Whitehall will get historic sign

The town and village of Whitehall will receive by January a $1,000 historic sign which officials say will be installed despite any freezing temperatures.

Brian Stratton, head of Canal Corp, has also advised town officials that it could apply for a $300,000 grant to enclose the War of 1812 warship, USS Ticonderoga.

But at its Nov. 21 meeting, the board did not pursue, at least for now, the idea of applying for the large grant. Board members were concerned that once the ship was enclosed, maintenance would become a town responsibility.

Instead of discussing the promise of the larger grant, the board turned its attention to news from Heritage Area Director Carol Greenough. She reported that both the town and village of Whitehall would be receiving a $1,000 historic sign from the William Pomeroy Foundation.

The only question surrounding the sign is whether or not it could be staked into frozen ground when it arrives in January.

Greenough reported that the sign would be placed in the historic district of the village. The sign will be made of metal casting, she said.

“It will take eight to 10 weeks to receive the sign, and it can be placed near the mail box in the grass at the Main Street parking lot by village crew members,” Greenough said.

Despite the fact that it will arrive at a time of frozen ground, Greenough assured the Town Board that village crewmen had told her that the sign could be firmly and permanently installed during one of winter’s harshest and coldest months.