Every Monday we share an image on the Essex on Lake Champlain Facebook page and invite our viewers to play some Vintage Essex Trivia. We shared the postcard above last week, which prominently features the Presbyterian Church known today as the Essex Community Church, but some other buildings can be seen behind it.

We actually have two other versions of the same scene that were shared with us by Colleen Williams, who also shared some of her family history with us concerning the building directly next to/behind the church.

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Here is what Colleen shared:

“We actually have 2 copies of this postcard taken about the same time and one is a little more clear.

My great grandparents built this house about 1904. My great grandmother Elizabeth (Latterell) Richard ran the Western Union on one side of the house and my great grandfather Edmund Richard had a barber shop on the other side. The writing on the back is from a person that worked for them, the card is postmarked 1913, my grandmother would have been about 16 at the time.

Some time in the 1950’s my grandparents moved into the house, Carl Mather and Alma (Richard) Mather. Alma also had an older brother Henry (Harry) Richard, his wife died young. Harry ran a hardware store in a building that is no longer there just over the bridge in Willsboro across from the current restaurant. He had 3 children: Alex Richard, Elizabeth Wilkens, and Flossie Hathaway.” ~Colleen Williams

Colleen mentioned a barber shop and now that I know that I realize I can see a barber’s spiral pole on the porch of the building. Do you see it too?

Do you have any thoughts to share? Any other insight into the history of that building or the church? Notice anything that has changed compared to today?

Here is the back side of the postcard Colleen mentions (there is nothing of interest on the backside of the other two):

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.