If the walls could talk at Lasell Hall in Schoharie, they could tell stories about weary travelers, students at a local academy, the latest in hat making, people reading or researching, and plenty of meetings and special events.

Lasell Hall is found several feet back from today’s state Route 30, near the modern buildings of the Schoharie County Courthouse. It wasn’t originated by a family named Lasell, when it was built in 1795. And the village we know now as Schoharie was called "Fountaintown."

Johannes Lawyer III built the landmark structure and opened it as a hotel, also referred to as a tavern in that time period. Lawyer, known to most simply as "John J," had settled here in 1753 at the foot of the Schoharie limestone cliffs. The Fountaintown name came about because of the springs of fresh, clear water that spouted from the ledge high above.

John J. earned himself the distinction of being the first man in Schoharie County to advertise his business using a sign. One side showed the host advancing to greet his guests. The reverse showed a representation of "Fiddler Tom" with his violin, and the word "entertainment." Tom was one of Lawyer’s slaves.

A man known as A. Brigham took over the business in 1805, painting his name over John J. on the sign, and a reference to that year.

The name Lasell came into the picture in the early 19th century, and these owners gave the hall its present name. Chester Lasell had moved from Connecticut to the Schoharie Valley in 1806, bringing with him a prosperous hat-making business. He converted the tavern/inn into a hat factory.

In or about 1855, Lasell Hall was enlarged to serve as a dormitory for students attending the Schoharie Academy. Students came to the institution from as far away as Maine and Missouri. All the rooms and cramped cubicles in the attic were used to house them.

One of our region’s more famous graduates of Schoharie Academy was S. Andral Kilmer, a Cobleskill native who later settled in Binghamton. He became the Dr. Kilmer behind the well-known "Swamp Root" in the days of patent medicines that could supposedly cure just about anything, but really did not. Kilmer actually was a doctor, getting his practice started in Barnerville.

While Lasell Hall has a white clapboard exterior, some may not be aware that it was first built of brick. The clapboard siding was added, and not because of any remodeling or improvement. This was a form of construction that was apparently very common in the Schoharie Valley, as the brick inner walls served as excellent insulation.

In 1913, the descendants of the Lasell family deeded the house to the Schoharie Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), the same year the chapter received its charter.

In 1916, a group of women from the DAR founded the Schoharie Free Library, and made Lasell Hall its home until 1963.

When the weight of all the books was damaging the building, the library was moved to its current home, the former Meirs house, on Knower Avenue in the village through the efforts of the Schoharie Kiwanis and Rotary clubs, and others.

Lasell Hall remains the home of the DAR and has been placed on the state and national Registers of Historic Places.

On Monday: The end of a telephone era came locally in 1979.

City Historian Mark Simonson’s column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or e-mail him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com.