East New Market
Property Reports
104 Main Street
Helsby's Corner Store (1882 - 1970)
(Also known as Trinity Hall)
When the lands of Thomas J. Helsby were divided in 1874, an old storehouse and blacksmith shop were described at a lot that encompassed this corner along with most of the parking lot area of the the Hometown Pride Market & Deli and the land on which the Tax Office stands. It is clear from the 1877 map of East New Market that the storehouse mentioned in 1874 was not Helsby's Corner Store. In 1882, the Cambridge Chronicle included an item that Mr. Helsby was building a new storehouse in East New Market. Helsby's Corner Store was almost certainly the store being built. Commercial directory listings soon thereafter began to appear. Deeds from the 1890s reference the storehouse of T.J. Helsby being at this location.
Cambridge Chronicle - 26 April 1882 - E. New Market Items -
Mr. Helsby is building a new storehouse.
James Cheesman (b. 1895) stated that Charlie Helsby ran a grocery store at this corner. He stated that the Methodist Church bought the property from them.
When this property was sold to a local church in 1936, this property was known as the Helsby Corner Store and owned by James M. Smith and Emma Helsby Smith. The structure became known as Trinity Hall. Trinity Methodist Church owned the property. The old storehouse was used for church meetings, grange meetings, and other town events. In 1966, the trustees of Trinity Methodist Church sold Trinity Hall to the Town of East New Market. In 1970, the town tore down the structure and converted the property to a municipal parking lot.