Heritage Trail Town of Big Flats A BICENTENNIAL PROJECT "THE HERITAGE TRAIL" Dedicated to the memory of Henry B. Minier, Jr. Published by the Big Flats Bicentennial Commission, 1976 Mrs. Nancy E. Nicastro, Author Mr. Dennis O'Connell, Photographer Printed by Painted Post Press, Painted Post, N.Y. Private Property All buildings and properties mentioned and/ or shown in this book are privately owned and must be accorded all due respect. No one should attempt to inspect said buildings and properties without prior permission from the present owners. PLEASE HELP KEEP AMERICA BEAUTIFUL - You can help maintain our proud heritage and history in Big Flats by depositing all litter, cigarettes and matches in their respective, proper receptacles. Acknowledgment As an American who is eligible for membership in the Daughters of the American Revolution, it has been an exciting venture for me to compile this little Bicentennial history of sites in Big Flats, New York. History is made up of many things, mostly people. Big Flats was carved out of the pine forest of the flat lands and the hard woods of the hills by hardy souls who came here to build a new life in a new land. No history is 100% complete or 100% accurate. People who make history are often too busy to keep daily diaries. So we have to dig back into our past via oral tradition, artifacts, old buildings, news clippings, photos, personal letters, etc. Many people have helped me do the research. First of all my daughter, Veronica, who at age twelve was my inspiration to keep going when mind and body were ready to quit. Pamela Farr gave me complete freedom to copy her book, "150 Years, Big Flats, N.Y. 1822-1972. Sesquicentennial Edition." Dennis O'Connell did all the photographicwork. He has been a constant working companion throughout. Henry and Eleanor Minier along with Rowland and Clara Farr and Mr. Marion Rhodes spent many hours telling me stories of Big Flats. Fellow researchers have been Arthur and Dorothy Devenport, Virginia Schweizer, Meta Levin and others who have shared with me as I met them in the post office, stores and church. I have visited homes and called many by phone. Some readers will likely be stimulated to recall other Big Flats history not recorded here. When that happens please jot it down immediately and get it to the Big Flats Historical Society. If this book has done no more than to cause new and better information to come to the light of day which can be used in some subsequent History of Big Flats, my time has been well spent. As you celebrate this Bicentennial year please remember that we are making the history our children will write about. Please do not hesitate to keep records and to make provision for their preservation. Nancy Nicastro January, 1976 1 - CHARLES M. DAVENPORT HOUSE Charles M . Davenport's father, Myron Davenport, purchased the land where the house and workshop now stand at 155 Davenport Road, from Matilda Mill­ paugh in 1874. There is no record of when the original house was built. Upon Myron's death, the house was left to his wife Juda and sons-Charles, William, Roy and Kipe on August 17, 1916. Charles became the owner by quit claim deed from his brothers on September 9, 1920. Charles M. Davenport took a correspondence wood working course from Grand Rapids, Michigan about 1912, and slowly developed a furniture huilding shop part time until the 1920's. He worked part time as a painter and carpenter .. For 40 years (from the late 1920's until 1968) he built furniture as a full-time job. His health required that he stop in 1968. He died in February, 1972 at the age of 91. The house was left to Leah Calhins who was Charles' niece and daughter of Kipe. In April, 1972 the home was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Devenport. 2 - HENRY B. MINIER, JR. HOUSE The home of Mrs. Henry B. Minier, Jr., Olcott Road was deeded Septem­ ber 11, 1869 and built by Mr. A. J. Garthwait. The home was originally much smaller than it is today. At one time, there was a water bin that was used to collect rain water outside on the second floor to be used downstairs in the kitchen. FRITZ MEYERS ARCO SPONSOR 3 - GARDNER TAVERN Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Peterson of 381 Main Street live in what was once the Gardner Tavern. Captain George Gardner, who owned a large amount of the valley at one time, built the Gardner Tavern in 1807.' The barn, which still is in back of the house, has a great many stalls where guests of the tavern could keep their horses. At one time, an earlier Masonic Lodge than the one now in existence held its first meeting on the third floor of this house. Some time after 1835 John Minier bought the land and tavern. John and his brother Samuel ran the Minier Store on Main Street. After the 1972 flood, the Petersons, while redoing the house, found stencil work on the wall in one of the bedrooms and French style old fashioned wall paper in the front hall. Antique bottles (flasks) were found under the barn floor as well. 4 - "OLD MINIER HOUSE" The house, located at 391 Main Street, was purchased by John R. and Samuel A. Minier from John Calkins in 1878. It was in the Minier family until 1965, when it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Castilow. Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Devenport bought the home in 1968. 5 - OLD ANNA MANNING HOUSE The Anna Manning house, located at 397 Main Street, dates back to the mid 1800's. John Griffin and his wife had a large farm there that was inherited by their daughter Anna G. Manning. Anna Manning sold the home to Mr. and Mrs. M. Horning in the 1950's and they in turn sold it to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Devenport. The original Griffin farm included the entire Kelly Road area and most of what is now the Chemung Valley Golf Club - from Main Street to the river. o- MASONIC HALL The first Masonic Lodge was organized iR 1810 and met in the third floor of the Gardner Tavern, Main Street. This Lodge did not last long. The second Lodge was organized in 1855 and met in the attic of Dr. Peeble's house, located on Canal Street across from the Old Methodist Church. They continued to meet there until the present Masonic Hall was built. The building was begun in 1871 and completed in 1873. The Masons began meeting in their new building in 1872. WALLFLOWER'S LTD. SPONSOR 7 - THE MINIER STORE The original Minier store on Main Street was bought from Mr. Tuttle by the present day Minier's grandfather, Samuel A. Minier in 1873. Grandfather Sam ran the store with his brother John. As time passed Henry B. Minier, Sr. took over. Henry B. Mnier, Jr. helped to run the country store with his father and brother Sam, who joined the business after he graduated from college in 1949. In 1959 a new Minier Brothers store was opened on its present site on Canal Street. ' ·,, . _, )f ... ,··r; •.· , . 1 . __ .... ,,, •·;;-- ..... 111111 8 - VOIGHT STORE Mr. and Mrs. Morris Voight, parents of Fred C. Voight, operated a harness shop and bakery on Main Street. The bakery was in operation in 1875. There was also a grist mill which burned down in 1909. Fred and his brother George operated the Voight's General Store up until 1948. In 1932 they built an addition on the east end of the store for hardware and dry goods. Fred also ran a photography business in the store. Fred is still alive and active in the Presbyterian Church where he has been a member for many years. He is an active Grange member with a sixty-seven year membership. • 9 - FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH Roswell Goff, in 1807, organized the First Baptist Churc;_h with twenty-eight members. The first services were held in homes, barns and schoolhouses. In 1827 a larger meeting house was built on the Cornelius Lowe farm and the church was known as the Baptist Tavern. It was occupied for the first time on January 19, 1828. The present First Baptist Church building on Canal Street was originally an Episcopal Church built in 1830. In 1851 the church was sold to the Baptists. Samuel Minier was instrumental in obtaining the building for the Baptists. It was moved to Canal Street where the entire church, lot and building were donated by Henry, Samuel and Telina Minier. After some remodeling by William L. Gibson of Elmira the first service was held in September, 1852. In 1854, the first Sunday School was organized. MINIER'S SUPER MARKET SPONSOR Picture photos copied with permission of Mr. and Mrs. Lyman Howe. 10 - METHODIST CHURCH A Methodist Class was formed in 1825 about the time the Presbyterian Church was organized. The society had a feeble existence for several years being supplied with Circuit Preachers. In 1853, under the influence of Dr. and Mrs. W. T. Reed and the efforts of the Rev. John Nevin, the small wood frame church on Canal Street was organized with a membership of twelve. The Rev. Isaac Ketchum was the first pastor appointed by the Annual Conference. A certificate of organization dated November 14, 1853 and recorded December 16, 1853 gave the church the title of the First Methodist Episcopal Church of the Town of Big Flats. During the Rev. Stathan's ministry in 1864, the first church edifice was started.