St. Johnsbury Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1920-1920, 1920-05-26
COMMUNITY
HOUSE AT
EAST BURKE
The Splendid Gift of Elmer
A. Darling to His Ma
tive Town

The people of East Burke and vi
cinity have reason to be proud Of the
community house which has recently
been opened and to which a most cor
dial invitation is extended to all to
visit any day of the week. The
building is the gift of Elmer A. Dar-
ling and is Il splendid contribution
TO the community for which he has
done so much and to the town where
he was born and has lived for so
many years since closing out his
hotel interests in New York city.
A party of five recently visited the
home of the Burke Mt. Club as the
guests of the donor and we feel sure
our readers will be interested in a
description of this beautiful building.
The trip was made from st. johns
bury in one OF the largest and newest
of the Packard cars, with Charles H.
Goss at the wheel, and the personnel
included a representative Of the CAL
edoniaa, Hon. Alexander Dunnett,
Pr. Hazen and Dr. George f. Cher
ey.
The building is located on spacious
grounds in the village of East Burkc
and is in the old Colonial style OF
architecture. The plans were drawn
by Mr.. Darling and elaborated by the
New York architects, Jardin, Hill Il
Murdock. The building was cor
structed by James. M. Foye, the
well-known St. Johnsbury contractor
and builder, and with him were ,.''
sociated the Cox brothers, ST.
Johnsbury's best carpenters. The
building was over Il year in con-
struction and is now completed and
in constant use.
One enters the building from tn"
street through typical Colonial
doorway and after passing small
passage way enters the first floor and
comes into the main hall. On eacn
side of the hall are two reading,
rooms. each 10 by 26 feet, and as
attractive and cosy as any similar
rooms that one would find in the
largest libraries in the country. The
finish in these rooms, as well as
throughout the house, is of brown
ash stained in peculiar soft green
tint. All the tables, chairs and equip
ntent of both reading rooms, some oi
which is of oak is finished to matcn,
making very harmonious and rest
fill effect. 1t is interesting to note
that the wood in the building was
raised on Mr.. Darling's farm and fla
ished at his sawmill at East Burke.
Both of the reading rooms hay 4
pressed brick fire places, surmounted
by clocks OF. the banjo pattern and in
one of the fireplaces is beautiful
pair of handwrought steel andirons
that came from the ancient city Of
Nurenbmg in Germany. This is the
onlv pattern of these andirons in tho
United States and they are wonder
FIJI in workmanship and design.
Both of the reading rooms are well
stocked with books, magazines and
Iihpers, including many of the pop
ular novels, the classics, books Of
reference, aliases and dictionaries. In
these rooms as well as throughout
the house the floors are all of hard
wood, many of them being covered
with Klear flax rugs.
In the basement are two rooms of
equal size with the reading rooms
for sports and games. The southern
room contains a fine pool table and
an inlaid checker and backgammon
hord. Around the room are colore1
prints of scenes from Dickens, lake
and mountain scenes and plenty Of
chairs for those who wish to watch
the players. Another banjo pattern
clock is above the open fireplace.
The room opposite will be devoted
(Continucd on page siy)