Special to The Star-Herald
The year 1981 was the beginning of The Haystack Historical Society started by an “expatriot”, Dan’l Turner. Dan’l had grown up in Mapleton, went to Rhode Island to seek his fortune, but never lost his love for The County. Dan’l came home at every opportunity, renewing friendships and forging new ones. He was most eager to see the area prosper, yet keep its history alive in the minds of current inhabitants.
The Reverend John Rothrock, pastor of the United Methodist Church of Mapleton, graciously invited the fledgling historical group to meet within that church’s parlors. Many of the first members have gone on to their just rewards; new members have joined and are continuing the efforts to preserve the histories of the towns of Castle Hill, Chapman and Mapleton. For the society’s name the members chose, “Haystack”, after Haystack Mountain, the dominant physical feature of the area, as the most appropriate name for the new entity.
Although members were most appreciative of the hospitality of Rev. Rothrock, they wanted a meeting place of their own to become a repository or historical artifacts. Many ideas were proposed. A building could be built, but, unfortunately, a building lot was unavailable as land was already built upon, being farmed or was forested. None was for sale in an area of prominence.
A house belonging to a favorite teacher, Sarah Stephenson, was considered. The society and owners could not agree on a price. Besides that, the society had little money, certainly, not enough to enter into a sales agreement.
Earl Turner pushed the idea of taking over the Old Mill School. Heavens-to-Betsey! That place was in horrible condition. It looked as if it were a Salvation Army reject! That old building, built before 1880, had been used as a community meeting house, a church, a school, a town garage and a warehouse.
Earl, an excellent wheeler-dealer, persuaded the members to take it over and renovate it as it had plenty of space to put stuff and to hang things on the walls.
The Old Mill School was on Main Street, and owned by the town of Mapleton. Earl and other members approached the Board of Selectmen who were not too keen on the idea. There could be internal cat fighting among members, any renovating could create a bigger mess, and leave the town holding the bag, er schoolhouse.
The building needed more than a band aid approach. Could a group of members with dissimilar abilities and personalities pull together to pull it together?
A deal was made. If the Society would make the exterior presentable within three years, the building would be theirs. Fund raising began and many volunteers worked hard. Monetary donations, elbow grease, determination and faith that the job could be done all contributed to the restoration of that once venerable, now dilapidated eye sore.
The task of making the exterior presentable and looking proudly was accomplished within two years! The Old Mill School House became the home for the Haystack Historical Society.
The interior was a real challenge. Wings, which had been added onto the schoolhouse back about 1940 had splayed walls, and the floors were earthen. The schoolhouse floor had been pulled out to accommodate the parking of town trucks and school buses. There was a grease pit for servicing those vehicles. Diesel exhaust coated the walls and ceilings with oily grim.
Most surprising was that the embossed tin walls and ceilings in the schoolhouse, in spite of being covered with diesel exhaust, were as good as the day the tin was installed. Jim Oullette and other volunteers cleaned them, painted them and they looked new. After Earl passed away Winfield Sawyer volunteered to take on the job of supervising further renovations.
People still living who went to the Old Mill School tell of their days there. During the winter, a wood stove provided heat. Students who did not give the teachers a hard time could sit close to the stove. The obstreperous had to sit farther away from the heat source, and if they were really an annoyance to the teachers and scholars they had to sit next to the doors to the outhouse, built onto the back of the school. On windy days…!
Some members wanted the outhouse to be torn off as it was in horrible, rotted condition, needing quite a bit of restorative work. Others would not hear of it. Although young people of today might never have known the joys of using an outhouse, they needed to know! The older members waxed nostalgic over the outhouse. The Old Mill School still has its outhouse – renovated. Visitors prefer to use the freshly installed, modern plumbing fixtures
Down through the years the Society has hosted a number of fund-raising, and social activities. Quilt shows, grandmother/granddaughter teas, receptions for veterans who marched in the Memorial Day Parade in Mapleton, supper auctions, workshops, open house days, yard and garage sales, pie sales and storytelling have all been sponsored to raise funds to keep the renovations, general maintenance and bill paying continuing.
A few artifacts pertinent to how lives were lived within the three-town area have been received. A computer has been donated to the society. Since the society does not meet during winter months, it was decided to have it up and running until next spring. A telephone line will be installed for internet service. The computer will be used to store history, genealogy of families within the three-town area, as well as reports about past and current activities, to communicate with other historical societies, and people wanting information.
The Haystack Historical Society members are not able to accept large artifacts for its museum, such as farm machinery, because of the physical limitations of the building. Adding on to make a rounded out museum is not an option. Land belonging to the Old Mill School is not abundant. To the north there are 150 feet. To the east there are 23 feet. To the south, there is the area between the façade and Route 163. To the west are 18 feet. Computerized storage is a perfect solution.
Membership is not restricted to people living within the towns of Castle Hill, Chapman and Mapleton. Anyone from nearby, or from far away, may join with those current members, by showing interest, joining in with the activities and paying dues. Many people have already done excellent work restoring the proud institution some thought was good only for tearing down, and carting away.
Dana Allison is the immediate past president of the Haystack Historical Society.
Staff photo/Mark Putnam
SCHOOLHOUSE SCENE — Since its humble beginnings some 25 years ago, the Haystack Historical Society in Mapleton has been quietly preserving the region’s rural roots with a membership of several dozen and an ambitious corps of officers. Putting in a few hours at the Old Mill School museum were, from left, seated: Joyce Brown, Myrna Gardner and Winfield Sawyer. Standing: Oscar Nelder, whose wife Darlene was a student and later teacher at the former schoolhouse, and Dana Allison.
