The Olde Town Hall

When Will and I moved to the UP nigh onto fifteen years ago, we first lived in a little ranch House in Lakefield Township next to the old town hall. It wasn't functioning as the town hall then however, since the new and improved town hall was built just a mile up the road some time back. The old town hall was purchased by a marvelously eclectic couple and turned into a junk shop.

They were good neighbors;the gangly six foot six drywall hanger and his artistically inclined wife who is fifteen years his senior and was in the habit of sipping iced vodka from a large plastic insulated convenience store mug at varying hours of the day. They were good neighbors who would do anything for you and they were fun to talk with. We spent hours perusing the junk shop and Lila and Sam have fond memories of getting a hug and a sweetie going out the door. We enjoyed hearing the bats with their babies squeaking in the walls and watching them pour out of the building at night swooping and diving and consuming Mosquitos. When Duncan came along, we decided we needed a bigger house and found our current abode in Curtis. We went back to visit though.

The town hall was built around 1905 and is two stories tall. The wooden stage/platform that was used for dancing is still upstairs and we have heard many lovely stories over the years about fantastic dances held there. It is a wooden frame structure covered in pressed tin on the outside to look like brick and pressed tin on the inside that is intricate and decorated. Will helped the owner take down some of the tin on the inside and we brought home some of the old long boards and they are on our barn.

The owners have moved to places Deep South and the town hall continues to deteriorate; in fact this spring the snow load was wet and heavy enough that the roof has collapsed partially and the upper walls are bowing out. It is only a matter of time now before this majestic old girl finally hits the dirt, bats and all.

 

Posted with Blogsy