2006 Taste of the Fulton Chain Cruise Fundraiser

Highlights of the The Historic Preservation Committee's major 2006 siding project for the Hemmer Cottage

December 2005: Matching Fund Grant - $19,844 Community Foundation of Herkimer and Oneida Counties, Inc. grant successfully obtained to replace the deteriorated siding and install weather-tight windows in the upstairs Studio Room. The project is the result of an energy report conducted by The Landsberg Engineering firm (Scott Shipley) from Homer, NY. In January, 2006, the committee awarded the project to local contractor Mike Marleau. Bob Coscomb of Boonville, NY harvested the spruce-bark siding during the winter, much of it from the nearby Adirondack League Club. In June 2006, Mid-State Correctional Facility’s community service team, assisted with siding removal. Their hours, valued at $1,632, applied to the in-kind donations to our Community Fund Grant.

Throughout the spring-summer of 2006, the committee planned fundraiser events to raise money for the matching grant. They included a neighborhood mailing which netted nearly $4,000; the sale of refreshments at the Annual Old Forge Canoe Classic on June 25; weekly Historic Trolley Tours from the cottage every Friday during July and August; the 5th Annual Taste of the Fulton Chain Cruise on July 30th, and sale of posters and Collectible Christmas Ornaments.

Thanks to our contractor, Mike Marleau, the project was completed on August 10th, under BUDGET, re-creating the artistic bark-siding patterns just as Bernard Hemmer designed for the cottage in 1931! The new thermo Anderson windows in the studio replicate the original custom windows hand-crafted by Bernard - but include modern energy-saving features. All of the old siding and the original windows were recycled to be used by individuals for various local projects - a greenhouse, siding a boat house, custom window boxes, etc. We think Bernard would be pleased!