwich House." (3)
         
                         
                                                     Lewis E. Carpenter

  During the years the Chenango Canal was in operation, 1853-1878, the Carpenter House handled the passenger trade and was a busy center of activity. The March 22, 1871 Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph (4) contained an enlightening article outlining a “night school” held in North Norwich. The large hall of Mr.   L. E. Carpenter was utilized for religious meetings, singing and writing schools, held evenings over the long winter. About 45 attended the singing school and over 90 took instructions in writing. The eminently qualified Mr. J. W. Sturges of North Norwich conducted these classes. It was felt that those who attended had spent their winter profitably and gained loftier moral aspirations and a better appreciation of what is right. The Chenango Union’ of October 21, 1875 contained the following invitation: “L. E. Carpenter, of North Norwich, will give a Cotillion Party, on Friday evening, October 29th. Music by Wescott's Band. Tickets $1.50.”
   An existing photograph of the Carpenter House shows an impressive three-story structure with a balcony on the third floor. Family members tell us one of the ladies on the balcony is Mrs. Jane Carpenter, wife of Lewis Carpenter. Unfortunately, the date of the photograph is unknown. By studying the photograph, the viewer can discover the Post Office in a small building on the north of the Carpenter House. Mr. Carpenter undoubtedly was one Postmaster who used this tiny Post Office facility, as he was Postmaster live separate times for a total of 29 years. Mr. Carpenter held prominent town offices (Supervisor for 5 years and justice of the Peace for 52 years), and it is not surprising to find, in the   Minutes of the Town Board, that sometimes these meetings were held at the Carpenter House.
    In the spring of 1877, Carpenter sold the property to Charles Gile. Carpenter House was kept by Jesse E. Patterson, who took possession in the spring of 1877. He came to North Norwich from Lebanon, where he kept hotel several years. (5)  In 1879, the Town Board annual meeting was held at the “house of j. E. Patterson."
    While the property was still owned by Charles Gile, a news item of 1855  (6) indicated that the Hotel Lobdell presented programs of entertainment which included plays, instrumental acts, singing and slight of-hand tricks. A second item in the column of North Norwich news noted that Smith l.obdell furnished the reading room of his hotel with a new set of chairs “which for ease, comfort and durability will be appreciated by his many patrons."
    It appears that this hotel was often the location of the meetings of the Town Board: in 1884 Hotel of C. J. Gile, while in 1885 and 1886 Hotel Lobdell, and also in 188?-1889 Erskine Hotel.
    Sadly, fire destroyed this building on March 16, 1889. Articles concerning the fire were located in the Chenango Semi-Weekiy Telegraph (7)  of March 20, 1889 and the Chenango Union (8) of March 21, 1889.
Coverage in both newspapers was essentially identical. The writer noted that the Carpenter House was operated by Burnie Erskine and still owned by Charles Gile at the time of the tire. The fire was discovered at 5  p.m. by Postmaster Peter Russell.
    The fire was thought to have originated from a defective chimney, and the building was leveled to the ground in less than three-quarters of an hour. Valiant efforts of a bucket brigade to extinguish the lire was of no avail but they were able to save nearby stables and outbuildings as well as the nearby home of Postmaster Peter Russell, which caught fire several times. (7)
    According to handwritten notes from the Frink family, located in the Chenango County Historians Office, furniture was stored in the front room of the nearby home of George Frink (two houses south)
after it was removed from the burning building, and that a keg of whiskey and glasses were placed on Frink’s porch for the firefighters.
    The beautiful hotel that had seen much activity for the 74 years of its existence was gone. A few years later a store was constructed at the same location, and was open for many years. The store is no longer open for trade, but the building now contains a remodeled Post Office.                                         
                                          _________

                                           Notes    
    
1. Smith, James H.: History of Chenango and Madison Counties, New York, D. Mason & Co.,
Syracuse, 1880.
2.  Smith, Mae L., Over The Years: Hotel Flourished for Many Years, Norwich Sun, date unknown.
3. Child, Hamilton: Gazetteer and Business Directory of Chenango County, N.Y. for 1869-1870.
4. Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, March 22, 1871.
5. Chenango Union, October 21, 1875.
6.  Newspaper clipping from scrapbook of Sharon Steward, unknown newspaper, 1885
7. Chenango Semi-Weekly Telegraph, March 21, 1889
8. Chenango Union, March 21, 1889

                                         _____

                              North Norwich in 1855

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