By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 12 January 2023 at 3:12 pm
Photo by Tom Rivers
GAINES – Firefighters responded to a smoke-filled house on Ridge Road in the town of Gaines. They were dispatched at 12:04 p.m. to 13242 Ridge Rd., at a home owned by Tammy and Michael Blue.
Their son, Tim Blue, was first on the scene and saved two dogs from thick smoke in the house, Sheriff Chris Bourke said.
Tim Blue was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation but did not need to be transported to a hospital, Bourke sad.
Orleans County Sheriff’s deputies and firefighters arrived on scene and worked with the family to get out the other pets, including four cats, a gecko and two small dragons.
Firefighters responded from Albion, Carlton, Medina, Shelby and Ridgeway. Orleans County fire investigators are working to determine the cause of the fire.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 30 December 2022 at 8:55 am
Photo by Tom Rivers: The historic Ward House at the Cobblestone Society Museum will get much needed restoration, due to a $47,080 grant from the Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant Program.
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Society Museum’s director Doug Farley has announced the receipt of a $47,080 grant from the Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization Grant Program.
The funding will go towards projects at the Ward House, which was built in 1836 as a parsonage. It is next door to the oldest cobblestone church in North America, built in 1834. The church, Ward House and cobblestone one-room schoolhouse on Route 104 have been declared a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Department of Interior.
The grant request was completed by Erin Anheier, president of the Cobblestone Society board of directors, in which she explained the work to be funded by the grant marks the continuation of addressing concerns identified in a 2013 condition report of the Ward House by architect Andrea Rebeck.
This grant will address masonry concerns, particularly in the basement, window restoration, some exterior trim repair and replacement of a rusting gutter. Work is expected to begin in the summer of 2023, said Doug Farley, the museum’s director.
Future projects, now in the planning stages, will restore shutters and the front door.
Photo courtesy of Cobblestone Museum: The Ward House and two other sites at the Cobblestone Museum are listed as a National Historic Landmark.
The news of the grant was announced by the Landmark Society in partnership with the New York State Office of the Governor of New York State and Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. They stated that 12 historic rehabilitation projects in rural Western New York will be supported by more than $470,000 in federal grants and local matching funds.
This is the second round of funding, which will support such projects as structural repairs and restoration work of historic commercial buildings, ADA compliance upgrades to public spaces and window improvements for a creative arts center. The first round was announced in September 2021 and included more than $300,000 to five awardees.
“These business owners, nonprofits and local government units are deeply connected to the economic health of their rural communities, and all have historic assets that need support,” said Erik Kulleseid, commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. “We are thrilled that these projects aim to increase accessibility and sustainability through preservation efforts and welcome the opportunity to demonstrate that investments in local historic resources can have a powerful impact for New York’s rural communities.”
Genesee Valley Rural Revitalization is supported by a $750,000 award made to the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation through the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization Fund as administered by the National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior. Another $43,250 in matching funds were provided by the Rochester Area Community Foundation, Letchworth Gateway Villages and the Landmark Society of Western New York.
“The Landmark Society is thrilled to be assisting OPRHP in administering this grant program,” said Wayne Goodman, executive director of the Landmark Society of Western New York, which is co-administering the GVRR program. “This grant program has shed light on the need for this type of funding in our rural communities around the Genesee Valley.”
Goodman said they are currently working with Round 1 awardees and seeing the impact this funding has on their ability to complete important preservation, restoration and repair work, and are looking forward to starting the projects awarded in Round 2.
In addition to the Cobblestone Society, grants in this second round of GVRR funding were issued to Cracker Box Palace, a Shaker First house and animal shelter in Wayne County; Village of Nunda for upgrades to the village hall; Dierdre Stevenson/the Sutton Company, a historic c. 1800 store building; town of Phelps for repairs and upgrades to the c. 1849 Phelps Town Hall; Livingston Integrated Management Associates for the Ellis Block; Romulus Historical Society for the chief engineer’s house; Friendship Free Library for upgrades; Rolling Hills Asylum in Genesee County for roof repair and replacement of the east wing of the main building; Architectural Rescue in Allegany County for the Wellsville Creative Arts Center; Genesee Library in Allegany County to update the 1903 building’s heating system and address water and flooding issues; United Methodist Church of Sodus for a boiler and elevator lift replacement, as well as funding for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places.
Photos by Tom Rivers: John Caufield, chief operating officer for Monroe Ambulance, told the Gaines Town Board that Monroe would keep two ambulances in Orleans County as part of an agreement with towns in eastern and central Orleans.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 13 December 2022 at 8:57 am
GAINES – The Town Board voted 4-1 on Monday evening to accept a proposal from Monroe Ambulance to provide ambulance coverage in the town for most of 2023.
Gaines accepted the $24,600 contract from Monroe, making Gaines the fifth town in central or eastern Orleans to approve an agreement with Monroe. Carlton is scheduled to vote on the contract at 7 p.m. today.
One of the Gaines Town Board members, Kenny Rush, cast the lone vote in support of Mercy Flight EMS, which proposed serving Gaines in an $18,000 contract.
Mercy Flight took over COVA last month and has hired nearly all of COVA’s 40-plus employees. Mercy Flight said it provide ambulances services from the COVA base in Albion until Monroe is ready.
Monroe officials said it will take about 90 days to ramp up services, putting its start for central Orleans likely into mid or late March.
John Caufield, chief operating officer for Monroe Ambulance, said the company would like to hire the COVA employees for the ambulance service in Orleans.
“We got room,” Caufield said. “No one is going to lose their job over this.”
Caufield provided an overview of the contract to the Gaines Town Board, saying Monroe would station an ambulance in both Albion and Holley. There are about 3,300 calls in eastern and central Orleans annually, with about 40 percent in Albion.
Caufield said the data from the county dispatch and COVA’s reports don’t break out the calls into priority 1, 2 or 3, and also don’t have a breakdown on how they were billed – whether by Medicaid, Medicare or private insurance. Medicaid and Medicare pay at a lower reimbursement rate than private insurance.
Priority 1 is higher service calls and need a paramedic, while priority 3 is the lowest need for service and can be met with EMTs. That matters because Monroe will need to determine how to staff the ambulances. The company usually has 20 to 21 ambulances in service in the Rochester region, with 6 of those staffed by higher-level advanced life support.
“The goal is to provide timely response with the appropriate levels of care,” Caufield said.
The contract with the Orleans towns calls for an ALS ambulance and a basic life support unit.
Caufield said Monroe tracks data and will be intensely reviewing the calls, including response time, to provide service in eastern and central Orleans.
The contract with Monroe is for a year, and the towns will be meeting with Monroe officials, likely in August and September to go over the data.
Monroe’s contract says it will respond 90 percent of the time within 15 minutes for priority 1 calls, 20 minutes for priority 2, and 25 minutes for priority 3.
“I consider this a no-risk deal,” Caufield told the Gaines town officials. “If we don’t measure up, we don’t deserve the contract.”
The Mercy Flight proposal for $18,000 called for at least one ALS unit available in Gaines 24-7, with a basic life support ambulance to be shared with Hamlin 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Monroe offered the ability to draw from another ambulance in Orleans County, and could back fill from other units in Monroe County when there are multiple calls.
Residents had questions about the agreement, including Richard DeCarlo Jr., co-owner of Heritage Estates. But Tyler Allport, the Gaines town supervisor, cut off the comments and called for a vote at 7:42 p.m., about 40 minutes into the meeting which included other town business.
The meeting was adjourned at 7:43 p.m. after Allport, Mary Neilans, Ron Mannella and Jim Kirby voted for the Monroe agreement, with Rush casting the lone vote against it.
Doug Heath, the Gaines town attorney, stands up and tells people attending the Gaines Town Board meeting on Monday that no more comments will be taken from the public about a proposed ambulance contract. Town Supervisor Tyler Allport called for a vote, even though residents wanted to ask questions about the proposal. Heath said the town supervisor was within his right to limit comments from the public and call for a vote. The issue has been debated in several recent board meetings.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 9 December 2022 at 9:30 am
Town boards at 2 towns meet next week to vote on ambulance contract
Photos by Tom Rivers: Members of the Carlton and Gaines town boards met briefly on Thursday evening at the Carlton Rec Hall to discuss proposals for ambulance services in the two towns. Pictured from left include Carlton Town Councilman Josh Narburgh, Gaines Town Supervisor Tyler Allport, Carlton Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery, Carlton Town Councilwoman Deborah Yockel, Carlton Town Councilman Dana Woolston, Gaines Town Councilman Jim Kirby and Gaines Town Councilman Ron Mannella.
CARLTON – The town supervisors in Gaines and Carlton both said they favor Monroe Ambulance in a contract for EMS services in the two towns.
However, they said their town boards both meet early next week and those five-member boards could reach a different decision in the contract for ambulance services.
Gaines and Carlton are the last of seven towns in central and eastern Orleans to make a decision on ambulance services for 2023.
“I would like to join with the other towns for the position of bargaining,” Gaines Town Supervisor Tyler Allport said about why he favors Monroe Ambulance.
Carlton Town Supervisor Gayle Ashbery agreed, saying the two remaining towns would have more “leverage” in negotiations as part of block with more towns.
Tyler Allport of Gaines and Gayle Ashbery said they prefer joining four other towns in Orleans in a contract with Monroe Ambulance, saying there is “bargaining power” as a block of six towns.
Monroe Ambulance and Mercy Flight EMS are both seeking the contract. The towns of Albion, Barre, Clarendon and Murray have already chosen Monroe, while Kendall has opted against paying either of them because the two fire districts in Kendall already had an arrangement in place. The Kendall Fire District has a contract with Monroe Ambulance while the Hamlin Morton Walker Fire District includes has an agreement with Mercy Flight.
Allport, the Gaines town supervisor, and Ashbery, the Carlton town supervisor, said the community’s needs will be met for ambulance services with the new contract, whether it’s Mercy Flight or Monroe.
COVA in Albion and Hamlin ceased operations last month and Mercy Flight EMS took over for COVA, keeping more than 40 of those employees. Mercy Flight is operating out of COVA’s base in Albion and at Lake Road in Hamlin.
Mercy Flight proposed serving Gaines for $18,000 and Carlton for $17,000 in 2023 and would commit to at least one advanced life support ambulance 24-7. There would also be a basic life support ambulance to be shared with Hamlin 12 hours a day, seven days a week.
Mercy Flight would initially keep the ambulance at the COVA base in Albion, but would look for a site in Gaines or Carlton, according to a proposal from Scott Wooton, executive vice president and treasurer for Mercy Flight.
Monroe, in its contract proposal, proposes keeping two ambulances in the county, with a unit based in Albion and the Albion Fire Department and in Holley at the Holley Fire Department.
Monroe is seeking $24,600 from Gaines and $14,800 from Carlton. That is part of $181,200 to be shared from the six towns with the amount based on the percentage of calls with the six towns. The other towns will pay: $84,400 in Albion, $8,000 in Barre, $18,800 in Clarendon and $30,600 in Murray. (Kendall was asked to pay $18,000 when it was a seven-town contract.)
The meeting was less than a half hour on Thursday between Gaines and Carlton town boards. That disappointed some in the crowd who wanted to hear more details and also offer their opinions.
David Bertsch of Carlton said Monroe is covering many of its own calls in Monroe.
Jennifer Stilwell, the COVA president, said COVA’s Albion and Hamlin crews provided mutual aid for 162 calls so far in 2022 in eastern Orleans County.
Allport and Ashbery said the meeting Thursday was a workshop and no public comments would be taken. When Bertsch tried to ask a second question, Allport got up and left.
Allport and Ashbery both said the public can ask questions during each town’s respective board meetings. Gaines meets 7 p.m. on Monday at the Gaines Town Hall and Carlton meets 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Carlton Town Hall.
Photos by Tom Rivers: Amanda Mrzywka holds a Christmas tree for sale in the Navarra’s Christmas Co-op. Two of the greenhouses at 3272 Eagle Harbor Rd. are filled with items from 96 vendors.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 26 November 2022 at 7:44 am
GAINES – In 2020, Amanda Mrzywka was prepared for a busy season at festivals and craft shows, selling her vegan soaps, which are made without any animal byproducts.
But the craft shows and festivals were all nearly cancelled that year, due to restrictions and concerns about the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mrzywka, one of the owners at Navarra’s Farm Market and Greenhouses, said crafters were all feeling the financial strain from losing those shows.
“It was definitely a heartache when you think you’ll have all these craft shows and then there is nothing,” she said.
Mrzywka decided to try having a small craft show at Navarra’s, using one of the greenhouses. That first time there were 16 crafters.
It worked out well for the vendors who were in a heated spot, and could keep their items on location for multiple days. Mrzywka set up a code system to track what was sold without the vendors have to be there all the time.
The co-op also was popular with customers.
“It’s a fun place to find unique and hand-crafted items,” Mrzywka said.
Jenna (Mrzywka) Pugh holds some of the creations she made as one of the vendors at the market. She uses old barn wood to make the Christmas characters.
The co-op grew to 67 vendors in 2021, the second season, and now has 96 with a waiting list for more.
Two of the greenhouses at Navarra’s are filled with stocking stuffers and other creations. Mrzywka expects a third greenhouse will be used for the co-op next year. She would also like to add food trucks and have the co-op become an even bigger holiday shopping destination.
The vendors have been busy making products with a Christmas theme, featuring many holiday characters such as Santa, Rudolph, Frosty and the Grinch. There are also a lot of Buffalo Bills items.
“There is some very creative stuff in here,” Mrzywka said.
The co-op is open from Thursday through Sunday for five weekends – from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. from Nov. 25-27, Dec. 1-4, Dec. 8-11, Dec. 15-18, Dec. 22-24.
Amanda Mrzywka holds some of her vegan soaps that are for sale at Navarra’s Christmas Co-op.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Mike Gugliuzza, director of medical operations for Mercy Flight EMS, said the organization will provide ambulance services in central Orleans while the towns determine the long-term provider. He asked Gaines officials to consider Mercy Flight for the service.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 16 November 2022 at 8:33 am
GAINES – The Town Board tabled voting on an ambulance contract on Tuesday evening, saying it wants more time to consider a proposal from Mercy Fight EMS.
Town supervisors from seven towns in Orleans have been meeting with Monroe Ambulance officials about a contract for eastern and central Orleans.
Monroe already has a contract for eastern Orleans – Clarendon, Murray and Kendall – but doesn’t station an ambulance in the county. With the contract, Monroe would keep an ambulance in Holley and one in Albion. The agreement calls for the seven towns to share a $200,000 stipend to Monroe with the shares based on call volume.
Mercy Flight, which took over COVA operations on Sunday, is proposing a $185,000 contract with two ambulances with paramedics 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and another ambulance for 12 hours a day, seven days a week that would be basic life support.
The towns of Albion and Barre have already approved the agreement with Monroe, however if even one of the seven towns doesn’t approve the contract the deal is “null and void.”
Richard DeCarlo, co-owner of Heritage Estates in Gaines, urged the Gaines board to do its due diligence in reviewing and comparing the proposals. DeCarlo said it looked to him like Mercy Flight was offering better service at a lower cost, and also has hired 40 of the COVA employees.
He also asked the Town Board to compare the rates that will be charged residents for ambulance transports. That should be a factor considered by the board.
Gaines Town Councilman Ken Rush said the Mercy proposal doesn’t break out the share due by Gaines. With the Monroe agreement, Gaines would pay $24,600. That cost would come out of the town’s federal funds through the American Rescue Plan Act and wouldn’t affect the local taxpayers, Town Supervisor Tyler Allport said.
Rush said thanked Mercy Flight for stepping in as COVA ceased operations and for hiring the 40 local paramedics and other field staff.
“Personally I want to go with Mercy Flight,” Rush said. “If we go with Mercy Flight, what does that mean to Gaines for the cost?”
Mike Gugliuzza, director of medical operations for Mercy Flight EMS, said the organization would break out the number for Gaines as part of a seven-town agreement. He said it would likely be cost prohibitive for Gaines to be the only town in an agreement with Mercy Flight.
Ron Mannella, a Gaines town councilman, said Gaines could talk with Carlton officials about at least a two-town agreement. Or, Manella said, if Gaines doesn’t go with Monroe and it makes that agreement “null and void,” the other towns might come back to the table to hear out Mercy Flight.
DeCarlo said the towns for too long avoided paying towards ambulance services. COVA tried in recent years to get funding from the towns but that never happened.
“The COVA can has been kicked down the road for years,” DeCarlo said during Tuesday’s meeting. “We’ve run out of road.”
Allport said the seven towns felt a sense of urgency in working on an agreement with Monroe Ambulance. The leaders of the towns wanted ambulance services for residents if COVA closed.
Now that Mercy Flight has taken over those operations, Gugliuzza said central Orleans can be assured there will be high-level service while the towns work out an ambulance contract.
The deal with Monroe calls for them to start on Jan. 1. Monroe said it will stage ambulances in Albion and Holley, but those locations haven’t been disclosed yet.
Gaines will have its next regularly scheduled meeting on Dec. 12. That will give the Town Board time to compare the proposals from Monroe and Mercy Flight.
COVA representatives attended the meeting on Tuesday. Allport asked them how the organization will be handling its debt, whether that would be passed to Mercy Flight. Jennifer Stilwell, COVA president, said Mercy Flight won’t have any of COVA’s debt. COVA can bill for its services up until the transition to Mercy Flight at 12:01 a.m. this past Sunday.
Those invoices plus a $150,000 employee retention credit should satisfy any outstanding bills, she said.
“We have every intention of paying off our debt,” she said.
If Mercy secures a contract for ambulance services for the community, Gugliuzza said Mercy would look to acquire the COVA base and its ambulances. If Monroe is chosen, Mercy would provide service up until when Monroe is ready, and then Mercy would “bow out,” Gugliuzza said.
Councilman Rush commended the COVA organization for its 43 years of service to the community.
“Thank you COVA,” Rush said. “You’ve been there for my family and my friends.”
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 7 November 2022 at 11:54 am
Museum expects to start work on $800K visitors center in mid-2023
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – The Cobblestone Society & Museum held its annual meeting on Saturday and recognized these five people with awards for their contributions to the museum. Pictured from left include Dick Remley, Camilla VanderLinden, Arlene Taylor, Brad Ryan and Patricia Morrissey.
Remley, the museum’s vice president of the board of directors, was presented with the Proctor Award for his “extraordinary leadership” with the fundraising campaign for the new Cobblestone Museum Visitors Center.
The museum set a $750,000 goal and surpassed that. It is at $800,000 in contributions so far. It has already used $250,000 from the donations to acquire the brick house at the corner of routes 98 and 14. The other funds will pay for a 2,500-square-foot building next to the brick house and pay for more parking and other improvements at the site, including a new entrance to the brick house.
Remley said construction costs are up from the initial estimates for the project. He expects construction will start in mid-June for the Thompson-Kast Visitors Center. Design documents are being developed with current construction costs.
The donations for the project have come from 122 people with 13 large contributions for naming rights at the visitors center. There are six naming opportunities still available.
“The museum holds a lot of value to people in the county,” Remley said. “It’s our only National Historic Landmark. They’re happy to see activity and functions at the museum.”
The Cobblestone Museum has met its initial fundraising goal of $750,000 to acquire the 1824 brick house and build a 2,500-square-foot building on the property for a visitors center.
The project will allow for year-round access to the museum, and add a kitchenette for caterers and small receptions, a multi-purpose room, new exhibit space for Orleans County history, and room to partner with the Orleans County Tourism Department. There will be display space to distribute materials for other local attractions, including the Medina Railroad Museum, Erie Canal, Point Breeze Lighthouse, camp grounds, marinas, bed & breakfast sites, sportsfishing, agri-business, wine trail and other venues.
Arlene Taylor was presented with the “New Business Partner Award” for her work as an architect with a complete set of conceptual drawings for the visitors center. Her efforts saved the museum several thousand dollars.
Taylor has a long connection to the museum. Her grandparents were charter members of the Cobblestone Society in 1960. Her grandmother, Hannah Thompson, was the society’s first treasurer and her grandfather, Charles Thompson, was a key society member who pushed for acquiring the cobblestone school on Ridge Road. Taylor also was married in the cobblestone church in 1991.
Camilla VanderLinden was presented with the “Community Partner Award.” She has helped oversee the Dunn Martin Internship Program, which has now paid for six interns to help the museum in recent years with several projects.
This year interns gave tours and made an online database available of nearly 35 years of Bill Lattin’s weekly columns when he was county historian. Those columns are on the museum website and are available by clicking here.
Cobblestone Museum Director Doug Farley, right, presents a certificate of appreciation to Brad Ryan for his five years of service as the museum’s maintenance worker.
Brad Ryan was honored for his five years as the museum’s maintenance employee. He is retiring from the position. Ryan was praised by museum director Doug Farley for working “tirelessly behind the scenes.” He kept the museum grounds well kept, and well manicured, Farley said.
Patricia Morrissey was presented with the Frances Folsom Award for her “outstanding dedication to the Collections Committee of the Cobblestone Museum.” Morrissey has decorated the Ward House and helped the museum with many events, in addition to her service on the collections committee.
Bill Lattin leads the attendees at the annual meeting in a toast to the Cobblestone Society founders and “to the history-minded people and architectural preservationists in our sphere and to all who have labored for the cause of our museum.”
The Cobblestone Society held its annual meeting on Saturday afternoon at Gaines Carlton Community Church. There were 53 people in attendance.
The board’s officers for the coming year include Erin Anheier as president, Richard Remley as vice president, Matt Holland as vice president of development, Maarit Vaga as secretary, Kevin Hamilton as treasurer, Grace Denniston as corresponding secretary, and Gail Johnson as membership secretary. The officers are the same as 2022 except for Holland in the development role.
The board has two new members with Laura Bentley and Gloria Nauden. They were elected to three-year terms along with Mark Bower and Diana Flow.
Other board members include Chris Capurso, Camilla VanderLinden, Bill Lattin, Joyce Riley, Marty Taber, Brenda Radzinski, Chris Sartwell and Wendy Kirby.
Christine Hunt was the keynote speaker at the annual meeting. She lives in the nearby town of Sweden in the home formerly owned by David Bruce, a noted artist and taxidermist.
The Cobblestone Museum has more than 30 taxidermy birds from David Bruce. They are in cases that were once in the home of E.K. Hart of Albion and then in the Albion Middle School. Hunt is shown discussing one of the cases of birds.
Bruce trained Carl Akeley of Clarendon, who went on to become one of the country’s most acclaimed taxidermists. The museum has a fox that was an early work of Akeley as a taxidermist.
Bruce was well known from 1880 to 1900 for his butterfly collection. He was also very adept at collecting butterfly eggs. Those eggs would turn to larvae that could be fed. The butterflies that would emerge were in perfect shape to be exhibited at butterfly museums, Hunt said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 September 2022 at 5:08 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – LeRoy Neeper of Medina shows people an International Harvester Model M 6-horsepower engine from 1922 on Saturday at the Cobblestone Museum.
The machine is in the Blacksmith Shop. The engine was used to power a pulley system for lathes, two table saws, a drill press, joiner and bandsaw.
Just over 300 people attended the open house that featured some old-time artisans. The event was sponsored by the Rochester Area Community Foundation, which covered the admission charge for everyone.
“I think it’s a tremendous asset for the community,” Neeper said about the museum, which is listed as a National Historic Landmark. “It’s history slipping away to modern technology. There’s not enough people with hands-on knowledge anymore.”
David Damico of Le Roy operates a Platen Press in the Print Shop. Damico has been a volunteer at the museum for seven years. He is a graphic media instructor at Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center in Stanley. He likes working with the old printing equipment.
“It prompts me to keep my hands inky,” he said. “I like the touch and feel of the type. It’s being a detail-oriented person versus a get-it-done person.”
He said the visitors seemed interested in seeing the manual process with movable type up close.
“I can explain the density of the ink,” he said. “This is a non air-conditioned environment so you are dealing with heat and the humidity.”
The print shop was built in 1875. It used to be in Medina, but was moved to the museum grounds on Route 98 in 1977.
Georgia Thomas of Medina shows sisters Erin and Lauren Allis of Medina how cream becomes butter. The two girls had to shake the cream for 10 minutes before it made a lump of butter.
“It’s nice for people to know what it takes to make their food,” Thomas said. “You should know what your ancestors did and you can reflect on what you’re doing today.”
There are butter churns at the Farmers Hall of the Museum, including one powered by a dog.
Judith Bromley of East Aurora answered questions in the Harness Shop. She is a qualified master saddle fitter with the Registered Society of Master Saddlers UK. She also is also a bridle fitter, bench and on-site flocker of saddles and is familiar with the shoemaking process and artifacts displayed in the Harness Shop.
George Borrelli demonstrated blacksmithing at the Blacksmith Shop. Borrelli has been blacksmithing for more than 30 years, starting with traditional ornamental work, garden gates, wine cellar gates and fireplace sets. For the past 20 years he has done more contemporary work.
The museum enjoyed a steady stream of visitors during the open house. There were docents also available for tours at the Cobblestone Church, Ward House (former parsonage), the schoolhouse and Vagg House.
Fiddlers of the Genesee performed to a crowd at the Cobblestone Church.
The Fiddlers of the Genesee have been frequent performers at the museum in recent years.
Bill Lattin, the retired museum director, has put together an exhibit “Victorian Mourning Art & Sundries” in the upper gallery at the Brick House.
The paintings of Charles and Mary Ann Danolds have been restored and returned to the Cobblestone Museum, where they will be introduced to the public at a reception Sept. 23 at the Visitors Center.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 13 September 2022 at 6:01 pm
CHILDS – A $6,800 Conservation Treatment grant from the New York State Council on the Arts and Greater Hudson National Heritage Treatment Network have allowed two 19th century heirloom paintings from the Cobblestone Museum to be fully restored.
The paintings of Charles and Mary Ann Danolds, pillars of the Universalist churches in Childs and Albion, have been returned to the museum after conservations efforts performed by Great Lakes Conservation of Grand Island.
“The paintings are stunning, to say the least, and will be re-introduced to our Museum community at a public reception at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at the Visitors Center,” said Cobblestone Museum director Doug Farley.
Bill Lattin, former museum director and Orleans County historian, will offer reflections on this storied couple, and will explain how these paintings came to be in the museum’s collection.
The paintings are unsigned and estimated to have been painted between 1850 and 1855, Farley said. They were donated to the museum by a relative, Margaret Cole of California, in 2005.
Mr. Danolds lived in the town of Gaines from 1833 until his death. Charles was a successful entrepreneur who, at various times, operated a hotel, mercantile, flour mill, farm, potash business and owned four canal boats for shipping goods.
During the Civil War he held large contracts to sell horses to the government. But perhaps his most significant accomplishment was becoming one of the leading contractors in New York state. He was involved extensively on the enlargement of the Erie, Champlain and Chenango extension canals. He also built locks, including six on the Welland Canal. For three years, he was general superintendent of the Western Division of the Erie and Genesee Valley Canals.
Of importance is the fact Charles was the person responsible for encouraging his friend, George Pullman, to finance the building of a new, larger Universalist Church in Albion, which eventually replaced the 1834 Childs cobblestone church.
Charles asked Pullman to make a $5,000 donation toward the new Universalist Church. Pullman said if the church could raise $5,000, he would pay for the full cost of the church.
Wine and cheese will be served at the reception and Raymond Santoro will provide light musical entertainment. This will be a free program, but donations will gladly be received.
Reservations are requested by calling (585) 589-9013, as space is limited.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 6 September 2022 at 4:49 pm
GAINES – The lift bridge over the Erie Canal in Eagle Harbor will remain closed to traffic until Sept. 16, the state Department of Transportation said today.
The bridge closed Aug. 8 for repairs and was expected to reopen on Aug. 29.
The bridge from 1910 is being repaired during the closure. The DOT urges motorists to continue to use alternative routes.
Photos courtesy of Cobblestone Museum: Georgia Thomas of Medina churns butter in Farmer’s Hall at the Cobblestone Museum. She will exhibit the process and serve guests a taste of home-made butter on bread during the open house on Saturday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 5 September 2022 at 1:13 pm
George Borrelli will demonstrate blacksmithing at the Cobblestone Museum’s Blacksmith Shop during their fall open house.
CHILDS – As a reminder to the public to plan on attending the Cobblestone Museum’s Fall Open House Saturday, director Doug Farley and assistant director Sue Bonafini have shared information on three artisans who will demonstrate their crafts.
David Damico has been a volunteer at the Cobblestone Museum’s Print Shop for seven seasons. He is a graphic media instructor at Finger Lakes Technical and career Center in Stanley. He has worked as a historic printer at the Genesee Country Village and Museum for eight years and has a printing studio at his home, named Gardant Press.
His letterpress work has been published numerous times in an annual magazine called “It’s a Small World.,” published in Wivenhoe, Essex, England. Most recently he has been asked to be on the art grant review panel at GO Art! in Batavia.
Georgia Thomas is a Medina native, member of the Cobblestone Society and Medina Historical Society and an avid lover of history. She has offered to make butter with Cobblestone visitors during the open house. She will also provide bread so the guests can sample their own work.
George Borrelli has done several demonstrations for the Cobblestone Museum over the years and really enjoyed the experience, he said. For several years, he did art shows in the general area, having exhibited at the Clothesline at MAG, the Roycroft in East Aurora and 100 American Craftsmen at the Kenan Center in Lockport.
He has been blacksmithing for more than 30 years, starting with traditional ornamental work, garden gates, wine cellar gates and fireplace sets. For the past 20 years he has done more contemporary work, which can be seen on his Facebook page “borrellihardware.” He will be demonstrating in the Cobblestone Museum’s Vagg Blacksmith Shop.
Judith Bromley, who works professionally with horses, will be demonstrating in the Cobblestone Museum’s Harness Shop.
“Horses have always been a huge part of my life, starting on the farm as a child when my grandfather and father used horses in the tobacco fields and hay fields to pull farm equipment,” Bromley said. “I have always had and still do have horses to ride, done competitions and fox hunting.”
Bromley is a certified equine Trigger Point Myo therapist and qualified master saddle fitter with the Registered Society of Master Saddlers UK. Owner of TruFit Saddle, she is also a bridle fitter, bench and on-site flocker of saddles and is familiar with the shoemaking process and artifacts displayed in the Harness Shop, as a graduate of Sheridan College of Oakville, Ontario, Canada in fashion design/pattern making.
The Cobblestone Museum’s Fall Open House will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, followed by a toe-tapping concert at 3 p.m. by Fiddlers of the Genesee. A pulled pork dinner will be available from 11 a.m. until sold out. Presold meals may be ordered by calling the Museum at (585) 590-9013 or on their website at CobblestoneMuseum.org.
David Damico works in the Cobblestone Museum’s Print Shop. A volunteer at the Cobblestone Museum’s Print Shop for seven seasons, he is a graphic media instructor at Finger Lakes Technical and Career Center in Stanley. His is one of the artisans who will be on site during the Cobblestone Museum’s open house Saturday.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 19 August 2022 at 2:36 pm
File photo: The Cobblestone Museum acquired the Vagg House in 2020 at the southwest corner of routes 98 and 104.
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Society has been approved for an award of $12,000 for building restoration from the Rochester Area Community Foundation, museum director Doug Farley has announced.
Erin Anheier, president of the Cobblestone Society board of trustees, wrote the grant. She is also on the board of the Landmark Society of Western New York in Rochester.
“Erin has been writing our RACF preservation grant since 2018, and this is her fifth successful grant request,” Farley said. “Grants have totaled more than $80,000 toward preservation of our 10 historic buildings.”
The grant will fund a project to correct various structural issues with the 19th century Vagg house and barn, which are eligible for inclusion on the National Historic Register, along with needed maintenance on the National Historic Landmark Cobblestone Church.
The Vagg barn is an appurtenant structure on the property eligible for National Historic Register designation. The first floor will be jacked up in the middle to remove sagging of the floor as much as possible. Three 2” x 8” x 10’ white oak boards will be overlapped and joined together with ½-inch bolts and nuts to create a continuous new support beam, Farley explained. The board will be rough-sawn for appropriate appearance in the historic structure. Four steel joist hangers will be installed on existing floor joists connecting them to the new header.
Existing basement sliding doors and metal track will be removed and six-foot long pressure-treated boards will be installed vertically at each side of the door opening and attached to the foundation with tapcons. The doors will be reinstalled with the track attached to the side of the building with new galvanized bolts. Loose mortar on the interior of the basement walls will also be removed and the areas patched, replacing missing or loose stones. A pressure-treated 2” x 8” x 12-foot perimeter board will be installed on the north wall to replace the rotted one.
Also addressed will be the driveway, which slopes toward the barn, causing rainwater to pool at the north doors. This has resulted in the north perimeter board deteriorating and damage to the masonry below. Work will include installing a drain in the channel, which will be cut through to the retaining wall, and the water will be carried away by a drain on the west side of the building. Extensive gutter work will also be done.
The exterior of the barn will be power washed, hand scraped and caulked where needed. All bare wood will be primed and windows will be reglazed where needed.
On the Vagg house, storm windows and sills will be scraped, primed, painted and reglazed as needed. Gutters will also be cleaned and new gutter guards installed.
Repair to the Vagg barn will allow it to be used as a new gallery to display the Museum’s collection of 19th and early 20th century transportation devices, some of which are currently in storage. It will also assure the barn will retain structural integrity for many decades.
Painting of the windows of the Vagg house will help preserve the historic wooden windows and keep the appearance of the building appropriate for the time period it represents, Farley said.
Its gutters and those on the 1834 Cobblestone Church will also be cleaned and have gutter guards installed.
Farley added that the Cobblestone Society presented the RACF “Community Partner of the Year” award in 2018 for its philanthropic efforts on behalf of the Cobblestone Museum and Orleans County.
RACF will celebrate its 50th anniversary in September and honored the Cobblestone Museum, which it included in its “Gifts for Good” program, offering complementary admission to the Museum for everyone who visits for their fall open house Sept. 10.
Farley said the Museum is hoping for a record attendance on that day. The event is free to the public and RACF will pay the full cost of admission ($9 per person) for all visitors that day.
“We would like to see more than 1,000 people attend the Open House Sept. 10 to take full advantage of RACF’s Gift for Good program,” Farley said.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 15 August 2022 at 11:08 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
GAINES – Lisa Mannella of L & S Creative Designs is shown with a display of country craft items that she makes with Stephanie Rustay. They were one of 27 vendors at a flea market on Saturday at the Cobblestone Museum.
The flea market returned after more than 20 years. The event was a popular summer event at the museum in the 1980s and ’90s, said Sue Bonafini, assistant director at the museum.
She noted many of the vendors were busy on Saturday, with some selling at least half of the items they brought for the sale.
The museum also sold out on all 100 hot dogs it cooked for the flea market.
Frank Ferri of Medina spins wool from a sheep next to his booth of primitive items. Ferri said twisting the wool gives it strength.
“It’s a great conversation starter,” he said while sitting outside the historic Ward House on Route 104.
Ed Shorey of Albion brought a collection of vintage and new fishing lures, which he said were popular with the crowd at the flea market. Some of the older lures were made of wood from the 1940s and ’50s. He is impressed by the artistry in the older lures, especially the eyes that were carved by hand.
By Ginny Kropf, correspondent Posted 2 August 2022 at 3:06 pm
Cobblestone Museum seeks to have hamlet included on National Register of Historic Places
Photo by Tom Rivers: The Cobblestone Universalist Church, built in 1834, is the oldest cobblestone church building in North America. It is among several historic sites in the Childs hamlet near the intersection of routes 98 and 104. Three cobblestone buildings at the museum – the church, the Ward House and a schoolhouse – are listed as a National Historic Landmark.
CHILDS – The Cobblestone Society and Museum is one of this year’s Preserve New York grantees, Museum director Doug Farley announced Monday.
A check for $8,000 received on Monday will fund a Cultural Resource Survey of the hamlet of Childs, which will go on to inform a National Register of Historic Places nomination. The Preservation League of New York State and their program partners at the New York State Council on the Arts are thrilled to help fund this important work, Farley said.
“A successful listing on the National Register will make tax credits available for approved rehabilitation projects by both home and business property owners in the designated area,” Farley said. “National Register listing will also allow the Cobblestone Museum to qualify for certain grant funding that requires NR designation.”
Through its Preserve New York grant, the Cobblestone Museum will work with the Landmark Society of Western New York to conduct a cultural resource survey of the hamlet of Childs. This reconnaissance level survey will be used to inform a National Register historic district nomination, which will include the Cobblestone Museum buildings and surrounding properties. This project seeks to build on the momentum created by the inclusion of the hamlet on the Landmark Society’s 2019 Five to Revive list. The Museum has been in contact with the New York State Historic Preservation Office and has identified preliminary district boundaries, according to Farley.
At its 2022 meeting, an independent grant panel selected 22 applicants in 18 counties to receive support totaling $235,920. Each grant supports important arts and cultural initiatives, as well as economic development related to the state’s arts and cultural heritage. Many of these grants will lead to historic district designation or expansion, tell the stories of communities throughout the state and allowing property owners to take advantage of the New York State and Federal Historic tax credits. This is even more valuable now, Farley said, with the New York State Commercial Historic tax credit recently expanded for small projects, granting property owners a 30% credit. With this announcement of the 2022 awards, support provided by Preserve New York since its launch in 1993 totals more than $3.5 million for 510 projects statewide.
Erin Anheier with the Cobblestone Society wrote this new grant because she has written several successful National Register nominations in the past, and was best prepared to tackle the task, Farley said.
“We currently apply for about 15 grants each year and receive about 10,” he said. “The check came Monday and work on the Historic Register nomination should start very soon. This grant certainly benefits the Cobblestone Museum, but I am also pleased that his particular grant has many benefits for the entire historic hamlet of Childs.”
The Preserve New York program is a regrant partnership between the New York State Council on the Arts and the Preservation League, made possible with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State legislature.
Since 1993, Preserve New York has been providing funds to municipalities and nonprofit organizations that need technical, professional assistance to guide a variety of preservation projects. This historic structure reports, building condition reports, cultural landscape reports and cultural resource surveys funded through this program lead to positive outcomes across New York’s 62 counties, Farley reported.
“The Preserve New York program ensures arts and culture organizations continue to be beacons of New York’s rich history,” said Mara Manus, NYSCA executive director. “By preserving significant spaces and sites, we promote vitality and drive economic activity across our great state. NYSCA applauds the Preservation League of New York State for their stewardship of this crucial opportunity and extends our sincere congratulations to all awardees.”
“The projects funded by Preserve New York exemplify the excellent preservation planning work being done throughout our state,” said Katie Eggers Comeau, vice president for Policy and Preservation at the Preservation League. “With each of these grants, a meaningful historic place takes a significant step toward a more secure future, and we are pleased to be working with such dedicated project sponsors to make this work possible.”
