Fish and Fur Club facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Fish and Fur Club
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Front (south) elevation, 2007
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| Location | Nelsonville, NY |
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| Nearest city | Beacon |
| Built | 1905 |
| Architect | Martin Adams (builder) |
| MPS | Hudson Highlands MRA |
| NRHP reference No. | 82001242 |
| Added to NRHP | 1982 |
The Fish and Fur Club building is a historic place in Nelsonville, New York. It's located at Main and Pearl Streets. Today, it serves as Nelsonville's village hall, which is like the town's main office. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1982. This means it's officially recognized as important to history.
The building is a single story tall. It is made of wood with a strong stone base. The roof is covered with asphalt shingles and slopes on all sides. A triangular window sticks out from the front of the roof. At the front, there is a concrete porch. It has wooden posts and railings. This porch leads to the main entrance. The entrance has a double door with glass panels. Above the door, there is a three-part window. Two large glass windows are on either side of the main door.
Contents
How the Fish and Fur Club Started
The Fish and Fur Club began in 1895. It was started by local people who loved the outdoors. They enjoyed hunting, trapping, and fishing. These activities took place in the nearby Hudson River and Hudson Highlands.
At first, the club members met at a friend's house. Later, they met in another building in town. But they wanted their own special place. So, in the spring of 1905, they bought land for a clubhouse.
Building the Clubhouse
Every member bought special bonds to help pay for the building. This helped them raise $1,500 for the construction. A local builder named Martin Adams built the clubhouse. It was finished and opened in November 1905. The club celebrated with a big dinner for members and their families.
A Building for the Community
The Fish and Fur Club building quickly became very important to the village. In 1923, the Nelsonville Fire Department held its first official meeting there. The fire department continued to meet in the club's rooms for many years. They met there until their own firehouse was built in 1955.
In 1955, the club moved into a new section built next to the original building. The village then started using the old clubhouse. It became the village's justice court. It also housed the village clerk's office. The Village Board held its meetings there too.
Changes Over Time
When the building was first made, the porch railings and posts were very natural-looking. They were made of unfinished wood. This was quite unusual for buildings in that area. These rustic features were considered very important to its design. They were even mentioned when the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. However, these original wooden parts have since been replaced. The new ones are smooth, molded wood painted white.
In 2001, volunteers and the village worked together. They started a project to fix up the newer annex building. It needed a lot of repairs. The inside was completely redone. New walls, floors, and windows were put in. The building also got new heating and cooling systems. A new septic system was installed for both the annex and the village hall.
