Tuesday, May 26, 2015
It’s no surprise to us that so many people ask about the one-room, stone building located at the southeast corner of South Boulevard and Adams Road. In a modern city of glass-and-steel commercial buildings, it is an oddity. In a centuries-old community, it is an historic gem, and the stories of the people who owned the land, taught in the school, and called the building home are also to be treasured. The Troy Historic Village 365 Project will focus on the Old Stone School each Monday in May. These stories were researched and written by Linda Anger.
Last week(May 18) we told the story of the Old Stone School from 1856 to 1962, covering the 75 years in which the building was an active school, the subsequent decade in which the property was embroiled in legal concerns, and the two decades in which the school housed its first residential owners.
Little is known about the Stewart’s time in the Old Stone School (1945-1962.) They sold the property to Lee W. Keating Company on April 12, 1962, for the sum of $23,000.00. The Keating Company held it as rental property until 1977, when it was purchased by its final residents, Charles and Greta DeGioia.
Charles passed away in the 1980s and Greta remained in the home until her death in February, 2008. The property was inherited by Greta’s brother, Finn Bergishagen. Finn graciously donated the property, which is a locally designated historic district, to the City of Troy in October, 2008.
The City of Troy recently completed a structural survey to determine the condition of the property and buildings. Additions to the original stone building had deteriorated significantly and were removed as were non-historic outbuildings. Overgrown bushes and weeds were also cut back or removed completely. No decision has been made as to the future use of the property, although several options have been considered.
To commemorate the City of Troy’s 60th Anniversary in 2015, we will publish a different story each day that highlights a person, discovery, or event that occurred locally, regionally, nationally, or even globally between 1955 and 2015 and that helped shape our lives and our community. We will try to post stories on important anniversary dates, but we also realize that dates are less critical than content and context. We will include the facts related to controversial stories, allowing our readers to form their own opinions. We invite you to read and comment on the stories. Your suggestions for topics are also welcome and can be posted on our Facebook page, www.facebook.com/TroyHistoricVillage. You can also email stories or ideas to the 365 Story Editor at ed@thvmail.org.
