Union Hall

The first half of the nineteenth century saw several thriving villages in northern Westchester. They served mainly as markets for local farm products but also housed small industries such as shoe factories, which were busy in the winter, the off season for farming. The railroad arrived in the 1840s and brought gradual but far-reaching change to the communities such as Ossining, Peekskill and nearby Purdys. Around 1848, North Salem still had confidence in a spur line reaching North Salem. Daniel Bailey built his large Italianate commercial building along Route 116 and Keeler Lane.[1]

The railroad was never realized and commerce in North Salem languished. Despite this setback, the building became an important part of the North Salem community, serving a double purpose. On the first floor, there is a general store, with big front display windows; the second floor housed a multi-purpose center for all kinds of community events. At the end of the Civil War, the building was named Union Hall in honor of the Northern victory.[2]

The main façade has restrained Italianate style detail including the one-story, open porch with chamfered posts and decorative brackets. The building retains numerous original interior finishes and trims on all floors. Most of the rooms have smooth plaster walls and simple door and window surrounds. The large meeting hall on the second floor is undecorated and has been partially divided at the center as of 1986. Union Hall features a largely intact and architecturally significant adjacent barn.[3] Union Hall currently houses The Market at Union Hall, a combination café, market, and gift shop. The building is a rare survival of the type of commercial buildings that were once common in rural communities.

[1] “National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form,” United States Department of the Interior-National Parks Service, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75323273

[2] Williams, Grey. Jackson, Kenneth T. Picturing Our Post: National Register Sites in Westchester County. New York. 2003

[3] National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form,” United States Department of the Interior-National Parks Service, https://catalog.archives.gov/id/75323273