Born in Cleveland, Ohio, to German Jewish immigrants, Hiram Halle bought his first house in Pound Ridge on Trinity Pass Road in February 1929. From 1916 to 1944, he headed the petrochemical giant Universal Oil Products. From 1933 through the onset of the Holocaust, he worked to rescue persecuted Jews from Europe, most notably by funding the University in Exile at the New School in New York City. By the early 1940s, he had acquired and remodeled more than 30 historic buildings in Pound Ridge. His renovations coupled old with new, emphasizing the early American roots of his houses while adding modern features for twentieth-century living. He rented his houses to people he felt would have a positive impact on the community. His other important contributions to Pound Ridge included helping construct the elementary school and the fire department. By preserving and building upon the town’s past, Hiram Halle helped shape the future of Pound Ridge.