Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1896-01-29
PARISH HOUSE AT wALp0LE.
Splendid Monument to the Memory OF Amy
Bridge Hastings.

Is 10 DC oeuicateu to-hiSnt Is splendid
tribute to the memory Of loved and faith
full wife who not many months since passed
from the scenes of earth to the life of the
hereafter. The building, model of its
kind in every respect, is the gift Of the
bereaved husband, 7. Nelson Hastings, to
the Unitarian society of Walpole, his ma
tive town. But the Unitarian society is
not the only beneficiary; the whole village
of Walpole is Mr.. Hastings debtor. for
the building is an ornament of which any
town might well feel proud.
The house will be dedicated tonight to
the memory of Amy Bridge Hastings whose
untimely death occurred on the third day
of last April. In building this structure
Mr.. Hastings has simply carried out the
plans and wishes of his deceased wife. Pre-
vious to her fatal illness last spring, the
plans had been drawn by II. r. Beckwith
of Claremont and several changes made in
accordance with Mrs. Hastings wishes
Only the week before her death she desired
| to have the members of her church society
invited to the house that her plans might |
be disclosed; but at the urgent suggestion
of her husband the proposed meeting was
postponed one week, but postponed too
long. 1t was her purpose to build the house
| to the memory of her mother. The Bridge
memorial library had been built some time
before and dedicated to the memory of her
father, Hudson E. Bridge, the library
standing on the very spot where Mr.. Bridge
was born; SO Mr. Hastings has all the time
/ felt that he was carrying out the wishes of his
wife, doing something for her. The only
variation from the original plan is that the
house has been built to the memory Of the
daughter instead Of the mother.
Ground was broken on the 23d day Of last
May by Mr.. Hastings four boys, r. Mel
son, Jr., Hudson B., Russell, and Henry
Winthrop Hastings. The four shovels they
used are choicely preserved for souvenirs.
The cellar was dug and the foundations
laid soon after, and the construction and
finishing of the building has Just been COM
pleted. During all these months Mr. Has
tings has been with his employees and per-
sonally supervised the construction Of
every part.
The house is a two-story frame building
with spacious veranda on the north and
west sides, and a tower on the northeast
corner near the entrance. 1t is 50 by So
feet, is partly singled and partly clap
, boarded, and the roof is slated. Under
part of the building is cellar % by 80
feet and s feet deep. The foundation is
three feet thick, and the brick work extends
two and one-half feet above the ground
Over the entrance is carved in wood ''Has-
tings Memorial Parish House."
The first room, as one enters the build
= ing, is the reception hall Is by % feet. In
one corner is a fireplace with tiled hearth
!. and cream-colored brick. Above is carved
3 mantel, under which is a solid broze tablet
bearing this inscription, g This building
was erected in 1895 by Thomas Nelson
Hastings, in memory Of his wife, Amy
: Bridge Hastings, and presented to the
n Unitarian society on January 90 1885,
4 Above the mantel hangs life-size sepia
: place is stationary upholstered settee.
Leading from the reception hall are two
:. parlors connected by 12-foot sliding doors
each parlor being 16 by % feet. Foul
) French windows lead to the porch on tho
: west side. The other rooms on this fool
. are store room 8 by y, ladies cloak and
toilet room 10 by y, kitchen II by l6 witt
soapstone sink and pump connecting witt
a well in the cellar, a pantry by -, ant
: gents toilet and coat room.
~
r ception hall to the auditorium in the secont
IS story. This stairway is in the tower ane
makes three turns in the ascent Th,
auditorium is 40 by 33 feet and has a seat
e ing capacity Of 800. There are three large
$, cased beams running over the top will
!. fancy brackets at either end. On the ives
> side are three stained glass windows
:. The stage is 16 1-2 deep, 80 wide, an,
- Is feet high, the proscenium being 10 BY
Is. The curtain is made of Titan valou
i and was furnished by Shepard, Norwell {
IS Co., Boston. There are three scenes;
II drawing-room scene, plain chamber scene
;" and exterior scene, all painted by the wei
known scenic artist of Boston, E. LaNIoss
Leading from the stage are two dressin,
t. rooms, each by II, and gents smoking
room. The stage is three feet above tn
floor of the auditorium and the sides and tol
are sheathed in hard pine, double beaded
= and not piece of the sheathing is spliced
Under the efficient supervision Of c. E
. Putney of Claremont, the building has bee
re most thoroughly constructed Every mai
of and every piece of timber have been place,
al as they should be. The interior of tn
building is finished in hard North Caroln
&c pine, and the door knobs, hinges, windo,
fastenings, ETC., are all of oXydized cop
ch per. All the walls are wainscotted tire
re feet from the floor, and for two and one
half feet above painted in oil, the top pan
l, III of the walls and the ceiling being decorate
IL. in water colors. The kitchen, pantry, bac
ut entry, and the dressing and smoking room
q are all done in oil. The outside paintin
:, and the finishing Of the woodwork and tn
~ decorating of the walls. and ceiling wa
he done by c. S. Gates Of Bellows Falls, VIII
er did very satisfactory work, so Mr.. Hasting
he says. The building is heated by Kelse
as hot air furnace and lighted with Rocheste
lamps.
'ss The entire cost of the house will |
between $4,000 and $4,000. Mr. Ha
he tings gives the building, the stage curtain
M the scenery, and the furnace. The Unit
rian society does the rest of the furnishir
Vi and will spend about $1,000.
es. This is brief and necessarily incor
the plete description, but gives general i'd
not of the beauty and utility of Walpole's ne
parish house.
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