Pickens Hall: when the whole is more than the parts

Imagine this: no internet, no tv, no radio, no electricity. Put yourself in a small town, Heuvelton, about a decade before the Civil War.

John Pickens has a big idea for his community: build a three-story stone building for a store and an opera hall.

Fast forward to the late 19th and turn of the 20th century. Fifty years after its construction, Pickens Hall hosted touring opera stars including John’s granddaughters, the Abbott sisters, as well as itinerant vaudeville companies.

With the passage of decades, the upper floors of the building fell into disuse and disrepair. It’s a new age of radio, tv, and movies. A grocery and a shoe store are housed in the building. Then, just the grocery. And, finally, the building stands unused, on the verge of being torn down.

A new native son, Dave Kingsley, notices and dreams, wild dreams of bringing Pickens Hall back to life.

The dream becomes concrete. First, with a beautiful reworking of the first floor into a regional craft and food store, including Amish goods. Then, the second floor is refurbished into a small performance and museum space. An addition is built to house an elevator and new stairways.

On Saturday night, I had the privilege of attending the opera hall opening: the culmination of fifteen years of sweat, prayer, community commitment, and a dream Dave Kingsley refused to let go.

It was breathtaking, exciting: the power of people who come together, stick together, and dream together to make something transformative for their community, who demonstrate that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts.

If I sound enthusiastic about Pickens Hall, it’s because I am. Blown away. Thrilled. And, I’m so proud to tell you about what Heuvelton has accomplished: it gives me hope for towns across the North Country, and the power of community.

Here are some moments from the gala opening on Saturday. But, first, the before picture:

And a little over a year later, on April 30, 2016: