by Old Mentz | Dec 7, 2014 | Cayuga County, downtown, Mentz, Port Byron
The downtown of Port Byron has certainly had its up and downs. The old photographs and postcards show stores, restaurants, and garages, and all the needs to serve the local population. But it is safe to say that prior to 1920, the local stores were well patronized as...
by Old Mentz | Nov 3, 2014 | Fred Thrush, Interurban railroad, Octagon Cabins, Port Byron, Rochester Syracuse and Eastern, Sam Harnden
These photos have been kicking around for a long time, but I never tire of looking at them. Thanks go to Bill Hecht for cleaning them up. In case you don’t recognize these, they are the waiting rooms from the old Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Interurban...
by Old Mentz | Oct 21, 2014 | Chuttey, downtown, Harvey C Ware, map, Mentz, Port Byron
Some times in history we get to say Wow! and Huh! at the same time. Some times a artifact will answer a question and also create more questions. Here is a great example. Mike Chuttey was born in Centralia PA in 1905 to Jacob and Mary. Shortly after, the family moved...
by Old Mentz | Sep 27, 2014 | American Legion, depot, Interurban railroad, Mentz, Port Byron
The nice folks over at the American Legion have been going through a remodel and I see that the grand opening is coming soon. So it seems a proper time to take a look at the building. Above we see the building as it looks today, Anyone who knows the history of...
by Old Mentz | Sep 21, 2014 | Brigham Young, David B Smith, James Pine, Mentz, Port Byron
The Society received a request from someone in California asking for a photo of Brigham Young’s house. This person was a direct relative of BY and her (many great) Great Grandmother was born in Port Byron. Quite honestly, for me, there are many other great...
by Old Mentz | Aug 13, 2014 | church, Federated Church, Mentz, Port Byron, Presbyterian Church
Thanks to Jodi Yale, we are able to complete our photo tour of Port Byron’s old churches. The Presbyterian Church was later to become the Federated Church which made headlines everywhere when it was destroyed in the 1998 Labor Day Storm. The clock tower...
by Old Mentz | Aug 8, 2014 | Erie Canal, Erie House, Lock 52, Mentz, Port Byron
Back in the days before the Thruway was constructed, Maiden Lane use to leave the village and continue out into the muck lands. Now of course, Maiden Lane is a dead end, replaced by Maiden Lane Road. Both these views were taken from Maiden Lane, offering a panoramic...
by Old Mentz | Jul 30, 2014 | Uncategorized
July 28, 2014To the Honorable Mayor and Village Trustees;Over the past week, I, acting as President of the Lock 52 Historical Society, have been dealing with the issue of a upcoming fund raiser and where to locate it. Two years ago, the Board of the Lock 52 Historical...
by Old Mentz | Apr 16, 2014 | Alice L Crosby, Harvey C Ware, Mentz, Port Byron
Do you know this man? Unlikely that you will as he died in 1926. This is Harvey C. Ware the senior. His son was Harvey C. Ware Jr., the man who ran a garage on Utica Street. In researching Harvey Sr., I came across this article that received play in many local...
by Old Mentz | Mar 30, 2014 | Mack House, Main Street, Peck, Port Byron, William Warren Mack, WW Mack
If you enjoy looking at post cards of local scenes, you may have seen this one, or some much like it. The house was so over the top, that it attracted a lot of attention, at least from the photographers. All the cards say “Mack Residence” or “Mack...