Village of Monroe Historic District
Encyclopedia
The Village of Monroe Historic District, also known as the Smith's Mill Historic District, is located in Monroe
, New York, United States. It is an irregularly shaped 81 acres (32.8 ha) area containing 36 properties, primarily residential but with some churches and commercial buildings, in the center of the village, just east of its downtown. In 1998 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
.
Most of the district is open space, taken up by a mill pond
and park, a cemetery and the former site of a racetrack. Its buildings, mostly from the 19th century but some predating the Revolution
, are clustered in a small area Stage Road and represent the early core of Monroe from the days when Smith's Mill, its first business, had dam
med the waters of Ramapo Creek
. They are also survivors of an 1892 fire that devastated the village. The Greek Revival
and Federal architectural style
s prevail, with some mid-19th-century Gothic Revival homes included. Among the contributing properties
are the oldest Masonic Lodge
in New York, the former Monroe Cheese Factory Plant where Velveeta
was first manufactured, and the home of David Smith, the village's founder, now incorporated into a later house.
The historic district
was created after an acrimonious process in which some of the property owners within it feared they would lose control. Since its creation the village has been unwilling or unable to do much to improve or preserve it.
on its west, from Lake Street, including the entire mill pond and park, to a point a half-mile (1 km) west of its intersection with the Stage Road, now Orange County Route 19. A small area west of 17M, primarily along Stage but also including portions along Oakland, Mill and Ramapo streets, is included. The only other deviation from 17M is the exclusion of two large lots
not part of Monroe Cemetery or the racetrack to the northeast of the 17M-Stage Road intersection.
Along the east, the boundary follows the west side of Mill Pond Parkway south from Lake, then runs east along the south side of Smithfield Court to follow the west side of Stage south for a short distance. Then it makes a zigzag path along lot boundaries to the junction of Carpenter Place and Maple Street. At that point it extends south to take in Monroe Cemetery, then returns to Stage and 17M.
on Long Island
, who in 1747 bought a 276 acres (111.7 ha) tract of the Cheesecocks Patent
, where he had built a house six years earlier, in 1741, at what is now the junction of Maple and Stage. In 1761 he bought an adjacent tract, and these two purchases make up much of today's Monroe.
He had dammed the creek to start a mill
, and very soon the settlement came to be known as Smith's Mills. As it continued to grow into the early 19th century, it was renamed to first Southfield and then, in 1808, Munroe, after a then-state senator
. Later confusion over the spelling during the administration of President James Monroe
led to the more common spelling being adopted, as well as stories that the village was named after the president.
This period of Monroe's growth is reflected in the Federal style houses within it, as well as McGarrah's Tavern at Stage and 17M. It was chartered as a Masonic lodge
in 1814 and remains the oldest such building in New York.
By 1836 its economy included not only milling but an iron industry which not only smelted
the ore in the nearby hills but made it into finished products like nails and anchor
s. The New York and Erie Railroad routed its main line through what was then the village's outskirts in 1841, opening up new markets to Monroe. During this period the Federal style began to yield in popularity to the Greek Revival
mode. The 1811 Nicholas Knight House on Stage Road was later renovated into a strong example of this style, and the 1853 First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, also on Stage, shows a more advanced interpretation of the style.
The railroads would be responsible for the Monroe Cheese Company making Velveeta
a nationally known brand from its 1873 introduction. Its Italianate
brick former factory remains on Mill Pond Road. Of the different styles popular in the late Victorian
period, the Queen Anne Style
was most in evidence in Monroe. The 1841 Methodist Church on Maple Avenue was renovated along Queen Anne
lines in 1885, and over a decade later, in 1896, the Church of the Sacred Heart was built in that style.
In 1892 a fire destroyed much of the village's then-downtown, to the east of the mill and older houses. The citizens responded by formally incorporating the village two years later, in order to establish a fire department
and water supply system.
circuit between 1908 and 1927. The Colonial Revival
style was not as popular as its Victorian predecessors had been, so there are few examples of it in the district. The most notable is the American Foursquare
house at 132 Stage Road, dating to 1910.
Since 1940 there has been no major new construction in the district, save the 1948 Classical Revival
Monroe Theatre, next to the cheese factory. The racetrack's grandstand
was demolished in 1964.
In 1998 Wendy Bush, a local resident descended from some early settlers, agitated for the creation of the historic district
against opposition from many of its residents, who feared the zoning
changes would greatly restrict their ability to develop their property. Since its creation there have been few efforts to promote the district or preserve
and restore
properties within it. In 2005 the village obtained a $250,000 state grant to cover half the price of the 21 acres (8.5 ha) racetrack property, which it intended to develop into a park with walking trails. But when the state learned that the property's previous owner had placed a conservation easement
on it, it reduced the size of the grant because the land was now protected. The land has remained undeveloped since then, and no new plan has been offered.
The 36 contributing properties
contain 70 total buildings and structures. Of these 47 buildings and 9 structures, along with four sites, are considered historic resources of the district. None have yet been listed separately on the Register. Eight other buildings (mostly garages), and one structure, are of late 20th-century construction and are not considered contributing.
Monroe (village), New York
Monroe is a village in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,780 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical...
, New York, United States. It is an irregularly shaped 81 acres (32.8 ha) area containing 36 properties, primarily residential but with some churches and commercial buildings, in the center of the village, just east of its downtown. In 1998 it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Most of the district is open space, taken up by a mill pond
Mill pond
A mill pond is any body of water used as a reservoir for a water-powered mill. Mill ponds were often created through the construction of a mill dam across a waterway. In many places, the common proper name Mill Pond name has remained even though the mill has long since gone...
and park, a cemetery and the former site of a racetrack. Its buildings, mostly from the 19th century but some predating the Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, are clustered in a small area Stage Road and represent the early core of Monroe from the days when Smith's Mill, its first business, had dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
med the waters of Ramapo Creek
Ramapo River
The Ramapo River is a tributary of the Pompton River, approximately 30 mi long, in southern New York and northern New Jersey in the United States.-Course:...
. They are also survivors of an 1892 fire that devastated the village. The Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
and Federal architectural style
Architectural style
Architectural styles classify architecture in terms of the use of form, techniques, materials, time period, region and other stylistic influences. It overlaps with, and emerges from the study of the evolution and history of architecture...
s prevail, with some mid-19th-century Gothic Revival homes included. Among the contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
are the oldest Masonic Lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
in New York, the former Monroe Cheese Factory Plant where Velveeta
Velveeta
Velveeta is the brand name of a processed cheese product having a taste that is identified as a type of American cheese with a texture that is softer and smoother. It was first made in 1918 by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. In 1923, The Velveeta Cheese...
was first manufactured, and the home of David Smith, the village's founder, now incorporated into a later house.
The historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
was created after an acrimonious process in which some of the property owners within it feared they would lose control. Since its creation the village has been unwilling or unable to do much to improve or preserve it.
Geography
The most consistent boundary of the district is New York State Route 17MNew York State Route 17M
New York State Route 17M is an east–west state highway in Orange County, New York, in the United States. It extends for from west of the city of Middletown to what is currently the north–south section of NY 17 just southeast of the village of Harriman...
on its west, from Lake Street, including the entire mill pond and park, to a point a half-mile (1 km) west of its intersection with the Stage Road, now Orange County Route 19. A small area west of 17M, primarily along Stage but also including portions along Oakland, Mill and Ramapo streets, is included. The only other deviation from 17M is the exclusion of two large lots
Lot (real estate)
In real estate, a lot or plot is a tract or parcel of land owned or meant to be owned by some owner. A lot is essentially considered a parcel of real property in some countries or immovable property in other countries...
not part of Monroe Cemetery or the racetrack to the northeast of the 17M-Stage Road intersection.
18th and 19th centuries
The village of Monroe began with the arrival of David Smith, originally from BrookhavenBrookhaven, New York
The Town of Brookhaven is one of the ten towns into which Suffolk County, New York, United States, has been divided. Part of the New York metropolitan area, it is located in central Suffolk County and is the only town in the county that stretches from the North Shore to the South Shore of Long...
on Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, who in 1747 bought a 276 acres (111.7 ha) tract of the Cheesecocks Patent
Cheesecocks Patent
The Cheesecock or Cheesecocks Patent, in the southern part of what became Orange County, New York State, was a tract of land that now covers the towns of Monroe and Tuxedo and extends over part of Rockland County, which was separated from Orange County in 1798A variant of the name is still applied...
, where he had built a house six years earlier, in 1741, at what is now the junction of Maple and Stage. In 1761 he bought an adjacent tract, and these two purchases make up much of today's Monroe.
He had dammed the creek to start a mill
Watermill
A watermill is a structure that uses a water wheel or turbine to drive a mechanical process such as flour, lumber or textile production, or metal shaping .- History :...
, and very soon the settlement came to be known as Smith's Mills. As it continued to grow into the early 19th century, it was renamed to first Southfield and then, in 1808, Munroe, after a then-state senator
New York State Senate
The New York State Senate is one of two houses in the New York State Legislature and has members each elected to two-year terms. There are no limits on the number of terms one may serve...
. Later confusion over the spelling during the administration of President James Monroe
James Monroe
James Monroe was the fifth President of the United States . Monroe was the last president who was a Founding Father of the United States, and the last president from the Virginia dynasty and the Republican Generation...
led to the more common spelling being adopted, as well as stories that the village was named after the president.
This period of Monroe's growth is reflected in the Federal style houses within it, as well as McGarrah's Tavern at Stage and 17M. It was chartered as a Masonic lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
in 1814 and remains the oldest such building in New York.
By 1836 its economy included not only milling but an iron industry which not only smelted
Smelting
Smelting is a form of extractive metallurgy; its main use is to produce a metal from its ore. This includes iron extraction from iron ore, and copper extraction and other base metals from their ores...
the ore in the nearby hills but made it into finished products like nails and anchor
Anchor
An anchor is a device, normally made of metal, that is used to connect a vessel to the bed of a body of water to prevent the vessel from drifting due to wind or current. The word derives from Latin ancora, which itself comes from the Greek ἄγκυρα .Anchors can either be temporary or permanent...
s. The New York and Erie Railroad routed its main line through what was then the village's outskirts in 1841, opening up new markets to Monroe. During this period the Federal style began to yield in popularity to the Greek Revival
Greek Revival architecture
The Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
mode. The 1811 Nicholas Knight House on Stage Road was later renovated into a strong example of this style, and the 1853 First Presbyterian Church of Monroe, also on Stage, shows a more advanced interpretation of the style.
Velveeta
Velveeta is the brand name of a processed cheese product having a taste that is identified as a type of American cheese with a texture that is softer and smoother. It was first made in 1918 by Swiss immigrant Emil Frey of the Monroe Cheese Company in Monroe, New York. In 1923, The Velveeta Cheese...
a nationally known brand from its 1873 introduction. Its Italianate
Italianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
brick former factory remains on Mill Pond Road. Of the different styles popular in the late Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
period, the Queen Anne Style
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
was most in evidence in Monroe. The 1841 Methodist Church on Maple Avenue was renovated along Queen Anne
Queen Anne Style architecture
The Queen Anne Style in Britain means either the English Baroque architectural style roughly of the reign of Queen Anne , or a revived form that was popular in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th century...
lines in 1885, and over a decade later, in 1896, the Church of the Sacred Heart was built in that style.
In 1892 a fire destroyed much of the village's then-downtown, to the east of the mill and older houses. The citizens responded by formally incorporating the village two years later, in order to establish a fire department
Fire department
A fire department or fire brigade is a public or private organization that provides fire protection for a certain jurisdiction, which typically is a municipality, county, or fire protection district...
and water supply system.
20th and 21st centuries
New construction in the historic core of the village began to drop off in the early 20th century, as the village expanded and other areas were developed. The racetrack became a popular venue for the local harness racingHarness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
circuit between 1908 and 1927. The Colonial Revival
Colonial Revival architecture
The Colonial Revival was a nationalistic architectural style, garden design, and interior design movement in the United States which sought to revive elements of Georgian architecture, part of a broader Colonial Revival Movement in the arts. In the early 1890s Americans began to value their own...
style was not as popular as its Victorian predecessors had been, so there are few examples of it in the district. The most notable is the American Foursquare
American Foursquare
The American Foursquare or American Four Square is an American house style popular from the mid-1890s to the late 1930s. A reaction to the ornate and mass produced elements of the Victorian and other Revival styles popular throughout the last half of the 19th century, the American Foursquare was...
house at 132 Stage Road, dating to 1910.
Since 1940 there has been no major new construction in the district, save the 1948 Classical Revival
Neoclassical architecture
Neoclassical architecture was an architectural style produced by the neoclassical movement that began in the mid-18th century, manifested both in its details as a reaction against the Rococo style of naturalistic ornament, and in its architectural formulas as an outgrowth of some classicizing...
Monroe Theatre, next to the cheese factory. The racetrack's grandstand
Grandstand
A grandstand is a large and normally permanent structure for seating spectators, most often at a racetrack. This includes both auto racing and horse racing. The grandstand is in essence like a single section of a stadium, but differs from a stadium in that it does not wrap all or most of the way...
was demolished in 1964.
In 1998 Wendy Bush, a local resident descended from some early settlers, agitated for the creation of the historic district
Historic district (United States)
In the United States, a historic district is a group of buildings, properties, or sites that have been designated by one of several entities on different levels as historically or architecturally significant. Buildings, structures, objects and sites within a historic district are normally divided...
against opposition from many of its residents, who feared the zoning
Zoning
Zoning is a device of land use planning used by local governments in most developed countries. The word is derived from the practice of designating permitted uses of land based on mapped zones which separate one set of land uses from another...
changes would greatly restrict their ability to develop their property. Since its creation there have been few efforts to promote the district or preserve
Historic preservation
Historic preservation is an endeavor that seeks to preserve, conserve and protect buildings, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance...
and restore
Building restoration
Building restoration describes a particular treatment approach and philosophy within the field of architectural conservation. According the U.S...
properties within it. In 2005 the village obtained a $250,000 state grant to cover half the price of the 21 acres (8.5 ha) racetrack property, which it intended to develop into a park with walking trails. But when the state learned that the property's previous owner had placed a conservation easement
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement is an encumbrance — sometimes including a transfer of usage rights — which creates a legally enforceable land preservation agreement between a landowner and a government agency or a qualified land...
on it, it reduced the size of the grant because the land was now protected. The land has remained undeveloped since then, and no new plan has been offered.
Significant contributing properties
Contributing property
In the law regulating historic districts in the United States, a contributing resource or contributing property is any building, structure, or object which adds to the historical integrity or architectural qualities that make the historic district, listed locally or federally, significant...
contain 70 total buildings and structures. Of these 47 buildings and 9 structures, along with four sites, are considered historic resources of the district. None have yet been listed separately on the Register. Eight other buildings (mostly garages), and one structure, are of late 20th-century construction and are not considered contributing.
- Hophni Smith House, 400 Stage Road. A -story saltbox house built c. 1750. Moved to its present site in mid-19th century.
- David Smith-Jeremiah Knight House, 315 Stage Road. A -story Federal frame house with rear extension added later. A portion is believed to have been the house Smith built in 1741.
- Smith-Knight Grist Mill, next to house. Remains of foundation and other structures like dam, raceMill raceA mill race, raceway or mill lade is the current or channel of a stream, especially one for conducting water to or from a water wheel or other device for utilizing its energy...
and flume survive from 1750 construction. Large mill pond is now the center of a village park. - McGarrah's Inn, also known as Goff's Tavern, 300 Stage Road. First built c. 1800, it was chartered as Cornerstone Lodge in 1814, making it the oldest Masonic lodge in the state. Expanded to present form in 1839. Served as residence of village mayor and Nuremberg TrialsNuremberg TrialsThe Nuremberg Trials were a series of military tribunals, held by the victorious Allied forces of World War II, most notable for the prosecution of prominent members of the political, military, and economic leadership of the defeated Nazi Germany....
prosecutor Frederick Hulse. Recently purchased by local Masons to restore and return to original use. - Monroe Cemetery, north side of NY 17M. Graveyard of early settlers, later expanded in 19th century. Funerary artFunerary artFunerary art is any work of art forming, or placed in, a repository for the remains of the dead. Tomb is a general term for the repository, while grave goods are objects—other than the primary human remains—which have been placed inside...
from both periods. - Monroe Cheese Company, 30 Mill Pond Road. Three-story brick ItalianateItalianate architectureThe Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
factory dating to c. 1880. - Monroe Presbyterian Church, 142 Stage Road. Greek RevivalGreek Revival architectureThe Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
church built in 1853 fronted with flutedFluting (architecture)Fluting in architecture refers to the shallow grooves running vertically along a surface.It typically refers to the grooves running on a column shaft or a pilaster, but need not necessarily be restricted to those two applications...
columns topped with moldedMolding (decorative)Molding or moulding is a strip of material with various profiles used to cover transitions between surfaces or for decoration. It is traditionally made from solid milled wood or plaster but may be made from plastic or reformed wood...
friezeFriezethumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
. One of Monroe's most visible landmarks. - Monroe Racetrack. In undeveloped land south of Stage. Site of harness racing in early 20th century. Gravel track remains.
- Monroe Theatre, 34 Mill Pond Parkway. 1940s masonryMasonryMasonry is the building of structures from individual units laid in and bound together by mortar; the term masonry can also refer to the units themselves. The common materials of masonry construction are brick, stone, marble, granite, travertine, limestone; concrete block, glass block, stucco, and...
Classical RevivalNeoclassicismNeoclassicism is the name given to Western movements in the decorative and visual arts, literature, theatre, music, and architecture that draw inspiration from the "classical" art and culture of Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome...
theatre with four stone pilasterPilasterA pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s supporting a friezeFriezethumb|267px|Frieze of the [[Tower of the Winds]], AthensIn architecture the frieze is the wide central section part of an entablature and may be plain in the Ionic or Doric order, or decorated with bas-reliefs. Even when neither columns nor pilasters are expressed, on an astylar wall it lies upon...
and pediment. - Judge William Seaman House, 160 Stage Road. First built as tavern in 1809, moved back from the road and renovated in 1850. Greek RevivalGreek Revival architectureThe Greek Revival was an architectural movement of the late 18th and early 19th centuries, predominantly in Northern Europe and the United States. A product of Hellenism, it may be looked upon as the last phase in the development of Neoclassical architecture...
and ItalianateItalianate architectureThe Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
detailing added at that time. Original porch removed in 1930s.