Provided photos: The following are historic properties which have been selected by the Cobblestone Society to be recognized in the annual Cobblestone Museum Architectural Tour, scheduled Oct. 3 from noon to 5 p.m. Selected structures, all in Niagara County, are the Babcock House Museum in Appleton, Appleton Hall (Marjim Manor) in Appleton, Van Horn Mansion in Burt, First Baptist Church in Newfane, Alton & Arlene Schwarzmuller’s home in Wilson and the Wilson House Inn and Restaurant in Wilson.

The annual Tour of Homes sponsored by the Cobblestone Museum will have a new look this year when it takes place Oct. 3. Aptly named as the Cobblestone Architectural Tour, the event from noon to 5 p.m. Oct. 3 will feature six structures in Niagara County,

Tickets are $20 for Cobblestone Society members and $25 for non-members. Tickets are available online at CobblestoneMuseum.org or by calling (585) 589-9013.

The first Tour of Homes took place in 1961, according to Doug Farley, director of the Cobblestone Museum. The 20 featured buildings that year were all cobblestone and were located on or near Ridge Road between Childs and Oak Orchard on the Ridge. Seven of the homes allowed indoor tours, while 13 were exterior only or drive-by. It was organized by Carl Schmidt and other early Cobblestone Society board members.

“These days, I work with a planning committee each year,” Farley said. “We pick a geographic area on which to focus to minimize the drive time between stops. We also have limited the tours to no more than six indoor tours to keep the timeframe manageable.”

The tours have also grown to include other types of construction, which explains the name change from Cobblestone Tour of Homes to Cobblestone Museum Architectural Tour this year. In 65 years, only a few annual tours have been missed.

The cobblestone Babcock House Museum at 7449 Lake Rd., Appleton, is owned by the town of Somerset Historical Society. The Greek Revival Babcock House was built in 1848 by Jeptha Bacock near the shores of Lake Ontario. He was a farmer, first postmaster in the town, supervisor of the town of Somerset and a New York State assemblyman.

A succession of owners eventually led to New York State Electric and Gas acquiring the property in 1982 as part of its 625 megawatt electric generating plant. An agreement was signed in 1987, allowing the town of Somerset Historical Society to operate the Babcock House Museum and Visitors’ Center.

The cobblestone masonry, using water washed stone from Lake Ontario, is typical to this area of Ne4w York, with most of these homes being erected prior to the Civil War. When one steps over the threshold, they enter a world gone by. A brick beehive oven and fireplace are focal points. The home is completely furnished with vintage antiques, china, light fixtures and pump organ. It is if the original owner is just outside in the impressive barn tending to his animals.

One of the largest barns in Niagara County, visitors can tour the old machinery inside and view the barn’s soaring architecture. The Somerset Historical Society holds square dances, storytelling and old fashioned pot luck meals inside the barn several times a year.

Appleton Hall (Marjim Manor) is located at 7171 Lake Rd., Appleton, where it is home to the Winery at Marjim Manor, woman-owned by Margo Sue Bittner.

The Marjim name comes from a blending of her first name with that of her husband Jim. It is a name they created 35 years ago when they began dairy farming.

The winery is truly a family affair. Margo Sue is president, and daughter Janet Walker assists with sales and marketing. The fruit comes from Bittner-Singer Orchards, where Margo’s husband is president. Their sons work full time there also.

The 9,500 square foot mansion has a unique appearance and history. Formerly called Appleton Hall, it is built of bricks imported from Italy by its original owner Shubal Merritt, who bought the property from the Holland Land company. The house was originally and Italianate villa style brick house. In the 20th century, a wrap-around enclosed porch was added.

Originally built in the 1800s as a farmhouse, it later became a summer retreat for the Sisters of St. Joseph Convent. It even has resident ghosts. Visitors to the Tasting Room hear the whole story. No recent sightings have been reported.

The Van Horn Mansion at 2159 Lockport-Olcott Rd., Burt, has a history that is both fascinating and a classic American story. A pioneer family earned riches from dreams and hard work, yet lived through plenty of hardships and heartaches. This can also describe their homestead, which was built by the first Van Horn to settle in Niagara County.

James Augustus Van Horn was born in New Jersey in 1770. He became a blacksmith and settled with his wife Elizabeth Hall and their three surviving children, moving to Seneca County around the turn of the century. In 1801, at age 31, James purchased 637 acres south of Lake Ontario from the Holland Land Company. As was the rule at the time, one could not take possession of property until it was paid in full, and James, like most new landowners of the day, would take many years to pay off the property and move.

In 1807, Elizabeth passed away and James, almost immediately, married his second wife Abigail Carpenter. Together they had six surviving children and two who died in infancy. James visited his new property for the first time in 1809, along with business partner Levi Ellis. Both arrived from Seneca County with plans to build a new water-powered grist mill along Eighteen Mile Creek and sell flour.

Construction began in 1810, around the same time James’ son Launey was born. Unfortunately, all the workers would become very ill with swamp fever. The project was abandoned before winter, leaving the men to return to their lives in Seneca County. James would not give up, however, and returned alone the next year to complete construction and put the mill into operation.

James decided that until the businesses were strong, his family would remain in Seneca County. One main reason may have been the wide-spread illnesses in Niagara County due to the large amount of swamp land at the time. The land was properly drained in 1832 by the state, eradicating the health problems.

When the War of 1812 erupted, many settlers left the area, but James Van Horn remained and began sending flour to support the American garrison at Fort Niagara. In December of 1813 the British headed to Eighteen Mile Creek, with orders to destroy all before them west of the creek. They burned homes, mills and factories, leaving the settlers to the mercy of the woods and harsh temperatures.

The British attacks spared most families and property east of the creek, but had orders to burn the Van Horn’s mills, which were considered “military targets,” since they were supplying Fort Niagara with flour. The mill was burned to the ground, yet the British spared James’ home, because (some believed) he was diplomatic to the invaders and supplied them with food and brandy.

In 1817, with the war over, James started over with a new partner and millwright, Ira Tompkins. They rebuilt the gristmill and the next decade added a brickyard, small general store and sawmill. He rebuilt the gristmill again after a fire in the 1830s. James also began plans to build a large home for his family, and by 1819, they were officially settled at their log cabin home in Newfane. That same year he began construction on what would become the first brick building in the area, known today as the Van Horn Mansion. The new brick home was an immense structure in Federal Greek style. It had two stories, plus basement with four fireplaces on each floor, a basement kitchen and an outdoor summer kitchen.

James, then in his 50s, owned 637 acres of property. The family business was known as Van Horn and Company, a business which grew with the addition of a wheat farm, distillery, wooden mill with a clothing shop and several other mills.

The First Baptist Church at 6047 East Ave., Newfane is built of cobblestone and was organized in 1829, five years after the town of Newfane was incorporated. The church, with its landmark cobblestone building, has been the spiritual home to generations from Newfane and surrounding communities for so long that no one today can remember when this house of worship did not exist.

Historical events in the church’s history include its founding May 27, 1829 as the First Baptist Church and Society of Newfane; It’s new house of cobblestone in 1843 – one of only a handful of cobblestone churches in the nation; extensive renovation completed in 1907, including building the bell tower and installed stained glass windows; constructing Memorial Hall to honor Newfane men who served in World War I; purchase of a used pipe organ, whose pipes today are a backdrop for a lighted hanging cross in the sanctuary; in 2004, the church’s acceptance for listing on the New York and National Registers of Historic Places; and celebration in 2015 of the church’s 186th anniversary.

The cobblestone home of Alton and Arlene Schwarzmuller at 2533 Wilson-Cambria Rd., Wilson was built for Captain Morgan Johnson about 1844-45. It was considered one of the most elaborate of Niagara County’s cobblestone homes. Morgan was captain of the ship “Milly Cook,” which caught fire and burned in Wilson Harbor.

The house is constructed with small water-washed stones with a very interesting herringbone design. It also features unique belly windows with grill facings ad two stone columns at the front door. It is also known as the “Anchor House” because of the500-pound anchor on the front lawn. The anchor was lost from the schooner Franklin Pierce during a story in 1840 and found near the Wilson pier around 1897.

The current owners purchased the home in 2001. The house had fallen into disrepair for several years and was even foreclosed on at one point. The Schwarzmullers saw the house for its potential and looked past the numerous blue tarps used to protect some damaged areas in hope of stopping further degradation.

Wilson House Inn & Restaurant is located at 310 Lake St., Wilson. Owner Kerry Atlas will offer a special menu for guests at the remodeled Luther Wilson family cobblestone home, originally built in 1844 on the site of the village’s first schoolhouse, which was erected in 1820.

In 1890, the home was the scene for the double funeral of Captain Luther Willson, 92, and his son Reuben F., 68. Later, it became the Wilsonian Club, a private club for area businessmen, with a bowling alley in the basement and a dance hall on the second floor. A large porch was added where musicians played and revelers danced in the street.

It eventually became a bar/restaurant in 1947 and has continued to be one, under several different managements.

Old Home Week Committee member Senator Irving L’Hommedieu’s residence at 219 West Center St.  was gaily bedecked for the occasion.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 24

MEDINA – It all started as a prank….

This year marks the 120th anniversary of Medina’s gala Old Home Week in 1906. We are familiar with the postcard views of the Main Street buildings bedecked with bunting, the parade scenes, the crowds, but we know little of the details of the week.

During a slow news period early in 1906, J. Barry Murphy, a Medina correspondent who supplied articles to regional newspapers, wrote a fully fleshed, totally fabricated, tongue-in-cheek article describing detailed plans for an Old Home Week celebration planned for Medina in August of that year.

The “Old Home Week” concept is ascribed to New Hampshire Gov. Frank Rollin who in the 1890s encouraged towns to invite former residents back to visit their hometowns and celebrate their connections and heritage. This idea proved popular and Old Home Week events were soon being organized in adjoining states and in New York.

Murphy named the members of the organizing committee, all prominent Medinians, and outlined the plans for the event. People thought it was a great idea and assumed that it was indeed a definite plan. The article was taken seriously and Murphy’s attempt at humor backfired. He had to approach the named committee members and ask them to co-operate. They agreed.

Judge Childs was named Honorary Chairman of the General Old Home Week Committee (apparently, he was not amused by Murphy’s humor). George A. Bowen was appointed Vice-chairman. Senator Irving L’Hommedieu, Mayor S.A. Cook, former Mayor W.B. Robbins, and Capt. S.A. Ross and Robert Mahar were the other committee members. Sadly, Judge Childs passed away on May 16, 1906. His daughter, Julia, was appointed as Secretary.

Despite this background, the Old Home Week committee did a stellar job in organizing the event. It established headquarters in the Downs-Kearney building, 108-110 West Center St.

A register of Medinians who had moved away was established at the Wright and Ross store and people were encouraged to supply names and addresses. The Buffalo Courier Express of July 24, 1906, reported that the committee had sent 750 invitations, many of which included whole families.

Soon, replies were pouring in from all parts of the country and the acceptance rate exceeded expectations. Even the reply letters reflect the excitement this event generated. People were so honored to be remembered, to be personally invited. The replies, some handwritten, some typed on company letterhead, are a study unto themselves, reflecting the circumstances of the correspondents and the economy of the times.

A sample of the letters received in response to Old Home Week invitations.

Old Home Week Events

Sunday, August 19 – Old Home Week began with appropriate services in all of the churches. In the evening, the S.A. Cook band gave a sacred concert at the High School park which was attended by over two thousand people

Monday, August 20 – Arrival Day. Showers and overcast sky. A registration office was set up by the train depot, visitors were encouraged to sign in and were given a badge, a pass and a program.

Pass provided to registrants of Old Home Week

Tuesday, August 21 – Registration Day. Clear skies. At 7:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning, Medina residents were awoken by a cacophony of sound – every whistle in Medina was blown and bells were rung, a cannon boomed, boys beat tin cans and yelled.  A salute of 81 guns representing the 81 years of the town’s history was fired. This noisy concert lasted for ten minutes and signaled the commencement of Old Home Week.

Members of the Automobile Club took visitors on tours of the village in the afternoon.

A sense of excitement was palpable as the town was thronged with visitors out renewing acquaintances and admiring the decorations.

In the evening, a formal reception was held at the Armory which was splendidly decorated in yellow and white. Mayor Seelye A. Cook presided. Senator Irving L’Hommedieu delivered the Address of Welcome to which former Medinian, Hon. John Ford of New York City, responded.

Homecomers representing prominent families of former days spoke: Frank Ellicott of Chicago spoke of the Ellicotts, perhaps the most influential families in WNY at one time, Harry Davis of Denver spoke of the Davis family and Harry A. Chase of Rochester delineated the connections of the Chase family. Representatives of the Brown, Hedley, Newell, Hill, Whalen, and Ives families also spoke. Professor Shea’s orchestra furnished the music.

Wednesday, August 22 – Church and School Day featured a dazzling parade of children dressed in white with colorful accessories. Each denomination vied with the other in putting forth its best efforts. St. John’s Episcopal Sunday school children, divided into classes, were first in line. The girls were dressed in white and wore orange sunbonnets, carried orange parasols and long garlands of sweet peas. Thirty boys dressed in white and wearing white caps, pulled a float representing the ship of peace.

The parade formed at the Baptist Church on West Ave. and marched from West Ave. to Park Ave. to Main St., then to Pearl St. Prospect to Center and back to West Ave. where it disbanded.

Methodist and Baptist children were also dressed in white, with purple and yellow accents respectively,

The marching children were followed by parade officers in carriages, a pony-cart Maypole and a float of children in swings.

In the evening, a crowd of several thousand attended a grand concert. A massed chorus of 200 voices led by Dr. Emily F. Swett performed, with orchestral accompaniment provided by Prof. Shea’s orchestra.

Thursday’s parade of floats

Thursday, August 23 – Clear skies. A Buffalo Times headline on 8/24 stated that “thirty-thousand visitors were in Medina yesterday”. It was a day crammed with activity. In the morning, two hundred and fifty supervisors and former supervisors held their annual reunion at the Armory. The 17th New York Battery held their annual reunion at the Grand Army Hall. Concerts and sporting events were held.

The parade approaches on the left, view from West Avenue, looking east.

The parade which began at 2:00 p.m. was the highlight of the week. The two-mile long procession, which formed on West Ave. was led by the Medina police and the 29th Separate Company of Medina. Mayor S.A. Cook and the village trustees followed in carriages.

The fire companies, the fire wagon and the steam fire engine followed. Then came the Knights of Columbus, the I.O.O.F. and employees of the Central Foundry. A host of local businesses were represented by colorful floats followed: O’Donnell Lumber, Wright & Ross, the Bignall Company, and A.J. Richards to name but a few.

Concerts were held at various locations. At 9:00, clubs and organizations held smokers and receptions in their rooms. The brilliant illumination provided by the Swett Electric Co. added to the atmosphere and people socialized well into the night.

The ambitious lighting display provided by the A. L. Swett Electric Co. contributed to the magic of Old Home Week.

Friday, August 24 – At 10:00 a.m., the 29th Separate Company gave a concert at the corner of Main and West Center Streets. Sporting events featured on Friday, with a lacrosse game in the morning and a football game in the afternoon. Later that evening “the finest display of fireworks ever seen in Medina” was followed by a masked carnival on Main Street and the jollity continued until morning

Saturday was set aside as a day for quiet visits, family reunions, picnics and excursions.

Though the event formally concluded on Friday, director George A. Bowen decided to carry through until Sunday, since there were so many people still in town. He also wished to end with a calmer note than the hilarity of Friday night’s carnival.

On Sunday evening, the S.A, Cook Band performed a sacred concert at the Four Corners. A select chorus under the direction of Dr. Emily F. Swett sang “Onward Christian Soldiers”, “Nearer my God to Thee” and concluded appropriately with “Home Sweet Home”.

(Material courtesy of Medina Historical Society.)

Provided photo: Don Dwyer will perform in a concert at 7 p.m. today at the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse.

GAINES – The Orleans County Historical Association will welcome Don Dwyer for a concert this evening at Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse, 3286 Gaines Basin Rd. Albion.

Dwyer  will perform his program “Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal” and share the meaning behind the songs he sings as well as their impact on society at that time. The concert starts at 7 p.m.

Dwyer is a musician, singer and songwriter from the Buffalo area. He has performed in New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Ohio. The event is free to the public.

OCHA has two additional history talks after today’s concert.

On Sept. 30, retired teacher Doug Miller is back with a program about the Burned Over District.

On Oct. 28, retired Gaines historian Dee Robinson will share unique items from the Hoag Library, where she is the local history reference librarian.

OCHA also concludes its Sunday cemetery tours this Sunday at 6 p.m. at Mount Albion. People are urged to park at the main entrance near the chapel. The slate roof is complete and people can look at it as well as view the chapel’s interior and see the work that still needs to be completed.

The Mount Albion tour will focus on the oldest section of the cemetery. Participants should wear footwear with good tread as some spots of the tour will be on hilly, uneven, unpaved surfaces.

The tour includes four American Revolutionary War soldier graves as well as several pioneers of Orleans County.

This headline was gladly welcomed in the Albion Advertiser on August 16, 1945.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 23

ALBION – President Truman officially announced Japan’s unconditional surrender to the Allied Forces at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, August 13, 1945.

The announcement of the ending of this war which had begun on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, was a welcome one. In Albion, factory whistles and bells sounded out the celebration.

Events on the world stage invariably have a local impact.

In that same issue of the Albion Advertiser, an article titled “Medina Man Gives Life in Pacific War” told of the death of Sgt. Stanley W. Dunn, killed in action over the Ryukyus Islands in the Pacific on July 18, 1945. He had served as a top turret gunner on a B-25 with the 405th Bomber Squadron, Fifth Air Force.

The son of Mr. & Mrs. William Dunn of Fletcher Chapel Road in Shelby, Sgt. Dunn was awarded the Purple Heart Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His monument is in the Manila American Cemetery in the Philippines, the largest of the American overseas military cemeteries, it honors over 17,000 American servicemen

An unusual event, which occurred at the First Methodist Church in Medina on Sunday, August 12, just days before the announcement of the end of the war, was also reported in that issue of the Albion Advertiser. During a service which was being led by Rev. Webb Ayres, the congregation was startled by the sudden appearance of a white dove flying through the church. It perched on an organ pipe at the front of the church and later flew to another part of the church where it remained for the duration of the service. A white dove is generally recognized as the symbol of peace.

Family of county’s first AI technician donates relics from the New York State Artificial Breeders Cooperative

The New York State Artificial Breeders Cooperative was formed in 1938. This barn advertisement sign was distributed to NYSABC members.

Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 22

SHELBY – AI is much in the news at the moment. We understand those initials to refer to “artificial intelligence”. But these same initials have been used for many years to refer to a different form of human engineering: artificial insemination, a term that would be familiar to the farming community, and particularly to dairy farmers.

A recent donation to the Orleans County Department of History concerns this interesting aspect of Orleans County’s agricultural history.

Sue Albright Blevin of Kentucky recently visited Medina to attend her 65th High School reunion and took the opportunity to arrange for the donation to the Orleans County Dept. of History of several advertising items pertaining to her father’s occupation as a bovine reproductive AI technician. Sue’s parents were Howard and Florence Albright of Shelby. Sue recalled that as a young girl, the exact details of her father’s work were never explained to her. It was a new field at the time and not without controversy.

Bovine artificial insemination was developed in Europe around the turn of the 20th century. In the U.S., a collaboration between agricultural scientists at Cornell University and New York State farmers pioneered this new form of livestock reproduction. The New York State Artificial Breeders Cooperative (NYABC) was formed in 1938. Locally, the Orleans County Artificial Breeders, Inc. was formed in 1946. Howard Albright was hired as an AI technician that year and so was involved in explaining and promoting the service.

The arguments in favor of bovine AI were that it improved reproduction and genetics. A herd of 100 selected bulls was maintained at the State College of Agriculture in Ithaca.

Farmers could have access to champion bulls without having to own any. Bulls are massive and unpredictable and cause many farmworker injuries. Farmers could also select gender and specify specific traits such as meat quality or milk-yield.

Arguments against this new technology argued that it went against the natural order, was invasive and stressful to the animals, and that it reduced genetic variation by overusing a select number of elite bulls.

The AI service proved convenient, especially to dairy farmers. By 1956 the Orleans County Artificial Breeders Cooperative reported that it served 40% of Orleans County cows. Wayne Toal of Albion had been hired as a second AI technician for the county. There were 163 technicians in New York State.

Sign donated to Orleans County Dept. of History by family of Howard Albright, Orleans County’s first AI technician.

The Cooperative was run by Orleans County farmers. The following eight board members were selected at the 1966 meeting: Herman Hicks and David Mathes of Barre; Arthur Wilkins and Charles Beach of Medina; Dudley Mathes of Clarendon, Merle Woolston of Waterport; Maynard Moore of Kent; and Kenneth Knights of Knowlesville.

Later that year the NYABC merged with other northeastern cooperatives and eventually consolidated into the nationwide Genex.

Sue recalls that the telephone at their house was an essential part of her father’s business since farmers would call to arrange for service. Family members were trained to take accurate messages. She recalled that her father went to the Medina Railroad Depot daily to collect fresh supplies from Cornell.

Howard actively promoted the service. Photographed here are some of his giveaway items: a rain gauge, a paper holder and Beech-Nut gum.

Howard also sent bovine-themed Christmas cards to customers each year.

Howard Albright retired in 1972 and died in 1978 at the age of 71. His wife, Florence, who died in 2003, will be remembered by many as an active member of the Medina Historical Society. Howard and Florence are buried in Bates Road Cemetery

This image of a newly built Opera House is from the 1879 Illustrated History of Orleans County. Note there originally were three balconies: two on the front of the building and one over the West Center Street stairway entrance.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 21

This portrait of Don C. Bent also is from the Illustrated Historical Album of Orleans County in 1879.

MEDINA – In the late nineteenth century, the construction of opera houses proliferated in small towns throughout the country. Generally located in prime downtown locations, these buildings were mixed-use with commercial or retail premises on the ground floor, performance or meeting space above. Few, if any, of these opera houses ever hosted classical opera performances but were so named to claim culture and sophistication.

Bent’s Opera House in Medina was opened to the public on Feb. 28, 1865. Named for its builder, Don Carlos Bent, it has seen many incarnations over the years and still retains its imposing presence as a Main Street anchor. Though Bent died in 1875, his name and legacy endure. Purchased in 2016 by Roger Hungerford and his wife, Heather, the building has since been fully restored.

Don Carlos Bent was born on December 2, 1815, the youngest son of Elijah and Susanah Bent. Some sources cite his birthplace as Orleans, Jefferson County, NY, while others list Shelby, Orleans County. At any rate, the Bents were early settlers in Shelby. Elijah was present at the first town meeting held at Ellicott’s Mill in Shelby on April 7, 1818.

In 1833, he purchased property located on the curve on the approach to Shelby Center. The family built a distinctive home there which still stands at 4536 South Gravel Rd. According to information provided by Miss Edith Colman, whose family later owned the property, the current gambrel roofed barn was constructed in 1928-29 and “was paid for just before the banks closed.”

Don C. Bent inherited the house and 100-acre farm in 1847. He and his wife Hannah Drew had one daughter, Frances M., who predeceased him. Mr. Bent bequeathed the farm of 100 acres to his two granddaughters, Julia M. Gates and Anna B. Gates, “share and share alike.”

He bequeathed the remainder of his estate to his wife Hannah. At the time of his death in 1875, his granddaughters were aged 14 and 13. Julia married Dr. DeWitt Green of Buffalo  on June 10, 1885. Walter Colman purchased the property from Julia in 1908 for $6,438. (E. Colman).

Mr. Bent had other business interests besides farming. He had acquired the strategic Main Street corner property in 1854 following a fire which had demolished the previous structure. Opened to the public on Feb. 28, 1865, Medina’s opera house was “larger than Ringuberg Hall in Lockport, Boardwell’s in Albion and slightly larger than the Corinthian Hall in Rochester.” A history of the Opera House prepared by Orleans Renaissance Group in 2013 chronicles the range and variety of shows, performances and meetings hosted in the dramatic third floor public hall.

The first floor has been home to a variety of businesses over the years: Fred A. Sheeley’s Opera House Pharmacy in the 1890’s, Theodorakos Brothers candy, confectionary and ice cream establishment in the 1900’s and subsequent Olympia Lunch operated by the Calafates Brothers.  The W. T. Grant variety store occupied the space from 1945 to the early 1970’s when it relocated to the new Maple Ridge Plaza.

Liberty National Bank opened a branch on the first floor in 1972. The location survived several corporate takeovers and name changes: Liberty National Bank, Norstar Bank, Fleet Bank and finally Bank of America which closed in 2009.

Our photographs chronicle some of these changes:

Bedecked in bunting for Old Home Week, August 19-26, 1906

All quiet on Main St., this photo must have been taken on a Sunday. Heritage Men’s Shop, to the north of Bent’s helped date this photo to the late 1970s – early 1980s.

Don C. Bent is buried in Boxwood Cemetery, along with his wife, Hannah, and his parents Elijah and Susanna.

Photo by Tom Rivers: Tim Archer speaks on May 16 at Pierce-Smith Pioneer Cemetery on Hulberton Road which includes the burials of a Revolutionary War soldier, Civil War vets and many early residents. Two historical markers were unveiled that day at the cemetery. Albion student Caleb Wolfe stands by Archer. In the back are regiment flags from the Revolutionary War. They were brought by the Rochester chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution.

Press Release, Orleans County Historical Association

GAINES – As we continue to celebrate our nation’s 250th anniversary, we hope you can join us for a special program on July 29 about Revolutionary War veterans buried in Orleans County.

Tim Archer will be our guest speaker for the Orleans County Historical Association. He will share stories and information he learned from his extensive research. He had help from two Albion Middle School students, Luci Borello and Sutton Sanders.

Archer said it wasn’t easy tracking some of these soldiers down – many cemeteries from that time have since closed, but the team was able to confirm 65 proven burials.

The July 29 program begins at 7 p.m. at the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse, 3286 Gaines Basin Road, Albion. There is no cost but donations are gratefully accepted.

2026 HISTORY TALKS REMAINING

August 26th – Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal, with Don Dwyer

September 30th – The Burned Over District Part II – The Fire Was Not Easily Extinguished, with Doug Miller

October 28th – Neat Stuff from the Hoag Library, with Dee Robinson

AUGUST CEMETERY TOURS

August 2 – Maple Ridge Cemetery with Catherine Cooper

August 9 – Boxwood Cemetery with Todd Bensley

August 16 – Beechwood Cemetery with Lydia Richardson, Dave Gaudioso and Bill Lattin

August 23 – Otter Creek Cemetery with Adrienne Kirby

August 30 – Mt. Albion Cemetery with Sue Starkweather Miller and Bill Lattin (The four American Revolution soldiers buried in the cemetery will be highlighted.)

Softball games, dancing contests and egg-throwing competition among the events

These husbands at right appear to relish throwing raw eggs to their spouses who appear to be a little more apprehensive.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

Illuminating Orleans – Volume 6, No. 20

MEDINA – On Wednesday, July 28, 1948, just before 9 a.m., some 1,300 Heinz employees and family members boarded buses at the Heinz plant on Park Ave. in Medina and travelled to Olcott Beach for the company’s summer family outing.

The H.J. Heinz Company first opened a cider mill in Medina in 1899 and later expanded to vegetable and tomato processing. It was the largest employer in the area and regularly hosted “employee appreciation” events.

That sunny day in 1948 was perfect for swimming and boating on the lake. A variety of games, races and sporting events entertained participants and spectators alike. Softball teams captained by George Maryjanowski and John Brennan played a hotly contested softball game which ended with a 3-2 score in favor of Maryjanowski’s team. Helen Levanduski and Mary Stawicki captained the ladies’ teams, with Levanduski’s team winning 16-2.

Dance contests were held in the afternoon. Josephine Grabowski and Julian Kwiatkowski were deemed the best waltzers, Mary Mondo and Douglas Kilbourn, the best jitterbugs.

Hattie Budzizewski and Rose Chandler were best in the polka competition. Attendees were provided with free tickets for rides, concessions and refreshments.

Many brought picnic lunches. Cash attendance prizes were given away throughout the day. Members of the organizing committee served free coffee and lemonade.

Robert M. Stack was general chairman of the event and was assisted by George Becker, Charles Ingersoll, William Hickey, Louis Gillmeister and others.

One of the more unusual contests was the raw egg throwing contest for couples. Participants were encouraged to take advantage of the opportunity to “get even.” Remarkably, there were no “direct hits.”

(Left) Robert M. Stack, event organizer presents a prize to Mary Vahoviak, winner of the Mystery Person contest. (Right) Theresa Mondo and Anna Mae Beyer hold the dolls they won in the rope-skipping contest.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

 “Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 19

Invitation to an Independence Ball held in Gaines, July 4, 1848.

GAINES – In 1848, residents of Gaines celebrated the July 4th holiday at an Independence Ball, held at the Assembly Rooms. Hamilton’s Cotillion Band provided the music.

In 1849, residents of Medina celebrated the holiday “with the usual ceremonies of the day: the ringing of bells, the firing of canons, processions, music, readings, orations, toasts and fine words.” In Carlton, boat excursions were available at the Oak Orchard Harbor while landlubbers enjoyed “dancing on the green.”

In 1850, activities at Oak Orchard harbor began with a national salute at sunrise, excursions on the lake and a display of fireworks in the evening.

In 2026, Orleans County residents continued the tradition of celebrating Independence Day with processions, music, and activities, ending with a display of fireworks in the evening.

This year, we had the added element of marking the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. The document was read aloud at some venues.

If you were unable to attend a reading, you may access the text at https://www.archives.gov/founding-docs/declaration-transcript.

File photo: Terry C. Abrams, a resident of the Tonawanda Indian Reservation, is shown speaking in may 2024 at the Cobblestone schoolhouse in Gaines. He was one of the presenters during the Leadership Orleans program. Abrams will speak today at 7 p.m. at the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse – 3286 Gaines Basin Rd. in Albion.

Press Release, Orleans County Historical Association

GAINES – The signing of the Declaration of Independence, the subsequent Revolutionary War and the politics of the post-war years had a profound impact on the Native American population.

The Orleans County Historical Association has invited Terry C. Abrams, a resident of the Tonawanda Indian reservation, to speak on the topic ”The Haudenosaunee Perspective of NY 250” today at 7 p.m. in the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse (3286 Gaines Basin Road, Albion).

Abrams is the Curator and Collections Manager for the Niagara County Historical Society and a member of the Council on Iroquois Research. He lectures frequently on issues pertaining to Native American history.

This free event is open to the public. All are invited to attend.

Future History Talks

• July 1 – “Revolutionary War Veterans: Sharing their Stories.” The program will be at 6:30 p.m. at Fancher-Hulberton-Murray Fire Hall and will be presented by Deborah Wood, the Murray Town Historian.

The following programs will begin at 7 p.m. at the Gaines Basin Cobblestone Schoolhouse:

• July 29: “Soldiers Who Served in the Revolution from Orleans County” with Tim Archer

• Aug. 26: “Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal” with Don Dwyer

• Sept. 30: “The Burned Over District Part II-The Fire Was Not Easily Distinguished” with Doug Miller

• Oct. 28:  “Neat Stuff from the Hoag Library History Collections” with Dee Robinson

Bruce Burch (sporting dahlias on his lapel), Harry Hillman (center) and Norma Wheeler photographed in 1928 with the West Lyndonville Dahlia Gardens sign.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 18

LYNDONVILLE – It never ceases to amaze us how random photographs can survive and surface after many years to give us a tantalizing glimpse into a moment in time.  Naturally this happy photograph caught our attention. And, wonder of wonders, it was dated and the and the subjects were identified.

But Dahlia Gardens? West Lyndonville??

West Lyndonville was at one time recognized as a distinct area.

For some years, a local correspondent contributed news of area milestones and social activities to the Lyndonville Advertiser.

The 1920s has been referred to as the “golden age” of dahlia breeding as the variety and intensity of colors and forms appealed to the Art Deco Jazz Age aesthetic.

We traced the history of the West Lyndonville Dahlia Gardens through advertisements and news articles. Appropriately, the enterprise dates from that time. The first reference appeared in the Times-Union, Sept. 13, 1924:

“Perhaps the most beautiful colors of dahlias in this vicinity can be seen in Mrs. H. P. Wheeler’s garden in West Lyndonville. Every conceivable color is there, from the lighter shades to blossoms that are almost black. The flowers are large and the double-quilled ones, one variety of which is called the “Country Girl” is especially beautiful.”

Sue Starkweather Miller, Village of Albion Historian, is a dahlia enthusiast. Shown here are some of the dahlias she has grown. The varied forms include semi-cactus, ball, and water-lily.

An ad in The Buffalo News, September 26, 1931, mentioned 400 varieties of dahlia in full bloom at the gardens. What a sight that must have been! Dahlia blossoms are intensely vibrant in the fall.

Pinpointing the actual location of this idyllic garden was a puzzle. To those of us now accustomed to precise directions, the instructions given in the ads were delightfully vague: “One and one fourth miles south-east of Lyndonville” or “Take the first three left-hand turns after passing north through Lyndonville and crossing the railroad.”

Finally, we located the Wheeler property in the 1913 New Century Atlas of Orleans County at the intersection of Angling Road and Marshall Road.

The lady responsible for the dahlia gardens was Mrs. H.P. Wheeler (Lena Boughton). She was listed as a florist in the 1930 Census. Tubers, bulbs and fresh-cut flowers could be purchased at the gardens. Gladioli were added in later years. The business continued until 1943.

Lena died in 1963. She and her husband, Harry Wheeler, are buried in Hartland Central Cemetery, Gasport.

Early appeal of site: ‘No beer or liquors may be sold on any part of this property’

In 2004, the Oak Orchard Harbor Light Committee reprinted the marketing booklet originally produced by the Oak Orchard-on-the-Lake Committee.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 17

CARLTON – “Here we escape the Summer’s heat

And gain new life and strength”

Around the turn of the last century, the lucrative potential of Orleans County’s assets attracted a variety of speculators. In 1911, a group of New York city investors who had incorporated as the Western New York Farm Company, acquired a large swath of swamp land in the southern end of the county and developed it for agricultural purposes.

Prior to that, in 1891, a group of Buffalo area businessmen incorporated as the Oak Orchard-on -the-Lake Company and purchased four hundred acres of land located on the west bank of Oak Orchard Harbor and along the south shore of Lake Ontario.

With a General Office at 39 Chapin Block in Buffalo, the Officers and Directors of the company were: Edwards D. Emerson, President; George T. Wardwell, Vice-President; Frank E. Sickels, Secretary and Charles H. Robinson, Treasurer. Emerson was a Standard Oil manager in Buffalo, Wardwell and Sickels were Buffalo attorneys, while Robinson was chairman of the J.L. Hudson Company, Buffalo clothiers.

As they described it “the land gently slopes toward the lake and for nearly a mile is bounded by a beautiful unbroken sandy beach that allows unobstructed access to the water of the lake.” The property also included water frontage of three quarters of a mile on Oak Orchard Creek “one of the most picturesque streams in Western New York.”

 “The lake and creek fronts of this property will be offered for summer homes, while the remaining land will be so worked as to be a never-failing source from which cottagers can draw those necessities which are required for the refreshing of ‘the inner man.’”

The promotional booklet’s flowery prose extols the joys of cottage life, “the unexcelled advantages which it offers for sports, boating and bathing; of the pure air and cool breezes which it furnishes its cottagers; of its healthfulness, freedom from dangers for children; of the social life, refined and yet jolly, which characterizes the place…”

The company had a local office at 2 Swan’s Block in Albion. Dwight C. Beckwith, a wholesale apple shipper and lumber merchant was the local General Manger.

The lake and creek frontage was subdivided into building lots, each with a minimum of fifty feet of frontage. Lot prices ranged from $100 upwards. Generous terms were offered: “We shall be content with a small cash payment and the balance in small weekly or monthly installments.”

Recognizing the desirability of a water view, the company produced a layout which set the streets at right angles from the shoreline. This, combined with a gradual rise from the water’s edge, assured each cottage an unobstructed view.

A promotional article in the Times-Union, May 23, 1892, claimed that “the special feature which will render this a most desirable summer resort is that no beer or liquors may be sold on any part of this property.” In the summer of 1897, the Buffalo News reported that the cottages at Oak Orchard-on-the-Lake are filled to overflowing.”

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 6, No. 15

HOLLEY – Previous columns have highlighted Orleans County ladies who braved the conditions of war to serve as teachers or nurses:

Civil War nurse Lydia S. Johnson of Lyndonville, Minnie Goodnow of Albion, a surgical nurse in France during World War I and Irene Gibson of Holley whose fluency in French qualified her to instruct French cadets in navigation during World War II.

Yet another candidate may be added to that list: Sara Shaw of Holley who served as a nurse in two wars and later had a distinguished career in the efforts to eliminate tuberculosis. Born on April 30, 1871, Sara was the daughter of Dennis and Ella (White) Shaw. She trained as a nurse at Bellevue Hospital in New York, a program established in 1873 which adhered to the principles of Florence Nightingale’s and emphasized strict hygienic standards.

In 1898, Sara joined the American Red Cross and was one of early volunteers for service in the Spanish-American War. She was one of nine nurses dispatched to a US Army camp in Tampa, Fla. to treat an outbreak of typhoid fever.

During the Spanish-American War, Nurse Shaw was stationed in Puerto Rico and Cuba. Conditions were far from ideal. Nurses worked 14-hour shifts and diligently tried to maintain sanitary conditions. They operated in makeshift tents, overcrowded buildings and finally, on board the S.S. Lampasas which became a hospital ship. She recalled the many deaths.

Sara Shaw of Holley responded to the American Red Cross appeal for nurses.

“It was necessary to bury the soldiers at sea, and one of our young  doctors read the burial service, and the sisters held the Flag over the bodies.”

None of the nurses in that campaign were killed in combat, but 153 died of disease. Sara contracted typhoid fever and returned home to Holley to recuperate. While on leave, she was presented with a diamond ring by the Red Cross for her service in Puerto Rico and Cuba.

The American Red Cross was not officially recognized by the U.S. Army before the Spanish-American War, but the organization’s efficiency during that campaign made it clear to the Army that trained nurses were a necessity in war. Accordingly, each of the nurses who had served were recognized as members of the Army.

In March 1899, Nurse Shaw was one of a contingent of nurses serving officially with the U.S. 7th Army Corps who left for Manila in the Philippines, a journey of over forty days through the Suez Canal. Arriving in the middle of the Insurrection, the nurses set up a hospital in a convent in Manila where they dealt with epidemics of typhoid fever and malaria.

Following her return to the U.S., Sara worked as a private nurse for several years, then later accepted a position  at Bellevue Hospital in 1909. Active again in World War I, she was appointed Chief Nurse of the Italian Commission of the American Red Cross in 1917. Shaw established a nursing center in Milan and supervised nurses in six Red Cross hospitals that served American servicemen in Italy and Sicily.

Sara returned to work at Bellevue in June 1919 and was Director of Nursing in the Tuberculosis Clinic until her retirement in June 1940. Over the years, she maintained her connection with Holley and frequently returned to holiday with family members. Her death on Feb. 5, 1948  was the subject of a New York Times obituary. She is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Holley.

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“Illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 14

Gary E. Bullock, who died in the Vietnam War at age 24, is shown as a schoolboy in Holley.

HOLLEY – Memorial Day, the national holiday which honors American military personnel who died in service, was celebrated annually on May 30 from its inception in 1868 until 1971 when federal legislation changed its  observance to the last Monday in May.

This year, Memorial Day was celebrated on May 25, the earliest date possible for this calendar occurrence. The next time the holiday will be as early as this will be 2037.

Originally referred to as Decoration Day, the first official observance took place at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C. The first nationwide observance of Decoration Day was in 1870.

On that year in Albion, a sizeable Military Procession convened at the Courthouse Square under the direction of the Chief Marshal, Col. E. M. Spaulding. Preceded by Hadley’s military band, it processed to Mt. Albion Cemetery.

Following prayers, the grave of each Civil War casualty was decorated while Captain Thomas Bell gave a brief military history of each of the deceased. The procession then reformed formally and marched back to the Courthouse Square where it was dismissed. Flowers for the decoration of the graves had been contributed and assembled at  the Grand Jury Room in the Courthouse on the morning of the parade.

Recently, the paper records of Spec. 4 Gary E. Bullock were donated to the Holley Depot Museum. A slim file, it poignantly illustrates the human cost of war.  The file contains records of his birth and education, photographs, military records, death, burial and insurance records, as well as carefully clipped newspaper articles, now yellowing.

The only son of Mr. & Mrs. Dayton C. (Lolita) Bullock of 85 S. Main St. in Holley, Gary E. Bullock, aged 24, was killed in  action in South Vietnam on Tuesday, January 31, 1967, when a bunker collapsed on him. His enlistment was almost over. He had been looking forward to leaving Vietnam on February 27. He was the fourth of the nine casualties of the war from Holley.

The “Statement of Casualty” announces that Gary Bullock died on Jan. 31, 1967 in Vietnam “as the result of injuries received while in a bunker which collapsed on him.”

The “Final Disposition” telegram. Spec. 4 Gary E. Bullock is buried in Hillside Cemetery, Holley.  (Material courtesy of Kim Dalheim)

By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian

“illuminating Orleans” – Volume 6, No. 13

RIDGEWAY – Our photo at top shows Fred Grey’s white horse and surrey standing south of the Universalist Church, at 3064 North Gravel Rd. in Ridgeway.

Mr. Grey was the husband of Mary Pells, a granddaughter of Seymour Murdock, an early settler and one of the founding members of this church. A sandstone stepping-stone was conveniently placed by the corner at the front of the church. Drive barns, which would have provided shelter for horses and buggies, can be seen at the rear of the church.

“We, the inhabitants of the towns of Ridgeway and Yates, at a meeting at the house of Jasper Murdock on the 14th day of December 1833, organized as the First Universalist Society of the Towns of Ridgeway and Yates.”

Seymour B. Murdock, Philo Elmer, Daniel Hunt, Samuel Bidleman and Nathan Sawyer were the trustees of this newly incorporated church. At this first organizational meeting they also voted to raise $1,000 to build a church by January 1, 1835.

Julia Perry, wife of the entrepreneurial Joseph Perry who was a postmaster, shipping agent, and owner of the hotel and tavern at Ridgeway Corners, donated the site for the new church. The site was on the west side of what is now North Gravel Road, just south of the intersection with Route 104.

Contributions were solicited and pews were auctioned to raise money for the construction. Pew prices ranged from $10 to $65, while contributions ranged from $5 to $100.

The Universalist Church at Ridgeway was dedicated in June 1835 by Rev. L.L. Sadler. Rev. Charles Hammond was the first Universalist preacher at Ridgeway. He divided his time between Ridgeway and the Universalist Church in Middleport.

Ridgeway Universalist Church in the early 1950s

This small but active congregation celebrated its centennial on December 14, 1933. But as time went by it became more difficult to find pastors. Services were discontinued in 1961 following a period of decline. The New York State Convention of Universalists took over the building in 1961 and sold it to Faith Bible Baptist Church in September 1973.

Firefighters from Ridgeway, Lyndonville and Medina battled the early morning fire at the Faith Bible Baptist Church, with assistance from East Shelby and Middleport.

On October 11, 1993, a fire of unknown origin destroyed the 160-year-old structure. In June 1994, the Middleport construction company of Barden and Robeson started construction at the site of the original church. The new 7,400 square foot Faith Bible Baptist Church was dedicated on Sunday, January 8, 1995.