15 Chestnut Street

The original part of this house was built in 1882 or 1883 by Charles Beach. At that time, it was referred to as a cottage, perhaps since it was used by him as a tenant house. Charles Beach and his family lived at 58 Second Street. He also owned another cottage at 17 Chestnut Street and a house at 60 Second Street, both of which he rented to tenants. Mr. Beach was a successful merchant with a business on Main Street, and he was the grandfather of the late “Atie” Hopkins. In 1884, he raised the roof of this house and that of the other cottage.  Charles Beach died in 1893. In 1913 his daughters sold this house to James Sturges, head of the Geneseo Normal School from 1905 to 1922, when he retired due to poor health. In 1925, he improved the house by adding a large porch and making pronounced changes on the interior. In 1928, it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Kyle and in 1962 to John Fyfe.