The Gift from Mrs. Louisa d'A. Carpenter

Easter Seals Camp Fairlee , located about seven miles from Chestertown, is celebrating its 60^th year of operation in 2014.  The camp site was a gift in 1953 to the Easter Seals Society by duPont heiress and philanthropist Mrs. Louisa d’A. Carpenter.   The Camp offers children and adults with disabilities a fun and accessible camp experience. 

 “Fare Lee Manor”, which is today spelled “Fairlee” Manor, and which is where Easter Seals Camp Fairlee Manor is located,  is part of a 1900 acre tract of land laid out in 1674 for “James Brown, merchant, formerly of New England.”  “Fare Lee” or “Handy” are the historic names of the farm.  The Fairlee Manor House, now part of the Camp, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.  Michael Owen Bourne writes in HISTORIC HOUSES OF KENT COUNTY (1998) :  “Little is yet known of this part of the property for its first 125 years, but it was acquired by Philip and Jane Taylor in the late 18^th century.   The Taylors had only one daughter, Mary Ann, who married William Blackiston Wilmer in 1816.  Shortly thereafter, Philip bequeathed the farm to his daughter and on that 212 acre inheritance Mary Ann and William Blackiston Wilmer built the main house….William and Mary Anne’s daughter, Sarah Ann, married George D. S. Handy , Jr. in 1847.  Handy was brought up two miles north of Fairlee Creek on a farm called Green Hill or Handy Point, on part of Great Oak Manor.  The Handys lived in Baltimore, where he was a prominent physician.  Dr. Handy purchased the farm from his widowed mother-in-law in 1859…” In 1867 Handy transferred the farm to his wife.  Then in 1880, Sarah Handy sold it out of the family.  It passed through seven owners until 1936 when it was purchased by Frances B. Jackson, a woman from Elkhorn, Wisconsin…After Mrs. Jackson’s occupancy, the farm was owned by Mr. and Mrs. Maurice Heckscher for five years before being purchased by Mrs.. Carpenter in 1953.  Mrs. Carpenter owned the farm for seven years and then moved to Springfield Farm three miles south.  At that time she gave Fairlee Manor to the Easter Seals Society who created Easter Seals Camp Fairlee Manor. 

A cookbook called the Fairlee Manor Cookbook was published in 1976.  The proceeds were used to make improvements to the Camp.  It was dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Louisa d’A. Carpenter, who met her untimely death in an airplane crash in Easton, Maryland that same year.   The Dedication from the book reads:  “THE FAIRLEE MANOR COOKBOOK is dedicated to the memory of Mrs. Louisa d’A. Carpenter  who made a reality of Easter Seals Camp Fairlee Manor by her gift of the 263 acre campsite.  This dedication is in grateful acknowledgment of her generosity and her continued support of the improvement and expansion of camp facilities.” The Cookbook includes recipes from Mrs. Gerald  R. Ford, wife of the President of the United States;  Mrs. Marvin Mandel,  wife of the Governor of Maryland;  The Duchess of Windsor; Actresses Carol Burnett and Vivian Vance; and actors Bob Hope and Red Skelton. 

 “Camp Fairlee is the only camp in the region that provides a residential camp experience for children and adults with disabilities year-round. Camp Fairlee offers week-long camp sessions in the summer, Travel Trips throughout the year and weekend respite/retreat programs from August through May.” (From the Fairlee Manor Camp website).

 

Chestertown Parks

Every issue should have a ‘devil’s advocate’ because every issue usually has more than one side.   My comments do not necessarily reflect a personal opinion.  So for the sake of argument and in hopes of provoking more conversation ….let’s talk about parks in Chestertown.  How many parks/recreation areas does a town of 5000 (give or take) need?  The list:  Wilmer Park, Betty Anne Connolly Park, Rolling Road Park, and now Remembrance Park.  These parks add to the list of play areas at H. H. Garnett Elementary School and the Chestertown Middle School along with the soon to be available ‘rails to trails’ and Radcliffe Creek Park.  The two school play areas are maintained by the County school board;  the remaining parks are maintained by the town of Chestertown.  So the question is:  what is the cost to the Chestertown taxpayer for maintaining all of these parks?

Chestertown Elections 1975 - 1993

1975 Election

2nd Ward:
Paul Sipala - 22
Dr. Peter Tapka - 1

4th Ward:
L. Vernon Downey - 17
Unopposed

1977 Election

Mayor:
Elmer Horsey - 548
L. Vernon Downey - 206

1st Ward:
Peter D. Heller - 160
Henry G. Gruber - 113

3rd Ward
Jane B. Neal - 71
Robert McKee - 42

1979 Election

2nd Ward:
William M. Bailey - 86
Edith A. Sipala - 32

4th Ward:
Vito Tinelli, Jr. - 146
L. Vernon Downey - 121

1981 Election

Mayor:
Elmer Horsey - 226
Unopposed
Mark Mumford - 1 (write-in)

1st Ward:
Peter Heller - 73
Unopposed

3rd Ward:
Mabel Ruth Mumford - 53
Anne F. Briggs - 40

1983 Election

2nd Ward:
Patricia H. Mulligann - 24
Jean Crowding - 12

4th Ward:
Vito Tinelli, Jr. - 25
Unopposed

1985 Election

Mayor:
Elmer Horsey - 268
Unopposed

1st Ward:
Peter Heller - 150
John W. T. Diller, III - 115

1987 Election

2nd Ward:
Patricia Mulligan - 51
Margo G. Bailey - 50

4th Ward:
Vito Tinelli, Jr. - 35
William Pat Biddle - 1 (write-in)

1989 Election

Mayor:
Elmer Horsey - 114
Unopposed
Margo G. Bailey - 8 (write-in)
Lawrence Downey - 1 (write-in)
Mark Mumford - 1 (write-in)

1st Ward:
Peter Heller - 34
Unopposed

3rd Ward:
Mabel R. Mumford - 36
Unopposed

1991 Election

2nd Ward:
Margo G. Bailey - 75
J. Willis Wells - 61

4th Ward:
Vito Tinelli, Jr. - 10
Unopposed
Jake Downey- 1 (write-in)

1993 Election

Mayor:
Margo G. Bailey - 678
Vito Tinelli, Jr. - 542
Richard E. Proctor - 30

1st Ward:
Harrison C. Bristoll, Jr. - 276
Kirk Price Williamson - 179
Mary Jean Hudson - 53

3rd Ward:
Mabel Mumford-Pautz - 125
Thomas A. Gross, Sr. - 124
W. Whaland Clark, III - 40

**Results include absentee ballots

Above information obtained from the office of the Chestertown Mayor and Council.

The Woman's Literary Club of Chestertown, Maryland

The Woman’s Literary Club of Chestertown was formed in 1902 when eleven young Chestertown women got together for their ‘literary improvement’. The Club opened the Chestertown Library in 1907 and it continued to operate as a private small library for almost one hundred years. .

The Chestertown Library, Inc.was formed in 1943 in order for the Woman’s Literary Club of Chestertown to purchase a building at 127 High Street in Chestertown known as the Cahall Store in order to expand their library.

The Board of the Chestertown Library, Inc. operated the Chestertown Library along with the Woman’s Literary Club of Chestertown in this location until 2002 when the building was sold for a second time and the rent was increased. After the closing of the Library, the Woman’s Literary Club established a partnership with the Kent County Public Library and the Kent County Commissioners to renovate a historic building, 207 Calvert St., located behind the public library building in Chestertown in exchange for meeting rights twice a month.

In June, 2004, The Chestertown Library, Inc., with funds set aside for contingencies during the renovation of the Chestertown Library, Inc. Building at 207 Calvert Street, donated $2650.00 to the Kent County Commissioners for the construction of a brick memorial walk from the front of the Chestertown Library, Inc. Building around to the side entrance.

More than 100 bricks have been placed in the brick memorial walk. The Woman’s Literary Club manages the sale of the bricks and any profit is donated to the Library. The Woman’s Literary Clubs installed thirty eight bricks honoring all of the librarians of the Chestertown Library, Inc. along with the special people who nurtured the library for many years including Rafael J. Guastavino, who was the library’s financial advisor. Among other the names one will find George Rudolph Brown, former Acting Chief of Police of Chestertown; Sheriff Allan Blizzard, Judge Elroy G. Boyer; Jeanne K. Geibel, Loyal Librarian, 30 years; Elmer E. Horsey, Mayor; Celebrating pure sea glass – R. LaMotte; Joe Massey – In gratitude – the Friends; Sarah Meredith, Faithful Volunteer; in memory of ‘Hound Dog’ Brown; The Questers, Lambert Wickes Chapter; in memory of William “Shadow” Warren, Jr.; Carol Wilson, Historian; For Love of Books and Kids by Grandbarrows; Judith Reveal, Writer; Adel France, Founder, WLC, 1902; Hazel O. Walsh, Devoted Reader – Loving Mother; The McDonalds – Pat Reads Books – Paul Does Banjo; Good Books, Good Friend – Virginia Croker; Friend Teacher, Gail Jandy Livingstone; Movies Are Magic – Patricia Molloy; in memory of Governor W. Donald Schaefer; Husband – Father – Bruce A. Somers 1950-2011; Chris Roseberry – Queen Bee 1980-2010; in memory of Frank Perdue.

For information about purchasing a memorial brick, call Joan Horsey, 410-778-0340.

Chestertown's Fire Siren!

Chestertown's fire siren has been broken for a long time. Am wondering how residents would be warned in case of an emergency such as a tornado?

Chestertown Newsstands!

For almost a century, Chestertown's downtown newsstands have been important gathering places to learn local news, share rumors and gossip, greet friends, neighbors and visiting tourists, and buy items as disparate as snacks, musical instruments, shoes or antiques.

One of the first, opened in 1918, was Charles C. Schreiber’s Wholesale and Retail Confectionery store at 337 High Street in downtown Chestertown. Shoppers would not only find newspapers and magazines there but also paperback books, school supplies, ice cream, candy and fireworks. As one long-ago resident said, “All it was missing was Christmas trees in December”. Schreiber’s even employed two young Chestertown men to deliver newspapers to town residents. In the book IMAGES OF AMERICA – KENT COUNTY,* Page 102, there is a photo of Mr. Schreiber of Schreiber’s Wholesale and Retail Confectionery. * IMAGES OF AMERICA – KENT COUNTY is out of print but copies are available on Amazon.com.

Dorothy’s Card Shop opened next door to Schreiber’s a few years later at 335 High Street and carried not only cards, but also newspapers and magazines. Dorothy’s was often called Bartley’s, a bow to Dorothy’s husband Barber R. Bartley, who often helped out in the store. Barber and Dorothy bought the building in February of 1946. They closed their business sometime in the 1960s. Will Quigley, the son-in-law of Paul and Edith Sipala who owned Paul’s Shoe Store, owned Will’s Music Store at 229 High Street (now the White Swan Tavern). When Dorothy’s Card Shop closed, Will added newspapers to his inventory. Will closed his music store in the late 1960s, and Paul and Edith took over the location, continued with the newspapers and added magazines to become the P & E News Agency. The P & E News Agency operated until the late 1970s. The space is now part of the White Swan Tavern and Paul and Edith’s son, Mike, now owns Paul’s Shoe Store next door.

To fill the void when P & E News Agency closed, Elmer Horsey and his wife, Joan, opened the Chestertown Newsstand in 1979 at 302 Park Row in downtown Chestertown in a building owned by Park Row Ventures. Elmer Horsey was in his first term as Mayor of Chestertown at the time. The HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY published by Fred G. Usilton (1630-1916) and William B. Usilton, III (1628-1980) and now out of print on page 366 notes that the newsstand, managed for the Horseys by Harrison W. Vickers, III, was the “largest distributor of newspapers and magazines in downtown Chestertown”. Page 510 also shows Vickers standing in front of the newsstand at its Park Row location, but makes reference to its new home after the Horseys moved the business across the Fountain Park to 313 High Street, a building owned by Shirley Fox Goldstein and Ruth Fox Schreter. The women were the daughters of Baurice and Jeannette Fox who for many years operated Fox’s Five Cent to One Dollar Store also on High Street.

In 1982, with the permission of the owners, the Horseys sublet the 313 High Street building to Margo Bailey when she bought the newsstand business from them.

On December 20,1991, Mrs. Ruth Gsell, who worked for Mrs. Bailey at the Chestertown Newsstand, told the Horseys, since they were the lease holders for the building, of her concern about a dangerously unsafe condition to the floor at the front of the building. She was very concerned that someone might fall through it.

Elmer Horsey immediately contacted the owners of the building who asked that the building be immediately evaluated in the interest of public safety. When the structural condition was checked it was found that the foundation and joists underneath the first 25 feet of the building were close to collapsing because of extensive termite damage. It would require joist replacement and considerable treatment of the soil.

The building’s owners authorized Elmer Horsey to proceed with contracting for the repairs as quickly as possible. The contractor estimated that the structural work would take a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of one month to complete.

Elmer Horsey advised Margo Bailey she would have to vacate the building in order for the repairs to be made and suggested available alternative locations. Mrs. Bailey chose to relocate to 207 S. Cross Street (where Gabriel’s is today) and the Chestertown Newsstand remained at the Cross Street location until Margo Bailey closed it on August 14, 1992.

A spectacular fire on August 29, 1992, at McCrory’s, located next door to the former 313 High Street newsstand building (and owned by the same members of the Fox family) damaged both buildings beyond repair. 313 High Street sat vacant until it was sold to the Town of Chestertown in February of 1994, a month after Mrs. Bailey began her first term as Mayor when she won election against Councilman Vito Tinelli, Jr. Elmer Horsey had ended his 4th term as Mayor. The Town eventually demolished the newsstand building. The space is occupied today by Houston’s Dockside Emporium, Dunkin’ Donuts and offices.

Following the closure of the newsstand on Cross Street Joyce Huber Cafritz (now Smith) began carrying a few newspapers in the lobby of the Chester Theatre (formerly Chestertown’s only movie house called the Prince Theatre, now refurbished and updated and called the Garfield Center for the Arts and Kohl Lobby) located at 210 High Street. By the time Mrs. Smith decided to give up selling newspapers (in1992), Anna Scott, who owned Scottie’s Shoes at 307 High Street, had added newspapers, magazines and greeting cards to her shoe store business.

In fact, Anna brought Chestertown’s newsstand scene to full circle, making it much like Schreiber’s in 1918 with an interesting array of merchandise way beyond many out-of-town papers including locally-made doll clothes for 18- inch dolls, antiques on consignment, tickets to most cultural and entertainment events and always the latest up-to-date local news and answers to visitors’ questions.
Note: The above information was compiled by interviewing Carrie Schreiber, Marianna Sipala Quigley, Michele Sipala and by reviewing the personal correspondence of Elmer E. Horsey.

September, 1946
First National Bank, Chestertown, MD
Attached to each checkbook register of the First National Bank in Chestertown, MD was the following:
“YOU’LL BE WELCOME everywhere on the Del-Mar-Va Peninsula!
The fastest route for travel between New York and points north and Norfolk and points south. Enjoy its historic countryside and scenic beauty – its ocean, bay or river bathing, sailing, fishing, duck hunting in season and every vacation pleasure.”