4 Medina Sandstone sites are new members of Hall of Fame

MEDINA – The Medina Sandstone Society today inducted four new members into the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame, including St. John’s Episcopal Church in Medina.

St. John’s is the oldest building made of sandstone in Medina. Construction started in 1832 and was completed in 1838. The stone was quarried from the banks of the Erie Canal.

Other members of the third class to be inducted in the Hall of Fame include St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Holley, Martin Manor in Buffalo, and the Connecticut Street Armory in Buffalo.

The Sandstone Society started the Hall of Fame in 2013 and now has inducted 14 sites. The plaques, all designed and donated by Takeform Architectural Graphics in Medina, have in the main meeting room at City Hall.

I’ll have more on today’s program posted either later tonight or tomorrow morning. Here are the other new inductees:

The St. Mary’s Parish in Holley dedicated its new Catholic church in 1905. The church has been meticulously kept the past 110 years. This year happens to be the 150th anniversary of the St. Mary’s Parish. The sandstone church replaced a wooden structure.

The Martin Manor residence is the first privately owned home to make the Sandstone Hall of Fame. This 8,000-square-foot mansion was built in circa 1900 at 395 Linwood Ave., Buffalo. The site fell into disrepair, but in the past 26 years has been restored by Peter Martin and his wife, Margaret Paroski. The couple raised their three children in the home.

The Connecticut Street Armory is a massive structure at 280,362 square feet. It was built from 1896 to 1899 to house the 74th Regiment of the New York National Guard. When it was built, it was the largest Armory in the United States. It continues to be used by Army and National Guard units.