51-55 Main Street

We reach the last black on the northeast side of Hubbard’s Corners, that is, the intersection of Main and Court Streets!

Bertha Blodgett tells the story of Jonathan Hubbard in “Stories of Cortland County” as follows:
“Jonathan Hubbard must have been an unusual man. You will remember that he was one of the first men to push his way through the forest which covered all of Cortland County in 1794, and from a high tree on Court House Hill he looked over the land. He made up his mind that right at the foot of that hill, toward the east, would be a future city. His friends differed with him, but he was right. He bought a big lot of land which was later bounded by Main Street on the West, the river on the north, Greenbush on the east, and Port Watson Street on the south. No wonder he was the richest man in town when the little village finally got started. He built himself a frame house on the lot where now stands the jewelry store of B.T. Jones, and it was the first real house in Cortland.”
Elsewhere, Bertha adds that “Jonathan Hubbard must have been fond of the color red. He built the first frame house of Cortland…It was painted red.” Hubbard had also built a mill in the area of the Clinton Avenue bridge that was said to have been painted red, but I have not been able to determine where she came upon the fact that the house too was red.

In Smith’s “History of Cortland County,” he recounts that “In the year 1804 there were but three dwellings within the present boundaries of Cortland village, one of which was that of Jonathan Hubbard that stood on the northeast corner of Main and East Court streets.” While being a Presbyterian himself, Hubbard is said to have hosted the first meeting of the Methodist Church in his home. He would go on to influence the decision to place the county courthouse just up the hill from his dwelling, cementing the future development of Cortland village and the business district around what would become Main Street.

And this is all that is so far found on Hubbard home! Based on the significance of being the first house in Cortland, you'd think surely there’d be something to reveal the fate of this important structure- but no!

The 1855 village map shows a small structure on that corner, labeled as a post office. It is possible that the old Hubbard dwelling was converted into a commercial space, later to be torn down to make way for the brick structure put up in 1860.
“The first floor of the new block, on the corner of Main and Court Streets, erected during the past season by Messrs. Schermerhorn, Copeland, and Goodrich, is now fully occupied. Messrs. Wells & Mills were the first tenants occupying the north store, where they are engaged in the dry goods trade…Messrs. Copeland, Cole & Co. were the next tenants who occupy the center store, deal in groceries, provisions, &c…The H.J. Messenger Bank now occupies the rooms on the corner, which are fitted up in the best style,” (Republican Banner, Dec. 19, 1860).

Messenger’s bank was opened up in August of that year, and the newspapers reported that “with the addition of this new bank, we shall not lack the facilities for doing all the Banking business which a legitimate trade can call for. Mr. Messenger, the new Banker, appears to be in every respect a gentleman, and will be a valuable addition to our village,” (Republican Banner, Aug. 15, 1860).

Eight years later, Messenger went bankrupt after an urgent demand was made on him of $20,000 that he did not have the immediate means to pay. He was thus compelled to close his banking establishments and sell off his properties. This left those with money in his bank in quite the lurch, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there was a scene like that in “It’s a Wonderful Life” where community members demanded withdrawal of their savings from the bank.

Taking over the corner, the Bank of Cortland originated as a state bank in March 1869, and became the National Bank of Cortland on January 1, 1875. In 1916 the bank moved to new quarters on the southeast corner of Main St., and what is now Central Ave. The corner spot was then taken over by B.T. Jones and the corner store became Jones Jewelry. B.T. Jones Jr. carried on the business until his retirement in 1995. In 1999, Randolph Thomas continued the family jewelry business until about 2003.

The other two store fronts were used as follows:

[No. 51]
Glann & Clark- boots & shoes
G.H. Ames- boots & shoes
Joseph F. Hart & Co. (1910s)
Market Basket (1920s)
Smith & Carroll luncheonette (1930s)
Samilson’s ladies’ clothing (1940s)
Brother & Sister Shop (1950s)
Rose Co.- (c.1970s

[No.53]
Charles F. Brown and M.M. Maybury bought the drug business of C.H. Bradford in 1881. It was here that the first telegraph office was established. Brown bought Mr. Maybury’s interest in 1893.
Nye’s drug store (1930s-c.1955)
Stauber drug store (1950s)
Sanders’ Sports Shop- (1960s)
Midland Discount Stores (1970s)
Logos Bookstore (1970s)
Rose. Co expansion

1998- Good Things home furnishings and gift shop occupied nos.51 & 53.

In October of 2005, a fire gutted the building. Smooch beauty and cosmetics store was located in nos.51-53, Shangri-La designer merchandise was on the corner, Pinstriped Pokadots art gallery on the second floor, and apartments on the third. The cause of the fire was determined to be arson.

The exterior of the block was fortunately preserved from major damage, but sat vacant for nearly seven years before renovations were conducted to make the building usable again.

Most recently, Affordable Home Furnishings (2019-2024) operated out of the bottom floor. While it is currently empty, All My Friends New and Used Books is expected to open early 2025.