A Tour of Chatham, New York
Union Station, Depot Square. Built in 1887 during Chatham's heyday as a railroading center, the station was designed by the firm of Shepley, Rutan & Coolidge, associates of famed architect H. H. Richardson. It is constructed of granite blocks with a slate roof and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The depot has been restored and is currently a branch of the National Union Bank of Kinderhook.
The Clocktower, 1 Main Street. Chatham's landmark, the town clock, dates back to 1872. A pendulum clock, it is the only one of its kind still in the original condition; village employees maintain it on a regular basis.
Originally, the brick building was home to Ocean Fire Company #1 on the ground floor, with a millinery shop upstairs.
Cady Hall, 13 Main Street. Under the sign for "The Firm" (an exercise studio), are stairs leading up to what was once Chatham's first opera house. Built in 1871, the still-elegant Cady Hall changed with the times: vaudeville shows, movies, dances, banquets, military drills -- even a roller rink and miniature golf course -- were just a few of its many uses.
The Crandell Theatre, 46-48 Main Street. Built by Walter Crandell on the site of a home formerly owned by his family, the Crandell opened Christmas Day, 1926. The theatre has been operated by the Quirino family since the 1950s; it is one of the country's few remaining independently-owned movie houses showing first run films.
The Tracy Memorial, 77 Main Street. Built in 1912, this outstanding building was a gift to the Village of Chatham by the Tracy family. The building serves its community in many ways: offices on the main floor house the police department, clerk's office and judicial quarters, while a handsome ballroom on the second floor is used for town and village court, special functions and meetings of local organizations.
The 1811 Inn, Central Square. Chatham's oldest building has been operated as a hotel and tavern from its earliest days. In 1815, Capt. Peter Groat purchased the building and "Groat's Tavern" became famous throughout the country. One of its better-known patrons was former President Martin Van Buren, a friend of Capt. Groat, who frequently rode over to the tavern on horseback from his Kinderhook home. The building received its present name in 1946.
Central Square Interiors, Central Square. This imposing structure was built as the Park Hotel in 1815. Later known as the Windsor Hotel, it was a favorite stopover of such luminaries as Norma Shearer, Harry Houdini and Teddy Roosevelt. After the hotel closed at the end of the 19th century, the building was home to a cancer sanitorium, a movie house, roller rink, shirt factory and car dealership before receiving its present name. It is currently for sale.
Chatham Public Library, Woodbridge Avenue. The library was completed in 1905 after John T. Wheeler, a Chatham physician, and William B. Howland, editor of The Chatham Courier, secured a $15,000 grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. In 1908, Dr. Wheeler's widow donated an original Tiffany window titled 'Instruction" to the library in his memory. Outside the building is a majestic red oak. Planted in 1902, it is the oldest Arbor Day tree in New York State.

The Payn Foundation, Route 203 (Coleman Street). Louis F. Payn (1835-1923) was a prominent local businessman, as well as the leader of Columbia County's Republican Party for more than 60 years. From 1868 to 1920, Payn was also a delegate to every Republican National Convention. Provisions in his will allowed for construction of the handsome brick building that bears his name. It opened April 1, 1928 as a home for Columbia County's senior citizens (of any political persuasion!).
From the Pamphlet, Visit Chatham New York, by Chatham Business Alliance
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