The Smoke Rise Library

There's a building in Smoke Rise, across from the Smoke Rise Office and somewhat connected to the Smoke Rise Village Inn that used to be known as the Smoke Rise Library.

I learned about it when Christine Bell mentioned it to me; that's where archives of the Smoke Rise Newsletter now reside [Note: I hope to go back to finish dating all of Cornie Hubner's articles.]

Are you familiar with the Smoke Rise Library?

Imagine how delighted I was to receive this email from Diana Tews, former Smoke Rise Resident, who writes:

"Got a big kick out of reading many of the posts on your blog. I have loads of great memories from Smoke Rise, having lived there as a kid of 5 (in 1965) until I got my first apartment in Manhattan (1985 - but still went home a lot until my folks moved away).

Lots of time spent at the Village Inn - had ballet class there one year, and with 4 kids in our family we were always in on the annual ski and skate swap (selling what you grew out of and buying the new sizes). 

Also went to The Grillhouse (?) attached to the Inn, after hours and hours spent on the tennis courts (the original 4 and the red clay one that got a bubble over it in the winter near the Gulf station).

Charlie Syvarth used to buy cases of the supermarket brand soda and keep them in his fridge in the back of the Gulf station, so for 25 cents you could always cool down.

But the other thing I remember, but can't seem to get any verification from anyone on is, that for at least a few years when I was a kid, the small building the the left when you face the Village Inn was set up as a children's library. Used to ride bikes over there and check out the latest Nancy Drew offerings. I hope I wasn't imagining that!

Anyway, I've enjoyed your blog quite a bit and will continue to drop by now and again. Nice work, thanks!

Best, 
Diana Tews (alum)

For Diana, I include with her comments these photos I took of the building to the left of the Smoke Rise Inn that was indeed - as she remembered - the Smoke Rise Library.

By the way, I was pretty intrigued with Diana's comments about dance classes at the Inn. She writes further:

"Pretty sure I had ballet there one year, and then at the Community Church after that. A lot of parents and kids from the late 60s early 70s will also remember being sent to Barclay's ballroom dance classes once a week for a stretch, also at the Community Church. As 6th & 7th graders we were still learning the waltz, fox trot, etc., right in the middle of the rock emergence of the day. Crazy. The Barclay's did it throughout the area, Mountain Lakes etc. Fun times in a great place."

Thanks, Diana, for sharing these priceless memories.

Does the Smoke Rise Library or the account of dance classes take you back? Please do share!