James Betelle: Maplewood's Master Civic Architect Rediscovered

For years after his graduation from Columbia High School, speaker Steve Weintraub could not get images of the school out of his head. He wondered who had designed the building. His dogged quest for an answer led him to create an innovative web site, "James Betelle -- Where Are You? The Search for a Lost Architect." It serves as a treasure house of information about Mr. Betelle, who designed the 1927 Columbia High School, a national model, seven of the district’s distinctive elementary schools, as well as Maplewood’s finest public structure, the 1931 Municipal Building (Town Hall), which was recently certified eligible for the National Register. In his slide talk, starting at 2:00 p.m., Mr. Weintraub will tell the story of the intriguing architect who he has helped bring back into the public eye along with his memorable buildings.

1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Visitors can also see the exciting new exhibit, "After the Hickories: Roosevelt Park" and visit the Country Store for unique gifts and souvenirs.

The Durand-Hedden House is an historic house museum dedicated to telling the story of the history and development of Maplewood and the surrounding area in new and engaging ways. The House and surrounding Grasmere Park were designated a Maplewood Historic Landmark in 2006.

For more information, call 973-763-7712. Durand-Hedden is located at 523 Ridgewood Road in Maplewood.