18 FAIR STREET
HISTORY
Current owners purchased the house in 1984, and at that time
were not in the market for a house, and were not even thinging
about buying a house. Frequent visitors to Cold Spring, what
started as a kidding around with a broker who was waiting for
a client, current owners returned the following week to see
the property and were impressed with the originality and strenght
of the house. As current owners were leaving the broker said,
"this door must lead to the basement" and when we entered and
saw the 22 inch thick cut granite foundation that resembled a
castle, the large brick piers supporting the floors, Scott
grabbed wife Jean by the arm and stated "house sold", and it
was. Current owners never looked at another house.
An interesting sidelight, the prior owners were getting married
and wanted to move to Cold Spring from the Ossing area, stopped
at a realty office to inquire what was available, and were given
a list of apx 8 properties to look at, the first on the list was
18 Fair Street. Prior owners related that they saw the house and
were back, they swore, ten minutes later to say that they wanted
to buy the house. The agent, thinking they were kidding stated
"you have not even been inside the house" when they stated
that that didn't matter, they wanted it. That is the attraction
this property has.
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House was built c.1855 and is listed on the National Register of
Historic Places as well as being located in the Village Historic
District. The house is listed on the Register as Gothic Revival,
the first of the styles of buildings to be more commonly known
as "Victorian".
The second owner of the house, Dr. Coryell Clark, owned the house
for more than 50 years and was a prominent resident of Cold Spring.
Having graduated Cornell Medical School, Dr. Clark interned at
Bellevue in NYC where he became known as the "angel of Bellevue".
In 1903, ready for his own practice, Dr. Clark came to Cold Spring.
In 1907, he married Katherine Campbell and shortly thereafter
bought the house at 18 Fair Street. Over the years, his practice
prospered and he was highly respected not only by his patients but
by the other doctors in the community. Even today, the people who
remember Dr. Clark speak of him fondly and like to recall visiting
the doctor at his office at 18 Fair St.
In 1924, it was through Dr. Clark's efforts that Butterfield Hospital
was erected and he served many years on its Board of Trustees.
Evidently being a busy doctor with a large practice was not enough
to keep Dr. Clark busy as he was also the President of the National
Bank of Cold Spring and served on the Draft Board of both World
Wars.
Dr. Clark died in 1957, his wife had predeceased him and they
had no children.
After the house was sold, it was converted to a 2-family - front
and rear apartments - and remained that way until we bought the
house in 1984 and it was restored to a one family house, although it
still maintains its 2-family status at the tax office and could be
easily reconverted.
It was because the house was closed off on the 2nd and 1st floors
to use as a two family (taxes paid on 2 family to keep option open)
in 1957 unitl present owners purchased it in 1984, the house
missed the "renovation period" of the 1960s when many homes with
original lath and plaster were gutted and replaced with mold
supporting wallboard/plasterboard materials. This is the period
when many of the original plaster moldings were destroyed rather
than repaired. This makes this home very unusual in that all
the original ceiling moldings are in supurb condition.
The house has retained many of its original decorative details, of
particular note are the deep crown moldings and the beautiful
stained glass window in the living room.
The house has always been referred to as one of the "best" houses in
the village and special enough to be invited on periodic historic
house tours sponsored by the Historical Society and the Chamber of
Commerce. We participated in four tours. The house has also been
a subject for many artists and photographers.
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