Many of you already know that the beautiful
Victorian building that houses the Hubbard County Historical Museum was originally built in 1900 as a courthouse, and did not open its doors as a museum until 1978, after the new courthouse was built. You may also know that the interior remains much the same as it did 100 years ago. The walls are the originally rich green color and the tin ceiling is intact. Names of the original
offices still even remain on the doors.
But, do you know about the man behind this building? The architect behind this gorgeous, Victorian building was a man by the name of Milton Earl Beebe. He was the oldest child born to Justus and Harriet Beebe in Cassadaga, NY on November 27, 1840.
The family lived on a small farm, and at that time, very few farmers were very well off. The children had to forgo many cultural and pleasurable opportunities, and when they worked outside the family farm, their earnings went into a family fund.
Milton developed a taste for mechanics when he was rather young, and would often go off by himself to construct objects such as miniature wagons, boats, etc., with no more than a pocket knife, hammer, and possibly a gimlet or auger.
He had such a mechanical mind, that at the age of sixteen, he abandoned the family farm, and went to work as a mechanic for a man named Levi Totten, who taught him the trade of a carpenter and joiner.
Then, in the summer of 1861, soon after the Civil War broke out, Mr. Beebe was enlisted into the service, and became a member of the ninth New York cavalry. They remained at camp in New York and Washington until 1862, when the ninth regiment among other cavalry regiments, were detached to serve instead in the artillery.
After serving at the siege of Yorktown and other lively skirmishes on the Peninsula, the men from the Ninth Cavalry were ordered back to Washington. It was here that Mr. Beebe became ill with typhoid fever, and when he was sufficiently restored to health, he was discharged.
It wasn’t until this time that Mr. Beebe began to study architecture in his leisure time, borrowing and buying books on the subject, then finally going to study with G.P. Randall for two years beginning in 1866. After this time with Mr. Randall, he moved to Buffalo, NY, and had established himself as an architect by 1873.
In addition to our own beautiful courthouse, he also constructed the Ipswich State Bank, the McKean County Courthouse, and the Cambria County Courthouse among many others.
By Megan Goebel
But, do you know about the man behind this building? The architect behind this gorgeous, Victorian building was a man by the name of Milton Earl Beebe. He was the oldest child born to Justus and Harriet Beebe in Cassadaga, NY on November 27, 1840.
The family lived on a small farm, and at that time, very few farmers were very well off. The children had to forgo many cultural and pleasurable opportunities, and when they worked outside the family farm, their earnings went into a family fund.
Milton developed a taste for mechanics when he was rather young, and would often go off by himself to construct objects such as miniature wagons, boats, etc., with no more than a pocket knife, hammer, and possibly a gimlet or auger.
He had such a mechanical mind, that at the age of sixteen, he abandoned the family farm, and went to work as a mechanic for a man named Levi Totten, who taught him the trade of a carpenter and joiner.
Then, in the summer of 1861, soon after the Civil War broke out, Mr. Beebe was enlisted into the service, and became a member of the ninth New York cavalry. They remained at camp in New York and Washington until 1862, when the ninth regiment among other cavalry regiments, were detached to serve instead in the artillery.
After serving at the siege of Yorktown and other lively skirmishes on the Peninsula, the men from the Ninth Cavalry were ordered back to Washington. It was here that Mr. Beebe became ill with typhoid fever, and when he was sufficiently restored to health, he was discharged.
It wasn’t until this time that Mr. Beebe began to study architecture in his leisure time, borrowing and buying books on the subject, then finally going to study with G.P. Randall for two years beginning in 1866. After this time with Mr. Randall, he moved to Buffalo, NY, and had established himself as an architect by 1873.
In addition to our own beautiful courthouse, he also constructed the Ipswich State Bank, the McKean County Courthouse, and the Cambria County Courthouse among many others.
By Megan Goebel
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