Misplaced Pages

#128871

58-538: Hunt was commissioned by his brother-in-law, Joseph Howland , to design a home for a subscription library he donated to the city. The completed building has much in common with the Stick style summer homes in Newport, Rhode Island , that Hunt designed at this early stage of his career. Some of its design elements have been compared to Norwegian vernacular architecture . The interior was not complete in its current form until almost

116-494: A Christmas tree . It was introduced to British gardens in 1736. In the UK , it is encountered frequently in gardens both large and small, as well as some parks, and is most common in the eastern areas of the country. It is sometimes employed as a hedge , but is considered inferior for this usage compared to Tsuga heterophylla (western hemlock); it is not well adapted to the UK climate and as

174-409: A Civil War general and former New York State Treasurer whose Tioronda estate was a mile (1.6 km) south of the building's location in what was then the village of Matteawan, commissioned the building from his brother-in-law, Richard Morris Hunt , late in 1871. At the beginning of the next year, a general meeting was held for all those interested in establishing a subscription library . By August

232-601: A foundation of bluestone and granite quarried at nearby Breakneck Ridge . Its first story is faced in brick; the second in polychrome fishscale shingles. Atop is a six- gabled roof covered in Delaware slate pierced by a brick chimney on the west side. On the first story the foundation is capped with a granite water table . The east (front) face has arched double two-over-two double-hung sash windows and central main entrance are set in slightly recessed arched panels trimmed with patterns of black and buff brick. The tops of

290-475: A near threatened species in the IUCN Red List , but this is based largely on its wide distribution and because the adelgid populations have not reached the northern areas of its range. A 2009 study conducted by scientists with the U.S. Forest Service Southern Research Station suggests the hemlock woolly adelgid is killing hemlock trees faster than expected in the southern Appalachians, and rapidly altering

348-757: A characteristic that does not appear in the other evergreen trees. They are flattened and are typically distichous, or two-ranked. The bottom of the leaf is glaucous with two broad and clearly visible stomatal bands, while the top is a shiny green to yellow-green in color. The leaf margins are very slightly toothed, especially near the apex. The seed cones are ovoid in shape and typically measure 1.5 to 2.5 cm ( 5 ⁄ 8 to 1 in) in length and 1.0 to 1.5 cm ( 3 ⁄ 8 to 5 ⁄ 8  in) in width. The scales are ovate to cuneate in shape and measure 8 to 12 mm ( 3 ⁄ 8 to 1 ⁄ 2  in) in length by 7.0 to 10 mm ( 1 ⁄ 4 to 3 ⁄ 8  in) in width. The apex

406-528: A combination of these, have all been proposed to explain these anomalies. The eastern hemlock increased again after the major decline, but did not recover its former place as a dominant species. Due to it being a long-lived tree, several very large or otherwise impressive trees exist along the east coast of North America. One organization, the Eastern Native Tree Society (ENTS), has been particularly active in discovering and measuring these trees. In

464-433: A consequence often has a poorly developed, forked and sinuous trunk there. In Germany , it is the most frequently seen hemlock in cultivation, and is also used in forestry . Over 300 cultivars have been selected for use, many of them being dwarf forms and shrubs. A partial list of popular cultivars includes: American pioneers made tea from the tree's leafy twigs and used its branches as brooms. Tea can be made from

522-451: A cultural center, hosting various visual and performing arts events. The building is located at the east end of downtown Beacon, at the corner of Main Street and Tioronda Avenue, just west of where Churchill Street forks off to cross Fishkill Creek . The blocks to the west and north are urban and densely developed with larger mixed-use buildings, on the south side of the street. A large church

580-698: A promotion, Howland was the unanimous choice to replace him as colonel . Howland saw service in the First Battle of Bull Run in July 1861. Howland's time as commander of the 16th New York was short-lived. On June 29, 1862, during the Battle of Gaines's Mill , one of the Seven Days Battles of the Peninsula Campaign , Howland was directing his men into their place in the line when a Confederate bullet struck him in

638-411: A variety of visual and performing arts events, as well as public and community meetings. It rents out the building for some events, mostly similar to those it stages itself but also including small weddings. In 2007, the center installed geothermal heating to cut its energy costs and reduce the use of fossil fuels . A system using water in vertical pipes to be dug 250 feet (76 m) into the earth beneath

SECTION 10

#1732858873129

696-447: Is a tympanum set with intricate tracery . A similar window is located opposite; it has no smaller window closer to the east. The interior of the building is a large open space. Floors are of English cane felt overlaid with hemlock , to dampen sound, and topped with strips of Georgia pine. A second-story gallery with a wrought iron railing is supported by carved wooden pillars and wrought iron brackets . Bookshelves are built into

754-551: Is a much-studied phenomenon. From its foundation in the early Holocene (around 16,000 BP) in what is now the southeastern US, T. canadensis expanded rapidly and successfully into its potential range. However, palynological analyses show the hemlock population experienced a pronounced decline approximately 5,500 BP that lasted for about 1,000 years. Continued research points to other, though less dramatic, dips in Holocene hemlock populations. Pathogens, insects, and climatic change, and

812-417: Is found primarily on rocky ridges, ravines, and hillsides with relatively high levels of moisture. Eastern hemlock is generally confined to areas with highland climates, with cool and humid conditions. Precipitation in the areas where it grows is typically 740 mm (29 in) to more than 1,270 mm (50 in) per year. The lower number is more typical of northern forests that receive heavy snowfall;

870-510: Is just across Tioronda from the Howland. To the south, across Van Nydeck Avenue, is a mostly wooded area with a few houses. The Madam Brett Homestead , a 1709 stone house also listed on the Register, is near the west end of the block. Another listed building, Beacon's post office , is a block and a half west along Main Street. The building itself is a two-story three-by-five- bay brick structure on

928-410: Is more or less rounded and is often projected outward. Twenty-four diploid chromosomes are present within the trees' DNA . The wood is soft, coarse-grained, and light buff in color. Air-dried, a cubic foot (0.028 m ) weighs 28 pounds (13 kg). The lumber is used for general construction and crates. Because of its unusual power of holding spikes, it is also used for railroad ties. Untreated,

986-480: Is topped with a steeply pitched gabled roof and finial . On the side elevations, there are two two-over-two double-hung sash windows in the east bays with a similar treatment as the front windows. Two gables pierce the south face. The smaller one on the north has two-over-two double-hung sash with another half-timbered face in the gable. Its larger counterpart on the south has a large paired window of one-over-one double-hung sash with smaller flanking windows. Above it

1044-695: Is used in construction, and for railroad ties . Historically its bark was an important source of tannin for the leather tanning industry. Eastern hemlocks are popular as ornamental trees, thanks to their tolerance of a wide variety of soil and light conditions, as well as their characteristic drooping branches. The eastern hemlock grows well in shade and is very long lived, with the oldest recorded specimen, found in Tionesta, Pennsylvania , being at least 554 years old. The tree generally reaches heights of about 31 m (102 ft), but exceptional trees have been recorded up to 53 m (174 ft). The diameter of

1102-439: Is used in winter, as its foliage is sensitive to salt spray. It is also poorly adapted as a windbreak tree, as wind exposure causes dieback in winter. It has several drawbacks, such as a fairly low tolerance of urban stress, intolerance for very wet or very dry soils, and susceptibility to attack by the hemlock woolly adelgid, though this is treatable. Its tendency to shed needles rapidly after being cut down renders it unsuitable as

1160-575: The Appalachian Mountains to northern Georgia and Alabama. Disjunct populations occur in the Piedmont region , northern Alabama, western Ohio and into Indiana , as well as western Wisconsin and eastern Minnesota. In Canada, it is present in Ontario and all provinces to the east except Newfoundland and Labrador. Its range completely overlaps that of the closely related Tsuga caroliniana . It

1218-535: The Great Smoky Mountains National Park , is being conducted to save the largest and tallest remaining eastern hemlocks in the Park. Through Tsuga Search, hemlocks have been found with trunk volumes up to 44.8 m³ within the park, making it the largest eastern evergreen conifer, eclipsing in volume both eastern white pine ( Pinus strobus ) and loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ). The tree is currently listed as

SECTION 20

#1732858873129

1276-676: The United States Senate confirmed the appointment on March 12, 1866. After the war, Howland was New York State Treasurer from 1866 to 1867, elected on the Republican ticket. He also had an active role in drafting the trust deeds for Cornell University and in organizing the Hudson River State Hospital for the Insane , the humane treatment of the mentally ill being one of his and his wife's great concerns. In Mattewan, Howland

1334-481: The carbon cycle of these forests. According to Science Daily , the pest could kill most of the region's hemlock trees within the next decade. According to the study, researchers found "hemlock woolly adelgid infestation is rapidly impacting the carbon cycle in [hemlock] tree stands," and "adelgid-infested hemlock trees in the South are declining much faster than the reported 9-year decline of some infested hemlock trees in

1392-817: The French-speaking regions of Canada as pruche du Canada , is a coniferous tree native to eastern North America. It is the state tree of Pennsylvania. Eastern hemlocks are widespread throughout much of the Great Lakes region , the Appalachian Mountains , the Northeastern United States , and Maritime Canada . They have been introduced in the United Kingdom and mainland Europe, where they are used as ornamental trees. Eastern hemlock populations in North America are threatened in much of their range by

1450-708: The Howland Public Library in Beacon, New York . The couple returned to the United States of America in 1859. That same year Howland bought the Freeland farm along Fishkill Creek in the village of Matteawan , naming his new estate Tioronda. He commissioned architect Frederick Clarke Withers to design the main house on the estate, which later became the Craig House Sanitarium . Howland's great-uncle, Philip Hone,

1508-628: The Northeast, the tallest accurately measured tree is 44 m (144 ft). This tree, named the Seneca hemlock, grows in Cook Forest State Park, PA. Above 43°N latitude, the maximum height of the species is less, under 39 m (128 ft). In New England, ENTS has measured hemlocks to 42 m (138 ft), although trees above 39 m (128 ft) are extremely rare in New England. By 44°N,

1566-515: The Northeast." In a 2009 case study, entomologists from the U.S. Forest Service, Cornell University , and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst released 900 Laricobius nigrinus beetles into a stand of adelgid-infested hemlocks near Lansing, New York . L. nigrinus , which is native to the Pacific Northwest, naturally preys on the hemlock wooly adelgid. The particular site near Lansing

1624-401: The building was complete, and the library opened with a formal ceremony at which Howland transferred the building to the library's board of trustees. Hunt's building followed contemporary architectural styles similar to those of the cottages he was building for wealthy vacationers in Newport, Rhode Island . It most clearly reflects the polychrome and Picturesque modes. The woodwork around

1682-611: The center will both heat and cool the building. It heats the building with up 70% more efficiency and cools up to 40% more efficiently. In addition it is quieter, enhancing the building's acoustics . Joseph Howland Joseph Howland (December 3, 1834, in New York City – March 31, 1886, in Menton , Alpes-Maritimes , France ) was a Union Army officer during the American Civil War , politician and philanthropist . Howland

1740-532: The city and its residents from the building until the 1970s, when the growth of the former outpaced the capacity of the latter. In 1976 the library moved to a vacant department store building two blocks west along Main, where it has remained, still called the Howland Library. After the library moved out, the Howland Cultural Center was established to keep the building in use and preserve it. It hosts

1798-402: The end of the century. Except for some upgrades to its utilities, it has remained largely intact since then. Throughout the 1920s it was one of only two remaining public subscription libraries in the state. In response to a donor's bequest , the library became free at the end of that decade. Almost 50 years later, the library moved out when it outgrew the building. Since then it has been used as

Howland Cultural Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

1856-622: The establishment of the National Bank at Fishkill-on-Hudson. Howland served as president of the Mechanics' Savings Bank of Fishkill-on-Hudson from March 24, 1866, to September 30, 1868. Highland Hospital was established on May 1, 1871. Howland purchased the property, fitted it for a hospital and presented it to the town. Howland died in Menton , France , on March 31, 1886, and was buried there. He and his wife had no children and after his death Eliza Howland never returned to Tioronda, saying that

1914-478: The frost-free season can last fewer than 80 days. In contrast, the southern end of the range experiences up to 200 days without frost and January temperatures as high as 6 °C (43 °F). The species is currently threatened by the hemlock woolly adelgid ( Adelges tsugae ), a sap-sucking bug introduced from East Asia to the United States in 1924, and first found in the native range of eastern hemlock in

1972-422: The ground, its pyramidal growth habit, and its ability to withstand hard pruning make it a desirable ornamental tree . In cultivation, it prefers sites that are slightly acidic to neutral with nutrient-rich and moist but well-drained soil. It is most often used as a specimen, for a screen, or in small group plantings, though it can also be trained as a dense formal hedge. It should not be used on roadsides where salt

2030-503: The higher number is common in southerly areas with high summer rainfall. Near the Atlantic coast and in the southern Appalachians where the trees often reach their greatest heights, annual rainfall often exceeds 1,520 mm (60 in). In the north of its range, the temperatures in January average −12 °C (10 °F), while in July they average only 16 °C (61 °F). In these areas,

2088-611: The largest has been calculated to be 44.8 m (1,580 cu ft), making it the largest natural evergreen conifer in the eastern United States. The center of maximum size development for the species is the southern Appalachians, especially the Great Smoky Mountains. Tsuga canadensis has long been a popular tree in cultivation. The tree's preference for partial shade and tolerance of full shade allows it to be planted in areas where other conifers would not easily grow. In addition, its very fine-textured foliage that droops to

2146-459: The largest municipal riots in American history. Howland quickly organized a regiment of civilian volunteers to help suppress the chaos, but after the emergency passed he returned to civilian life. On January 13, 1866 President Andrew Johnson nominated Howland for appointment to the grade of brevet brigadier general of volunteers, to rank from March 13, 1865, for his courage at Gaines's Mill and

2204-409: The late 1920s, when it was one of only two such libraries remaining in the state, a wealthy local resident made a bequest to the library on the condition that it become a free public library. That began in 1929, essentially making it the city's library. In 1942, Nancy Lamont, the second librarian, left the position. She and her predecessor had served a combined 70 years. The library continued to serve

2262-506: The late 1960s. The adelgid has spread very rapidly in southern parts of the range once becoming established, while its expansion northward is much slower. Virtually all the hemlocks in the southern Appalachian Mountains have seen infestations of the insect within the last five to seven years, with thousands of hectares of stands dying within the last two to three years. Attempts to save representative examples on both public and private lands are on-going. A project named "Tsuga Search", funded by

2320-466: The main entrance also shows hints of the emerging Stick style ; there was one more at the gables, but it has been lost. In 1940, a Federal Writers' Project guidebook would describe it as "in the Norwegian chalet style". It was one of the last libraries to use natural light for its reading room. The original 2,200-volume collection grew quickly, as did the membership. In 1887 electric lighting replaced

2378-497: The maximum height is probably not more than 35 m (115 ft). Diameters of mature hemlocks range from 0.75–1.8 m (2 ft 6 in – 5 ft 11 in), with trees over 1.6 m (5 ft 3 in) in diameter being very rare. In New England, the maximum diameter is 1.4 m (4 ft 7 in). Trunk volume is the third dimension to receive attention by ENTS. Many eastern hemlocks have been modeled to over 30 m (1,100 cu ft) trunk volume, and

Howland Cultural Center - Misplaced Pages Continue

2436-425: The memories of her husband made staying there too difficult. She died in Newport, Rhode Island , in 1917 ], at the age of eighty-two. After her death Tioronda became Craig House, a hospital for the mentally ill . The author Louis Stanton Auchincloss is his great-grandnephew. Eastern Hemlock Tsuga canadensis , also known as eastern hemlock , eastern hemlock-spruce , or Canadian hemlock , and in

2494-467: The niece of Philip Hone , the noted diarist and mayor of New York City . The family lived at 12 Washington Square. The Howlands were a deeply religious family; at one time Howland considered entering the ministry , but gave up those plans due to ill health. This same ill health also prevented Howland from attending school and university; he was educated at home, with several years of European travel to round out his education. His mother died when Joseph

2552-428: The original gas lamps. Seven years later, more space was needed, and the upper gallery was added, the last significant change to the building. Some alterations have also been made to the heating system over the years. Even after the village of Matteawan, where it was located, merged with nearby Fishkill Landing at the beginning of the 20th century to become today's city of Beacon, the library remained subscribers-only. In

2610-509: The panels are corbelled . Narrow side panels between the window panels and corners have a simple cross design in black and buff brick corresponding to the top of the window arches. Six wooden pillars flanking the main entrance support a projecting bay on the second story, with a small hood sheltering the entrance steps. The second story as a whole is set off from the lower level by another water table. Its windows are narrow, tall two-over-two double-hung sash above fluted panels. They extend above

2668-405: The roofline, where they are topped with hipped roofs giving them the appearance of dormers . Wood painted red trims the shingles. The central window has tall, narrow, two-over-four double-hung sash. Its face has a half-timbered appearance, although the section on either side of the windows is faced in clapboard rather than stucco . Above it is a two-paned semicircular lunette window. The bay

2726-552: The southern Appalachians, many individuals reach 45 metres (148 ft) tall, and one tree has been measured in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park to 52.8 m (173 ft 3 in) tall, though this tree is now dead from hemlock woolly adelgids; the tallest now surviving, the "Noland Mountain tree", is 51.8 m (169 ft 11 in) tall. Altogether, ENTS has confirmed four trees to heights of 51 m (167 ft) or more by climb and tape drop. In

2784-462: The spread of the invasive Hemlock woolly adelgid , which infests and eventually kills trees. Declines in population from hemlock wooly adelgid infestation have led to Tsuga canadensis being listed as Near Threatened on the IUCN Red List . Eastern hemlocks are long lived trees, with many examples living for more than 500 years. They can grow to heights of more than 30 metres (100 ft), and are tolerant of shade, moist soil, and slopes. Hemlock wood

2842-479: The thigh. He refused to go back to the hospital, staying with his men until the end of the battle. The regiment's official report credits Howland with "…the most undaunted bravery and marked coolness…" as he stayed on his horse and rode up and down the line, giving orders and shouting encouragement to his men, "…unmindful of…the leaden hail…" through which he had to ride. The official report also stated that Howland's wound "…will disable him for several weeks." In fact,

2900-829: The trunk at breast height is often 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in), but again, outstanding trees have been recorded up to 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in). The trunk is usually straight and monopodial , but very rarely is forked. The crown is broadly conic, while the brownish bark is scaly and deeply fissured, especially with age. The twigs are a yellow-brown in color with darker red-brown pulvini , and are densely pubescent. The buds are ovoid in shape and are very small, measuring only 1.5 to 2.5 mm (0 to 1 ⁄ 8  in) in length. These are usually not resinous, but may be slightly so. The leaves are typically 15 to 20 mm (0.59 to 0.79 in) in length, but may be as short as 5 mm (0.20 in) or as long as 25 mm (1 in).The leaves are arranged on little stalks,

2958-451: The walls and the dado is paneled. Handwrought Georgia pine pillars and hammerbeams support a 33-foot-9-inch (10.29 m) ceiling . Doors are carved to look like books with pages rising from the middle when closed. Other rooms include a small entryway on the first floor and two small offices. On the second floor are three small rooms. They were originally the librarian's apartment, but are now also used as offices. Joseph Howland ,

SECTION 50

#1732858873129

3016-407: The wood is not durable if exposed to the elements. As a fuel, it is low in value. The wood is also a source of pulp for paper manufacturing. T. canadensis occurs at sea level in the north of its distribution, but is found primarily at elevations of 600–1,800 m (2,000–5,900 ft). It ranges from northeastern Minnesota eastward through southern Quebec and into Nova Scotia , and south in

3074-404: The wound ended Howland's military career; the wound and the resulting fever dangerously undermined his health and made further active service impossible. He resigned as commander of the 16th New York and never served again in the field. Howland returned to duty during the New York City draft riots in 1863, placing himself at the disposal of the civil and military authorities as they tried to quell

3132-453: Was a partner with Peter A. Schenck in establishing the first factory, a cotton mill, in Matteawan in 1814. Howland's life as a country gentleman ended with the beginning of the American Civil War in 1861. Upon the outbreak of the war, Howland immediately joined the 16th New York Infantry Regiment , where he served as the regiment 's adjutant. When the commander of the 16th New York received

3190-522: Was born into a prominent merchant family that had grown rich in the Old China Trade. His first American ancestor, John Howland , was one of the Pilgrim Fathers and a signer of the 1620 Mayflower Compact , the governing document of what became Plymouth Colony . Howland's father was Samuel Shaw Howland , a partner in the shipping firm of Howland & Aspinwall ; his mother was Joanna Esther Hone,

3248-583: Was chosen because its hemlocks are only lightly infested with the woolly adelgid, and enough trees are found to sustain a long-term study. The site will be left untreated with pesticides for 10 years to study how well the L. nigrinus beetles become established; if the experiment proves successful, researchers expect the population will take two to three years to build to levels where they can be readily detected. The tree can be found living in association with many forest mushrooms, such as Ramaria flavosaponaria . The mid- Holocene decline of hemlock populations

3306-638: Was fourteen; his father when he was nineteen. At the age of twenty-one, Howland married Eliza Newton Woolsey of New York, one of seven sisters well known as prominent reformers and anti-slavery activists. The couple honeymooned in Europe and the Holy Land . While touring Italy, the Howlands commissioned two marble busts of themselves from the Italian neo-classical sculptor, Giovanni Maria Benzoni ; these busts stand today in

3364-605: Was instrumental in building the Presbyterian Church, and the public library that still bears his name. Howland commissioned his brother-in-law, the architect Richard Morris Hunt , to design the library building. The building is now the Howland Cultural Center and is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places . The library moved to another Main Street location in 1976. He also took an active part in

#128871