The fifties-style ranch house next to the Titticut Follies Cottage on Narragansett avenue remained unnoticed as it was quietly demolished to the alarm of no one. Listed as having been built in 1880 on the town assessor’s map — in the middle of the Cottage City Historic District — but in actuality the year listed was for the garage. Now there is a sizeable, immaculate, new house rising — a winterized home with porches and a tower that would make Samuel L. Pratt proud.

The family owners have graced this column once before; they of the yellow house on Ocean and Naumkeag avenues whose last renovation was replete with a garden rivaling any in town, landscaped to match the yellow color and multi scalloped, period shingling. Mention is also made of one of the coolest cars in Oak Bluffs, the forest green, three-wheeled Morgan you see parked there in season.

Referred by friends on the Historic Commission, I learned that Chuck Sullivan of Sullivan & Associates, whose offices are conveniently located on Narragansett across from Union Chapel, was the architect. I looked up the owner’s name — Michael Lehr — and Mr. Sullivan confirmed the family’s investment into what I believe to be the first new and soon to be historically significant home in Oak Bluffs’ Historic District since the late 1800s. Framed and ply-wooded, the home is slated for completion in the spring and is already exquisite. My understanding is that there is more to come in the way of the quality of external detail. Thanks and congratulations to the Lehr family for the outstanding contribution to our views and history. 35 Narragansett – well worth a drive by.

Architect Chuck Sullivan is also one of the volunteers on the new committee whose efforts are devoted to replacement of the hand me down town hall, chaired by cyclist Bill McGrath. Steve Auerbach is vice chairman and the other members include Jason Balboni, selectman board chairman Gail Barmakian, Alice Butler, Kris Chvatal, James Dearing, Karen W. Finley, Joan Hughes, Marilyn Miller, Colleen Morris, Richard Toole and selectman Walter Vail. The committee’s listing on the town website notes their wide ranging, relevant talents that include architecture, construction, finance, design and presentation. Appointed by the board of selectmen in December, the members represent Oak Bluffs taxpayers, voters and residents who will lead the design and development of and help produce a town hall that is affordable, functional and a point of pride in Oak Bluffs.

The committee meets every Wednesday at 3:30 in the town hall meeting room on the lower level and refreshingly welcomes everyone to stop by and participate. I’ve been personally acquainted with one of the members for 45 years now and can attest to the talents of magna cum laude mathematician Mrs. Finley who has supervised the restoration, renovation, decoration and design of four of our past and present homes and my family’s on Pequot that doesn’t look a day over 145 years old.

It’s not Halloween but the library’s filled with monsters this weekend with a Monster Scavenger Hunt on Friday, Jan. 13 from 10 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. for kids. From 2 to 3:30 p.m. pretend monsters who appear scary will turn out to be afraid of kids. Bring friends who are five and up for games, crafts snacks and, yes, why not dress up. Friday the 13th. Monsters. What can go wrong?

The Library Friends of Oak Bluffs has a book drive on Saturday from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at the library if you have some worthy books, DVD’s or CD’s you can spare.

Next Wednesday, Jan. 18, registered dietician Laura Denman will share strategies to encourage healthy eating habits in a joint session with parents and children after work and school from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Family Center at Martha’s Vineyard Community Services. Dinner and childcare will be provided and you must pre-register. Call 508-687-9182 or visit mvcommunityservices.com/events.

Thanks to the Martha’s Vineyard Museum the soon to be demolished Bradley Memorial Church is memorialized with substantial artifacts from Reverend Denniston and his family for posterity. A portion of the collection was displayed last summer and may be again when the new building is complete. Perhaps now attention might be paid to the first and now abandoned African American Meeting House near the corner of Garvin and Dukes County Avenues.

It’s a pleasant surprise that the roof of the Island Theatre appears to have outlasted one more foot-deep snow storm.

Keep your foot on a rock.

Send Oak Bluffs news to sfinley@mvgazette.com.