Two for One

      My ongoing quest to visit all the libraries in Washington County struck gold the other day. In Granville I found not only a great little library but, like the icing on the cake, a museum above it. Two for the price of one and both for free!

     Both institutions are the legacy of Franklin Pember, a local boy who made good. He was born in 1841, eventually becoming a wealthy entrepreneur but always remaining a naturalist at heart. From his boyhood years around Granville to subsequent trips to more exotic locations, he built an impressive collection of natural objects that included everything from butterflies to bird's eggs to stuffed bears.

     In 1909 Franklin and his wife Ellen had the limestone and marble structure built that houses today's library and museum. Cost was $31,333 with the Pembers gifting the building and collections to the Village. Franklin spent several afternoons each week at the museum guiding area children thru the wonders housed there. After the Pember's passing (within a few weeks of each other in early 1924) the museum came on hard times and closed for over 40 years. Finally, a Friends group was able to revitalize the museum which reopened on January 21, 1973 becoming once again a treasured resource and attraction for the community.

A recent photo of the Pember with the elevator annex on the right

     The story of the Pembers, their collections and the museum and library is told in a concise little book researched by Joan Patton and written by Delight Gartlein,  with life histories of a number of the museum's specimens provided by Alan Pistorius and photographed by Alan Cederstrom. I have fond memories of Delight, who was the museum's director back in the '80's. We worked together to create a Pember sponsored series of outings to interesting natural areas in Washington County and adjacent Vermont. Good times. 

One Pember outing I remember was a paddle on South Bay to the Diameter

I didn't have a camera back then so this pic is from a subsequent trip  

     In 1979 the museum acquired 125 acres of land south of Granville in the Town of Hebron. A branch of Black Creek runs thru the property and there are trails making it ideal for nature study. With easy access from Rt. 22 and the old Porter Schoolhouse as a nature center this has been a great addition to the museum. I believe they are currently looking for a naturalist to host programs there so if you know of anyone qualified give them a heads up.

     Visiting the library and museum is a rich sensory experience. From the imposing solidity of the stone structure to the beautiful woodwork of the interior stairs, moldings and display cases it takes you back to a time of proud craftsmanship. Settle in with a good book beside the marbleized slate fireplace you're transported to a more relaxed era. Even the recently added elevator addition tastefully blends in with the original building. 

     There is the usual collection of books and magazines with an impressively large selection of DVD's. Since it is part of the Southern Adirondack Library System you can access a great deal more by request. There are a number of interesting books specific to the slate valley region of New York/Vermont that circulate and several cases of older books that could be of interest to researchers. Upstairs (or up elevator) the museum features case after case of the Pember's collections in a space that feels timeless. Both library and museum are places to shift gears, slow down and revel in another world. 

* Here's a link to their website. Much of the museum's collection can be viewed online which is valuable but no substitute for the experience of seeing it in person. Also note that you can purchase the afore mentioned The Pember book at the museum. 

       

A Slice of Heaven

 

     They call Washington County 'Hill Country'. True enough but where there are hills there are valleys and it's in the valleys where most everything happens. Take the valley just south of the Village of Greenwich, on the other side of the Battenkill River. It's home to a place called Christ the King, a sprawling complex of buildings spread out amongst fields, forests, ponds and streams. In nature, history and mission, it's a fascinating place.

     Briefly, Christ the King is a ministry of the Episcopal Diocese of Albany, New York. The Diocese bought 612 acres of the former Leatherstocking farm on December 12, 2002. Today there are more than twenty buildings here spread out across the landscape. Facilities include diverse lodging and dining options, the Beaver Cross camp for youth, library and meeting rooms, the Holy Redeemer Anglican Church and the residences of the Community of St. Marys Sisters. There are also opportunities for outdoor recreation including a high ropes course, disc golf, a lake and beach and an extensive trail system.

     The Diocese seems very open to visitors using the trails although I believe they do ask you to sign in. I hiked some of the trails for the first time a few days ago and want to share my experience here. To get oriented, Christ the King is located at the northern end of the Town of Easton with the main entrance on Burton Road and further access off Safford Hill Road, which is actually in the Village of Greenwich. The western front of the Taconic Mountain Range rises above the property in the form of Schuyler Mountain. A small stream drains off the mountain and thru a series of ponds and wetlands before emptying into the Battenkill River. Fly Creek, another Battenkill tributary courses thru the valley just to the east.

Looking southwest at the Taconic front range hills from Derby Road

Willard, Schuyler and friends

Christ the King lies at the base of Schuyler, top right

A Google Earth screen shot with Christ the King centered

NYS Rt. 40 and Schuyler Mountain to the left

CO 74 and the Fly Creek valley to the right

Fly Creek on its way to the Battenkill

     The northwestern part of the property is called The Nature Preserve and the trails here are on either side of the unnamed stream which has been extensively damned by man and beast (aka beavers). The trails are color coded but it may take a visit or two to get your bearings. Don't worry if you feel a little confused. This isn't a vast wilderness and a short walk will bring you out to someplace familiar eventually. You will be in an open hardwood forest most of the time with occasional clusters of white pine. Notice the stone walls running thru the woods which tell you that all of this land was cleared at one time, probably back in the sheep boom years.

I couldn't find a good map of the trail system but maybe these two will help a little.

The bottom one shows the route of the Wandering Witch Trail Run,

a race that used to be held here. The red arrows trace a 5K loop (3.1 miles).

             

     The most colorful chapter in the property's history is provided by Robert Steele and his $1.5 million dollar bull. Steele established Leatherstocking Farm in the early '80's for the purported purpose of developing Angus breeding stock. Turns out, his prize bull, High Voltage, didn't pack quite the charge Steele claimed for him. But the owner made up in cojones for what the bull lacked. After bilking investors Steele became embroiled in an effort to return Philippine strong man Ferdinand Marcos to power. The plan fell apart when several of Steele's associates were arrested trying to buy weapons from an undercover government agent. Steele went to prison for his involvement in the affair but that wasn't the end of his troubles. His notoriety drew the attention of the IRS and after his release they came after him. Apparently, with money stashed in overseas banks, he went on the lame. Maybe he escaped in one of the helicopters he so loved. I don't know for sure because Robert Steele's trail has grown cold and I couldn't find out what became of him. 

That's a lot of bull

(web image)

     One legacy of the Steele era is in the dirt road that cuts thru the northern part of the Christ the King property. Coming up from Co 74 on the east side it is named Safford Hill Road, while its western stretch is known as Louse Hill Road. In between is a short section that might be called No Man's Land. If my memory serves me, it was Steele who blocked off what had previously been a thru town road. Normally this would not have been allowed but the perpetrator had such a dangerous reputation (he drove around town in a stretch limo with a pistol on his hip accompanied by shady looking tough guys) that the situation went on for years. 

     Now days both sides of the road are owned by the Diocese which, decidedly, does not have a dangerous reputation. But a section still seems to be 'sort of' closed. There are orange cones, easy enough to drive around, at either end of the closed section. In any case, it's a good road to avoid during mud season. Or to at least avoid driving on. Better to enjoy the views and nature here by walking, running or on a mountain bike. Christ the King's lake and beach are beside the road and offer a pleasant spot to stop and relax. Also note that the Diocese's property extends down to the shore of the Battenkill but appears to be closed to the public, perhaps over safety and liability concerns.

The lake and beach

     Whether your goals are spiritual or recreational, I hope you get to visit Christ the King soon. It's truly 'a slice of heaven'.

* Here's a link to their website with all you need to know.  

 

Leaving Christ the King

This small falls is the outlet of their lake

Next stop: the Battenkill