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The Tower Farm in the historic Fallasburg Village will be renovated following approval by the Fallasburg Historical Society (FHS) this week for approximately $75,000.
The 1850s historical building has deteriorated over the years but has been patched up with a few fixes funded by grants from the Lowell Cable Television Fund and the Lowell Area Community Fund. These included a new roof on the Tower Farm and new windows along with other exterior jobs such as the removal of asphalt shingles from the siding and repairs to the siding.
The ongoing restoration of the Orlin Douglass/Tower Farm has been in progress since 2010/2011. The Orlin Douglass/Tower Farm was built by Douglass in 1850. It was later acquired by the Towers. In 1896, the right half of the farmhouse was moved from a nearby location so that sister-in-laws, Tower and Steketee, could live together with their families.
One of the FHS board members, Addie Abel, lived in the Tower Farm until 1959. The Towers grew watermelons on the farm and sold them in Lowell.
“I was a Tower,” she laughs. “My connection to the house is that it was my home. I love that place.”
Abel said she doesn’t mind the proposed renovations.
“It belongs to the FHS. I would live there in a heartbeat,” she says.
However, as the interior deteriorated, the FHS sought ways to fix it up.
“Initial financing was all grant-based,” says FHS president Ken Tamke. “Over the years some other minor exterior fixes have taken place. This was the result of volunteer labor and not necessitating large outlays of the society’s funds.”
As with any historical building, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) sets forth guidelines for preservation. According to these guidelines, the façade of a National and State Historic Property cannot be changed.
The concrete block that covered the entry on the farm was removed, but it was not part of the original home. The roof had broken through and the concrete blocks had settled impeding closure and security of the entry doors. The society is proposing to put back a second porch modeled after the original porch on the dwelling.
“We will contact the SHPO with any plans,” says Tamke. “Should it compromise any historic designations, it will not be built.”
The Tower Farm, which consists of two units, is zoned as single residential and a home-based business. As such, the FHS will rent out the single residential portion and retain the home-based business part for its own use as office space. The use of the community garden on the four-acre property is currently being negotiated.
“We are still in negotiations on the volunteers for the garden and what will be produced on it,” says vice-president Tina Cadwallader.
The Tower Farm is the last building to be rehabilitated in the picturesque village on the banks of the Flat River. During the last two years, the Fallas House needed repairs due to major damage from pipes breaking over a winter. The bathroom, kitchen, and damaged walls were redone. A new roof was put on along with a total paint job.
The Blackmer House and Betsy Fallas houses have all been rehabbed, the barn was redone and that left only the Tower House. This will be the last one on the Covered Bridge Rd. leading to the Covered Bridge, except for the rundown cottage by the bridge. The Misner House and the School House had been finished a long time ago.
“The entire village street will look great with well-kept homes,” says FHS treasurer Al Rumbaugh.
The FHS expects to accomplish the final renovation project through volunteer labor and FHS financial resources with the future promise of rents and charitable donations to replenish reserves. The main contractor for the project is Choice Contractors, Rosendall Well Drilling will be doing the well, Jack Mellema is the stone mason and Arctic Air will be doing the heating.
The FHS board will hold the annual board meeting on June 15 at 4 p.m. at the Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce. The public is invited to provide input.
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