Chestertown's Brick Walk of Honor

Chestertown's Brick Walk of Honor is located at 207 Calvert Street, Chestertown, behind the Kent County Public Library.  The building's official name is The Chestertown Library, Inc. Building but it is often referred to as the "Yellow Building" or "Hearse House".  It was formerly the Kenneth Walley Funeral Home.

In June, 2004, the Board of The Chestertown Library, Inc., (formed in 1943 by the Woman's Literary Club of Chestertown) donated $2650.00 to the Kent County Commissioners for the construction of a brick walk from the front of the Chestertown Library, Inc. Building around to the side entrance.  Note:  The Woman’s Literary Club of Chestertown was formed in 1902 when eleven young Chestertown women got together for their ‘literary improvement’. The Club opened the Chestertown Library in 1907 and it continued to operate as a private small library one hundred years until 2002.  After the closing of the Library, the Woman’s Literary Club established a partnership with the Kent County Public Library and the Kent County Commissioners to renovate 207 Calvert Street in exchange for meeting rights twice a month.  

More than 100 bricks have been placed in the brick walk of honor. The Woman’s Literary Club manages the sale of the bricks and any profit is donated to the Kent County Public Library. The Woman’s Literary Club installed thirty eight bricks honoring all of the librarians of the Chestertown Library, Inc. along with the special people who nurtured the library for many years including Rafael J. Guastavino, who was the library’s financial advisor. Among other the names one will find along the walk are George Rudolph Brown, former Acting Chief of Police of Chestertown; Sheriff Allan Blizzard;  Judge Elroy G. Boyer; Jeanne K. Geibel, Loyal Librarian, 30 years; Elmer E. Horsey, Mayor; Celebrating pure sea glass – R. LaMotte; Joe Massey – In gratitude – the Friends; Sarah Meredith, Faithful Volunteer; in memory of ‘Hound Dog’ Brown; The Questers, Lambert Wickes Chapter; in memory of William “Shadow” Warren, Jr.; Carol Wilson, Historian; For Love of Books and Kids by Grandbarrows; Judith Reveal, Writer; Adele France, Founder, WLC, 1902; Hazel O. Walsh, Devoted Reader – Loving Mother; The McDonalds – Pat Reads Books – Paul Does Banjo; Good Books, Good Friend – Virginia Croker; Friend Teacher, Gail Jandy Livingstone; Movies Are Magic – Patricia Molloy; in memory of Governor W. Donald Schaefer; Husband – Father – Bruce A. Somers 1950-2011; Chris Roseberry – Queen Bee 1980-2010; in memory of Frank Perdue.

 

Hotel Imperial (a/k/a Imperial Hotel) and Chestertown's Historic District Commission Saga

The Facts:

1992, April 27 – Carla Massoni filed an application with the Chestertown Historic District Commission seeking approval to paint the front of the first story of the Hotel Imperial.  At the time of the Application, the paint had already been applied.

1992, May 6 – From the Minutes of the Chestertown Historic District Commission Meeting -  Application #42-92 submitted by Hotel Imperial, Inc., 208 High Street, Chestertown, for painting the brick on the front of the first floor of the building – work that had in fact already been executed.  Carla Massoni represented the Hotel Imperial and after discussion by Commission members, “Mrs. Massoni said they would withdraw the application and agree to remove the paint”.

1992, October 13 – A letter was sent to the Massonis by the Town Administrator to remove the paint in thirty (30) days.  Mr. Massoni responded  by representing that the paint removal was scheduled for the first two weeks of March, 1993 and asked that the Town allow them until March to remove the paint.

1992, November  4 – From the Minutes of the Chestertown Historic District Commission Meeting –“Mr. Ingersoll said he sent out two letters concerning the paint of the Imperial Hotel and the movie theatre.  He said he received a written response from the Imperial Hotel and a verbal response from Joyce Cafritz (movie theater).  The letter from the Hotel stated that their season does not end in September, but in March after the hunting season.  They pleaded that they be allowed until March to remove the paint.  They cited the Candlelight Tour in September and the Wildlife Show in October.  Mr. Ingersoll said he did not know what the Commission’s position on this request would be but action needed to be taken.  The Commission members present offered no comment.”

1993, February 3 – Application #6-93 was submitted by Joyce Cafritz for permission to complete the exterior painting of the front of the Royal Prince Theatre building at 210 High Street, Chestertown.   The Chairman stated he had been apprised of some legal activity involved with this structure following the meeting of May 1992.  He asked Mr. Ingersoll to explain this.  Mr. Ingersoll stated there are two properties that are involved which have been painted without receiving approvals.  He said both the hotel and the movie theatre were written enforcement letters by him in the fall and by the Town Attorney in December…..The Chairman said “since there are legal issues at hand, both applications (one submitted by the movie theater  (#6-93)and one submitted by the hotel (#7-93)) should be held to the next meeting”.

1993, March 10 – From the KENT COUNTY NEWS, “Imperial paint removal put on hold.” Note:  The Chestertown Historic District Commission met on March 3, 1993 and discussed  Application #7-93 submitted by Mr. and Mrs. Al Massoni regarding the painting of the Hotel Imperial.  The Massonis agreed to an extension until the next Commission meeting.

1993, April 14 – From the KENT COUNTY NEWS, “Commission places hotel owner on hold.”  Note:  The Chestertown Historic District Commission met on April 7, 1993 and discussed Application #7-93 submitted by Mr. and Mrs. Al Massoni regarding the painting of the Hotel Imperial.  Mr. Massoni agreed to another continuance.

1993, April 30 – Al Massoni requested a change in the date of the May Chestertown Historic District Commission meeting because of he would not be availalble to meet during the regular meeting date.

1993, April 30 – Chestertown Historic District Commission Chairman Robert Janson-LaPalme granted the Massoni ‘s request to hold a special meeting regarding the Hotel Imperial’s Application #7-93 on May 19, 1993.

1993, May 19 – The Chestertown Historic District Commission  held a Special Meeting and denied the Massoni’s application.

1993, May 26 – From the KENT COUNTY NEWS, “Hotel told:  remove paint.”

1993, June 9 – From the KENT COUNTY NEWS, “Cafritz waits for nomination to historic district commission”… “Until the matter of paint on the façade of the Imperial Hotel is put to rest – through removal or successful appeal – Mayor Elmer E. Horsey will not nominate her (Cafritz) for another term (on Chestertown’s Historic District Commission).  Cafritz’s term expired in January (1993).

1993, June 17 – Kent County Circuit Court Case #2491-L, Pro Se Philip W. Hoon, Esq., Hoon and Barroll in the matter of Hotel Imperial, Inc., Albert L. Massoni and Carla Massoni vs. Chestertown Historic District Commission.  Paul M. Bowman, Esq., Attorney for the Commission.  Order for Appeal from the decision of the Chestertown Historic District Commission dated May 19, 1993.

1994, September 6 – Mandate from Court of Special Appeals No. 1578, September Term, 1993 Judgment:  Judgment affirmed.

1996, January 19 – From the KENT COUNTY NEWS, “Horsey asks for Court Order against Chestertown in Imperial paint case.”

1996, February 11 – From the KENT COUNTY NEWS, “Chestertown Council files suit against owners of historic hotel.”

1996, May 7 – Editorial, KENT COUNTY NEWS – “Gone but not forgotten”…”Far from being a small thing in a small town, the Imperial Hotel case strengthened the hand of the Commission (Chestertown Historic District Commission) – and others like it across Maryland – in efforts to protect the precious material remains of our history.  It was right for Horsey (former Chestertown Mayor) to pursue this through the Courts.  He correctly saw the issue as the credibility of Chestertown’s regulatory procedures and not the paint itself.”

More Chestertown Historic District History ….

1980, January 24 – Kent County Circuit Court Case #6879:  William A. Faulkner and Janice M. Faulkner, trading as The Rendezvous Beauty Salon, 103 Cross Street, Chestertown, Maryland vs. The Town of Chstertown, et al regarding covering over of windows.

1980, May 14 – From the KENT COUNTY NEWS, “Historic Zoning Tested”.  “Second floor windows of The Rendezvous Beauty Shop on Cross Street in Chestertown were covered with aluminum siding illegally, the Historic District Zoning Commission, represented by Town attorney Paul Bowman, argued.”

Words Worth Remembering

"Now is the time to turn divisiveness into inclusiveness.  We need to turn the arrogance into respect.  We need to turn employee mistrust into teamwork...the misdirection of the new direction into the right direction." - Former Ocean City Town Manager Dennis Dare.

Downtown Chestertown and Newsstands!

For almost a century, Chestertown's downtown newsstands have been important gathering places to learn local news, share rumors and gossip, greet friends, neighbors and visiting tourists, and buy items as disparate as snacks, musical instruments, shoes or antiques.

One of the first, opened in 1918, was Charles C. Schreiber’s Wholesale and Retail Confectionery store at 337 High Street in downtown Chestertown. Shoppers would not only find newspapers and magazines there but also paperback books, school supplies, ice cream, candy and fireworks. As one long-ago resident said, “All it was missing was Christmas trees in December”. Schreiber’s even employed two young Chestertown men to deliver newspapers to town residents. In the book IMAGES OF AMERICA – KENT COUNTY,* Page 102, there is a photo of Mr. Schreiber of Schreiber’s Wholesale and Retail Confectionery. * IMAGES OF AMERICA – KENT COUNTY is out of print but copies are available on Amazon.com.

Dorothy’s Card Shop opened next door to Schreiber’s a few years later at 335 High Street and carried not only cards, but also newspapers and magazines. Dorothy’s was often called Bartley’s, a bow to Dorothy’s husband Barber R. Bartley, who often helped out in the store. Barber and Dorothy bought the building in February of 1946. They closed their business sometime in the 1960s. Will Quigley, the son-in-law of Paul and Edith Sipala who owned Paul’s Shoe Store, owned Will’s Music Store at 229 High Street (now the White Swan Tavern). When Dorothy’s Card Shop closed, Will added newspapers to his inventory. Will closed his music store in the late 1960s, and Paul and Edith took over the location, continued with the newspapers and added magazines to become the P & E News Agency. The P & E News Agency operated until the late 1970s. The space is now part of the White Swan Tavern and Paul and Edith’ son, Mike, now owns Paul’s Shoe Store next door.

To fill the void when P & E News Agency closed, Elmer Horsey and his wife, Joan, opened the Chestertown Newsstand in 1979 at 302 Park Row in downtown Chestertown in a building owned by Park Row Ventures. Elmer Horsey was in his first term as Mayor of Chestertown at the time. The HISTORY OF KENT COUNTY published by Fred G. Usilton (1630-1916) and William B. Usilton, III (1628-1980) and now out of print on page 366 notes that the newsstand, managed for the Horseys by Harrison W. Vickers, III, was the “largest distributor of newspapers and magazines in downtown Chestertown”. Page 510 also shows Vickers standing in front of the newsstand at its Park Row location, but makes reference to its new home after the Horseys moved the business across the Fountain Park to 313 High Street, a building owned by Shirley Fox Goldstein and Ruth Fox Schreter. The women were the daughters of Baurice and Jeannette Fox who for many years operated Fox’s Five Cent to One Dollar Store also on High Street.

In 1982, with the permission of the owners, the Horseys sublet the 313 High Street building to Margo Bailey when she bought the newsstand business from them.

On December 20,1991, Mrs. Ruth Gsell, who worked for Mrs. Bailey at the Chestertown Newsstand, told the Horseys, since they were the lease holders for the building, of her concern about a dangerously unsafe condition to the floor at the front of the building. She was very concerned that someone might fall through it.

Elmer Horsey immediately contacted the owners of the building who asked that the building be immediately evaluated in the interest of public safety. When the structural condition was checked it was found that the
foundation and joists underneath the first 25 feet of the building were close to collapsing because of extensive termite damage. It would require joist replacement and considerable treatment of the soil.

The building’s owners authorized Elmer Horsey to proceed with contracting for the repairs as quickly as possible. The contractor estimated that the structural work would take a minimum of two weeks and a maximum of one month to complete.

Elmer Horsey advised Margo Bailey she would have to vacate the building in order for the repairs to be made and suggested available alternative locations. Mrs. Bailey chose to relocate to 207 S. Cross Street (where Gabriel’s is today) and the Chestertown Newsstand remained at the Cross Street location until Margo Bailey closed it on August 14, 1992.

A spectacular fire on August 29, 1992, at McCrory’s, located next door to the former 313 High Street newsstand building (and owned by the same members of the Fox family) damaged both buildings beyond repair. 313 High Street sat vacant until it was sold to the Town of Chestertown in February of 1994, a month after Mrs. Bailey began her first term as Mayor when she won election against Councilman Vito Tinelli, Jr. Elmer Horsey had ended his 4th term as Mayor. The Town eventually demolished the newsstand building. The space is occupied today by Houston’s Dockside Emporium, Dunkin’ Donuts and offices.

Following the closure of the newsstand on Cross Street Joyce Huber Cafritz (now Smith) began carrying a few newspapers in the lobby of the Chester Theatre (formerly Chestertown’s only movie house called the Prince Theatre, now refurbished and updated and called the Garfield Center for the Arts and Kohl Lobby) located at 210 High Street. By the time Mrs. Smith decided to give up selling newspapers (in 1992), Anna Scott, who owned Scottie’s Shoes at 307 High Street, had added newspapers, magazines and greeting cards to her shoe store business.

In fact, Anna brought Chestertown’s newsstand scene to full circle, making it much like Schreiber’s in 1918 with an interesting array of merchandise way beyond many out-of-town papers including locally-made doll clothes for 18- inch dolls, antiques on consignment, tickets to most cultural and entertainment events and always the latest up-to-date local news and answers to visitors’ questions.