Main Street in Carbondale has surely changed over the years, from a dirt road to a cemented street and refurbished, or entirely new, buildings masking the old spunk with fresh flair. The building at 711 Main Street is a good example of meshing history with the modern age, and can be yours for the tune of $3.9 million.
But seriously, this is not a promotional piece, just a peek back on bits of the property’s mysterious history.
The property at 711 Main Street was once owned by Ottowa Tanney, an assumed relative of Harvey Tanney (who opened the first post office in the area, before Carbondale was incorporated in 1888). It’s hard to say for sure what their relation was, according to local historian Sue Gray.
A woman, who Gray had only seen referred to as Mrs. Tanney, sued Ottowa, claiming to be Harvey’s widow, after Ottowa had bought several lots in town with her inheritance.
“At least in the history books I’ve read, the assumption was [Ottowa] was the wife,” Gray said, but added that Ottowa also married a Del Brown.
According to the title, the original of which the current owners still have, Ottowa was deeded the property and surrounding lots for $98.85 in 1885. In 1886, Charlotte Tanney, Harvey’s widow according to the historical record, protested the patent and vied to purchase the land herself, perhaps rooted in a claim for Harvey’s inheritance.
On up the road of history, Miron (Myron) Thompson acquired the land around the turn of the century, and constructed the building we see today as a family home.
The town’s 2005 Structures of Merit Survey estimates that it was built around 1900 by Miron. But a Feb. 1, 2007, Valley Journal article noted that Ottowa had built a house there in 1885, which would suggest that would have been another structure entirely.
According to the title, Henry Best sold Miron lots 19, 20, 21 and 22 in Block 21 on Jan. 9, 1901, and Elbridge, Bertha and Violet B. Perham conveyed lots 23 and 24 on the same block to Miron. He then turned over all of the lots to his relative, Melinda Thompson, “together with all improvements,” according to the title, the “improvements” likely referring to the brick home.
The 2005 survey stated that Thompson worked at the fish hatchery, which is still there today, south of Carbondale on what’s now Highway 133. Miron was also the father of Hattie Thompson, a celebrated figure in Carbondale, who he built the iconic Thompson House for in the 1880s, according to the Carbondale Historical Society’s website.
“It’s fun to find little clues. You won’t know the answer and years will go by and all of a sudden a clue will pop up that answers the question,” Gray said.
Remodel to today
Lynn Kirchner and David Clark purchased the property in 2006 from Duane Stewart, who also happened to be a contractor and worked on the remodel. The home ended up becoming an example of how to remodel a building while preserving its original character, according to the Feb. 1, 2007, article in The Valley Journal.
The house had seen many alterations over the years by the 2006 renovation, and didn’t qualify for any historical designation. Stewart himself supported an ordinance for preserving old buildings in Carbondale, but only if owners agreed to it, according to The Valley Journal article, noting that tearing down the building at 711 Main and starting from scratch would have been cheaper.
Kirchner told The Sun that former Town Planner Janet Buck was also very influential when it came to restoring the building while respecting its history.
“I think this is absolutely a success story,” Buck was quoted in The Valley Journal article.
When Kirchner and Clark bought the property, Stewart had owned the whole block, according to Kirchner, which included a chicken coop and grazing goats and was reminiscent of the area’s agricultural heritage.
The east side of the exterior is the original red-brick structure, and during renovation scores of old newspapers were discovered — commonly used in the old days as insulation.
Kirchner has collected bricks from old buildings that’ve been demolished in town for upkeep of the building, including a bunch from when the old John M Fleet Pool building came down.
A fun factoid: The Sun was first officed in the basement. Today, the space hosts several professional offices, from Kirchner’s Amore Realty to attorneys to counselors.
Kirchner and Clark aren’t planning on leaving Carbondale, a place with a history they value and a community they love.