The future home of the Shaker Museum in the village of Chatham, NY has a long and storied history. As we look forward to the Shaker Museum breaking ground later this spring, let’s take a look at some different stages in the life of this stately structure.
Located where River Street meets Austerlitz Street facing Central Square, this imposing building sits at the end of the main drag through the village.
The earliest building on this site was at 5 Austerlitz Street, built in about 1815 by William Thomas. Later bought by Ebenezer Crocker, it became known as Park House (a tavern, as far as we can tell). Sometime before 1890, this structure was dismantled and parts used to build a home on River Street, making way for the Hygeia Cancer Sanitorium.
The early days and Dr. Mason
In 1889, the Hygeia Cancer Sanitorium came into being, under the guidance of Dr. C.H. Mason and his brother Dr. Abbott M. Mason (despite evidence of both Drs. Mason, C.H. Mason appears to have taken the lead and is the name on most correspondences).
Dr. Mason treated patients using a “vegetable cure” meant for cancer, tumors, and ulcers. This cure was made from vegetables, roots, and barks. While we do not have much information to share on its effectiveness, contemporary reviews were positive.
The ad above boasts of the luxuries and location of the Hygeia. A promotional pamphlet claims that “the new structure has all modern improvements as to comfort and sanitation”. In fact, the 50 patient rooms had speaking tubes and mail slots for deliveries, and patients could send Western Union telegraphs and receive long distance calls. And all that for only $2-3 a day!
Dr. Mason designed the building to be as homelike as possible, and patient’s visitors and family were welcome.
The vegetable cancer cure was available to patients staying on-site, and also for use at home.
Original labels from the center read:
“CANCER AND TUMOR CURED. No pain, knife or plasters. Home treatment for the cure or Cancer, Tumor and Scrofula. For particulars address Dr. C.H. MASON’S VEGETABLE CANCER CURE Dept. M, Chatham N.Y.”
Changes came following fires in 1891 and 1899 that damaged parts of the grand building and neighboring structures.
Following one of the fires, the Hygeia Cancer Sanitorium rebuilt and was rebranded as The Windsor Hotel, under the direction of three hotel proprietors as well as Dr. Mason managing the hotel. Dr. Mason continued producing and mailing his medicine to patients.
Meanwhile, the village continued to grow along Main Street and beyond. Wooden buildings along Main Street were replaced by brick after several catastrophic fires in the last quarter of the 19th century, and Chatham’s modernization continued.
The annual Columbia County Fair drew crowds from near and far, and railroad cars made sure there was a constant stream of people through the village.
Enter the 20th century
By 1915 the former Windsor Hotel building, now called the New Columbia Theatre had enlarged its theatre and brought in names like Harry Houdini and Norma Shearer. President Theodore Roosevelt had spoken here in 1903.
After changing hands once more, the structure became known as the Senate Building, with Tubb’s Shirt Factory on the main floor and sock manufacturing on the second floor. Abrams and Boright car dealership opened in 1927, and the Chatham Furniture store called it home after remodeling in the 1960s-70s, to name a few of the businesses that have used this space over the years.
The new home of the Shaker Museum
The Shaker Museum is set to break ground this spring on renovations of the building in preparation to, in it’s own words, provide a “21st-century museum to showcase the world’s most comprehensive collection of Shaker material culture and archives. The four-floor facility located in Chatham, NY is by Selldorf Architects, renowned worldwide for designing subtle but powerful art spaces. The new museum includes the transformation of an historic building and construction of a modern addition and surrounding public gardens.”
For more information, visit shakermuseum.us.
This article was informed in part by Images of America: Around the Village of Chatham by current Chatham Village Historical Society president Gail Blass Wolczanski.
– Ilana, on behalf of Chatham Village Historical Society [with special thanks to Gail Blass Wolczanski for additional information]