40 companies highlighted in annual industrial directory 65 years ago
Speas Manufacturing Company operated in Lyndonville.
By Catherine Cooper, Orleans County Historian
“Illuminating Orleans” – Vol. 3, No. 28
Forty industrial firms operated in Orleans County 65 years ago, according to the 1958 Industrial Directory of New York State. How many can you remember?
The Directory was arranged by different categories. Not surprisingly, the largest number of the Orleans County entries fell under the “Food and Kindred Products” category, fifteen in all:
Duffy-Mott Company (Holley)
Empire State Pickling Company (Waterport)
Friends’ Packing Company of Albion
General Foods Corporation – Birds Eye Division (Medina and Albion)
H.J. Heinz Company (Medina)
Hunt Foods (Albion)
Lake Shore Packing Company (Waterport)
Lyndonville Canning Company
Medina Provision Company
Morton Canning Company
Orleans Canning Company (Albion)
Orleans GLF Farm Products (Albion)
Rignel Company (Medina)
Speas Company (Lyndonville)
Thomas J. Lipton (Albion)
The Duffy-Mott smokestacks were a landmark in Holley.
The “Printing and Publishing” category accounted for five of the entries:
Albion Advertiser
Eddy Printing Company (Albion)
Holley-Standard
Journal-Register (Medina)
Orleans-Republican American (Albion)
The Bemis Bag Company (Albion) was the only entry in the “Paper and Allied Products” category.
Four firms were involved in “Lumber and Wood Products”:
The three companies which manufactured “Furniture and Fixtures” were located in Medina:
Authentic Chair Corporation
S.A. Cook & Co.
Taylor Brothers Furniture Manufacturing Company.
Under new ownership in 1967, the American Brakeshoe Company in Medina became part of the ABEX Corporation. (Photo courtesy of Craig Lacy)
Six companies were involved in metal production:
Acer & Whedon Inc. (Medina)
A.L. Swett Iron Works (Medina)
American Brake Shoe Company (Medina)
Bignall Company (Medina)
Medina Stamping and Machine Company
Phinney Tool & Die Company (Medina)
A.L. Swett and the Erie Pump and Engine Company, both of Medina, manufactured non-electrical machinery.
The Clarendon Stone Company and the M & M Stone Company of Albion were listed under “Mining”. Spencer Explosives, Inc. was located in Kendall.
The DiLaura Construction Company which had plants in Albion and Holley made “Stone, Clay and Glass Products.”
Lyndonville’s Weld Shoe Company produced “Leather Products”, while the Robert H. Newell Company of Medina was the only apparel producer.
A few of the companies listed are still in operation, though under different ownership. The Phinney Tool and Die Company of Medina, for example, was purchased by S.B. Whistler & Sons, Inc. of Akron, NY in 2010 but still operates under its original name. Future columns will focus on the “corporate genealogy” of the original industries.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 September 2023 at 5:37 pm
Photos by Tom Rivers
HULBERTON – Today was the 49th annual St. Rocco’s Italian Festival in Hulberton. The top photo shows Amy Engert, Cory Maxon and Marcia Crosier in the kitchen, getting spaghetti dinners.
The kitchen had about 250 spaghetti dinners and 260 eggplant parmesan meals ready for the crowd.
The annual festival is a benefit for the Catholic parish that includes St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Holley and St. Mark’s Church in Kendall.
Richard Herzog worked the grill with Italian sausage. He hands some of those off to Ellen Bissanti.
The festival is held near the former St. Rocco’s Catholic Church. Hulberton was a very popular community for Italian immigrants more than a century ago. They were drawn to the area for work in the Medina sandstone quarries.
Zach Nau serves meatball subs. He volunteered with his parents and two brothers.
Popular Italian foods such as eggplant parmesan, meatball sandwiches, pasta fagioli, pizza and shells were served.
There were 109 gift baskets up for the raffle to benefit the parish.
Many craft vendors also were at the festival selling their creations.
Bernie Ruggeri tosses the bocce ball in today’s tournament. He plays on a team with his Holley friends who graduated in the mid-‘70s – Kevin Lynch, Paul Gifaldi and Charlie Smith.
Aaron Bower eyes the bocce balls on one of the courts. He plays with his brothers, Jon and Patrick, and their grandfather Gary Passarell, a long-time Murray town councilman. Passarell has been playing in the tournament for nearly 50 years.
The team closest to the smaller white ball earns points.
Aaron Bower lets a shot go during today’s tournament.
The annual bocce tournament was down to eight teams today. Many of the regulars instead opted to play at another tournament at Hickory Ridge Country Club. St. Rocco’s festival organizers didn’t want any alcohol consumed except in a designated area.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 September 2023 at 3:03 pm
A heat advisory has been issued for Monday from noon to 7 p.m. for Orleans County with heat index values in the mid 90s expected.
The advisory from the National Weather Service also includes Genesee, Niagara, Monroe, Livingston, Wayne, northern Cayuga and Ontario counties.
The hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses to occur, the Weather Service said.
“Drink plenty of fluids, stay in an air-conditioned room, stay out of the sun, and check up on relatives and neighbors,” the Weather Service advised. “Young children and pets should never be left unattended in vehicles under any circumstances.”
The high temperature for Monday is forecast to reach 91, followed by a sunny and hot Tuesday with a high of 92, and then a high near 89 on Wednesday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 3 September 2023 at 7:52 am
Photos by Tom Rivers
OLCOTT – The 33rd Annual Olcott Beach Car Show attracted 800 classic cars and vehicles that were on display at Krull Park.
The show sometimes draws 1,000 cars. There were some sprinkles on Saturday that may have deterred some of the car owners, but the weather was ideal for one of the biggest car shows in Western New York.
Robert and Kim Regian won Best of Show with a 1959 Chevy Impala.
The show draws a big group on onlookers throughout the day at the park along Lake Ontario.
Some of the enthusiasts relished the chance to get an up-close look at the cars and trucks.
The cars were shined with their hoods up at Krull Park.
A one-wheel motorcycle also joined the car show, and took many trips around the park.
Cars head out from the show in front of a 1978 Pontiac Trans Am, in front at left.
This 1955 Chevrolet 2-door sedan was polished for its big day at the Olcott Beach Car Show.
My very first bucket list item checked off after 44 years on the list! Welcome to Graceland, Kim!
This write up is a little later than planned. I was planning to do it the weekend closest to August 16th – the anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death, but I wrote the one on my recent Chicago trip that weekend. So, here it is, now – my amazing adventure covering “All Things Elvis”!
“Cry on Elvis’ Grave” has been at the top of my bucket list since before I even HAD a bucket list. In fact, from the time I heard of his passing, I vowed to visit his grave and once they opened Graceland to the public in 1982, I knew I had to go. In the years that passed after Elvis’ death in 1977, a lot of items were added to the list and crossed off the list – it evolved into an official “Bucket List” and it is ever growing and ever changing. But, that very first item had remained on the list….just waiting for me to accomplish it…..and, then, 44 years after his death, during a wonderful trip to Memphis in October 2021 – one of my first trips after the Covid travel restrictions were lifted – I finally crossed it off the list! Yes, folks……Kim Pritt has finally cried on Elvis’ grave!!!
Me in front of Elvis Presley’s mansion – Graceland – in Memphis, TN.
Although I did see and do other things while in Memphis, my main goal was to see Graceland and anything else I could find related to Elvis. I stayed at the Guest House at Graceland – that was an amazing experience beginning right from the time I was picked up at the airport by the Graceland shuttle and listened to Elvis music all the way to the hotel and continuing on through my entire stay. If you are planning a trip to Graceland – or even just to Memphis – check out the Guest House at Graceland. If it suits your needs, it’s a great place to stay!
My first full day, I did the Graceland tour. I had purchased the Ultimate VIP Tour – the best of the ticket options available. It made no sense to me to go all that way and just get a ticket that only allows a self-guided tour of the mansion – or even one of the intermediate tour packages. I was going to see it ALL – and I DID! The Ultimate VIP Tour is an expert guided tour that includes several parts of the property that is not included in the other packages. I got to tour the mansion, of course – WOW – incredible, the meditation garden where Elvis and several of his family members are buried, both of his private airplanes, the building with all his vehicles, several themed museums….AND…..a stop in a room that has personal items that no other tour package has access to – including being allowed to touch and have our photo taken with one of his guitars! Oh, yeah – it was so worth the price of admission!!! What a thrilling and emotional day.
Sitting on the porch swing at the tiny home where Elvis Presley was born in Tupelo, MS.
I took the shuttle across to the complex several times while I was in Memphis to do things that didn’t require additional tour ticket purchases. I had a couple meals in the restaurants in the complex and visited the famous gates at the front of Graceland where I took a selfie and wrote my name on the bricks to prove I was there (don’t worry – everyone does it).
My last full day in Memphis was, again, filled with Elvis and an evening at the Graceland Complex. I got up early and got on a Graceland Excursions bus for a day trip to Tupelo, Mississippi to visit Elvis’ birthplace. That was really interesting! We toured the house he was born in, where he went to school, the hardware store where Gladys bought him his first guitar, the church he attended, and heard lots of wonderful stories about his childhood years. I really enjoyed that a lot! We also visited the fairgrounds where Elvis returned to his home town in 1957 to perform. The proceeds of that concert was donated to the town for the purchase the home he was born in and the surrounding property to make a park for fans to visit his birthplace – his childhood church was relocated to the property as part of this project.
The church the Presley’s attended in Tupelo, MS was moved to the property where his birth home is and restored to how it looked in the early 1940s. The preacher at the church taught Elvis to play guitar and encouraged him to sing in the choir.
That night, I attended a concert at the complex – they have concerts every Friday night and I discovered that the last night I was going to be there, The Monkees were performing! YES – those Monkees! Well, actually only Mickey Dolenz and Mike Nesmith – Davy and Peter were no longer with us. Shortly after that concert, Mike Nesmith also passed. I’m so glad I got to see them before he died. It was sooooo awesome!!!
It was a trip of a lifetime…my entire trip to Memphis was amazing – one that will stand out as an emotionally charged, fun, and exciting memory. But, the time I spent in Graceland and Tupelo and getting to see The Monkees was by far the highlight and something that meant more to me than I can possibly ever express! Read the full story and see all the photos by clicking these two links:
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 2 September 2023 at 8:21 am
U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand has visited all of New York State’s 62 counties in 2023. She was in Rensselaer County on Thursday, the last of the 62 counties.
She was in Orleans County on Aug. 18, when she announced a $2 million federal grant to go towards a new emergency management office for the county.
“Visiting every one of New York State’s 62 counties is important to understanding the issues facing our communities,” she said in a statement. “From small business owners in New York City to farmers across Upstate to families in every community focused on health care, jobs and education, New Yorkers face many challenges and meeting with them face to face helps me be a better senator. I am honored to represent New Yorkers and I am committed to fighting for families from every corner of our state.”
BATAVIA – The Rosalie “Roz” Steiner Art Gallery is kicking off their 2023-2024 exhibition season with a solo show by local sculpture artist, Richard Bannister. Richard’s sculptures are one of a kind, unique works of art. He is a master of sculpting in wood, metal and stone. He completes all the work on his art, by himself, in his studio.
There will be an opening reception on Sept. 14 from 12:20 to 2 p.m., and 5 to 7 p.m., as well as an artist presentation that day at 12:30 p.m.
Richard’s exhibition at the Roz Steiner Art Gallery will focus on his marble carvings, wood sculpture and cast bronze. As an instructor in higher education, Richard developed courses discussing man’s experiences with gods, demons, spirits and other folkloric elements. Many of his pieces in his current show are a result of that line of thought.
He aims to spark discussion of the things we cannot see; some of his artwork takes inspiration from Biblical tales like his sculpture Eve and the Tempter who tempted who? (made of walnut), and Angel with the Gods (carved of black marble). Richard pulls insight from the religion of ancient Egypt and Buddhism, such as Baby Buddha (made of red oak and walnut), and Egyptian Fish God, Slave Girl, and Angry King (carved black marble), which is the sculpture we are using to promote the exhibition.
Photos courtesy of GCC – (Left) Egyptian Fish God, Slave Girl, and Angry King (carved black marble) by Richard Bannister, side view. (Right) Egyptian Fish God, Slave Girl, and Angry King, front view.
About his artistic process, Richard says: “I now consider that the ability to create my works of art is a gift from God. However, I didn’t always believe this. For years in my early studio in San Miguel, I believed that man could only destroy. I believed anyone could do what I did. All they had to do was take the time and carve a sculpture from a block of wood or marble or make an armature and apply clay for the beginnings of a bronze sculpture.
Photo by Tom Rivers: Richard Bannister stands by a metal sculpture he placed on his property last summer. Bannister’s “Ukrainian Tears” is in the shape of a teardrop and painted in the colors of Ukraine’s flag. “Ukrainian Tears” is 8 feet high and made of steel. It will be on display with 14 wood sculptures at Clothesline Art Festival in Rochester on Sept. 9-10.
“I do not sketch before starting a sculpture, I simply grab a tool and begin the work. During the process of seeing a piece of art come into existence, I receive fulfillment. Because of my various procedures, materials and tools I am usually working on ten or so pieces at once. I can flow from piece to piece and pick up hours, days or months later exactly where I left off. This is a rare blessing indeed.”
Richard Bannister has had a long and storied career that has made him the artist he is today. He has managed a farm with his identical twin brother at the age of 14, fought in the Vietnam War, studied at many different colleges and gained his BFA & MFA. He also taught and headed the sculpture department at San Miguel de Allende in Mexico, traveled the world and lived in foreign countries, and exhibited his artwork internationally.
Bannister has raised a family, written manuscripts, explored different entrepreneurial avenues and holds a Bachelor of Theology from RBI in Tampa, Florida. His dream is to set up an art park on his 16 acres of land. His proudest achievements are his three children.
Mr. Bannister has written eight manuscripts throughout his career, which form the series “My struggle with the Gods.” The written saga is titled from the marble carving series that he is presently working on, “Man’s struggle with the Gods.” At his artist talk, Richard Bannister will discuss the inspiration behind his sculptures, his creative process, and pull from his college courses to prompt discussion.
Roz Steiner gallery hours are Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 3 to 5 p.m. The gallery is also open on Wednesdays from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Any changes to the gallery hours will be posted on the gallery social media pages.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 September 2023 at 2:31 pm
SHELBY – A pickup truck burst into flames this afternoon near the intersection of Salt Works Road and Route 31.
Scott Wengewicz, the Shelby Town Supervisor, sent in these photos. He was able to help the driver unload some of the materials in the truck before it was engulfed with flames.
Shelby firefighters responded to put the fire out at about 1 p.m. No other information is available.
Press Release, State Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt
Senate Republican Leader Rob Ortt, Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay and Republican members of the Senate and Assembly today called for a special session of the Legislature in order to address the migrant crisis that continues to spiral out of control across the state.
In letters to Governor Hochul; the Senate and Assembly legislators urge her to convene an extraordinary session of the Legislature in order to take action to ensure funding for affected communities, revoke sanctuary status to stem the influx of migrants, ensure local control for communities, and take further actions to ensure taxpayers are protected.
“Since the beginning of this crisis, the Senate Republican Conference has been calling for action and solutions to ensure New Yorkers are protected in the midst of this unprecedented migrant crisis,” Ortt said. “As it continues to cause chaos and uncertainty in communities throughout the state, I am joining my colleagues in urging the Governor to call an extraordinary session of the Legislature so we can take action.”
“The migrant crisis has spiraled out of control and New York’s elected representatives must take immediate action,” said Assembly Republican Leader Will Barclay. “The lack of transparency, clarity and leadership have been glaring, which is why 82% of New Yorkers recognize this crisis as a serious problem. Assembly Republicans and our colleagues in the Senate have offered substantial proposals to establish guidelines and protect the people of New York. Letters to Joe Biden and meetings with White House staffers aren’t the solution. We need an immediate special session of the Legislature.”
“As we have said from the beginning, this crisis is not going away any time soon and it is our responsibility to ensure that the hardworking taxpayers of New York State, who we represent, are protected,” the Senators wrote in the letter.
“With the lack of appropriate action coming from Washington D.C. and little reason to believe immediate help is on the way, the duly elected representatives of New York have a responsibility to take matters into their own hands,” the Assembly Members wrote in the letter.
ROCHESTER – Today, Congressman Joe Morelle highlighted tax incentives and other benefits available for individuals and families from the Inflation Reduction Act—legislation he helped pass last year.
“Too many families in our community continue to feel the pressure of rising costs. From healthcare to prescription drugs to simply heating their homes, families across our community are being forced to cut corners just to make ends meet,” said Congressman Joe Morelle. “Last year, I proudly voted to pass the Inflation Reduction Act, comprehensive legislation designed to take action on the issue affecting families the most, and now this year, many of these cost-saving provisions have begun to take effect. But the work is far from over, and I remain committed to working alongside my colleagues in Washington to lower costs in our community.”
The Inflation Reduction Act created both new and expanded clean electricity tax credits to incentivize the transition to a cleaner power supply, a transition expected to save families an average of $1,000 per year in energy costs.
The tax credits outlined by Morelle will make it easier and more affordable to upgrade to more efficient appliances, purchase an electric vehicle, install residential clean energy systems, and more. Millions of New Yorkers are now eligible to receive these tax credits.
Learn how you or someone you know can take advantage of these clean energy incentives by visiting Congressman Morelle’s website by clicking here.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 September 2023 at 9:40 am
The temperature will be hot next week as local children head back to school.
Today is going to be sunny with a high of 76 followed by a mostly sunny Saturday with a high near 81, according to the national Weather Service in Buffalo.
Then it will sunny with a high of 85 on Sunday in Orleans County. Labor Day will be even hotter with a high near 89.
Then on Tuesday the forecast to be sunny with a high of 90, followed by another 90-degree day on Wednesday.
By Tom Rivers, Editor Posted 1 September 2023 at 8:29 am
MEDINA – The Local Planning Committee that is identifying $4.5 million in projects to submit to the state to bolster downtown Medina will have a workshop on Sept. 13 to get input from the public.
The committee will have an interactive workshop at 6 p.m. in the school district board room at 1 Mustang Drive. The committee wants to see how community members would spend the $4.5 million.
Medina was awarded the grant in February through the NY Forward program. Medina has a committee to finalize projects that will go to the state for final approval. The funding should become available next year after the projects get a final OK from the state.
The workshop on Sept. 13 will include a short review of the projects being considered for funding. Attendees will then participate in an interactive exercise where they will spend $4.5 million on the projects they believe would have the most impact in downtown Medina.
For more information on the program in Medina, click here.
Man flushed car keys down toilet at Burger King to destroy evidence
Travis C. Brongo
ALBION – A homeless man from Rochester faces several charges after he allegedly had a stolen vehicle, attempted to flush the keys down the toilet, and also had an open container of alcohol, drug paraphernalia and crack cocaine, Albion Police Chief David Mogle.
Travis C. Brongo, 39, allegedly was observed smoking a glass pipe at about 1:30 p.m. in the driver’s seat while alone on Wednesday at a business in Albion.
The off-duty officer then notified on-duty officers of the incident and provided a license plate. After running the plate number, the Albion officers learned the vehicle was reported stolen with the Rochester Police Department.
Albion police began patrolling the area and located the suspected stolen vehicle at the Hoag Library on South Main Street. The vehicle was unoccupied.
Officers secured the vehicle and blocked it from leaving. While the officers reviewed video footage from the library, a suspicious male saw officers on scene and proceeded on foot in the opposite direction originally intended.
Officers confirmed the suspicious male matched the description of the suspect getting out of the stolen vehicle. Officers on scene were able to give officers in the area a description of the suspect and direction of travel.
An Orleans County Sheriff’s Department Investigator observed the suspect enter Burger King. Officers on scene were able to establish a perimeter around Burger King. They entered the site and awaited the suspect to exit from the bathrooms.
Once the suspect exited the bathroom, the suspect was detained and brought to the Albion Police Department for an interview. Officers identified the suspect as Travis Brongo.
Officers determined Brongo flushed the vehicle keys down the toilet at Burger King. Upon searching the vehicle, officers located suspected crack cocaine in the vehicle along with open containers of alcohol and drug paraphernalia.
The Albion Police Department would like to thank the Hoag Library, New York State Police and Orleans County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance.
Brongo was charged with Conceal/Destroy Physical Evidence, an E Felony; Criminal Possession Stolen Property/Vehicle, an E Felony; Criminal Possession Controlled Substance 7th; Aggravated Unlicensed Operation of a Motor Vehicle; and Open Container Alcohol in Vehicle.
Brongo was issued appearance tickets and uniform traffic tickets as none of the charges are arraignable offenses under the new bail reform laws, Mogle said.
Brongo was turned over to the Gates Police Department on an outstanding warrant.
