3 more historical markers getting makeover

Provided photos

CLARENDON – Tuesday’s big snowstorm kept Melissa Ierlan homebound for most of the day. She didn’t sit idle. She used the day to paint three historic markers that sorely needed a makeover.

The top photo shows the marker by the Ashwood Wesleyan Church on Platten Road, just west of the Yates-Carlton Townline Road.

The other marker is for the Five Mile House in Barre, which was later knwon as Ball’s Tavern. The house was built in 1816 by John Huff and was an overnight stop for mail carriers between Lewiston and Canandaigua.

This photo shows the marker a few weeks ago when it was stripped of paint. Ierlan noted the misspelling of Canandaigua. This marker was originally put up in 1932 by the NYS Education Department.

Ierlan has now worked on 11 markers. She first tackled four in Clarendon that needed to be repainted. Other historians have reached out to her to work on markers in other towns.

The marker for Five Mile House was in rough shape. It needed to be rewelded. Gerry Bradt of Clarendon put the marker back together. He has rewelded two others.

After the marker is stripped of paint, Ierlan puts on a coat of blue paint. Then she adds the yellow for the letters and the outer border.

This marker is for Elisha Wright. It also needed to be rewelded.

Ierlan said the three markers will be reinstalled in the spring. She is willing to work on other ones in the community. Ierlan works as the Clarendon code enforcement officer and town historian. She said people can reach out to her on her phone at Town Hall, (585) 638-6371, ext. 104.