260 Elm Street has been extensively remodeled over the last few years by its owners and we admire it every time we drive by. Several Montpelier historians have come across a wonderful stereograph of an 1800s “mystery” building that turns out to be 260 Elm Street! Mike Ellis in Michigan, who has Vermont ancestors, was reading the Montpelier Vermont History Facebook group (started by Dana Barber) so he shared his stereograph and got everyone looking for the house. Jennifer Boyer was able to find it and here are some more details:

The 1873 FW Beers Map closeup shows the corner of Elm and Mechanic Streets ( now Vine Street ) – You can see the North Branch in the lower right area with Mechanic Street crossing it into the Foundry, Machine Shop and Planing Mill area that was the Lane Shops, a prominent national business at that time, specializing in innovative sawmills. On the northeast corner of the Mechanic St / Elm St intersection is the current 260 Elm Street house. J G Hall owns it in 1873 and here are some details below:

Jonas Galusha Hall was born in 1822 in Calais, Vermont. As a young man he worked for Ira S Towne, a jeweler and metalsmith, who advertised in the papers his line of silverware, spoons etc. Ira later had his own shop near the corner of State and Main making watches and clocks as well as repairing them. He also had an array of imported items. Jonas and his wife Elvira Robinson Hall had 2 sons. Below is the 1850 Census Record for Ira Towne when Jonas lived with him:

Here is the listing for 260 Main Street from the Montpelier National Historic District Register: