(Click image to enlarge)
This is a very exciting find! It's the Kelly house on Holmes Road, about 1/2 mile east of Route 52. This superb, undated photograph by Yvonne Rabdau appears to have been taken just before the house disappeared around the year 2000, although it could just as well have been captured 50 or 100 years ago - as memory tells us there's been no material change in its appearance over these many intervening years. In fact, the only thing missing is the Kelly's themselves, sitting on the porch and waving at every car as it rolled by! Additional photos from the Kelly place may be found in the original Kelly post here. Also, note that the above image was cropped to fit the blog, so be sure to check out the full version posted at our Flickr site (listed under "Links" in the right sidebar).
18 comments:
Wonderful! The structure looks like it could go back to well before the 1900's. I noticed the shutter doors leading down to the basement. I wonder what it looked like down there?
Rick Jacobel
Houses like that don't just disappear, East Fishkill's Town Board decides what History they think is worth saving it's all a matter of money talks. Look around see some of the delapidated untouched structures then find out who's homes were deemed not worth saving.
The Kelly's house and some three and half acres were auctioned off for back taxes. I believe 1999.
A developer won the bid. He then brought down the structure and built a new house on exact same spot. Kelly brothers live across the road these days in a rented apartment which they moved into after intruders came and took most of their savings. Cyrus Kelly Jr. passed away last month in his sleep.
Countless car rides past that place and all the guys waving at us adn us waving back!
What a find! We are actually the people who purchased the 1.79 acres the house was on from the developer. We wanted to saved the house but couldn't. We named the property Kelly Ridge in honor of the family. Apparently when the Kelly boys left, the house was donated to the fire department and they performed drills. The house was set on fire and put out a few times and was completely trashed on the inside. The house is set back aways. We didn't want to build on the same spot. The house had no electricity, heating or plumbing. It did however have a phone line. The old "summer" outhouse is still a structure on the neighboring property but it's pretty much down. George and Jane are in a local nursing home and Pete is next door. I take him to visit his brother and sister weekly. I can't wait to show them this site. Thank you very much for sharing.
Greetings, Kelly Ridge!
How exciting you found us, and to hear from you! And about the Kelly's! So relieved to know someone is looking out for them. It's been many years since we've seen them, too many years to remember. Please extend our best regards, the "kids" from Ballard Lake - c. 1950's. Also feel free to contact me if you wish - davewrite-at-gmail-dot-com. From time to time we have local information which is not published on the blog, but rather via email updates.
Till Then,
Dave
my parents rented the cabin on the hill adjacent to the ponderosa from 1967-69..i rented the shultz cabin next to the large 'ballard house' right on the lake from '69 to '71 until my buddy got drafted and i joined the reserves..cabin is gone now..only ones left are opposite the old ponderosa and back in the woods to 2 level structure...had great times there..also we had a boy scout troop using one of the main structures for a number of years..that is also gone..pete
That was my grandparents house. My mother was born there!!
That was my grandparents house. My mother was born there!!
My grandparents house. My grandfather, Ellison Kelly was born there in 1898 so the house is older than that. There was a fire when he was 10 or so, the left hand side of the photo there was the old foundation. My grandfather would dig in that area and find old coins , some that were melted together from the heat of the fire. I would spend weeks there in the summer when I was young, cried when it was time to go home. Ellison would tell me so many stories, and every time I was there he would pull a old match box filled with his old coins and tell me about each and every one. When he passed in 1985 my aunt passed the match box and coins to me, I still pull them out and think about those summers. Oh and my mother Ruth Kelly was born there also..
This was my Grandparemts house. Ellison and Mildred Kelley. They raised 8 children there all born in the parlor of the house. I remember spending many summer days there playing on the front stoop (as my Grandmother callled it). They had an old hand pump there and I would beg to pump buckets of water. My grandmother used an old wood stove for cooking and the food was so good. I can still hear her yelling at me to get away from the edge of the stoop before I fall off. Many pleasant memories of the place and my Mom is still alive living in Danbury. I can't wait to share the comments and this picture with her.
I don't know if you still own the property but I am their granddaughter. I live in New Milford, CT. I'd love to come and walk around the area where my grandparents house stood. My grandparents were married over 65 years and when my grandfather passed away he was calling my grandmothers name. I will always treasure my memories of them and their home. if there are any old caning jars around I would love to have one.
Very interesting comments by "David A" and "Kath A." But they need a little clarification since the given names don't match up with any Kelly's listed in the sidebar.
My name is Kathleen Ahearn that's my maiden name I and my brother David Ahearn are Ruth Kelleys daughter and son. Ruth Kelley was my grandmother Mildred and Ellison Kelleys daughter. My aunt Clara Kelley is in the picture on the next page of the ludingtonville baptist church. My uncles, the Kelleys sons, were Lyndon, George, Cyrus and Peter and I have a picture if my Grandmother sitting on the porch in front of that house.
My mother's name Ruth and her sister Lillian's names are missing from the list.
Just wondering are you just a researcher or do you have some connection
Kath A,
Sorry, I manage this blog. You've brought a whole new perspective regarding the Kelly's! We're especially interested in the photo you mentioned of your grandmother sitting on the front porch, which would be an incredible find. If you're willing to share, please send it along and I'll add it here along with any caption you may wish to include: davewrite@gmail.com
Meanwhile, many thanks for your wonderful contribution!
Dave Molloy (aka David Baker)
I just forwarded you a picture of my Grandmother Mildred Kelley in front of the house. Thank you
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