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

Felix Powell, Appletree Point, first European settler in Burlington

The beautiful city now know as Burlington was, in the earliest days of colonization, part of New France. The king of France, in order to encourage settlement in the wilds of America, granted large tracts of land, or seigniories, to loyal servants. In July 1734 this region was granted to the Sieur de La Perriere, a Captain in the French military. By 1759, this area, along with all the French claims in North America became part of the British empire following the French defeat in the French and Indian War. With peace came increased settlement. On June 7, 1763 Burlington received its charter from the crown. Among the earliest settlers was one Felix Powell, who built a simple log home on what is now known as Appletree Point in 1773.

Felix Powell

In 1774, Powell bought a tract of land of Samuel Averill... This tract was in the vicinity of Appletree Point, and extended nearly to the Winooski River. A portion of the land on the point was cleared and a log house was erected. Vermont, the Green Mountain State, Vol. 1. By Walter Hill Crockett. p. 242.

Felix was in the Revolutionary war; he enlisted in Vermont in Captain Gideon Bronson's company, Colonel Seth Warner's troops; transferred to other regiments. Engaged in battles of Fort George, Lake Champlain, Bennington, Horseneck, and Valentine's Hill. Discharged 1783 at West Point.

Burlington was chartered in 1763 by Governor Benning Wentworth of New Hampshire. In 1772, the Onion River Land Company was formed by Ethan, Ira, Heman, and Zimri Allen. The first person to buy land from the company was Felix Powell...

The first settler who came into Burlington was Mr. Felix Powell, in the year 1773. On the 22d day of October, 1774, Mr. Powell purchased of Samuel Averill, of Litchfield, Conn., in consideration of £30, a tract of land in Burlington. [Chittenden County VT Archives History - Businesses .....Description Of Burlington 1891]

The first settler who came into Burlington was Felix Powell, in the year 1773. Frequent reference is made to him by Ira Allen, in his journals of surveys. In one of his journals is the following item of account:

"Burlington, November 10, 1773.

To: Phelix Powell, Dr

1 Pocket compass, £0

250 Eight penny Nodes, 0 3

" Beefe.

" Beefe.

" 1 Pocket compass.

" 11 days work of Sleeper."

And on the next page the following item:

"When Powell went to Mill he had 2 half Joes and 1 Pistole — I have had Ten Dollars."

The nearest mills at that time were those atNew Haven, on the Lower falls in Otter creek, where Vergennes was subsequently located.

On the 22d day of October, 1774, Mr. Powell bought of Samuel Averill of Litchfield, Conn., in consideration of £30, a tract of land in Burlington. The deed describes Powell as of "Burlington county of Charlotte, and Province of New York, and the land as: All that one full right or share of land in the township of Burlington on Onion river, in the province of New York, granted under the great seal of the province of New Hamphire, which share I have as an original grantee." *

This land, in addition to the village lots consisted of three 103 acre lots, occupying the whole of Appletree point, and running northerly nearly to Onion river. Mr. Powell subsequently cleared a portion of the land on the point and erected a log house, but afterwards removed to Manchester in Bennington county, and on the 19th day of August, 1778, in consideration of £190, sold his right of land to James Murdock, of Saybrook, Conn.; the deed is recorded on page 4, vol. 2, of the town records, and describes the land as "1 full share or right of land lying in the town of Burlington on Onion river, in the state of Vermont, which right was granted by Gov. Wentworth to Samuel Averill; the pitch is made on a place commonly called Apple Tree point, where there are about 5 acres of land under improvement with a log house upon it.Burlington was recognized by the first meeting of the proprietors, as in the province of New York, this was in 1774, and also in the deed from Averill to Powell, before mentioned; but in the deed from Powell to Murdock, it is stated to be in the state ofVermont. The state government had then been lately organized, and down to this event the settlers generally supposed that they were within the jurisdiction of New York, but claimed the validity of the titles under New Hampshire. This the New Yorkauthorities would not admit, and thus the troubles arose, which resulted in the independence ofVermont. If New York had acknowledged the grants made by Gov. Wentworth of New Hampshire,Vermont would to day have probably formed a portion of the Empire State. Source

Map, 1872 topographical survey.

Map, Woodbury Farm, 1931, courtesy of Tim Prim.

Double line is Staniford Rd. Ext. which is now named Appletree Point Lane. A driveway rings the farmhouse, providing access to the property behind where a chicken house was made into a home. A spur goes across a bridge to the barn and milking parlor.

The single line is Appletree Point Stream, which runs in a Y among the wetland ponds and on to Lake Champlain. There are two stream heads, both originating from springs on the property. The entire area is a spongy spring-fed wetland in a sandy forested area known as a "dry wetland." Water runs 6-12 inches beneath the surface of the watershed area.

Eastman photos 1923-1936

Julia Smith Northrup's photos ~1943

QUIZ 2009

1. ORIGINALLY APPLETREE POINT WAS PART OF :
2. a. Benning Wentworth Grants
1. New Hampshire Land Grants
2. The Vermont Republic
3. all of the above
3. 1773, A LIKELY LOCATION OF FIRST CABIN ON APPLETREE POINT:
1. on the cliffs to watch sunsets
2. on the beach to be near swimming
3. on a high point of land near a perennial spring
4. near North Avenue on the trolley line
4. 1774, MANY EARLY SETTLERS FLED BECAUSE:
1. the winters were brutal
2. small pox ravaged the settlements
3. cut worms destroyed the corn harvest
4. the British launched invasion from Canada
5. FIRST DOCUMENTED PROPERTY OWNER ON APPLETREE POINT WAS:
1. Jabez Penniman
2. James Murdock
3. Samuel Averill
4. Daniel Ormsby
6. 1778, THE FIRST LAND DEED RECORDED RECOGNIZING THE AUTHORITY OF VERMONT – 5 ACRES OF CULTIVATED LAND AND A CABIN -- WAS SOLD BY:
1. Felix Powell
2. Thomas Chittenden
3. Ira Allen
4. Remember Baker
7. APPLETREE POINT LAND EXTENDED TO WINOOSKI RIVER AND NORTH AVE:
1. 100 acres
2. 200 acres
3. 300 acres
4. 400 acres
8. 1837, EARLIEST LARGE FARM OPERATOR ON APPLETREE POINT:
1. Rueben F. Staniford
2. A. Crocker
3. Samuel Averill
4. E.J.Fay
9. 1916, FAMILY OF 45^TH GOVERNOR OF VT, BOUGHT THE STANIFORD FARM:
1. Carroll S. Page
2. Urban A. Woodbury
3. Levi F. Fuller
4. Edward C. Smith
10. 1925, A HERD OF 125 prize GUERNSEY COWS WAS WIPED OUT BY:
1. blizzard
2. barn fire
3. mad cow disease
4. mosquitoes
11. c1928, GRAND PORTICO ON FARMHOUSE, BY MASTER ACRHITECT:
1. John G. French
2. James R. Law
3. Lewis Sheldon Newton
4. Diane Elliott Gayer
12. c1937, EARLY RESIDENT WHO BUILT A BOAT IN HIS BROOKLYN BACKYARD AND SAILED IT HERE:
1. Alex Straiton
2. George Miller
3. Victor Bergeron
4. Charles P. Smith
13. c1937, PROPRIETOR OF A QUARRY IN BARRE WHO BUILT A COTTAGE HERE:
1. Alex Straiton
2. George Miller
3. Victor Bergeron
4. Charles P. Smith
14. 1940, MORTENSENS SOLD APPLETREE POINT FARM TO DORA F. SMITH, AND STIPULATED THAT BUILDING FORMERLY USED AS A BARN NOT BE USED AS:
1. golf club house or race track
2. cemetery, funeral home, or crematorium
3. theater, restaurant, or nightclub
4. nuclear power plant
15. c1941, DR. OLIVER EASTMAN’S WIFE, ETHEL, ENCOURAGED HIM TO FARM:
1. so he would stay home more.
2. to contribute to the war effort through dairying.
3. to keep the children out of mischief.
4. as a tax scam.
16. DR. EASTMAS’S APPLETREE FARM JERSEY MILK WAS FAMOUS FOR:
1. high butterfat content
2. low butterfat content
3. maple sugar flavor
4. pale blue color
17. THE STANIFORD APPLETREE POINT FARM HOUSE IS SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE
1. the existing structure includes the original farmhouse
2. the portico was designed by a master architect
3. it is associated with Appletree Point’s farming history
4. all of the above
18. WHICH ONE OF THE FOLLOWING IS NOT A CRIETRIA FOR ELIGIBILITY ON NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES:
1. association with events significant to the broad patterns of history
2. structure more than 100 years old
3. association with the lives of persons significant in our past
4. distinctive work of a master architect
19. APPLETREE POINT STREAM, BEING TWO BRANCHES RUNNING SOUTH THROUGH APPLETREE POINT FARM TO LAKE CHAMPLAIN, IS:
1. a US tributary to Lake Champlain regulated by the Army Corps of Engineers
2. a stream governed by the Burlington Board of Health pesticide ordinance
3. part of a class II federally protected wetlands
4. all of the above
20. APPLETREE POINT FARM WAS ENTERED INTO THE STATE REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES BY:
1. Dora. Smith
2. George Harrington
3. Hannah Staniford
4. Hilton Wick
21. A NEW NAME FOR THE BURLINGTON CITY PARK ON APPLETREE POINT: