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Our Sandstone Heritage – Christ Church, Rochester, NY

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2013 at 12:00 am

Photos by Tom Rivers – The Christ Church Parish used sandstone from Albion to build a massive church in stages on East Avenue.

The church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2008.

ROCHESTER – I’ve been hunting down some of the great Medina sandstone structures in Western New York, and I’ve noticed the Episcopal Church consistently embraced our local stone for monumental places of worship.

The Episcopalians were early adopters of Medina sandstone. The Episcopal church in Medina was among the first to utilize the stone, building a church on East Center Street in the early 1830s.

St. Paul’s Cathedral in Buffalo may be the finest church building made of Medina sandstone. (You can read an Orleans Hub article about that church by clicking here.) The enormous church was built from 1849-1851, using stone harvested from a quarry in Hulberton. I hoped Rochester would have a big Episcopal church made of sandstone. The community didn’t disappoint.

Christ Church, an Episcopal congregation at 141 East Ave., was built in stages over several decades from 1855 to 1903. I recently drove by the church on the way to the Strong Museum of Play, which is couple blocks away.

Christ Church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2008 under the category of architecture/engineering. The church was built in a Gothic Revival style using “rock-faced red Albion sandstone,” according to a description on the National Register. The church has buttresses and flying buttresses.

The first church building was erected in 1855. The Episcopalians outgrew the space and added a building in 1887, with another to follow in 1894. The Johnson Tower, the tallest building, was erected in 1903.

I just showed up unannounced, and was given a tour of the church. It includes many Tiffany stained-glass windows, a 79-foot-high ceiling with an 80-foot-width, making for exceptional acoustics. Eastman School of Music students and professors often use Christ Church for concerts.

The church is committed to being a vibrant parish in service to the community.

“On any given day of the week you may find us carrying hot food from our kitchen to hungry neighbors, or absorbed in the beauty of music and liturgy,” the church states on its web site. “You may find us hosting world class musicians through our partnership with the Eastman School of Music, or pulling stones from our garden beds.

“Whether you are a sojourner passing by or looking for a parish family, it is my sincere hope you will stop by. We would love to host you.”

OTS installs first bus shelter in Orleans

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2013 at 12:00 am

ALBION – The Orleans Transit Service, which provided 35,500 rides to county residents in the agency’s 2012-13 fiscal year, will celebrate the first bus shelter in the county on Wednesday.

Orleans Transit Service started about a decade ago in the county. The agency is part of the Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority.

The bus agency will have a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 10 a.m. on Wednesday outside the County Administration Building at 14016 State Highway 31.

RGRTA CEO Bill Carpenter will join local officials, including County Legislator Henry Smith Jr., who serves as the county’s commissioner on the RGRTA board of directors.

Albion has some shake up in school administrators

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2013 at 12:00 am

ALBION – Two departures in the school administration team – one a retirement and the other a vacancy created when an assistant principal took a job in a different district – has resulted in several changes among the Albion’s building and academic leaders.

Kim Houserman retired at the end of June. The former middle school principal was serving as Albion’s coordinator of secondary school programs. He handled some of the mandated teacher evaluations and was also a liasion between the district and the county court system for students classified through Probation as Persons In Need of Supervision.

Jim Wood, the veteran elementary school principal, is leaving that position to assume some of Houserman’s duties. Wood will be responsible for many of the teacher evaluations, which require two to four observations plus a written report. The district has 180 teachers. Building principals and vice principals will also be part of the teacher evaluation process.

Most of the PINS work that was part of Houserman’s job will be assumed by Brad Pritchard, who has been promoted from dean of students at the high school to assistant principal of that building.

Wood’s shift in administration created a vacancy in the elementary school. The Board of Education has hired an administrator from Silver Creek in Chautauqua County to lead the school. Rachel Curtin worked 18 years as a teacher and administrator at Silver Creek. She will have a veteran of the elementary school as her assistant principal.

The Board of Education on Monday named Jennifer Ashbery, the long-time fifth grade teacher at Albion, to be the assistant principal of the elementary school. Ashbery has completed her administrative certification and has worked the previous two summers in an administrative internship through BOCES, said Michael Bonnewell, the district superintendent.

The elementary assistant principal position was available because Bridgitte Griffin left to work in administration at the Rush-Henrietta school district.

There’s another impending change in administration: Maura Pierce will retire in September as the district’s chairwoman of the Committee on Special Education. The district will fill the CSE position with Jessica Beal, who has been working as a special education teacher in kindergarten.

Lighthouse in Barker may be best one on south shore

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 August 2013 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers – The Thirty Mile Point Lighthouse in Barker, located just west of the Orleans County line, was built in 1875 from limestone. The state acquired it in 1962 and turned it into the Golden Hill State Park.

Photo by Tom Rivers

BARKER – It’s just across the Orleans County line and I think the lighthouse in Barker may be the best one on the south shore of Lake Ontario.

I haven’t scouted out all of these structures but from the pictures I’ve seen some of these sites have fallen into disrepair. Some of them have standalone towers that lack the shock and awe of when the lighthouse and tower are blended into one big structure. That’s the case in Barker with a 70-foot-high lighthouse constructed in 1875.

I wish the powers-that-be had picked Medina sandstone for the lighthouse. But the limestone has proven durable and a good choice.

You may wonder if any of the lighthouses are made of Medina sandstone. I believe there is only one and it’s close by at Charlotte in Rochester. I will have a feature on that site in an upcoming installment in the Sandstone Heritage series.

The Barker lighthouse has been well-maintained by the state. It wasn’t open for a tour when I stopped by this evening. The grounds are well kept. I’m glad the state acquired the site in 1962 and didn’t let this place fall apart. Building a state park as part of the site was also a wise move.

The lighthouse is called Thirty Mile Point because it’s 30 miles east of the mouth of the Niagara River. I would encourage you to stop by and take a look.

For more information, click here to be directed to the state site about Golden Hill State Park.

Nineteen arrested for underage drinking in Clarendon

Posted 5 August 2013 at 12:00 am

Press Release, Orleans County Sheriff Scott D. Hess

Nineteen people between 18 and 20 years of age have an appearance date in Town of Clarendon Court following their arrests early Sun., Aug. 4, 2013. At about 1:15 a.m., Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a Loud Party/Loud Noise complaint on New Guinea Rd., west of Upper Holley Rd.

The party was located in a wooded area south of New Guinea Rd. Deputies found numerous motor vehicles, a camper, several tents, and a large bonfire. They also found approximately 60 to 70 individuals, most of whom were consuming alcoholic beverages.

All of the nineteen arrested were issued appearance tickets for NYS ABC Law Violation – Possession of Alcohol by Person(s) Under 21 Years of Age. All were residents of Genesee, Orleans and Monroe counties. The property owner, who was not present, was notified and declined to prefer any Trespass charge(s).

The incident was investigated by Deputies D.E. Foeller Jr., A.J. Houghton, J.W. Halstead, & J.J. Cole.

On a journey to see a friend

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2013 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

Gene Ott walks his dog, Delia, last night at the Golden Hill State Park in Barker, just west of the Orleans County line. Ott lives in Rising Sun, Indiana. He is on his way to see a friend in New Hampshire. The two served in Vietnam together. Ott said his friend is having health problems.

Prison took out trees for waterline

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2013 at 12:00 am

Photo by Tom Rivers

ALBION – A row of trees on Washington Street at the corner of the property for the Albion Correctional Facility were recently removed so the prison could install new underground water lines, a state Department of Corrections spokesman said.

“Upon completion of the water line, the trees that were removed are to be replaced with hardwood trees,” said Tom Mailey, DOC director of public information.

Collins supports prayer at public meetings

Posted 5 August 2013 at 12:00 am

85 members of Congress, including Collins, file Amicus Curiae brief in Supreme Court case

Press release, Congressman Chris Collins

Congressman Chris Collins, R-Clarence, showed his support for the town of Greece, NY, in the upcoming Supreme Court case, Greece v. Galloway, by signing an Amicus Curiae brief in support of Greece. He is one of 85 members of Congress to file the brief.

Greece v. Galloway, which concerns the religious establishment clause in the Constitution, will be argued this fall.

“It is clear that the Town of Greece has not violated the United States Constitution,” Collins said. “People from all over the world come to this country to escape religious persecution and are entitled to pray together with their communities as they please.”

Starting in 1999, the Greece Town Board began its public meetings with a prayer from a “chaplain of the month.” Town officials invited member of all faiths, and atheists, and welcomed anyone who volunteered to give the opening prayer, Collins said. Two town residents sued, stating the primarily Christian prayers violated the Establishment Clause of the Constitution.

The federal appeals court in New York agreed, because it found that almost all of the chaplains who offered to pray were Christian. Even though people of all faiths were welcome to offer their own prayers, the court found the prayer unconstitutional and the town of Greece was forced to stop.

Orleans County officials are closely watching the case because most County Legislature meetings include an opening prayer. The Orleans Hub talked with county officials about the issue in a May 24 article. Click here to read “Orleans Legislature closely watching Supreme Court case on prayer.”

On Friday, 85 members of Congress filed an Amicus Curiae brief stating the history of religious freedom and the importance of legislative prayer as observed daily on a national level.

“Each legislative day, the Senate and House of Representatives open with a prayer from religious leaders of all faiths, from all over the country,” Collins said. “As our federal legislative bodies welcome all, so did the Town of Greece. We must remain a nation that does not force a religion on any person, but is accepting of those who wish to publicly profess their faith and ask for guidance.”

Town of Greece v. Galloway is scheduled for oral arguments in the Supreme Court toward the end of this year.

Albion man pleads guilty to assault, could face 4 years in prison

By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 5 August 2013 at 12:00 am

Resident also pleads to attempted burglary from church

ALBION – An Albion man confessed to going to a home late at night on Feb. 1 and brutally beating up a 59-year-old resident at 431 West State St.

Domingo E. Candelaria, 22, of 175 North Main St., pleaded guilty to second-degree assault in Orleans County Court today. As part of his plea he will be sentenced to four years or less in state prison. If Judge James Punch sentences Candelaria to more than four years, Candelaria can withdraw his plea and go to trial. If convicted by the jury, he could face up to seven years in prison. Punch set sentencing for Oct. 21.

Candelaria said he “overreacted” on Feb. 1. He went to the victim’s home at 2 a.m. He was looking for the man’s son. Candelaria said the man’s father, Ronald Hubbard, answered the door. Candelaria said Hubbard had a knife. Police reports have said that Hubbard was unarmed.

Candelaria punched him many times, including several blows when Hubbard was already down, Candelaria said in court.

Hubbard was in the hospital for three weeks and has mild brain damage from the incident, District Attorney Joe Cardone told Punch in court. Hubbard also continues to be plagued by headaches and is lethargic, Cardone said.

Candelaria and the man’s son had a dispute over a woman, police have said.

In another case with a plea today, Michael G. Andre, 23, of West Park Street in Albion pleaded guilty to attempted burglary in the third degree. He will be sentenced Oct. 21 and could face 1 1/3 to 4 years in state prison.

Andre confessed in court that he broke into the Presbyterian Church in Albion on Jan. 14. He broke a window in a locked church office and stole a laptop, Cardone said.

Guitars were popular 150 years ago

Posted 5 August 2013 at 12:00 am

By Bill Lattin, Orleans County Historian

This picture was found in a family photo album in 1863. The two teen-agers here are not identified. However, it is safe to say the photo is of the Civil War era considering their appearance.

These two guitarists were photographed in the studio of George P. Hopkins, an Albion photographer who was working locally in the 1860s. The photographer’s name is printed on the back of the picture along with advertising, noting a large assortment of albums and frames are available.

It is interesting to note that playing guitars has never really gone out of style for over 150 years.