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tain future now, since members of the library board have decided to move the struc ttire themselves. (Photo by Kevin Graff)Walls could tell of Sinnett HousestoryseniorsGranville Fellowship moves into new quartersby EVELYN FROLKING Contributing WriterIf walls could talk, those of the historic Sinnett House would have a long and lovely story to tell about the last 31 years, when Granville’s senior citizens came together there to be friends.And while this story of a house and its friends has ended with the move of the Granville Fellowship Tuesday, the more than 125 members of the organization are ready to write the next chapter in their own history.Each treasured piece of furniture: Dr. Sinnett’s rocking chair, his • small reading table, the mirror from the Robbins Hunter house, the piano from a librarian at Denison, the cupboard crafted from local cherrywood -was carefully packed up and transported tothe fellowship’s new home at the district offices of Granville Schools on Granger Street.“So many things in the house have their own story, said Erma Rutledge, who, along with her husband. Myron, was closely involved in the early 1970s when the story began. People came together, raised money for repairs, furnished the house, and through a labor of love, made the Sinnett House their home, she said.“Walter Curtis, a local craftsman, did mostof the early renovation work,” she recalled.“Dick Mann and my husband, Myron, whowas the outgoing chair of the library board atthe time, got it started, and Helen Dunfieldkept it going.”(See FELLOWSHIP, P. 12A)tor preserving the 154-year -old house, a Greek Revival-style home that is located in the path of the proposed expansion. The board, which owns the building, offered to give it to an individual or group willing to pay most of the cost to move it, but there were no takers.“After a lot of discussion about how to facilitate expansion of the library in a downtown location, we felt that was the most pragmatic decision. said library board president Mike Frazier.By the end of the year, the board plans to move the home 75 feet west to a lot it owns at 122 S. Prospect St. An unoccupied home currently located on the lot will be tom down.The board has not discussed what source of library funds it will use to pay theestimated $125,000-$150,000 cost of the move.The board will review architectural plans at its May 12 meeting, but there will be additional public meetings before the board votes on final plans.“We have not discussed details of the process.” said Frazier.The board has shifted away from a plan to donate the house to the village, which proposed to use it as a welcome center including a new, more convenient location for offices for the Granville Area Chamber of Commerce. Instead, the the board plans to rent out both floors for small-business use.However, the chamber could be interested in relocating its offices to Sinnett House from East Broadway depending on the time frame and cost of the lease, said chamber president Pat Moller.We are interested in talk-(See SINNETT, P. 12A)served as its mayor as well as a State Senator. In 1923, his daughter, Clara Sinnett White, donated their family home and property to the Granville Public Library for one dollar, asking only that their home be moved to the rear of the lot and be preserved.After it wras moved, the home was used as apartments. In the early 1970s, Granville Fellowship, the senior citizens group, began using it for its social and educational functions. The group has Just finished moving to the Granville School District’s offices.In its newest role, the home will provide office space for small businesses. Jack Burriss, owner ofCherry Traditions, a(See NEW WAY, P. I2A)
Newspaper Details
Granville Sentinel
Granville, Ohio, US
Thu, May 06, 2004
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Wendy B.
NA, 08 Apr 2019
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