sandstone heritage

Holley students observe Flag Day; Chancellor of the Chapel winner announced

By Kristina Gabalski, Correspondent Posted 14 June 2016 at 12:00 am

Photos by Kristina Gabalski – Holley Elementary students march from the school to the Railway Depot Museum for Flag Day ceremonies Tuesday morning.

HOLLEY – Donning their best red, white and blue, and singing patriotic songs, Holley Elementary School students paraded to the Railway Depot Museum on Tuesday morning for the 59th Flag Day observance in the village.

The students gathered outside the Depot along with school and community leaders to sing and play music, bestow citizenship awards, and announce the winner of the “Chancellor of the Chapel” fundraiser/election.

It’s all Red, White and Blue as the parade enters the Public Square in Holley.

Members of the Holley Central Elementary School Student Council announced the results of voting in the “mock political race” for the Chancellor of the Chapel. Gamma the Dog was declared the winner.

A total of $2,630.53 was raised during the year-long fundraising/community service effort which benefits restoration of the historic 1894 Medina Sandstone chapel at Hillside Cemetery.

Gamma the Dog was “elected” Chancellor of the Chapel. He accepted the Keys to the Chapel during the Flag Day ceremonies and looks as if he will take the responsibilities of his new position very seriously.

Melissa Ierlan accepts the whopping donation check from Chancellor Gamma. It will be used for restoration work at the Hillside Chapel.

Clarendon Historian Melissa Ierlan thanked participants for their efforts.

“The kids enjoyed it, it was a nice project for them,” Ierlan told Orleans Hub. “Most importantly, they got behind something and made a difference.”

The mock Chancellor election included four candidates: Samson the Dog, M&M the Goat, Scarlett the Hedgehog, and the winner, Gamma.

Ierlan said voting was tight between Samson and Gamma until the very end of the election. A last minute donation of $200 ($1 per vote) for Gamma as well as two other large donations – including one from the Holley Rotary in Gamma’s favor – put him way in front with about 900 votes. Samson came in second with approximately 500 votes, Ierlan said.

Chancellor Gamma looks lovingly at his owner, Alexander Zelent, who holds the key to the Chapel – the Medina Sandstone chapel at Hillside Cemetery, while Clarendon Historian Melissa Ierlan gives Chancellor Gamma a congratulatory embrace.

Holley Elementary Student Council Advisor Sally Martin said in addition to the Chancellor fundraiser/election, students sold geraniums, decorated chapel-shaped donation containers (created by former Holley art teacher Larry Dabney) for distribution throughout the community, and participated in a read-a-thon to raise this year’s funds.

“The support from the community was amazing,” she said.

Some of the youngest participants watch the Holley Elementary band play.

Sally Martin with Holley Elementary Chorus

Sally Martin directs the Elementary Chorus as they sing patriotic songs.

Perfect weather and a festooned Depot Museum made for a festive setting at Tuesday’s Flag Day ceremonies in Holley.

Holley Elementary Band members play “When The Saints Go Marching In.”

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Sandstone Society seeks nominations for Hall of Fame structures

Staff Reports Posted 31 May 2016 at 11:00 am

File photos by Tom Rivers St. Paul’s Cathedral in Buffalo was named in the inaugural Medina sandstone Hall of Fame Class of 2013. St. Paul’s was built by the Episcopal Church from 1849-1851. The church used stone from a quarry in Hulberton. (The 274-foot-high spire was completed in 1870.) This church was Buffalo’s first major architectural landmark. It was designed by Richard Upjohn after he earned a national reputation for his design of the Trinity Episcopal Church in New York City.

MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Society is pleased to announce that it is accepting nominations for the Sandstone Hall of Fame induction class of 2016.

he Sandstone Society started the Hall of Fame in 2013, and has inducted 14 structures so far. Plaques and pictures of the Hall of Famers are displayed in the main meeting room of Medina’s City Hall.

The Sandstone Society will accept nominations until July 15. The Hall of Fame induction ceremony is scheduled for Oct. 20, 2016.

People from anywhere can send their choices for induction directly to the Hall of Fame Committee of the Medina Sandstone Society by mailing the nomination to The Medina Sandstone Society, PO Box 25, Medina, N.Y., 14103. Or, a nomination may be sent electronically using the on-line address (click here).

This year’s class will include nominations from previous years not already selected and any new nominations received by July 15.

The top of St. Louis Catholic Church in Buffalo is an open work lattice spire that reaches 245 feet high. It is the tallest open-work spire ever built completely of stone in the United States, and it is also believed to be the only remaining open-work or pierced spire in the U.S. This church was inducted into the 2014 Class of the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.

The home of the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame has been permanently established in the City Hall of Medina, a structure itself made of the same brownstone quarried in the Medina area for over 100 years.

Jim Hancock, chairman of the Hall of Fame Committee, along with Dave Miller and Don Colquhoun will research all nominations, including a site visit.

Criteria for consideration shall include age, beauty, longevity, whether the structure is still in use and architectural uniqueness.

If possible nomination information should have full background and documentation and, at the very least, should give a name and phone number to be contacted for further information or a web-site.

Sandstone Society recognizes Medina students for historical excellence

Posted 23 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Provided photos – The Medina Sandstone Society has recognized the first group of students to be named to the John Ryan School of Historical Excellence. They include, from left: Zachary Harris, Alyssa Shortridge, Allison Bensley, Amanda Lunden, Caitlyn Davies, Gregory Husung and Tyler Waldriff.

Press Release, Medina Central School

MEDINA – Seven students from Medina High School are the first class to belong to the John Ryan School of Historical Excellence that was started by the Medina Sandstone Society this year.

Allison Bensley, Caitlyn Davies, Zachary Harris, Gregory Husung, Amanda Lunden, Alyssa Shortridge and Tyler Waldriff are honor level students who are being recognized by Sandstone Society. The goal of the John Ryan School is to instill in the minds of Medina’s youth a heightened pride in the local community and encourage an understanding of their hometown history and heritage.

John Ryan was a pioneer stonemason who traveled hundreds of miles on foot and spent the rest of his life as a builder and quarry operator, using world-famous Medina sandstone. Ryan opened the first commercial sandstone quarry in Medina. The Sandstone Society started the school to encourage the students to become future leaders of Medina.

At a recent ceremony, students saw their names unveiled on a plaque at the High School.

Allison Bensley also received a $500 scholarship from the Sandstone Society. She is pictured with Jim Hancock, president of the group and chairman of the selection committee.

Masons give $25K to Sandstone Trust in memory of Bob Waters

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 20 May 2016 at 12:00 am

Provided photos – Medina Sandstone Society President James Hancock, left, accepts a $25,000 check for the Sandstone Society from the Medina Masonic Lodge. The Masons gave the money of memory of Roberts Waters, a long-time Mason and also the president of the Sandstone Society until his death at age 90 on July 29, 2015. The masons in the photo include, from left: Lodge Master Alan Kozody, Jonathan Incho, Allan Kropf, and Robert Donovan, district deputy grand master.

MEDINA – The Medina Masonic Lodge has given $25,000 in memory of their long-time member Robert Waters to an organization that promotes local history and supports many community causes.

Waters was president of the Medina Sandstone Society until his death at age 90 last July 29. The Masons donated the $25,000 to the Sandstone Society, which will likely use the money to grow the Sandstone Trust, a fund used for community projects.

Waters pushed to create the Sandstone Trust, which has about $100,000 in the endowment fund. In the Trust’s five years it has given about $20,000 worth of grants to local programs, projects and organizations. Most of those grants run from $200 to $600 or even $1,000 in unusual cases.

The Sandstone Society board of directors will decide how to use the $25,000. Hancock said he expects it will go to the Sandstone Trust, which could result in more grants to be given annually for the community.

“It was a wonderful gesture on their part,” Hancock said about the donation from the Masonic Lodge.

The Masons sold their building on West Center Street in January to the World Life Institute. Some of the proceeds from the sale were used to make the donation in memory of Waters.

“Everybody was just overwhelmed,” Hancock said about the gift. “It was such a nice thing for them to do for Bob.”

The Masons continue to be active in Medina. They are meeting at the lodge in Middleport, while working on community service efforts in Medina.

The donation from the Masonic Lodge to the Sandstone Society was announced on Wednesday during an event at City Hall, where there is a Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame. This group pictured includes, front row from left: Sue Holland of the Sandstone Society; Barb Waters, wife of Mr. Waters; and Jim Hancock, current Sandstone Society president. Back row: Medina Masonic Lodge members Robert Donovan, Robert Harrold, Lodge Master Alan Kozody, Jonathan Incho and Allan Kropf; and Sandstone Society members Peggy Schreck, Don Colquhoun and Tim Moriarty.

GCC announces first Heritage Festival in Orleans County

Posted 3 May 2016 at 12:00 am

File photo by Tom Rivers – The Civil War section at Mount Albion Cemetery is pictured last October when the leaves were changing color. A Heritage Festival planned for Sept. 9-11 will highlight some of the county’s historic assets, including cemeteries.

Press Release, GCC

ALBION – People who live in Orleans County know that it is a special place and they work hard to preserve their precious heritage. They enjoy a wealth of extraordinary assets from historic buildings with magnificent architecture to the Erie Canal that did so much to create the town and villages along its banks.

Even the stone in the ground – Medina sandstone, and the soil sustaining the farms – the muck lands, are appreciated. Beginning in September 2016, a county-wide festival will celebrate these many cherished treasures.

Organizers are proud to announce the first Orleans County Heritage Festival, Sept. 9-11: a weekend dedicated to spotlighting the many historic assets of Orleans County. For this year’s festival, four themes will be highlighted – Agriculture, Transportation, Historic Cemeteries and Historic Gems.

Now in development, a high quality brochure will highlight all the participating museums, places and organizations. A passport system will encourage participants to visit six historic sites over the course of the weekend and prizes will be awarded for those who complete the task.

In addition to the many historic sites in Orleans County, Genesee Community College will participate in the festival as headquarters for the passport system and with special events. The Medina Campus Center will host a timeline festival featuring re-enactors from various American wars – from the French and Indian War down to 20th century wars. Artisans demonstrating period crafts and special music will contribute to the sensation as visitors walk through time.

The Albion Campus Center will host a program on “Death Ways” through the years featuring talks on Victorian mourning art and the famous murders that occurred in Orleans County.

Many other exciting details of the 2016 Orleans County Heritage Festival will be shared in the coming weeks, but planners are asking everyone to mark their calendars now – September 9-11, 2016. Make plans to join the fun and explore the many historic assets Orleans County has to offer!

For more information or to be involved as a volunteer, please contact:

Derek Maxfield, associate professor of History at GCC
ddmaxfield@genesee.edu, 585-343-0055 ext. 6288.

Jim Simon, associate dean at the Medina and Albion Campus Centers,
jsimon@genesee.edu,call 585-589-4936.

State grant shows appreciation for historic Hillside chapel

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 14 December 2015 at 12:00 am

File photos by Tom Rivers – The chapel at Hillside Cemetery was open for tours on Sept.21, 2014, when the Clarendon Historical Society unveiled a new historical marker for the cemetery.

HOLLEY – The announcement last Thursday that New York State would provide a $126,210 grant for work on the chapel at Hillside Cemetery should show the community that the state values historic sites in Orleans County, including the old cemetery chapels.

“I hope this opens people’s eyes that other buildings are worth saving,” said Erin Anheier, a member of the Clarendon Historical Society. “I hope it inspires people.”

Anheier wrote the grant for the state application. It was a painstaking effort. Most municipalities and organizations will hire a professional grantwriter to put together the application for state funds.

“It’s exciting because it’s such a competitive grant,” she said. “It validates what we’ve said all along that this is a valuable, important building worth preserving.”

Anheier and the Clarendon Historical Society have worked hard the past five years to raise public awareness and support for restoring the site.

The state approved a matching grant for the chapel, and the Historical Society already has about $65,000 towards the local match with $20,000 from the Rochester Community Foundation, $14,500 from the Curtis Foundation, $10,000 from an anonymous donor, and $20,000 in other local contributions.

In-kind work from the Town of Clarendon can also count towards the local share.

“We are very confident we can raise the local match,” Anheier said.

The Historical Society has identified about $250,000 in restoration work for the chapel, a Gothic Revival chapel built of Medina sandstone in 1894. (It might be the only site in Orleans County with a flying buttress.)

Amy Harris plays her flute during a reception on Sept. 21, 2014 inside the chapel at Hillside Cemetery.

The chapel is the focal point of a cemetery owned by the Town of Clarendon. The town and Historical Society want to restore the non-denominational chapel and repurpose it for new public uses. Anticipated use includes concerts, historical and art exhibits, and lectures.

Anheier said the slate roof will be replaced with slate, and some of the stained-glass windows will be repaired. The project includes painting the inside, adding lighting, refinishing the floor and adding a handrail to the outside steps.

Anheier also thinks the chapel would make sense as the eastern end of a Medina Sandstone Trail in Orleans County if municipalities can get on board with that project.

Hillside Cemetery opened in 1866 and was designed in the 19th century “Rural Cemetery Movement.” That is on the eastern side of the cemetery where the gravesides are dug into the side of the hill.

The 20th century “Lawn Style” approach is seen in the western portion. The cemetery has many beautiful gravestones that are works of art, Anheier said.

She also was instrumental in the cemetery being recognized on the National Register of Historic Places.

Anheier said the Historical Society welcomes more donations and support for the chapel and cemetery. Donations can be sent to Clarendon Historical Society, “Chapel Fund” at P.O. Box 124, Clarendon NY 14429.

This picture was taken looking up from the mortuary chambers to the stairs leading to the main chapel room.

Would statues, public art projects help Orleans County celebrate 200th?

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 28 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers
BUFFALO – This sculpture of a bison is displayed in downtown Buffalo. It has been there for 40 years.

It was a gift to Buffalo in 1975 from its sister city, Kanazawa, in Japan as part of the bicentennial celebration for the United States the following year.

“Bison” was created by artist Cecilia Evans Taylor.

Orleans County has a big birthday around the corner. The county will turn 200 in 2024 (or it may be 2025, depending on source). I haven’t heard any rumblings about the county’s bicentennial. I don’t think the officials have given it much thought. It’s still nearly a decade away.

This painted buffalo on Franklin Street was turned into artwork by Gustavo Glorioso as part of the “Herd About Buffalo” project, when 154 buffalo roamed Buffalo streets in 2000. The project was a benefit for the Roswell Park Cancer Institute and the Burchfield-Penney Art Center. This one was sponsored by Buffalo Optical and called “Eye Love Buffalo.”

I think a public art project would generate excitement on the county’s 200th anniversary. I think painting fiber-glass mules would make sense because the mules were iconic animals during the Erie Canal’s heyday when mule-drawn packet boats were a frequent sight.

We could try to have at least one in each town, but hopefully there could be more. Maybe the mule public art project could happen before the 200th, and proceeds from that effort could be used to fund a bigger signature site for the county’s bicentennial.

A statue of George Washington stands in front of Old County Hall, home to Erie County government on 92 Franklin St. in Buffalo.

The statue was paid for by the Erie County Masonic Foundation as a bicentennial gift on the 200th anniversary of the country’s founding. The base of the statue includes the name of the sculptor, J. Turkalj and notes it was built in 1976.

The statue includes an inscription “1776 * 1976” with the words: “Presented to the people of the County of Erie by the free and accepted Masons of forty-nine lodges in the three Erie districts and various affiliated Masonic organizations as our contribution to the bicentennial anniversary of the United States.”

I saw the statue last Saturday while in Buffalo. There are many statues and public works of art in downtown Buffalo. I think these pieces enliven the landscape, help promote the city and build community pride.

I think Orleans County would benefit with similar projects. The George Washington statue was part of a celebration of the U.S. bicentennial.

Orleans County officially formed when we split off from Genesee County. Orleans should celebrate its bicentennial with a signature project.

I’ve been promoting the idea of a statue and heritage site for the quarrymen who worked in the Medina sandstone quarries in Orleans County for nearly a century. They helped unearth and carve the stone for some of the grandest buildings in the region and state.

Their work continues to stand out more than a century later with many of our churches, chapels and finest homes.

Many descendants of the quarrymen continue to live in the county. The quarry workers did dangerous jobs in perhaps the county’s greatest industry ever. So maybe a signature site in their honor would be ideal for the 200th anniversary of the county. Personally, I’d like to see it happen before the 200th birthday in 2024 (or 2025). The site could be a draw for the county. Why wait?

The statue of Washington notes he was the first president of the United States from 1789-1797, and also served as First Master in the Alexandria Lodge No. 22, Alexandria, Virginia, from 1788-1789.

There are other bicentennial sites and statues around Buffalo.

Poland gave this statue of General Kazimerz Pulaski to the people of the United States in honor of the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Pulaski stands outside the Ellicott Square Building in downtown Buffalo.

The statue declares Pulaski as “Hero of Poland and the United States of America.” Pulaski saved the life of George Washington during the American Revolutionary War. Pulaski would serve as a general in the Continental Army. He died of wounds suffered in the Battle of Savannah. He is one of only seven people to be awarded honorary United States citizenship.

Sculptor Kazimierz Danilewicz created the statue of Pulaski, which shows him standing erect with his hands resting on his sword.

In Buffalo, a grand trifecta of churches made from Medina Sandstone

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 22 November 2015 at 10:00 am

3 sites in Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame within walking distance of each other

Photos by Tom Rivers

BUFFALO – The top of St. Louis Catholic Church in Buffalo is an open work lattice spire that reaches 245 feet high.

It is the tallest open-work spire ever built completely of stone in the United States, and it is also believed to be the only remaining open-work or pierced spire in the U.S.

St. Louis was built from 1886-1889 and is considered the “Mother Church of the Diocese of Buffalo.” It features a Gothic Revival design. The church, one of the largest ecclesiastical buildings in Buffalo, can seat nearly 2,000 people.

I heard about the St. Louis Catholic Church and wanted to see it. The church was inducted into the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame in 2014.

I got my chance to see on Saturday when I was in Buffalo.

Even the doors and entryway to St. Louis are awesome.

St. Louis is one of three landmark churches (one has been repurposed into an events center) made of Medina sandstone that have been part of the Buffalo skyline for more than a century. The sites are all within walking distance of each other.

I visited the sites on Saturday during some down time in a Lego robotics competition at the Buffalo Academy of Science Charter School. My son is on one of the teams that competed from Orleans County.

The charter school is on Franklin Street near the Convention Center. It’s in the hub of Buffalo, near some spectacular Medina Sandstone sites.

St. Paul’s Cathedral was built by the Episcopal Church from 1849-1851. The church used stone from a quarry in Hulberton. (The 274-foot-high spire was completed in 1870.)

This church was Buffalo’s first major architectural landmark. It was designed by Richard Upjohn after he earned a national reputation for his design of the Trinity Episcopal Church in New York City.

Step inside St. Paul’s and prepare to be wowed. The columns and arches are also made of sandstone.

There are numerous large stained-glass windows, with some made by the famed Tiffany Company.

The cathedral was largely destroyed in fire in 1888. The interior was ruined, but the Medina Sandstone walls remained solid. This disaster bolstered the reputation of Medina Sandstone as a durable and fire resistant building material. Working within these solid sandstone walls the church interior was reopened in 1890.

St. Paul’s is located next to another famous structure, Louis Sullivan’s Prudential (Guaranty) Building, an early skyscraper built in 1896.

Both St. Paul’s and the Sullivan skyscraper have been declared National Historic landmarks. There are only about 30 sites with this designation in Western New York, including the Rochester region. Orleans County has one of those National Historic Landmarks: The Cobblestone Museum.

The former Asbury-Delaware Methodist Church was constructed between 1871 and 1876 and used as a Methodist church until 1980.

Other congregations occupied the building for the next 10 years, but then it sat empty, its structure deteriorating and its interior vandalized. The City of Buffalo took ownership of the building, but by 1995 stones falling from the structure caused adjacent sidewalks to be closed and the church was slated for demolition.

However an outcry from the community led to the formation of the “Citizens to Save the Asbury Church.” Legal action stopped the plans for demolition and the group began to raise funds for emergency repairs.

In 1999 musician Ani DiFranco and manager Scott Fisher negotiated a plan for purchase and restoration which began a five-year reconstruction process to create a center for music and art in Buffalo’s downtown.

The development of “Babeville” saved this beautiful, historic building and contributed to a new appreciation of Buffalo’s heritage which today plays a major role in the revitalization of the city, according to the Medina Sandstone Society.

Fall splendor at Mount Albion

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 17 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

ALBION – An annual rite of passage for Orleans County residents should include a visit to Mount Albion Cemetery, especially the Civil War Memorial tower, every fall.

I went to see the tower on Nov. 7. It was a crisp autumn day. I hadn’t been up the 68-foot-high tower in a couple years.

I was happy to see the spiral staircase is freshly painted. Last time I climbed all of the steps, there was lots of graffiti. This was taken from the top of the tower, which was built in 1876, on the 100th anniversary of the founding of the country.

I’m a little uncomfortable up high, but here is a view looking down from the tower. There are nice sandstone steps leading to the tower.

The tower provides views of scenic Albion, including the Orleans County Courthouse.

These iron gates lead into the tower, which is a memorial to about 500 Orleans County residents who died in the Civil War. Their names are etched in marble slabs inside the tower.

The cemetery on Route 31 is included on the National Register of Historic Places. There are many historic features of Mount Albion, including this hitching post that was used to tie up horses.

The cemetery, with its winding paths, is a popular spot for joggers and walkers.

St. Mary’s gets a new roof in Holley

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 November 2015 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers

HOLLEY – Contractors are working on a new roof for St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Holley. The roof hasn’t been replaced in 38 years.

Work started about two weeks ago with Century Architectural Sheet Metal in Buffalo tackling the job. The project is expected to be complete by Dec. 1, said Father Mark Noonan, parish priest.

The former brown shingles will be replaced with a gatehouse slate color. “It’s really going to make the sandstone shine,” Father Noonan said.

The church was built in 1904 and was inducted into the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame last month.

The parish last fall announced a capital campaign with a goal for $300,000. Parishioners at St. Mary’s in Holley and St. Mark’s in Kendall came through with $585,000.

That is allowing the parish to put on new roofs for St. Mary’s and St. Mark’s, and address other facility needs. Air-conditioning was added to St. Mary’s this summer.

The interior of the sanctuary will be updated over the next one to two years. The church will reach out to a consultant on those improvements.

St. Mary’s also plans to redo the driveway to add more handicapped accessible parking spaces, and wants to put in new sidewalks.

St. Marks’ has a new restroom as part of the capital projects and will be getting new steps.

This statue of Mary was recently refurbished inside St. Mary’s. The statue was white, but it was painted with many details added. The statue was originally made in 1880.

Other statues also have been refurbished at St. Mary’s, including ones of St. Rocco and St. Patrick.

The St. Mary’s Parish is celebrating its 150th anniversary this year.