The property the community center is located on was purchased by the Town of Tompkins from John and Mary Carpenter on Oct. 8, 1880 for the sum of $12.00. The building that was built a short time later was used as a one room schoolhouse. This is where a number of the local residents went to school. Harlan Peckham, Clarke M. Seymour and the Franskevicz family are some of the names you may recognize. Katherine Mills was a teacher there in 1925. Katherine was the mother of our Treasurer Edythe Benson. The building was also used for church services.

    January 30, 1931 saw the formation of the Hancock Central School District # 6. The centralization of all the small one room schools in the area meant that the school district would become the owner of the building and property and everyone would attend the school in Hancock. The structure then became a community center and for many years has been the focal point for many activities: community meetings, dinners, auctions, card parties, 4-H Club, box socials and where the Kelsey Bi-Centennial was held in 1976. The building is also the polling place for people in this part of the district.

    July 21, 1970 the Hancock Central School District  sold the building and property to the Town of Tompkins for $1.00. The Kelsey Community Group has maintained the building ever since. Hurricane Hazel came through in 1954 and the woodshed that was part of the building was blown off. A number of improvements have been made throughout the years: the addition of a kitchen, the chemical toilets were removed, central heating installed, vinyl siding, new roof, well, deck and ramp, windows  and foundation repairs. The inside has had a new sink, stove, kitchen cabinets installed, and the walls painted and papered. We have recently relocated the driveway and are in the process of making a new deck, handicap ramp and parking pad for the handicap. These were necessary in order to bring the voting back to this location. The money for all this came from the events that the community members volunteer their time for.