The Canajoharie Library
The Canajoharie Library was born in the 1880s when a committee of local dignitaries organized a lending library in the drawing room of the Arkell home. By the early 1900s the library had moved first to a school room and then to rented space downtown. In 1914, under the sponsorship of local industrialist Bartlett Arkell, the library was granted its charter by New York State.
Mr. Arkell's interest in the library grew over the next 10 years, and in 1925 he had the original section of the current facility built, and presented it to the village in memory of his father, state Senator James Arkell. Mr. Arkell continued to be involved in library activities until his death in the 1940s. An endowment that he originated remains an important source of income for the library.
Mr. Arkell's interest in the library grew over the next 10 years, and in 1925 he had the original section of the current facility built, and presented it to the village in memory of his father, state Senator James Arkell. Mr. Arkell continued to be involved in library activities until his death in the 1940s. An endowment that he originated remains an important source of income for the library.
The Arkell Museum at Canajoharie
The art gallery was founded in 1924, as a public art museum, under the sponsorship of Bartlett Arkell, the first president of Beech-Nut Packing Company. Between 1924 and the opening of the Gallery in 1926, Mr. Arkell visited several museums of art in the United States and Europe and borrowed elements of three galleries for his own art gallery. These were the European Paintings Galleries at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Prince George Gallery at the Walker Art Museum in Liverpool, England and the gallery that housed the Night Watch at the Rijkesmuseum in Amsterdam, Holland.
From 1926, until his death in 1946, Mr. Arkell acquired and donated some of the finest American paintings he could acquire. Many of these paintings reflect his own individual taste and include many landscapes of places he found very familiar. Having been born in Canajoharie, a small agriculturally based town in the Mohawk River Valley, many of the landscapes he bought were of rural New York State and the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers in particular. As a student in private schools in Massachusetts and at Yale University, the collector came to admire the New England Landscape. Later, when he bought a summer house in Manchester, Vermont in the 1920s, his love of New England grew, as did his interest in New England landscapes. Lastly, his many trips to Europe each winter, with the exception of the period from 1914-1918 and after 1938, he would visit the low countries, England and France and many of the landscapes he acquired were from these areas.In terms of painters, Mr. Arkell bought many paintings by Winslow Homer, one of his favorite artists, Childe Hassam and the group of painters known as the Vermont Regionalists. He was close personal friends with Herbert Meyer, Jay Connaway, Luigi Luicioni, and Ogden Pleissner. He commissioned several artists to paint his houses in Vermont and New York (On 10th Street in Manhattan) and knew many of New York's most important artists through his long standing association with the MacBeth Gallery in New York.
The collection is strong in terms of works by Winslow Homer, American Impressionist Painters and American Watercolor Painting. As with many collections founded prior to World War II, it also abounds in portraits of famous men and of the type of woman he found attractive, women with dark hair and eyes. All three of his wives had such hair and eye color. The latter two, the former Louisanna Grigsby and Louise Ryals, were both artists in their own right and took lessons with various New York artists.
The decorative arts collection evolved out of Mr. Arkell's desire to acquire objects of good taste, sculpture, furniture, glass and pottery to place in the library and art gallery. Toward this end, he acquired sculpture from American and French sources, including works by Saint Gaudens, Frishmuth and Remington. He acquired La Laque vases for flower arrangements in the museum and replica furniture made locally for the art gallery. For the Library, many of the early pieces of furniture were from the Stickley Company, then located in Syracuse, New York.
From 1926, until his death in 1946, Mr. Arkell acquired and donated some of the finest American paintings he could acquire. Many of these paintings reflect his own individual taste and include many landscapes of places he found very familiar. Having been born in Canajoharie, a small agriculturally based town in the Mohawk River Valley, many of the landscapes he bought were of rural New York State and the Hudson and Mohawk Rivers in particular. As a student in private schools in Massachusetts and at Yale University, the collector came to admire the New England Landscape. Later, when he bought a summer house in Manchester, Vermont in the 1920s, his love of New England grew, as did his interest in New England landscapes. Lastly, his many trips to Europe each winter, with the exception of the period from 1914-1918 and after 1938, he would visit the low countries, England and France and many of the landscapes he acquired were from these areas.In terms of painters, Mr. Arkell bought many paintings by Winslow Homer, one of his favorite artists, Childe Hassam and the group of painters known as the Vermont Regionalists. He was close personal friends with Herbert Meyer, Jay Connaway, Luigi Luicioni, and Ogden Pleissner. He commissioned several artists to paint his houses in Vermont and New York (On 10th Street in Manhattan) and knew many of New York's most important artists through his long standing association with the MacBeth Gallery in New York.
The collection is strong in terms of works by Winslow Homer, American Impressionist Painters and American Watercolor Painting. As with many collections founded prior to World War II, it also abounds in portraits of famous men and of the type of woman he found attractive, women with dark hair and eyes. All three of his wives had such hair and eye color. The latter two, the former Louisanna Grigsby and Louise Ryals, were both artists in their own right and took lessons with various New York artists.
The decorative arts collection evolved out of Mr. Arkell's desire to acquire objects of good taste, sculpture, furniture, glass and pottery to place in the library and art gallery. Toward this end, he acquired sculpture from American and French sources, including works by Saint Gaudens, Frishmuth and Remington. He acquired La Laque vases for flower arrangements in the museum and replica furniture made locally for the art gallery. For the Library, many of the early pieces of furniture were from the Stickley Company, then located in Syracuse, New York.
The Memorial Garden
The Memorial Garden was conceived by Mr. Arkell in 1929. The garden was planned by Bartlett and his wife, Louisanna Grigsby Arkell, for a vacant lot between the library and the neighboring Lutheran Church. Mrs. Arkell passed away while the garden was in development, and Mr. Arkell dedicated the finished garden to her memory.
The garden consists of formal barberry hedges, evergreens and flowering shrubs that frame a fountain and reflecting pool. The centerpiece of the fountain is a 7 foot bronze sculpture of a woman by Harriett Frishmuth titled "Humoresque".
The garden consists of formal barberry hedges, evergreens and flowering shrubs that frame a fountain and reflecting pool. The centerpiece of the fountain is a 7 foot bronze sculpture of a woman by Harriett Frishmuth titled "Humoresque".
Earliest history of the Library
Info furnished by Mrs. W.H. Bain, 1924 Article printed in unknown paper, Local History files-Canajoharie Library
"Early in 1884 the Rev. F.S. Haines, a Princeton graduate, becames pastor of the Reformed Church of Canajoharie. Coming from a cultured family his attitude seemed that of one who found Canajoharie unprogressive and ignorant. Possibly this may have been the condition at that time as the Canajoharie High School had been established only eight years.
Mr. Haines asked a few ladies to meet with him to form a committee to try to establish a library. This committee consisted of Mr. Haines, Mrs. Jennie Smith, Mrs. W.J. Arkell, Miss M.Therese Sterling and Miss L. Katharine Smith (now Mrs. W.H. Bain). Mr. Harvey R. Stafford was later added to this committee.
Through local papers contributions of one book from each one interested were asked to form the nucleus of this library. The books so contributed were assembled at the home of Mrs. W.J. Arkell where theywere examined, properly marked and covered with strong paper. Miss Sterling acted as librarian.
To finance this proposition it was decided to solicit members who were each to pay one dollar per year and be entitled to draw one book only at a time, the number of members approximating one hundred. The money thus obtained was supplemented by proceeds of entertainments of various kinds.
Very shortly thereafter Mr. Haines accepted a call to another church and Miss M. Therese Sterling, who had taken an active interest, was recognized as the leader.
The trustees of the High School donated the use of a room in the school building which was known as "the library" for several years.
Miss Sterling removed to Utica and her sister Mrs. Hiram W. Hall, became the active head of the library until she removed from Canajoharie, after which the membership dwindled and interest wained. During the administration of Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Anna M. Fox acted as librarian without compensation and has been the librarian continuously since, a period of nearly thirty years.
Finally, in 1904, the school trustees served notice that the library would have to be removed from the school building or given over to the school, which action prompted Mrs. Martin L. Smith, always interested in good reading, to call a meeting at her home of all interested in saving the library. Five people only responded to this call, Mrs. Anna M. Fox, Mrs. M.M. Sholl, Mrs. Willet F. Cook, Mrs. Elmer J. Finehout and Mrs. William H. Bain. These five ladies, with Miss Mabel W. Smith, reorganized, took over the library, and became the first five trustees of the Association.
In 1914 the trustees applied to the Regents of the State of New York for a charter which was granted and thereby the Canajoharie Library of today came into existence. Mr. Bartlett Arkell's voluntary offer substantial assistance in a financial way was the incentive for making the application.
At the death of Mrs. Cook, Mrs. Bertelle Arkell Barbour was elected a trustee in her place. Later, at the suggestion of the Regents of the State of New York, because of her being a librarian, Mrs. Fox re-signed as a trustee and Mrs. William C. Arkell was elected to fill the vacancy. In 1923 Mrs. Arthur C. Sticht was elected a trustee in place of Mrs. Finehout.
Mr. Arkell has continued to give generous financial aid each year as have also Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Barbour."
"Early in 1884 the Rev. F.S. Haines, a Princeton graduate, becames pastor of the Reformed Church of Canajoharie. Coming from a cultured family his attitude seemed that of one who found Canajoharie unprogressive and ignorant. Possibly this may have been the condition at that time as the Canajoharie High School had been established only eight years.
Mr. Haines asked a few ladies to meet with him to form a committee to try to establish a library. This committee consisted of Mr. Haines, Mrs. Jennie Smith, Mrs. W.J. Arkell, Miss M.Therese Sterling and Miss L. Katharine Smith (now Mrs. W.H. Bain). Mr. Harvey R. Stafford was later added to this committee.
Through local papers contributions of one book from each one interested were asked to form the nucleus of this library. The books so contributed were assembled at the home of Mrs. W.J. Arkell where theywere examined, properly marked and covered with strong paper. Miss Sterling acted as librarian.
To finance this proposition it was decided to solicit members who were each to pay one dollar per year and be entitled to draw one book only at a time, the number of members approximating one hundred. The money thus obtained was supplemented by proceeds of entertainments of various kinds.
Very shortly thereafter Mr. Haines accepted a call to another church and Miss M. Therese Sterling, who had taken an active interest, was recognized as the leader.
The trustees of the High School donated the use of a room in the school building which was known as "the library" for several years.
Miss Sterling removed to Utica and her sister Mrs. Hiram W. Hall, became the active head of the library until she removed from Canajoharie, after which the membership dwindled and interest wained. During the administration of Mrs. Hall, Mrs. Anna M. Fox acted as librarian without compensation and has been the librarian continuously since, a period of nearly thirty years.
Finally, in 1904, the school trustees served notice that the library would have to be removed from the school building or given over to the school, which action prompted Mrs. Martin L. Smith, always interested in good reading, to call a meeting at her home of all interested in saving the library. Five people only responded to this call, Mrs. Anna M. Fox, Mrs. M.M. Sholl, Mrs. Willet F. Cook, Mrs. Elmer J. Finehout and Mrs. William H. Bain. These five ladies, with Miss Mabel W. Smith, reorganized, took over the library, and became the first five trustees of the Association.
In 1914 the trustees applied to the Regents of the State of New York for a charter which was granted and thereby the Canajoharie Library of today came into existence. Mr. Bartlett Arkell's voluntary offer substantial assistance in a financial way was the incentive for making the application.
At the death of Mrs. Cook, Mrs. Bertelle Arkell Barbour was elected a trustee in her place. Later, at the suggestion of the Regents of the State of New York, because of her being a librarian, Mrs. Fox re-signed as a trustee and Mrs. William C. Arkell was elected to fill the vacancy. In 1923 Mrs. Arthur C. Sticht was elected a trustee in place of Mrs. Finehout.
Mr. Arkell has continued to give generous financial aid each year as have also Mr. and Mrs. F.E. Barbour."
