MOULTON ARMORY HISTORY REVISITED

Abby McIntosh, Keithie Srague, Bill Moulton III, Cslr Dave Hartnett , Gary Rogers, Mayor Kiss, Sue Prim

KEITHIE SPRAGUE REMEMBERS BILLY MOULTON

KS: Yes. And that was one of the hardest things when my girls went up there to high school, that they called it Edmunds and I’d always say, no it’s not, it’s Burlington High School. And there’s another thing – … Billy Moulton. He was one of the star basketball players in Burlington and he died. He was in the National Guard with my brother and he was the first Burlington boy killed overseas. And Moulton Armory – I still haven’t gotten over them turning Moulton Armory into what it is today. I’ve felt as if – how quick we forget. I’ve been over there and I haven’t seen a plaque with his name on it.

MS: Our armory here?

KS: Mmm-hmm.

GR: Which became the National Guard Armory?

KS: It was the National Guard when it was built. And the name Moulton Armory came from because Billy was the first – he was in the Battle of Normandy and he was killed.

MS: Somebody could look into that.

GR: I’m thinking that.

MS: Somebody could – I mean there’s room for a plaque in there.

KS: I would hope so.

GR: And a little story.

KO: Definitely.

GR: A story about him and how it was originally – a little history of the armory…

from Keithie Sprague's Oral history, recorded and transcribed by Gloria Reynolds, Mary Scully, and Kaitlin O’Shea. Printed in the Appletree Point Historical Society history of the North End, 2011.  

Today the Moulton Armory is a community and recreation center with a large basketball court where hundreds of Burlington people of all ages shoot the hoops and scramble. We think Billy would have liked this. The flag and the commemorative will be on display at the community center, and efforts are underway to return the original plaque that Keithie remembers to the center.

REMEMBRANCE, Nov 10, Heinebereg Senior Center. Billy Moulton, a Burlington Hero.

Capt. William Arthur Moulton, Jr.

1920-1944

Captain William Arthur Moulton, Jr. was born in Burlington, Vermont on May 9, 1920.  He attended public schools in Burlington and graduated from Burlington High School in June 1937.

While in high school he participated in football, track, and was an outstanding basketball player.  He was a member of the team that played in the Northeast Inter-scholastic Basketball Championship finals at Portland, Maine in 1937.  He attended Green Mountain Junior College from 1937-1938.

Moulton enlisted in the Vermont National Guard as a Private in Company K, 172^nd Infantry Regiment on 3 October 1939.  When the Vermont National Guard was called to active Federal Service in 1941, Moulton went as 1^st Sergeant of Company K.  During the North and South Carolina maneuvers he led Company K as 1^st Sergeant since a sickness had afflicted the unit’s officer and many enlisted men.  For his outstanding accomplishment in this regard, Moulton received the Regimental Commendation.

Moulton entered the officer’s candidate course at Ft. Benning, Georgia in February 1942 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in May of that year.  Lt. Moulton’s first assignment was with the 79^th Infantry Division, then stationed at Camp Pickett, Virginia.  He was promoted to 1^st Lieutenant early in 1943 then to Captain on 22 August 1943.  He commanded two companies of the 314^th Infantry Regiment 79^th Infantry Division.

Captain Moulton was killed in combat on 23 June 1944 during the Normandy Campaign, France during World War II.

Biggest Fish Tale Told by the Piano Player

      Yup, the biggest fish tale was recounted by the piano player. About 20 years ago, dogs baking wildly woke Christine Hebert on a foggy night. A new dock had recently been built at the Auer Family Boathouse, with a light that extended out into the water. Christine looked out to see what was alarming the dogs, thought someone might be taking a boat, and to her astonishment she saw a large creature rise up out of the water right under the light. It was Champ, green with algae, a dinosaur head and humps on it's back... s/he was seemingly curious about the new dock, and the light. The next night, a juvenile appeared, looking like a smaller dinosaur and also causing a dog barking frenzy. Christine woke her mother and took her to the window to be a witness. If you go down to the Boathouse before they shutter up for the winter, you can hear these stories for yourself.

John Shappy's father could build a boat in 8 days, without power tools. His secret? Lots of smart, strapping kids who picked up the art and didn't need much sleep! The boat cost $150, and the Shappy identifying mark was placed up under the bow. If someone stole a Shappy boat, they went to jail.

Charlie Auer encountered a skunk, and successfully used the trick of shining a light in it's eyes while quickly picking the skunk up by its tail. A skunk can't spray unless it's feet are on the ground.  Problem was that Charlie walked by a log, the skunk got a foothold, and Charlie got it good.

By popular demand, we'll do a follow-up mid-winter.

ORAL HISTORIES OF THE RIVER'S END - ANNUAL MEETING SEPT 25, 2011

Friends, we have amazing news!  Rolfe was contacted by the Great Great Great Grand Son of Felix and Martha Powell, Lou Schultze. He lives in Oregon, and he found Rolfe through our website. He has set the record straight about Felix Sr and Jr.  Lou is a "Genealogical Detective."  Maybe he'll write the chapter on Felix Powell for our history, and present it Annual Meeting next year! 

Now, this year!  Christine Auer Hebert will be transforming upstairs at the Heineberg Club into a 50's dance hall. The Annual Meeting will be Sunday 3-3:30. Sing-Along and dancing will be led by Christine on piano from 3:30-4:00, when magically the dance floor will become a story-telling circle -- "Oral Histories of the River's End." led by Charlie Auer and Tim Prim. Everyone is encouraged to tell us what they have heard or remember. Spread the word! Bring people who love to sing, or have a story to tell.

Wondering what to wear? Photo, left. Prize for most authentic. Free creemee coupons for everyone who comes in period costume! 50/50 raffle to benefit the Auer Boathouse piano fund.

We'll have the quiz and updated history for members, with new chapters on the Abenaki settlements from Fred Wiseman, transcribed interviews with Keithie Sprague and Julia Smith Northrup, and an architectural study of the historic Eastman homes (now the only authentic work of master architect Louis Sheldon Newton that remains on the Point).

Come for the meeting, stay for the fun -- or skip the meeting and come straight to the sing-along, swing-along, and stay story-telling.

Refreshments -- someone tell us what they served at dances in the 50s? Rum/Coke? Well, we'll have the coke.


50/50 Raffle to benefit the Auer Boathouse Piano Fund. 


Decorations are originals that Christine had in storage from the dances at the boathouse.

Fourth of July Quiz

Felix Powell's memorial tablet erected by the DAR in June 1923.

ANNUAL MEETING SEPT 19 -- "When the cows came home to the Eastman Farm..." 3-5pm, Ethan Allen Homestead

The 2010 Annual Meeting of the Appletree Point Historical Society will be held on September 19 at 3-5pm, at the Ethan Allen Homestead Museum. We will present our Annual Award to someone int he community who has made an exceptional contribution to historic preservation. Following the meeting and history program, the Chittenden County Historical Society will host an Ice Cream Social.

The highlight of the meeting will be Rolfe Eastman and Tim Prim, presenting the history of farming in the north end of Burlington and on the Point. Rolfe and Tim worked on the farms as boys.

Originally Appletree Point included lands south of the Winnoski River to Rock Point, between the lake and the Ethan Allen Homestead in the Intervale. The first settler in the area was Felix Powell who built a cabin on the Appletree Point in 1773. The exact site of his cabin is not known, but the search is on!

The Harrington/Townsend-Lauber pond was part of the Eastman Farm, and it was stocked with trout by Oliver Eastman. There were swans there too, and people could hear them honking all the way up to the Avenue. Oliver grew the biggest pumpkins anyone had ever seen. Dottie's husband tried to compete with him, but never could. One day they went down to the farm to ask Oliver what his secret was. Oliver told them he injected the pumpkin vines with cream from the cows!

The public is cordially invited to attend. Membership in APHS is open to all who love history and are curious about the early settlements in this area. We are always seeking photos, letters, journals entries, stories, and information about artifacts to expand our documented history which is in it's second draft printing. Copies will be presented to members at the meeting.

Staniford Farmhouse to be Restored.

195928

2 APPLETREE POINT LN

Certificate of Appropriateness

In Review

10-0750CA

DRB May 18 2010

Renovations to historic house, construct new accessory structure [garage]. Contact: Mary O'Neil, 865-7556.

Zoning Activity Report

Certificate of Appropriateness 10-0750CA; 2 Appletree Point Lane (RL-W, Ward 4) Eric Farrell

Renovations to single family house, construct new 36' x 24' accessory structure. (Project

Manager, Mary O’Neil, 865-7556)

Monday, April 12, 2010. Board meeting, 4pm, Seleen-Terhune's. Guest, Eric Farrell.

Eric is preparing the Staniford (Woodbury, Smith, Wick) farmhouse for a new owner who will have the option of doing the renovations to their own taste. He intends to market the historic home with permit for accessory apartment in it's pastoral setting on 5 acres as recommended by historic preservationist, Liisa Reiman.

The property will include the spacious lawns, two ponds and Appletree Point Stream that meanders through a wooded wetland ravine with perennial springs. Liisa researched the history of the farmhouse for APHS and documented it's eligibility for the National Register of Historic Places.



Eric points out sections of the house that have to be removed due to extensive deterioration. APHS had hoped to preserve the Louis Sheldon Newton portico, but the cost of that restoration would have priced the house out of the range of most single home buyers.

How are Properties Evaluated?
To be considered eligible, a property must meet the National Register Criteria for Evaluation. This involves examining the property’s age, integrity, and significance.

• Age and Integrity. Is the property old enough to be considered historic (generally at least 50 years old) and does it still look much the way it did in the past?
• Significance. Is the property associated with events, activities, or developments that were important in the past? With the lives of people who were important in the past? With significant architectural history, landscape history, or engineering achievements? Does it have the potential to yield information through archeological investigation about our past?

Staff Notes to DAB, Apr. 13, 2010.

Sec. 5.4.8 Historic Buildings and Sites

The City seeks to preserve, maintain, and enhance those aspects of the city having historical, architectural, archaeological, and cultural merit. Specifically, these regulations seek to achieve the following goals:

To preserve, maintain and enhance Burlington’s historic character, scale, architectural integrity, and cultural resources;

To foster the preservation of Burlington’s historic and cultural resources as part of an attractive, vibrant, and livable community in which to live, work and visit;

To promote a sense of community based on understanding the city’s historic growth and development, and maintaining the city’s sense of place by protecting its historic and cultural resources; and,

To promote the adaptive re-use of historic buildings and sites.

(a) Applicability:

These regulations shall apply to all buildings and sites in the city that are listed, or eligible for listing, on the State or National Register of Historic Places.

As such, a building or site may be found to be eligible for listing on the state or national register of historic places and subject to the provisions of this section if all of the following conditions are present:

1. The building is 50 years old or older;

The Woodbury-Wick house was constructed sometime around 1830.

2. The building or site is deemed to possess significance in illustrating or interpreting the heritage of the City, state or nation in history, architecture, archeology, technology and culture because one or more of the following conditions is present:

A. Association with events that have made a significant contribution to the broad patterns of history;

The Woodbury-Wick house is associated with early agricultural practice, having been the primary farmstead of Reuben F. Staniford, on acreage that extended from the tip of Appletree Point to North Avenue and exceeded 300 acres. The house remains a singular example of an early farmstead in the city.

or,

B. Association with the lives of persons significant in the past;

Urban Woodbury II was the grandson son of former Burlington Mayor and the 45^th Governor of Vermont, Urban Andrain Woodbury.

Embodiment of distinctive characteristics of a type, period, or method of construction, or representation of the work of a master, or possession of high artistic values, or representation of a significant or distinguishable entity whose components may lack individual distinction;

The Woodbury-Wick house is an excellent example of a high-style dwelling and retains its character defining combination of Breek Revival and Neoclassical elements, most notably the 2 storey portico on the primary façade. The work of renowned architect Louis Sheldon Newton is notable within the analysis of the architectural significance. or,

D. Maintenance of an exceptionally high degree of integrity, original site orientation and virtually all character defining elements intact; or,

E. Yielding, or may be likely to yield, information important to prehistory; and,

3. The building or site possess a high degree of integrity of location, design, setting, materials, workmanship, feeling, and association

The building is listed on the Vermont State Register of Historic Places, and therefore is eligible for the National Register.

(b) Standards and Guidelines:

The following development standards, following the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties, shall be used in the review of all applications involving historic buildings and sites subject to the provisions of this section and the requirements for Design Review in Art 3, Part 4. The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards are basic principles created to help preserve the distinctive character of a historic building and its site. They are a series of concepts about maintaining, repairing and replacing historic features, as well as designing new additions or making alterations. These Standards are intended to be applied in a reasonable manner, taking into consideration economic and technical feasibility.

1. A property will be used as it was historically or be given a new use that requires minimal change to its distinctive materials, features, spaces, and spatial relationships.

Continued residential use is consistent with the historic use of the property.

2. The historic character of a property will be retained and preserved. The removal of distinctive materials or alteration of features, spaces, and spatial relationships that characterize a property will be avoided.

The applicant has engaged an architectural historian to evaluate and assess the subject property. The study is attached. Due to the significant cost to reconstruct the elaborate two storey portico, and the accomplishment of photo and narrative documentation per federal archival standards, the removal of that element has been considered acceptable. Similarly, the removal of the shutters and the filigree lantern, both components introduced with Newton’s renovations c. 1924, have been deemed acceptable with the condition that removed elements be stored on-site to allow future reinstallation.

3. Each property will be recognized as a physical record of its time, place, and use. Changes that create a false sense of historical development, such as adding conjectural features or elements from other historic properties, will not be undertaken.

The proposed one storey front porch replacement is based on historic photos of the property taken c. 1922, and are not conjectural.

4. Changes to a property that have acquired historic significance in their own right will be retained and preserved.

The significant changes introduced by reknown architect Louis B. Newton; specifically the elaborate front porch, balustrade, lantern, and detailing have acquired historic significance in their own right. The applicant has provided analysis by an architectural historian with documentation of all elements that are proposed to be removed, with conditions for storage and standard based documentation.

5. Distinctive materials, features, finishes, and construction techniques or examples of craftsmanship that characterize a property will be preserved.

Replacement/repair shall be in-kind; infill or new clapboard shall match the existing material and reveal. Removed slate will be used to patch the existing roof on the main house.

6. Deteriorated historic features will be repaired rather than replaced. Where the severity of deterioration requires replacement of a distinctive feature, the new feature will match the old in design, color, texture, and, where possible, materials recognizing that new technologies may provide an appropriate alternative in order to adapt to ever changing conditions and provide for an efficient contemporary use. Replacement of missing features will be substantiated by documentary and physical evidence.

The front porch will be replaced with a more modest version, based upon historic photographs of the property. The slate roof on the most historic structure will be patched with slate removed from the (later) north addition.

7. Chemical or physical treatments, if appropriate, will be undertaken using the gentlest means possible. Treatments that cause damage to historic materials will not be used.

No chemical treatments are proposed, nor are they recommended.

8. Archeological resources will be protected and preserved in place. If such resources must be disturbed, mitigation measures will be undertaken.

Although no archaeological resources have been identified at this location and significant ground disturbance has already occurred on this historic farm due to agricultural practices, it would not be a surprise to uncover any element at this early 19th century homestead. Should any discovery be made, appropriate authorities shall be alerted so as to identify, evaluate and properly conserve any significant archaeological resource.

9. New additions, exterior alterations, or related new construction will not destroy historic materials, features, and spatial relationships that characterize the property. The new work shall be differentiated from the old and will be compatible with the historic materials, features, size, scale, and proportion, and massing to protect the integrity of the property and its environment.

No additions are proposed to the original structure other than a new roof canopy for the rear (north) addition. An eastern porch, added under the direction of Louis Newton in the 1920s and since enclosed by the Wick family, will have new glass installed so as to visually re-open the space.

10. New additions and adjacent or related new construction will be undertaken in such a manner that, if removed in the future, the essential form and integrity of the historic property and its environment would be unimpaired.

It is possible to consider the porch installation and renovation as reversible. Photo documentation will allow the potential for future reconstruction of the two storey portico, if desired.

APPLETREE POINT HISTORICAL SOCIETY, ANNUAL MEETING, SEPT. 15

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: DR. FREDERICK WISEMAN, NATIVE ELDER, ACTIVIST AND SCHOLAR.

Title: The Abenaki of the Eastern Shore of Lake Champlain

Abstract: The Winooski River Basin has had a long history of being a major Western Abenaki Homeland, with archaeological sites dating from the Paleo-Indian Period, through to historic times. Abenaki Historian and Johnson State College professor Fred Wiseman will share glimpses of the Abenaki culture, beliefs and diplomacy of the Eastern Shore of what the Abenakis call “Bitawbagok” “the Lake Between.” Using artifacts, music and film clips to illustrate his lecture, he will focus on the critical period of 1609, the Anniversary of which we celebrate this year, when Europeans first discovered the Abenakis’ beloved lake.

Proposed research to be added to the history by Dr. Wiseman, keytnote speaker at the Annual Meeting of the Appletree Point Historical Society:

There is little archaeology specifically on Appletree Point, since it was the embarkation point from the Winooski to the Lake. As far as I know there are but a couple spot finds of Woodland Period projectile points near the mouth of the Winooski and an oral history I recorded years ago saying that there was a family that “spoke Abenaki” who lived at the mouth of the Winooski until the 1930’s. I can check with Gio Peebles to see if there are any other VT archaeological sites on or near Appletree Point, but I doubt it, or I would have heard of them. I don’t think that any scholar could find more than that, and much of what would be written would be speculative or by analogy to other areas. If you widen it to include the archaeology of the Winooski valley, and adjacent Lake shore, I could write something with hard data, since there is lots of info upriver. All of the people from the Winooski Site and the Richmond site and others had to have passed by Appletree Point to go to other areas or to go lake fishing, and so I could do an article focusing on its geography as a “decision node” for the thousands of prehistoric Vermonters who had to decide which way to go upon entering the Lake from the Winooski.

Appletree Point, lower right