Every Monday we share an Essex photo or artifact on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. William Morgan shared this photo with us (Thank you!) of the old Essex Firehouse.  Do you know when the photo was taken? What event does the sign saying, “Welcome Walkers” pertain to? Do you recognize any of the people in the photo?

This building is located at the intersection of Main Street and Station Road (NYS Route 22) at the only stoplight in town. It was built circa 1800 for use as a millinery (a women’s hat shop) and dry goods store. In 1812 Henry H. Ross apparently expanded the building for use as his law offices, and much later it became the home of the Essex Volunteer Fire Department—which is what most remember it for (hence referring to it as the “old firehouse”).

Today the three garage doors (installed for the firetrucks) are no longer present and instead large windows sit in their place, and the two poles in the center of the photo are also gone. The bright red and yellow paint has since been covered by more moderate blue/grey colors.

The Adirondack Art Association has hosted its gallery in this building for many summers, but this year they have moved to a new home down the street to the left. What will the next use of the building be? Who knows.

Feel free to share your speculation in the comments below!

Share Your Essex Artifacts

If you want to share your old photos of Essex (or brochures; postcards; menus; tickets; any artifact) on the blog please email us at editor [at] essexonlakechamplain [dot] com.

Related articles

• Vintage Photo: Essex Fire Truck (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Vintage Postcard: Main Street Essex (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Vintage Postcard: Essex, NY from Lake Champlain (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)
• Vintage Photo: Essex Waterfront (www.essexonlakechamplain.com)