The Grandview House, located upon the summit of Snake Mountain, was built in 1874 by Jonas N. Smith, the present proprietor. It has an observatory sixty-eight feet in height, from which an unexcelled view of the surrounding country may be obtained, showing quite distinctly the old forts at Ticonderoga and Crown Point, a fine view of Lake George, South Bay, West Whitehall, Lake Champlain from South Bay to Cumberland Head, Crown Point village and furnaces, Port Henry and its two furnaces, Moriah Four Corners, Moriah Center, Mineville, Westport, Split Rock, Point Essex, the spires of churches in Plattsburgh, Middlebury, Vergennes, Bristol, North Ferrisburgh, Panton, Bridport, Shoreham, Orwell, Whiting, Leicester, Salisbury, Brandon, Sudbury, the Adirondack Mountains from Fort Edward on the Hudson to their northern terminus, and the Green Mountains from near Massachusetts on the south to their northern terminus in Canada, while forty-two churches may be counted from the tower.
ECCLESIASTICAL.
A Congregational Church was organized in the western part of the town by Rev. Job Swift, assisted by Rev. Increase Graves, of Bridport, in November, 1804, its members being as follows: John Strong, Solomon Butler, Jacob Hindes, Oliver Smith, Lyman Grandey, Ichabod Bartlett, Anna Butler, Mary Ann Swift, Mary Grandey, Eunice Smith, Triphena Henderson, Sarah G. Swift, and Sally Hickox. The church services were held in the old academy, located two miles north of Asahel Barnes’s. A few years after the academy was moved about a mile and a half east on to the east road and made into a church. The church has passed away, though the buildings are standing yet. Meetings continued until 1852, Rev. Benjamin Abbott being the last pastor. There is now only one member of this old church in town, Mrs. Wright, daughter of Ichabod Bartlett, now one hundred and two years old. The old academy stood on the place now owned by Daniel Smith, and was once quite an important institution.
The Addison Baptist Church, located at Addison village, was organized by a council consisting of the Baptist Churches of Cornwall, Shoreham, Panton, and Pleasant Valley, in 1797, having twelve members. Rev. Samuel Rogers was the first regular pastor. The present church was erected in 1817, though it was repaired and greatly improved in 1849. It is a pleasant wood structure, having accommodations for 250 persons, and valued, including grounds, etc., at $4,000. The society now has fifty members, with Rev. J. H. Archibald, D. D., pastor, who was installed in October, 1883. Its deacons are Rufus Smead and Asa Willmarth, and Rufus Smith, superintendent of the Sunday-school.
The Methodist Church, located at West Addison, was organized by Rev. H. Meeker, the first settled pastor, in 1825, with six members. A church building was erected at an early date, which did service till 1881, when the present structure was erected, which will comfortably seat 200 persons, and is valued, including grounds, at $3,000. The society has about fifty members, but is now without a pastor and regular service.
The Advent Christian Church of Addison located in the eastern part of the town was organized July 5, 1850, by about thirty members from the Baptist Church, who had united with others who held the truth of the Advent faith. Rev. Pliny B. Morgan, the first pastor, was mainly instrumental in effecting the organization. The church building was erected in 1849, costing $1,000, and is valued, including grounds, at $1,200, and is capable of accommodating 250 persons. There is no regular pastor serving the church at present.