21 Sherman Avenue
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Last modified 06/19/04
Building Name: Merritt Ames House
Street Location: 21 Sherman Avenue, Glens Falls
Use: Original: Single Family Residence
Use: As of 1981, Multi-family Residence
Date of Original Construction: ca. 1860
Architect: Unknown
Builder: Unknown
Historical and Architectural Importance: Occupied in 1861, by the enterprising Merritt Ames, founder of the M. Ames Chemical Works, this house served as the Ames residence, in close proximity to, at first, a wood frame factory (1861-1918) and subsequently, the present brick, former factory building. The Ames Chemical Works was the earliest producer of reclaimed silver salts and gold in the nation. Significantly, Merritt Ames, who through various travels and experiences as a young man, developed both an appreciation for the art and craft of the 19th century photographer, and the where-with-all to recover silver and gold from photographers' waste from used photographer's developing solutions and used wood developing tubs. In 1874, the community boasted of five professional photographers among whom were: George W. Conkey, Charles Oblenis and Seneca Ray Stoddard, who presumably made use of Ames' services.
In Glens Falls, the photographer's profession grew to include, by 1910, more than a dozen professional photographers and several commercial supply houses. During the last half of the nineteenth century, the Ames Works grew to be the largest refiner of photographer's residues and manufacturer of silver nitrates and gold chloride in the nation. The firm was employed by five photographic departments of the U.S. government and supplied the U. S. mint with reclaimed silver. It boasted representative salesmen in 25 states.
Apparently, Ames, at one time, worked with George Eastman and came into contact with Mathew Brady and local photographer Seneca Ray Stoddard. Ames had, prior to his founding of the chemical works, given illustrated lectures on his interest with magic lantern slides.
The Merritt Ames house is indicative of the stature of this local entrepreneur, who not only was immensely successful in his silver reclamation scheme, but was also a real estate investor, umbrella manufacturer (Gupsack Umbrella Co.), Vice President of the local YMCA and a member of the board of directors of the First National Bank and the Glens Falls Home for Aged Women.
SOURCES:
Name of Collector: Richard C Youngken
Collected on: February 4, 1981
Organizations: City of Glens Falls, Community Development office
Previous ownership:
Previous occupants: