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Wallkill Valley Times , Wednesday , June 1 , 2016

PUBLIC AGENDA

THURSDAY , JUNE 2 Montgomery Town Board , 7 p . m . Town Government Center , 110 Bracken Road , Montgomery . Shawangunk Town Board , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 14 Central Ave ., Wallkill .

MONDAY , JUNE 6

Valley Central Board of Education , 7:15 p . m . School district office , 944 , Route 17K , Montgomery . Meeting is preceded at 6:30 p . m . by reception in Berea Elementary School to honor retirees of the past year , staff who have been employed 25 years or more and tenure recipients .

TUESDAY , JUNE 7 Walden Village Board of Trustees , 6:30 p . m . Village Hall , 1 Municipal Square . Town of Shawangunk Planning Board , 7 p . m . Town Hall , 14 Central Ave ., Wallkill . Montgomery Village Board , 7:30 p . m ., Village Hall , 133 Clinton Street .

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The Wallkill Valley Times , ( USPS 699-490 ) is a weekly newspaper published every Wednesday at Newburgh , N . Y . 12550 , with offices at 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , N . Y . . Single copy : $ 1 at newsstand . By mail in Orange , Ulster or Sullivan Counties : $ 40 annually , $ 44 out of county . Periodicals permit at Newburgh , N . Y . POSTMASTER : Send address changes to Wallkill Valley Times , 300 Stony Brook Court , Newburgh , N . Y . 12550

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The fate of the Mould House , one of the two homes intentionally set ablaze last month , was decided after months of heated debate before the Montgomery Town Board .

Located on Route 211 , the home was said to date back to 1835 , with an older foundation into which was carved the date of 1784 . The Mould House was reported to have beautiful woodwork and a history intertwined with families who still live in the area today .

In recent years , the home fell into disrepair and was abandoned . Last year , it was purchased by a local business owner who stated up front that he had no intentions of trying to preserve the house . The town ’ s historian and Historic Preservation Commission tried to convince town officials to pursue historic status and preserve the house , but failed .

Frank Gillespie of Middletown decried the “ wanton destruction of a historic landmark ” in a subsequent letter to the editor , and said the decision to destroy the Mould House showed “ a shocking disregard for the historical treasures of the town of Montgomery .”

The Whigham Homestead , which was razed within days of the Mould House , went quickly and relatively quietly .

Williams , who served as town historian for 10 years back in the 1990s , said the homes were unique , each telling a specific story and containing a “ wealth of history .”

“ Once we lose these things , they ’ re gone and they ’ re not coming back ,” said Williams . “ If they are important to the people of the town of Montgomery , they need to say it .”

The mansion at Beaver Dam Stock Farm dated back to the 1830s . Williams spoke warmly of one of the town ’ s “ greatest historic homes ,” describing the grand staircase , oak wainscoting and paneling , mahogany bookcases , stained glass windows and chandelier , and many more features .

His description came to an abrupt end as he stated that the home was “ reduced to a pile of twisted lumber and shattered glass ” to make way for a parking lot . The 25th anniversary is on Friday .

“ Each time a historic structure is razed , we lose so much more than the building itself ,” said Williams . “ We lose a part of the collective identity of who we are as residents of the town of Montgomery and our place in national and world history .”

Preservation efforts

The foundation is all that remains of the Mould House , which had fallen into disrepair .

In addition to the town ’ s Historic Preservation Commission , there are also historical societies and private individuals interested in preserving the historic sites in the town .

Williams said it ’ s not that they want to stop growth , instead , they ’ re looking for smart growth where properties are developed to include things like the Colden Ruins .

“[ The town ] wants to encourage business and that ’ s great , I understand that , but let ’ s not give up what makes us special ,” said Williams . “ We can have the best of both worlds .”

Williams said these organizations don ’ t want to keep homeowners from making changes to their homes . Instead , they want to assist them in making changes that are in keeping with the historic nature of their homes , protecting the integrity of the house as well as its value .

Williams explained that a remodel not in keeping with the history of the home doesn ’ t “ look right ” and devalues the home .

“ Some of the worst [ damage ] to historic houses is done with the best of intentions ,” said Williams . “ They don ’ t mean to make a mess out of it . In their mind ’ s eye , they think they ’ re doing something good .”

Williams speaks from experience . Before he knew better , he made changes to his own historic home and later had to go back and fix them .

“ Some things aren ’ t easy to solve , but there are people out there that will help you ,” said Williams .

In addition to town and county agencies , the NYS Department of Parks , Recreation and Historic Preservation is a resource for owners of historic properties .

Dan Keefe , a spokesperson for the state agency , said they offer grants for properties on the National Register , technical assistance , and help formulate plans . He said the first step is to have the property listed on the National Register .

In Montgomery , there are at least a couple dozen properties that have been placed on the National Register . A couple of the historic properties in Montgomery are actually owned by the town : the Colden Mansion Ruins and Benedict Farm .

Stabilization efforts for the Colden Mansion Ruins a few years ago have kept what remains of the main structure upright . The town performs minor maintenance including mowing and tree cutting .

Meanwhile , residents have questioned the town about plans for the house at Benedict Farm Park ( which was built by Chauncy Brooks in the 1870s ), now that the fields , playground and pavilion are completed .

Next week , the continuation of this story will address the maintenance and development of historic sites , such as the Colden Mansion Ruins , and heritage tourism .

For more information on pursuing an historic designation , or for assistance in historic preservation , visit : nysparks . com / shpo .