The Peru Gazette

By John T. Ryan

Alan Place, a member of Peru High School’s Class of 64, rolled out the red carpet for his classmates for a 50^th Class Reunion picnic at his family’s historic Eccles Road farmhouse. His classmates enjoyed the beautiful setting.

Alan’s grandparents, Putnam and Lola Place, purchased the home in 1915 and lived there until the time of their deaths. Lola died in 1975. Putnam died in 1978. His parents, Ken and Eleanor Place, lived in the home from the time of their marriage in 1944 until 1950.

The Honorable Josiah Everest, a local judge and member of New York State Legislature in the 1850’s, constructed the house in 1831. It is believed that the home’s beautiful sandstone blocks were mined somewhere near Macomb Park. Judge Everest and his wife Sally Sibley Everest had 12 children over the course of this marriage. He passed away on September 1, 1873 at age 73. Sally passed away on May 5, 1883 at age 77.