Monroe — Residents hardly notice the aging buildings as they drive to the strip malls and supermarkets of this town's fast-paced, modern way of life. But the few Revolutionary War-era homes on the corner of Route 17M and Stage Road hold the keys to a storied past, say local historians. Take the time to listen, and one is transported to a time when town leaders gathered before the birth of our country to discuss the issues of the day; itinerant doctors, dentists and peddlers set up shop to offer their services; and visitors, from outlaws to presidents, stopped over for food and spirits on the only stagecoach route between Albany and New York City. All this activity occurred at the inn once known as John McGarrah's Stagecoach Tavern, located on the corner of Maple Avenue and Stage Road, near the intersection of Route 17M. As with most downtown inns, the tavern served as the center of social life, commerce and information during the post-Revolutionary period. "It was the mini-mall of the early 18th century," says Claude Horstmann, president of the Cornerstone Masonic Historical Society and a member of the fraternal group, which purchased the building almost a decade ago. The Masons, which trace their routes back to Europe's Enlightenment period, have held meetings in the attic of the 218-year-old building since 1817. That makes the building, known as Cornerstone Masonic Lodge 231, the oldest active gathering place for the fraternity in New York state and the second oldest Masonic lodge in the country, Horstmann says. Historic lodge in Monroe to be honored - RecordOnline.com - The Times Herald Record
