The Vedder Research Library

The cover of the 2012 GLHG Calendar is a duplication from the 1977 United Methodist Church of Greenville - Norton Hill Calendar that marked the country’s bicentennial. This sketch is that of the blacksmith shop on Carter Bridge Rd, about 100 yards from the intersection with Rt 81. No structures remain. Claribel Ingalls Gardiner (daughter of Stanley and Eleanor) is the artist.

Although the Ingalls Family has an annual reunion (the 84th in 2012), this Cousins’ Party of August 5, 1956, attracted a sizable gathering. This ‘reunion’ saw, roughly from left to right: Noel, Edna (Ingalls) and Tim Adams; Len & Claribel (Ingalls) Gardiner; Jim Adams; Fred, Betty (Elliott), Eleanor and Debbie McAneny; Annella (Dinnel), Jerry, Stephanie, Paige and Edna Ingalls; JaneAnn, Buddy, Stanley, and Cornelia (Yeomans) Ingalls; Barbara, Janice (Ingalls), Bob Dietz; Thelma Ingalls; Alan Applebee; Keith Ingalls; Ellen, Alliene and Curt Applebee; Gail, Marge (Smith), Ken and Ed Ingalls; Bill, Mary Linn, Muriel (Elliott), Janice Garrison; George, Irene (Elliott) Williams; Susan Garrison; Ken Williams; Lynn (Thibeault) and Robert Elliott; Alayne and Wayne Williams; Ron, Adrian, Tom, Edna (Jennings), and Gail Elliott. The house is that of Norman and Edna Adams, situated across the street from the former GNH. The parenthesis in the list of names indicated the maiden names of the married women.

Powell’s Store (and before as Stevens’ Store) long served Norton Hill until mid-20th century; the building was then used for different businesses (Rich’s Floor Covering, Liberti’s Pizza, among others). The next chapter of usefulness comes when the Methodist Church purchased the building in 2000, renovated it, and today utilizes the Powell Store Thrift Shop as a community asset once again. Residents, long-time and newly arrived, appreciate the preservation efforts that once again restore a venerable piece of our history. The inset shows the older Stevens’ store.

The Norton Hill Methodist Church has served the religious needs of the community since 1873, a surprisingly late date for a hamlet’s first church. Previously, the community had availed themselves of neighboring churches in West Greenville and Greenville. In 1973 the Norton Hill Methodist Church merged with the Greenville Asbury Methodist Church to form The United Methodist Church of Greenville and Norton Hill. Structural additions included a Sunday School wing, sanctuary space, a meeting hall (the former school house), and the Carney Center (located behind the church); the church has also utilized the Stevens/Elliott House (on its west side) and most recently the former Powell/Stevens store (on its east side).

Cora Stanton Brown, succeeding her mother Frances Stanton, turned an ordinary farm house into the classic early 1900’s boarding house to help support the family. Started as Balsam Shade Retreat in 1886, it was renamed the Stanton-Brown Farm until the 1960s when it ceased taking guests. Along with an annex on the other corner, about 30 guests could be accommodated when full. Today, Brown’s Farm still anchors the southwest corner of the Carter Bridge and Old Plank Roads in Norton Hill. Cora’s youngest son, Leland Brown, and wife Arlene have lived in the former resort since 1976, maintaining the farm and outbuildings while raising five children, six grandchildren, and three great-grandsons. The inset shows the Lee and Arlene’s family “tree.”

Progress came to Norton Hill when Ruth and Lou Chiamese established Chime’s Market in 1969. Groundbreaking commenced on April 2, with the Grand Opening Celebration on August 16 & 17. The land had previously belonged to Lorraine and Mervin Tryon, with an additional lot purchased from Viola and John I VerPlanck. Office space on the side and back was also created. For the past twenty years, Frank and Rosa Multari have operated the building as Greene Hill Cafe (inset).

Jack and Maureen VerPlanck pose beside the stone monument at the town park in Norton Hill thirty five years after its installation. The inset shows Jack and his mother Viola, in a photo from the June 2, 1983 Greenville Local issue, at the unveiling of the monument and plaque in honor of John I. VerPlanck (inset, father of Jack). John I, as he was familiarly called, was a life-long Norton Hill resident, well-known businessman, and beloved character about whom many stories are still told. An unrelated plaque on the back of the monument reads: Flowering Trees / In Memory of / Jimmy Adams / 9-52 to 1-82. Adams was a son of Norman and Edna (Ingalls) Adams, beloved nephew of Len and Claribel (Ingalls) Gardiner, and an aviator at Freehold Airport before a tragic accident claimed his life in St. Croix. The park is located at the intersection of SR 81 and New Ridge Road.

Hulick’s Dairy Farm, as the sign on the front porch reads, epitomizes the early boarding house era in the Greenville area. Albert, Sr., and Edna (MacDonald) Hulick bought two neighboring farms on Maple Ave in 1928-1929, taking in boarders during the Depression through the WWII period and on to 1960 when Edna passed away. Daughter Eunice stayed on the farm to help her parents. Eunice also spent twenty-six years as a cook at Sunny Hill Resort. Son Clem taught at GCS before finishing his career with NYS. Son Albert Jr (Lou) farmed with his father and worked at GNH Lumber Co for years. Albert III, son of Lou and Peggy, assumed ownership of the property in 1984 and currently lives in the converted barn behind the old farmhouse which is, in 2018, owned by Tom and Irene Vance. The circa 1935 inset shows parents Edna and Albert Hulick, with children Eunice, Clem, and Albert, while a current-day inset shows Tom & Irene Vance posing with grandson Al Hulick III (right) on the homestead’s front yard.