Today is deadline for Sandstone Hall of Fame nominations

Photo by Tom Rivers – The St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church in Fillmore is one of many church buildings in the region built more than a century ago from Medina sandstone. This church is at 109 West Main St. in northwest Allegany County.

MEDINA – Today is your last chance to nominate a Medina sandstone structure for the second class of the Medina Sandstone Hall of Fame.

The Medina Sandstone Society last December inducted its first Hall of Fame class with six members.

Nominations are being sought for buildings to qualify for the second annual honor class. People far and wide can send their choices and seek recognition.

“Any building in the world constructed of that great Orleans County stone which we call ‘Medina’ is eligible and can be nominated if it is still standing and is an outstanding piece of work,” said Jim Hancock, chairman of the Hall of Fame committee.

He said typical examples might be churches, homes, monuments and public buildings but could also include special structures like the Brooklyn Bridge and Buckingham Palace.

Medina sandstone has proved durable for St. Patrick’s in Fillmore and many other churches.

“The sky’s the limit, just make ’em good choices,” he said.

The current chairman joined with David Miller and John Slack as the founding committee of the Hall of Fame. They worked for months in late 2013 to make one wall of the Medina City Hall conference chamber into an exhibit space.

In seeking nominations for 2014 the three men still follow the simple formula for proposed sandstone structures. (1) They should be outstanding or unique and significant. (2) They should have beauty. (3) They should be impressive through age and longevity and whether they are still in use. (4) They should be architecturally unique.

Nominations can be emailed to Hancock at hancock_jim@verizon.net or they can be sent to the Medina Sandstone Society, P.O. Box 25, Medina, NY 14103. The committee would like contact information for the nominated site.

Editor’s Note: The Sandstone Society will lead a walking tour today from 2 to 3:30 p.m. in downtown Medina. The tour starts at City Hall.