TOUR: Inside Hidden Rooms Of The Veterans Memorial Building - From Jail Hook To New Kitchen + Bath
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Photo Credit for all photos: Katie Hellmuth
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth
Days after the City of Beacon’s Swearing In Ceremony at the Veteran’s Memorial Building on Main Street was disrupted by local Beacon residents trying to reach Congressman Pat Ryan about the U.S. funded genocide in Palestine, A Little Beacon Blog reached out to Harold Delameter, Commander of the VFW Post 666, requesting a tour of the entire building.
Harold had been sending out press releases to raise awareness about the completion of a major renovation on the building, which ALBB reported on here. Renovations included outside work, as well as major work to the inside to not only bring dignity to the space, but to invest in it to comply with county health codes for the catering jobs the veterans book to bring in income.
Harold accepted, and a tour was set up with himself, John McEnroe, Tony Pulliam and Bob Pucher to walk through the entire building - climbing all of the staircases, seeing the restored fireplace that used to have birds in it; looking at the beams across the banquet hall that hold the roof together; checking out the new podcast studio; enjoying the new kitchen and oohing and awing over the new hood for the new commercial kitchen. “You should have seen it before,” Tony laughed. “It gave you the heebie-jeebies 3 years ago.” Most of the improvements were fundraised by the veterans, using volunteer labor where they could.
Upon stepping into the tavern-like room with the bar and helmets decorating the back, Harold explained: “This is our sanctuary. This is where we kick things around. We feel safe in here. Vets can talk to vets. We can’t talk to family members about some things. Stories have been shared that some in-laws have never heard. Guys feel comfortable.”
On the second floor is an “intake room,” where vets can come in who “need help with Veterans benefits or just need to talk,” Harold said.
“This is our sanctuary. This is where we kick things around. We feel safe in here. Vets can talk to vets. We can’t talk to family members about some things. Stories have been shared that some in-laws have never heard. Guys feel comfortable.”
Guardian Revival moved into the building a couple years ago which added another element of activity, bringing with them therapy dogs and music. “It’s very busy in here,” Harold told ALBB. “It was legitimately empty several years ago. But it is used 25 days a month. From FEMA and the Red Cross during disaster relief; AARP does taxes here; the Scouts come in.”
Funding For Any Improvements
Getting funding for improvements has always been a struggle for the veterans. The City of Beacon owns the building, but it was dedicated to the veterans 100 years ago as a memorial to soldier, sailors and marines who served in the first World War. “We are responsible for everything inside. The City put on windows and doors, put in a new boiler to convert from oil to natural gas, did the roof, painted the building, but it was a big push. It was just lip service over the years.”
The veterans have been budgeted money from the City of Beacon to repair necessities of the building, like the boiler or the roof. However, during prior administrations, deliveries on their requests were delayed.
“We spent our own money on the hood [for the commercial kitchen]. Now we can have a pancake breakfast.”
Harold and the veterans have been fighting for money the City of Beacon allocated to them for repairs and upgrades to the building. In 2018, Spectrum News reported that they came out and into City Hall to respectfully demand that the money that had been budgeted for repairs for things like required reinforcement of a retaining wall, new windows, air conditioning system replacement, replacement of the front landing which was sinking, etc. be acted upon, with repairs completed.
At that meeting, Harold, speaking on behalf of all of the veterans, pointed out to the administration at the time (Mayor Randy Casale and City Administrator Anthony Ruggiero): “Monies have been budgeted throughout the administrations for repairs to the Memorial Building. However, only a fraction of that money has been actually spent."
Spectrum News reported that indeed monies had not been spent: “City Manager Anthony Ruggiero said that in the past, there have been some financial challenges -- such as a project estimate that turned out to be too high -- that have delayed the projects. He said, this time, money is available and the projects will be completed, pending approval from the council.”
The newspaper quoted then City Administrator Anthony as saying: "[We are] bringing these back to the Council. The Council makes the final decision. These are what we're recommending. We hope to have that adopted, but the council makes the final decision."
Years later, renovation projects moved forward. “Years ago, no one even know what the building was,” Harold told the Beacon Free Press. “But now, the words VETERANS MEMORIAL BUILDING are inscribed at the top on the outside of the building.”
ALBB reported that Nearly $500,000 in improvements have been made to the building, which the veterans have organized. The Department of Veterans Services had awarded $60,000 for additional renovations. Some financing has come from the City of Beacon in years past, but the veterans rely on fundraising to get their work and repairs complete.
Show Us The New Stuff!
The first point of pride was the new kitchen. At first glance, ALBB could see that the veterans were really good at mixing assortments of chips. But they have the tools necessary to make anything. The kitchen was renovated “on our own dime,” Harold said. “We ripped out the old kitchen, made it all electric, nothing from the City came for this. We applied for an received grant money for it. Various companies donated equipment. We provided our own labor.”
Designed for their catering rentals, Harold told ALBB: “The new commercial kitchen and duct work lets us do cool events.” Hall donations went to the new flooring. The hood was a requirement for their restaurant permit. “We spent our own money on the hood. Now we can have a pancake breakfast.” With the permit, it gave them permission to charge for food for fundraising.
Everything is new in the kitchen. “We gutted it. New ceiling, electric, plumbing,” Harold says as he goes down the list. “The sink was used. Stove is new. These upgrades have gone a long way to the moral of the troops.”
The Recording Room From Guardian Revival
When Guardian Revival moved in, they built a sound room and recording studio. Music is part of the programming for the Guardians, called Encore, which is a free program providing opportunities to learn, write, play, record, and share music.
The sound recording room is located on the bottom floor, opposite of the banquet hall, behind a door you would not suspect. In fact, the door is soundproofed and doubles as a full length window so that the engineer can see performers or panelists on stage in the banquet hall as they are being recorded.
The Encore program offers free classes in Beacon called a Jam Session, where veterans can come in with their instruments or use one of the Guardians and casually play with a trained professional. The Guardians programming is based in the belief that making and hearing music helps process emotions. The studio is also a way for veterans to pursue a professional route to music if they are interested.
Harold told ALBB: “We can set up drums here; record a whole band in here; have a podcast here; lots of things. An engineer runs the podcast, with the microphones on stage and a media team producing it.” Before, Harold said, they rented out spaces which was costly, and they had to schedule a time. The recording studio gives them a place to be a media center for the whole building. “Hopefully we bring in the younger generation,” Harold said.
“For veterans who are stuck, there is Castle Point,” Harold continued. Volunteers love to come and play for the veterans at Castle Point. “Veterans see the volunteers, and they sing along. People from outside are there to experience life with them. Music is a gateway to the soul. Everyone owns it. Volunteers, players, recipients. Everybody leaves feeling better.” Sometimes a dog is in the studio, whose name is Noble.
Pictures below are of the Guardian Revival offices. Please pardon the boxes, they did not know ALBB was coming. In the middle photo, you’ll notice the black beams. These hold the roof together as internal flying buttresses. A person can turn the buckles to adjust. When putting it all together, the walls move and until adjusted. This is 100 year old engineering. Harold told ALBB that this engineering was used in the Pantheon. Before the Guardians got here over 2 years ago, this room was used as a junk room.
Harold’s Office
Once a month, a history presentation is hosted in the room Harold calls his office. This is the room where the birds used to fly out of the chimney that was repaired during the renovation. The banners for the veterans that hang on electrical poles in and around Beacon are planned here and the bios written. That program is run through the DAR (Daughters of the American Revolution), where the current regent and contact for banner nominations is Nancy Giordano. Banners not hung on the poles are stored in this building as well.
The “Missing Man” chair. “Nobody sits in this chair,” Harold tells ALBB.
Photo Credit: Katie Hellmuth
“It’s very busy in here,” Harold said. “The American Legion conducted an oracle contest. Boots and Paws of Guardian Revival were awarded 5 companion dogs. Lifeline screening uses the hall. Scouts come in. American Legion sponsors pack 1001. Troop 45 is sponsored by the Marine Corps League. American Legion Post 203 shares with another summit as a way to get back into civilian life. Some activity is happening here every day.”
While it is busy with people on a daily basis, there is one chair everyone sits around. “This is the Missing Man chair. Nobody sits in this chair,” Harold stated. “Guys that were MIA.” Respect immediately fills the room with this declaration.
Harold reminds any new readers that 12%-13% of Beacon served in World War II, which was about 1,704 people from Beacon who served. The VFW Post Gersi is the commander, and William B. Wilson is the first Beaconite killed in World War 1. The Auxiliary is named after him, which dates back to the Grand Army of the Civil War. “We can trace our lineage back to the Spanish American War with a charter. We have minutes with the Grand Army of the Republic.”
On the fireplace are trophies, and next to the fireplace is a display case of even more trophies. A photo of Francis Gerard Peattie is in the display case, who was a member of the Lewis Tompkins Hose Firehouse. Francis was a Navigator Bombardier whose plane crashed, killing everyone expect for one person. After many years, a group returned to the crash site to retrieve parts of the plane and donated them to Lewis Tompkins Firehouse. Harold told ALBB: “The Pettite group located the crash site and eventually located the aircrewmens graves with the help of the natives.” A plaque honoring him was in front of the firehouse, and has been moved to Beacon’s new firehouse.
When the firehouse was closed by the City of Beacon to open the new consolidated firehouse currently on Wolcott/9D, and then City Administrator Chris White would not entertain ideas on what the firefighters would do with their trophies during a City Council meeting discussing it, the veterans offered to absorb them. “We will find a home for it,” Harold told ALBB.
Bob Pucher, a U.S. Veteran who is the Commander of the Marine Corps League chapter in Beacon.
Tony Pulliam sits in the Marine Corps Meeting Room.
In the Marine Corps Meeting Room, Bob Pucher unlocked the door and took a seat behind the desk. This room used to be the Detective Division. Harold is a retired detective from the Beacon Police Department. Inside this room is also a handcuff ring on the wall. There is one on the other side of the wall as well. The Marines took over this office in 1998. “With Bob’s guidance, we fixed it up. Liberty Funeral Home donated. From December 1990-1995, it was the Detective Headquarters for the Beacon PD.”
Harold doesn’t know what to make of the Old Beacon Police Station steps away from the Memorial Building being turned into a cannabis dispensary called The Station from new owners Kamel and Lena Jamal. The irony breaks his brain a little, but he’s accepting of it.
Harold shows the flagstaff. “The moms. Lots of ladies were employed as seamstresses, and made the flag for Carmen Ramputi Detachment. Carmen was the nephew of a former mayor of Beacon, Jim Frederick, and served as a marine for 2-3 days before he was killed in combat, Harold told ALBB. “We honor his memory by the charter. Usually, the Marine Corps charter is named after a veteran killed in action.”
As for the cannon pictured below: it belongs to the Beacon Historical Society, and is on permanent loan to the veterans. “It had fallen down in grime in a cemetery. It was a wreck. We took it and restored it. We think it came from a foundry in Cold Spring. There is a mention of Robert Parrott Design on the back of the cannon.”
Banquet Hall and New Bathroom
Most people who have been into the Memorial Building for the indoor Beacon Farmers Market, or the Annual Record Store Day for crate diving, or voting, have experienced the hall, and the new bathrooms.
The Chief of Staff of the Guardian Revival, Deneen Kirsten, said about the rennovations: “They [veterans] want to come in and hang out and they realize it’s a safe place. They then ask for help.’ Deneen told the Beacon Free Press that with the various programs the organizations are offering, some of the mental health stigma is lifting.
Tony Pulliam, a US Veteran who is the Commander of the Marine Corps League chapter in Beacon, told the Beacon Free Press that where they did not have a handicap ramp before, they have it now, by raising the front porch.
The Creation Of The Memorial Building
This year, 2024, is the Memorial Building’s 100th anniversary. The Highlands Current reported that the Beacon Historical Society has record of the building being built for and gifted to the veterans in 1924. Harold told ALBB that part of the deed of gift was that the building be in service for those who survived the first World War and beyond.
The cost to build it was $60,000, which was at the time the most expensive war memorial built in the United States to date, reported the newspaper. It was the same year that the federal government opened Castle Point VA Medical Center to care for people with tuberculosis (TB) when fundraising for an opening sanatoriums was the goal to receive patients who had TB and needed fresh air an isolation from their homes, before medicine was developed to treat it. The Elks Lodge in Beacon was recognized as well.
