By Linda Lemmon
Town Crier Editor
PUTNAM — Twenty four. A tiny number that made a huge difference in the future of one of the town’s gemstones: Belding Heminway mill.
In June, the town held a tax auction for 94 and 107 Providence Street. The winning bid was $66,409.88 by Eggoman, LLC.
The property is owned by 107 Providence Street Associates, LLC.
The rules allow the owners of the property six months to pay the outstanding taxes. If the taxes are not paid, “redeemed,” the bidder takes ownership of the property.
The six-month mark was Dec. 5.
On Dec. 4, ICB Enterprise Initiative LLC of Woodstock wired $73,678.08 to the town’s tax attorney. ICB Enterprise is the successor to Donat and Muriel Charron who held a mortgage on the property.
After attorney fees and additional water/sewer charges for the property were deducted, the attorney forwarded the balance of $72,386.77 to Eggoman, LLC as a refund of its $66,409.88 bid plus $5,976.89 in interest.
This stopped the clock. The tax auction has now been retroactively cancelled and the account with the town is now current, according to tax attorney Adam J. Cohen of Bridgeport.
The redemption now leaves the owners of the mill with some breathing space.
The town is hopeful that it can be converted into multiple uses. It has been on and off the market and currently has a couple tenant businesses.
According to The Putnam River Mill Heritage & River Trails map history, Belding Mill was originally known as the Powhattan Mill. The brick four-story mill was built by George M. Morse in 1872. “It has “segmental arch” windows with brick sill and Mansard roof with round-headed dormers. Freight doors open to each level in the central hoist tower. Owner Morse ran 20,000 spindles and 416 looms for cotton manufacture here in 1884. Viewed from the bridge, the 115-foot-long, 10-foot-high dam retains much masonry from its original construction, including an arched opening on the west side to drain the pond. The dam provided Powhattan with 15 1/2’ head and 200 horsepower augmented by a steam plant behind the mill. The Belding-Corticelli Thread Company bought Powhattan in 1918 and operated it until its closing. East of the mill, along Powhattan and Mohegan Streets, stand 20 double-entry, wood frame, workers’ dwellings also built in 1872.”
It was the town’s largest employer from 1900 to 1950, according to the Putnam Economic and Community Development office.
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caption, page 10:
Div. I Bound
Members of the Woodstock Academy Gold Prep basketball team and administrators. Standing, left to right: Head of School Chris Sandford; Mikal Gjerde (San Diego); Ody Oguama (Wake Forest); Tre Williams (Indiana State); Noah Fernandes (Wichita State); Assistant Head of School for Enrollment, Amy Favreau; Interim Athletic Director Sean Saucier. Sitting: Preston Santos (UMass); Darion Jordan-Thomas (Wagner); Romar Reid (Manhattan); and Trey Anderson (South Carolina) last week celebrated signing their National Letters of Intent. Photo courtesy of Joel Tretheway/Woodstock Academy.
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Record raised to 19-0
On the floor last week, the Centaurs Gold prep basketball team went into the holiday break pretty happy as it raised its record to 19-0.
The No. 2-ranked team in the nation in several prep basketball polls traveled to the second session of the Basketbull Hoopfest Dec. 20 and 21 in Springfield, Mass.
Tre Mitchell scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds in a 76-72 win over fourth-ranked Sunrise Christian Academy on Friday.
Matt Cross added 17 points and six assists in the win.
The Centaurs opened the second session with a 74-65 win over Athlete’s Institute Dec. 20.
Williams scored 16 points with 11 rebounds and 6 blocks in the win while Mitchell added 15 points, 13 rebounds and 8 assists.
The Centaurs Gold team gets a couple of weeks off.
It returns on Jan. 9 for a game at home against MacDuffie School in the Alumni Fieldhouse at 7 p.m.
Blue Results
The Centaurs Blue team did not have as good a time in Springfield as it lost two games in the second session of the Basketbull Hoopfest.
Dyson Frank scored 14 and John Korte added 10 points Dec. 22, but it wasn’t enough as the Blue squad lost to the Athlete’s Institute, 82-71.
The loss dropped Woodstock Academy to 14-6.
Dec. 20, the Centaurs lost to Toronto Basketball Academy, 74-73.
Siddiq Canty scored 15 points in that defeat.
The Centaurs Blue team also has a couple of weeks of rest.
It will play at Bridgeport University against Capital Prep Harbor at 5 p.m. Jan. 9.
The Woodstock Academy Centaurs Gold prep basketball program now has eight players headed to Division I programs.
“It’s an awesome thing,” said Woodstock Academy coach Tony Bergeron. “No one in the country had more than we did. That’s really cool. Just seeing a great group of kids being able to realize their dreams and do it here at Woodstock Academy is very rewarding.”
Trey Anderson (South Carolina); Preston Santos (UMass); Darion Jordan-Thomas (Wagner College); Mikal Gjerde (University of San Diego); Ody Oguama (Wake Forest); Tre Williams (Indiana State); Romar Reid (Manhattan College) and Noah Fernandes (WEichita State) have all signed National Letters of Intent to play at the Division I level.
“All different levels of Division I, all over the United States. I think it looks great for our program as far as who is recruiting us; West Coast, down south, the eastern seaboard. To have kids have the opportunity to go to schools in other regions, we’re fortunate,” Bergeron said.
The Centaurs coach is confident there will be more.
“This is the first wave. I stand firm in saying that I think we have 15 Division I kids this year. We have a chance to come close to doubling this number and a bunch going Division II. We will probably put 20-plus kids in four-year schools this year,” Bergeron said.
Marc Allard
Sports Information Director
The Woodstock Academy
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Mustangs
stay on top
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — The #1 ranked Putnam Science Academy Mustangs stay unbeaten and improved to 18-0 after a 80-63 win over Ridley Prep (Canada) Dec. 20 at the Basketbull Hoopsfest in Springfield.
The Mustangs were led by Tyson Etienne’s team-high 21 points, 4 assists and 3 rebounds.
Hassan Diarra added 13 points, 3 assists and 3 steals in Head Coach Tom Espinosa’s 300th victory at Putnam Science Academy. Marty Silvera chipped in with 9 points and 3 assists for the Mustangs who remain #1 in the New England Prep School rankings. Espinosa, who has spent 16 years at PSA with 13 of those years as head coach, now boasts a 300-73 record (80 percent winning percentage).
In typical humble Espinosa fashion, he spoke about the victory and labeled it “just another game” but the reaction from his players said differently. After the win, the Mustang players and staff waited for Espinosa in the locker room before mobbing him and showering their coach with water. First-year Mustang Charles Pride knew it was more than just another win. “300 wins is a big deal, not too many coaches get to experience that and I was happy to be a part of the team that could get it done for him.”
Putnam Science Academy now goes into their winter break before returning to host Redemption Christian Academy on Jan. 5.
Girls
DISTRICT HEIGHTS, Md. — The Putnam Science Academy Lady Mustangs had a successful trip to Maryland sweeping all three games in the She Got Game Classic. PSA picked up wins over St. Laurent (64-51), J Addison (45-41) and closed out the tournament with a 58-48 win over West Oaks. Rhode Island University commit Xianna Josephs scored a season high 14 points Dec. 15 and added 10 points in Sunday’s victory helping the Lady Mustangs improve to 10-1 on the season. Providence College commit Fatima Lee (12 points) carried the never give up attitude willing PSA to a come from behind win over J Addison in game where they trailed by 8 with just under 4 minutes to play. The Mustangs return home for a big game at 4 p.m. Dec. 20 vs. Tabor Academy.
The Putnam Science Academy Lady Mustangs have been playing their best basketball as of late winning two straight games last week by wide margins. The Mustangs defeated Rectory School 53-17 before crushing Rocky Hill 67-26 to move to 6-2 on the season. Anna Doroshenko continued to play extremely well for the Mustangs leading in scoring with 22 points vs Rectory and 15 against Rocky Hill. Putnam product Alex Hutchins added a season high 14 points vs Rocky Hill and Zoe Furman-Cox had 12 in back to back games.
Putnam Science Girls Varsity 53
Rectory School 17
The Mustangs rode the hot hand of Anna Doroshenko who had 20 points at the half before finishing with 22 in a PSA victory. Doroshenko had 6 3’s while Zoe Furman-Cox dominated with 6 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals for the 5-2 Mustangs!
Josh Sanchas
Sports Information Director
Putnam Science Academy
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Then
This is the City Hotel on South Main Street around 1890. It was one of four hotels serving salesmen who came into Putnam by train. It burned down in 1929. Putnam Town Crier file photos.
& Now
This is the same area of South Main Street today. Horizon Travel occupies the same spot today.