Often you will come across an abandoned building that has a similar form, even if it’s hidden beneath layers of additions and alterations from previous decades. Usually one room schoolhouses or 1930s service stations are good examples of easily identifiable forms. In Weathersfield, Vermont this building struck me as store or some combination of public service related businesses.
Weathersfield, Vermont
It has been damaged by the Tropical Storm Irene flooding, though I don’t know the extent of the damage prior to the flood. This image shows that an entire and some stairs have been removed. There is nothing obviously impressive about the building in this state to any passerby, but the interest lies in the stories and the questions, as always.
Looking at this building, I was guessing it retained little of its historic integrity. And the cupola roof has seen better days. I’d guess the Tyvek paper has been there a while as well.
The front of the building: fenestration has been altered, too.
The side of the building: pairs of two-story bays with wood detailing intact, among all of the vinyl elsewhere.
A beautiful Italiante door with a steep step, vinyl siding covering the clapboard, and a roof soffet in need of repairs, among other maintenance.
I always like to know the story of a building, including its past and reason for its current condition. Normally PiP doesn’t share those details for privacy of the building; however, this one seems to warrant it because if any help is going to come to it, it needs to happen quickly. Imagine my surprise when I found this image on the Town of Weathersfield website:
Amsden Store. Historic photo by Charles A. Moore of Ludlow, VT. Click for source.
It looks like a completely different building until you look closely. Remove the porch, the wing on the left, and the staircase on the right and you the current building. The history provided by the Town of Weathersfield is as follows:
The so-called Amsden Store building was built by Charles Amsden around 1869 as his home, and that of some of his Amsden Lime Co. employees in today’s hamlet of Amsden. What was once a booming lime quarrying and manufacturing business, Amsden is situated at a bend in the road on Route 131, just a mile from the stoplight at the junction of Route 106 at Downers Corners.
What a difference, yes? Anyone have any information about its present state of ownership and its fate? Presumably it was most recently divided into apartments. A sign on the front says “For Sale by Owner.” Can you imagine tackling such a project?
What once was a grand lady, I presume this cannot be saved as it is so close to the highway. Great photo find!
Oh there are many, many buildings close to the road in Vermont. Maybe someone will see this as great retail or commercial space.
wow, what a gem! thanks for sharing those pics.
the difference between then and now amazed me!
Closeness to a road may not be the issue here. For example, West Townshend General is right on the road and it has been “saved” by a group of individuals who are in turn “renting” it to the West River Community Project. It will be used as a Farm Cooperative and also share the space with the post office among other things.
However, closeness to the stream behind the Amsden Store may be a critical issue as far as getting grants and permission from the state/fed to rebuild.
I drive by this house very often with my husband and every time we drive by it, It brings tears to my eyes!! Such a beautiful property and it saddens me so much to see what it USE to look like and what it looks like now!!! I live in Vermont as well, and would LOVE to talk to you about some places!!
Sounds great. I would love to talk about VT places.
And Much of the damage was done before Irene, The only real damage was to the road and some to the back, I live less then 15 minutes from this building!
The last I knew, this home was owned by John Maclean of Cavendish, VT. He tried to renovate it for apartments (the tyvec is only a few years old) but ran into some roadblocks with zoning that I do not know the details of.