Quonset huts were originally manufactured for military use during World War II (around 170,000), after the war the U.S. military sold these surplus buildings to the public. Quonset huts were a quick and economical way of putting up a business structure. Several of these Quonset buildings were used in Colchester.
On lower Main Street a Quonset hut was built to house a feed store on the lot where the Crispell building once stood. This building later was used as Zeller International by Gary Zeller, an environmental and chemical engineer. Gary was awarded an Academy Award for Scientific Achievement in 1989, for his invention of Zel-Jel, a non-burning thermal barrier used in motion picture pyrotechnics.
Another Quonset hut is located on River Street and was originally the Colchester Theatre owned by Howard and Myra Miller, after the theatre closed in the early 1970’s the building was used a Sporting Goods store operated by George and Richard Walker. In the 1980’s Gary Hood opened Wood-N-Wares as a lumber yard and building supply store and he later expanded his business into antiques, collectibles and garden supplies. Catskills Cellars Wines & Liquors opened in 2010 in the left hand portion of the building.
In 1951 Thor Klindt built an airplane hangar in Colchester (on what is now called Airport Road) and he added a Quonset hut to the end of the hanger. The Klindt family recently sold this property and these buildings will probably be removed when Monolith Solar installs its new solar panel array farm. This company is partnering with DCS to bring reduced cost electricity to the district.
The Downsville Stone Company on Route 30, near Long Flat, uses a Quonset hut in their Bluestone business.
Colchester Historical Society 