Spear Cottage

side.

A billing form used by the Spear Cottage (undated)

Address: 55 Riverside Drive

Old Address: 30 Woodland Avenue; 90 Riverside Drive

Year built: At least by 1903. ¹

The Spear Cottage, was a cure cottage operated by Emma Spear.

According to Esther Mirick, it was always a cure cottage. It had one cure porch on the first floor, and the second floor had a porch room at $28 per week in June, 1928. Miss Mirick characterized the Spear Cottage as a "nice nursing cottage," and stated that they "gave service" and were "very kind to their people." ²

, May 19, 1954

An article titled "Cottage Calls," about patients in the Spear Cottage at 90 Riverside Drive, appeared in The Guild News in June 1942.

A private family who later owned the house once found a group of visiting Norwegians outside, anxious to see the cottage where Norwegian sailors were cared for during World War II. Norwegians visited again in 2014. Later still, a bad fire destroyed a good part of the house, which was rebuilt on the old structure.

---

From an undated letter to Natalie Leduc

Mrs. Spear, right across the street from our house had Norwegians in her cottage. I knew my mother was teaching them English, but I had forgotten that they painted our house... I'm sure you know the story about the Norwegian sailor who got out of his bed, went to Lake Placid, won the ski jumping contest, and mysteriously disappeared from the scene so his doctor wouldn't find out...

Unidentified girl in front of the Spear Cottage.  Photograph courtesy of Einar Kirkebø.

Photograph courtesy of Einar Kirkebø

Two unidentified Norwegian sailor in front of what may be the Spear Cottage.  Photograph courtesy of Einar Kirkebø.

, left, and an unidentified Norwegian sailor in front of what may be the Spear Cottage.  Photograph courtesy of Einar Kirkebø.

, in front of what may be the Spear Cottage.  Photograph courtesy of Einar Kirkebø

Photograph courtesy of Einar Kirkebø

Photograph courtesy of Einar Kirkebø.

 

1. 1. Comments

1. 1. Footnotes

1. William Henry Jackson panoramic photo, Library of Congress.
2. Notes from an interview with Esther Mirick, Mary Hotaling, 10/17/1983.