Sears, Roebuck Modern Home 111. This is clearly not this house, though it is similar. We have not yet identified a Sears kit house that matches this house. Address: 192 Park Avenue

Old Address: 89 Park Avenue

Other Names: Eger Cottage (1929), McBean Cottage (1950); DIS

Year built: between 1915 and 1925

Architect: Sears Roebuck

Other information: A Colonial Revival cure cottage with Craftsman-style touches that was operated as a private commercial sanatorium, though unregistered with the T.B. Society. There are cure porches with connecting bedrooms on the east and west sides of the first floor, while on the second floor there are three bedrooms with connecting cure porches. The second story porch on the west side was removed c.2003.

After 1930, Mrs. A.S. McBean advertised in a local promotional brochure, "Regain your Health in Air Conditioned by Nature". Mrs. McBean also operated a larger boarding cottage at 29 Church Street after 1935. Rooms at 89 Park were later rented out to nurses who worked nearby at the Trudeau Sanatorium; these included the late Edna Bea Sprague Edward, one of the nurses working there when the sanatorium closed. She recounted that this house was built from a Sears Roebuck Kit House (with added porch wings on either side). Mrs. Edward's photo and voice can be found on "This Was Heaven, Really," a 1988 video production of Historic Saranac Lake.

Big game hunter Harry C. Eyer cured here from 1921 until shortly before his death by suicide in 1936.  He was a founder of the village of East Rochester and of the First National Bank of that village in the early 1900s.

Whitney Seymour finished his cure here in 1955 after Trudeau Sanatorium closed.

Stephen Phillips  and Betty Wright Phillips cured there.

It was the home of Monroe Gladd in 1962. 


Adirondack Daily Enterprise, August 3, 1948

Mr. and Mrs. Douglas McBean of Rochester were the weekend guests of Mr. McBean's mother, Mrs. A. S. McBean of 89 Park avenue, while visiting their son at the Adirondack Swim Camp for Boys at Rainbow Lake.


Letter from Ed Worthington to Steve and Betty Phillips, January 28, 1951; courtesy Janet Worthington Dudones

I attended Mrs. McBean's funeral at the house and I can report to you that all the flowers were very nice and the service delivered by Mr. Gurley was impressive. there must have been at least forty people present-old friends including the older generation of doctors i.e. Dr. Price, Dr. Kinghorn, Dr. Woodruff, Dr. Brumfiel, Dr. Jameson, Dr. Leetch and it seems to me several more who were honorary pall bearers.

The next day I had a nice chat with Douglas McBean and brought up the various points mentioned in our phone conversation. His address is 315 Alexander St., Rochester 4, N.Y. This is his office address. They have not had time to go through Mrs. McBean's things but Douglas's wife told me that they would come across Betty's wedding picture and send it to you. Also, they will look through the papers to see if your check for the phone bill is there. If so, they will cash it and clear that matter up for you. This also applies to the colored pictures of the flowers you mentioned. That is they will send you one anyway. Now about old Mary [Mrs. McBean's housekeeper]. This is a problem. No social security or anything else. Douglas gave her the bedroom furniture she liked with blankets etc. Also, Douglas is looking after her for the next six months anyway. In the meantime some people are looking around to see what they can do to help. I understand Dr. Woodruff and Dr. Brumfiel have offered to help out somehow. Perhaps in getting her placed somewheres around town. If you wanted to help her a bit I suggest that you get in touch with Douglas as I am sure he is concerned about this matter and would appreciate any suggestions from you. He told me that he certainly appreciated your thinking about this matter, as he feels so sorry for her.

If Dr. Woodruff doesn't buy the house I have the opportunity to try and sell it for the estate. So we shall see. Other than that all is quiet up here. I had a good x-ray report and so did Nita. Janet is in high gear as usual and is now learning to skate. Just as soon as I know when we are going to Nova Scotia this summer I'll let you know and perhaps we can drop by for a visit at Sunapee either coming or going. Our best to you both as always, Ed.

 


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