The Bethel Journals

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The Cole Brothers, The Cole Block and Odeon Hall 

 

 
 

The Cole Block in 2007 – owned by the Town of Bethel, it houses the town office, police department and The Bethel Citizen.  Due to access problems, the second floor is not open to the public
 

Odeon Hall in 2004. The interior of the auditorium and its settees are approximately the same as when used for town meetings in the 1950’s and 60’s.  Offices for the selectmen and town clerk were located in the front of the building or to the rear of the hall.

 
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


The Cole Block

 

Prologue

 

 

In April 1890, Bethel’s postmaster, George H. Brown, died (Lapham’s history says he died in 1889?); Brown owned a vacant lot on the upper end of Main Street’s south side. (Simply put, the location of the Cole Block in 2007.)

 

News in December 1890: Calvin Bisbee has stocked his new store in the Odd Fellows Hall building; it is one of the best stocked, commodious and largest stores in the village. The new firm of Roberts and Caper has opened its new store on Main Street to the public. They offer clean groceries of all kinds and a clean and carefully selected stock. Bethel Hill village was seeing the public attitude of economic optimism, followed up by additional investment in retailing.

 

At the beginning of 1891, two former Bethel young men, Elmer, 29, and Frederick, 26, Cole, launched their plan to become commercial real estate developers in Bethel.  They would construct the largest, most modern business building yet seen in Bethel Hill village—maybe even the best commercial building in Oxford County. 

 

The Cole brothers had married Holt girls, Gertrude and Millie.  The Coles apparently owned their own jewelry business in Washington D.C It would seem, but we don’t know definitely that the four Coles visited the Cole and Holt families in Bethel at least once a year.  Who might have been their local contact and who might have planted the real estate development idea is not known.  Yet the Bethel Savings Bank was amenable to financing their project.

 

What role did the Bethel Savings Bank trustees play in the development of the Cole brothers’ plans? Since its 1872 establishment and up to 1891, the Bethel Savings Bank used Judge Enoch Foster’s law office as its home office and banking room.  During 1890-1891 the bank’s officers and trustees included the core of Bethel’s respected business men: Samuel D. Philbrook, Samuel B. Twitchell, John M. Philbrook, Judge Foster, Attorney Addison Herrick, Eben S. Kilborn, Gilman P. Bean, Calvin Bisbee, Nathanial F. Brown and Josiah U. Purington. None one in town would dare to question the collective judgment of this group; their decision to financially support the Cole’s plan seemed to be a very sound one.  If anyone could correctly estimate the supply and demand needs for the kind of real estate proposed by the Coles, this group seemingly was it.

 

To improve its market identity the savings bank officers and Judge Foster probably were in favor of a new banking office location.

 

On New Year’s Day, 1891, if you looked up and down Bethel’s Main Street, the largest commercial building by far was Rialto Hall. Built by a “syndicate” as a roller skating rink in the early 1880’s, its owners had failed to stay ahead of their creditors and the building was bought by John B. Chapman in January, 1887. It was Chapman who sold the town the land for its lock-up building in 1889.

 

The Rialto had however seen recent use as a hall for Gould Academy gatherings, social events and in 1887 and 1888— Bethel town meetings. Then in February, 1889, the new, expanding and prosperous Bethel Chair Company leased the “skating rink” as a finishing shop, display area, sales room and office.  In other words, Rialto Hall became a good example of profitable real estate.  In the minds of some, Rialto Hall may have stood as an example of prosperous expansion on Main Street.

 

 

 

1891

 

The story of the Cole Brothers and their Cole Block continues as if the reader is following their progress through the county’s weekly newspapers.

 

In the July 10 : The Cole Brothers of Washington D.C. contemplate erecting a three story building 100 by 80 feet (actually 60 feet) on the lot on Main Street, near Broad, that they bought of the George H. Brown estate last spring. The lower floors are to accommodate the Bethel Savings Bank and a jewelry shop for themselves, the upper floor for offices.

 

Note: Compare these dimensions with the 120 feet long and 38 feet wide dimensions of the chair factory building. The proposed new building would cover 1,440 square feet more than the chair factory building.

 

July 24:  Ladies Circle met July 16th with Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Holt who have come to Bethel from Washington, DC. Supper and ice cream were served. A large number played Croquet. Cole Bros and wives of Washington, DC, were present. Mr. Cole invited Mr. York our photographer to take a view of guests and house.

 

July 28:  The Cole Bros are breaking ground for their new Main St. building.  East Bethel news: Mr. and Mrs. Fred Cole and Mrs. Elmer Cole return to their home in Washington D.C.

 

September 1:  Cole Brothers have contracted with a Mr. Cole of Berlin, N.H. to erect and finish their block of stores and office on Main Street. They will have the largest hall in Oxford County and the building will be an ornament to Bethel village. The foundation will be ready for the superstructure September 5th.

 

September 15:  Cole Brothers have sills in place for their new “Block” building.

 

September 25: The Cole Brothers new block is progressing nicely. It will cost eight to ten thousand dollars; the foundation has already cost $1,000.

 

September 29:  Cole Brothers have their building up and covered in.

 

October 2 : Fifteen men are now employed on the new (Cole) building on Main Street.

 

October 6: Cole Brothers will heat their block with steam.

 

October 23:  The Cole Building on Main Street is about completed on the outside and the inside is ready for the masons.

 

November 6: From Locke Mills - The Cole Brothers are pushing their new building, which can be seen, from most any part of town.

 

December 4:  The Cole Block is to be heated by steam. The boiler and pipes are being set.  In the village, Judge Foster has thoroughly renovated his offices since the Bethel Savings Bank moved into their newly rented office in the Cole Block. A furnace in the basement heats it.

 

 

1892

 

1892 began with a warm, rainy January; the new Cole building was being painted by Chaney & Sawyers, Painters, and sidewalk observers considered that the new “block” was nearly finished.

 

In the second week of January only one or two carpenters were on the job finishing up the final touches. At the end of the month Elmer Cole returned to Bethel from Washington to inspect the work on his new building. The income producing sections were just about complete.  Elmer Cole was in town again in March to see to the furnishing of the hall and to take care of the final work of the brothers’ new building.

 

March 1st: The Democrat reported - The screen for the top of the counter in the Bethel Savings Bank is in place. It is a handsome quartered oak frame set with plate glass and runs the entire length of the banking room. 

 

Bethel’s annual town meeting convened in Ideal Hall (Opera House Condos in 2007).

 

March 31, 1892: Bethel selectmen placed an article into the warrant for a special town meeting that sought approval for them to rent an office in the Cole building. Terms of the proposed rental included a lease for 10 years at an annual rate of no more than $5 per annum.  Voters chose to pass over this article—no office for selectmen in the Cole Block.

 

April 1892 began:  This was the rental situation for the Cole brothers:   Elmer Cole planned to use a portion of the first floor. The Cole Brothers would put in a full line of carpets and furniture and occupy the large store in the rear of the block. They would also use the room in back of the Bethel Savings Bank office for a jewelry shop. Miss E.E. Burnham had rented two rooms for a stock of millinery goods and store. (She had recently left her store in the Kimball Block.)  Huse Bros. from Lewiston would occupy one side of the front of the block and they were putting in furnishings. They had “landed” a large stock of goods and advertised a full line of dry goods. One member of the firm had rented the J.F. Rich house on Main Street and would live there.   Elmer D. Cole of the Cole’s firm would remain in Bethel and attend to the Bethel business, while his brother, Fred, continued to run the business in Washington.

 

A platform was placed in front and along the sides of the new Cole Block which in the public’s opinion “added much to the looks and convenience of the building”.  Three other events that occurred in April were: The Cole Bros. had filled their store with a large line of furniture and carpets, rugs, baby and doll carriages, etc.

April 19, 1892, despite the March 31st vote passing over an article for an office for the selectmen, “the selectmen have rented as an office one of the front corner rooms on the second floor in Cole Block and are now occupying it.”  For a long time the selectmen had wanted money to buy a safe for town records. Voters had not approved a safe either. The town did pay Mrs. Olive Mason $10 for an office desk and $7 was paid to the Bethel Chair Factory for office chairs.

May 1892: The Huse Bros. have opened a new Bethel dry goods store in the front room of the Cole Block’s first floor. 

 

The Coles’ main job during the first part of May was to finish the interior of the second floor hall, lay the flooring and furnish it with new settees.

 

New Hall Dedicated May 18, 1892.  Cole Bros. Hall, Bethel, was dedicated on Wednesday and the people of Bethel and vicinity were given a rare musical treat.  Judge Woodbury delivered the dedication address. Concert performances included Shaw’s Male Quartet of Portland, Ladies Cecillan Quartet of Portland, Prof. J. Haliet Gilbert of Boston, pianist and tenor soloist and the Callahan Orchestra of Lewiston provided music for dancing.  The hall was officially open for use.

 

In June, The U.O.G.C. commemorated the anniversary of the Battle of Bunker Hill at the new Cole’s Hall. The program consisted of music, recitations and a chance supper.

 

When the 1892 property tax assessments were published, the Cole Bros 1892 real estate tax was $85.  For comparison:  Ceylon Rowe’s tax was $175 and Calvin Bisbee’s tax was $128.)

 

August 2:  “W. S. Parker has rented the store in the Cole Block formerly occupied by the Cole Bros.   Parker has bought the furniture business from the Coles and has rented two additional rooms (on the first floor) adjacent to the store for finishing and a carpet warehouse”.

 

August 9: W.S. Parker has added to his stock of furniture and carpets in his store within the Cole Block that he recently took over from the Coles.  He will also do upholstering and repairs.

 

Mills news:  The steam mill has started up under the management of J.P. Skillings who has leased it of the American Bobbin, Spool and Shuttle Company. The stock of goods which was in the store connected with the spool mill was moved to Charles Mason’s store on Main Street where it will be disposed of at auction.

 

 August 30: “Hon. Nelson Dingley, Republican, addressed a good audience at Odeon Hall; he spoke on a number of political issues of the day. (There is no mention in the newspapers of Cole’s Hall being renamed Odeon Hall.)

 

September 13: The Ladies Arion Quartette gave a pleasing concert at Odeon Hall.

November 29:  The Huse Bros. remodeled their dry goods store by removing a partition so the store gained the appearance of being much larger

November was the last time the Cole Block was mentioned by weekly newspapers in 1892.

 

 

 

 

1893

 

January 3: There was entertainment and an exhibition at Odeon Hall to benefit the Bethel Library. 

 

January 13, The Colby University Glee, Banjo and Guitar Clubs gave a concert at Odeon Hall in Bethel.  This concert was arranged by Gould Academy as part of the academy’s lecture series.

 

February 21, at Middle Interval, Mr. and Mrs. Fred C. Cole have been the guests of Joseph Holt and his wife. Mr. Cole has returned (from Washington, DC,) sooner than he expected. The ladies will be entertained Thursday morning, Feb 22nd, by Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Holt, and their daughter, Mrs. Fred Cole.

 

A grand ball at Odeon Hall and the popular drama, “Millie, the Quadroon” scheduled for the Opera House on that week were postponed due to the snow storm.

 

March 6, The annual town meeting was held in Odeon Hall. Voted Enoch Foster to be moderator. L.T. Barker was elected Clerk; Selectmen were: Henry Farwell, Horatio N. Upton and John B. Chapman; Treasurer, J.U. Purington; (town) Agent A.E. Herrick; Supervisor of Schools, N. F. Brown; Tax Collector, S. B. Twitchell and Road Commissioner, I.G. Kimball.

 

Ladies of the Library Association furnished dinner at Odeon Hall for the town meeting on Monday night with proceeds from the dinner going to benefit the library.

 

March 7: The (postponed) ball given last Thursday evening at Odeon Hall was a success. Music was furnished by Norseworthy and Stearns of Norway. Refreshments were served by ladies of the Universalist society.

 

April 21: We understand W.S. Parker (located in the new Cole Block) is closing out his entire stock of furniture and carpets at a bargain. 

 

April 28, Miss E. E. Burnham will exhibit her spring stock of millinery goods in Odeon Hall on Tuesday and Wednesday. Miss Boothby has been to Portland, Boston and New York and made critical selections from the best styles of spring wear. Her exhibit will be in the large Hall of the Cole Block.

 

May 2, Elmer H. Cole wishes to sell his property known as the Cole Block together with the adjoining house. Reason given is that business calls Mr. Cole out of state. 

 

May 5: The millinery opening at Odeon Hall Tuesday and Wednesday was a success in spite of the dubious weather that has prevailed the last few days. 

 

May 9, Huse Bros. (Cole Block tenant)  is going out of business and their whole stock of dry goods will be sold at once regardless of cost. (Also, the Cabinet shop of Sylvester Robertson on Main Street will be sold at public auction May 16 – all tools and a large stock of furniture.)

 

May 22: At Odeon Hall, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde will be played. William Fairbanks and May Standish are in a clever company of players. You may reserve seats at W.S. Parker’s furniture rooms.

 

May 26, Elmer Cole and Emma Parker were married last week at the house of J.G. Rich on Spring Street. (This was Elmer Cole’s second marriage—Gertrude Holt, his first wife had died.) They immediately took the 3.37 train for Boston and from there they will go to the Fair at Chicago.

 

July 14, W.S. Parker has engaged with the So. Waterford chair factory at a salary of $880. a year. He will close out his furniture stock in the Cole Block with a special sale.

 

July 28, Cole Bros. block containing Bethel Savings Bank and Odeon Hall will be sold at auction in Bethel, Tuesday August 1. (The Cole brothers say) that the have a nice jewelry business in Washington and it needs all their attention. J.T. Small of Lewiston will be the auctioneer.

 

Grand Musicale will be held at Odeon Hall for the benefit of the Universalist Society.

 

August 11, Elmer D. Cole who has been in Bethel more or less the last week or two will return to Washington this week. He did not succeed in selling Cole Block.

 

August 18, Elmer D. Cole and wife will come from Washington to Bethel to live next week and have engaged the upstairs rent in the Frank Rich house on Broad Street.

 

Fund raising for the Soldiers Monument— concert and entertainment at Odeon Hall. Admission 20 cents.  “A handsome sum is already in the bank.”

 

September 1, Miss E.E. Burnham has moved her millinery store in the Cole Block from the second floor down into the room recently occupied by the Huse Bros.

 

October 13, Elmer D. Cole and wife will go to Washington this week to live. Some of their household goods will be moved to Portland for further shipment by boat.  He has received a good offer to engage in the jewelry business there. His business reverses make it necessary for him to make this move, which he regrets.  He and his brother Fred have dissolved their partnership.

 

December 15, Huse Bros. have moved their families and goods from Bethel (after departing from the Cole Block) to Kingfield.

 

December 22, Eastern (Oxford County) Land Conveyances:  E.D. Cole (owner of the Cole Block building and the Odeon Hall), et al, to Bethel Savings Bank, $1.

 

 

Epilogue

 

The Coles were not the only business men and working families facing hard times in the last half of 1893 and the beginning of 1894.  In January 1894, Bethel’s correspondent to the Democrat made this statement:  “ It has been found necessary due to the strained condition of business to cut down wages some ten percent (at the chair factory), yet men feel themselves fortunate to get employment even at reduced wages, so many mills are shut down and the employees thrown out of work entirely.”

 

 

Notes:

 

*Eva Bean has this to say about Elmer and Fred Cole in “East Bethel Road” (page 236). 

 

Elmer Dennis Cole (1862—1929) was the eldest son of Dennis W. Cole of East Bethel. “At one time he had been a jeweler in Washington, D.C., and on returning to Maine lived in the J. Madison Bartlett house at Bean’s Corner until it was destroyed by fire in 1911. He was married three times, first to Gertrude Holt, daughter of Joseph of Holt Hill. She died. His second wife was Emma Parker, who also died and his third marriage was in 1909 to Edit Ann Seifer, who died in 1939. “

 

Elmer had three children from his second marriage and three children by his third marriage.

 

Frederick Herman Cole (1865—1941) was the second son of Dennis W. Cole. He was a jeweler of Washington, D.C., and St. Petersburg, Florida, where he died August 13, 1941. His first wife was Millie Holt of Bethel who later married Jacob Clark. His second wife was Marguerite Edes, who died in Washington.  His third marriage was to Mamie Terry of St. Petersburg, Florida. He had two children by his second marriage.

 

(Curiously, Eva Bean did not mention the brothers’ Cole Block development venture.)

 

*: In 1892 the town report showed no office rental payment for the selectmen’s Cole Block office. In 1894, after the Bethel Savings Bank had taken over the building, the town paid $50 for office and (Odeon) hall rental.  Before 1892, the selectmen usually met in the small office building owned by Judge Enoch Foster—the same building housed the Bethel Savings Bank and the bank’s move to new space in the Cole Block may have informally opened the way for a selectmen’s office in the new building.