Bill Pilgrim

By Anita Messina Bill Pilgrim is remembered as Port Byron’s Chairman of the Zoning Board of Appeals, as president of the Port Byron School Board, as a friend with a great sense of humor. But not many knew he was the holder of nine patents, each responsible for an...

Work at the Mt. Pleasant Cemetery

The name Akin is not well known when it comes to Mentz history. We tend to think of names such as King, Buck, Rooker, and many others. But Akin? The story of Ethen Akin will be the subject of a upcoming column, but for the purpose of today’s article, we look to deaths...
More on the Barge Canal

More on the Barge Canal

Last month, I wrote about the change over from the old Erie Canal to the new Barge Canal in the spring of 1918. I wanted to get into this a bit more this month. The impact of the new canal for the people of Cayuga County was minimal, if not negative. The new route of...

The Changing Landscape in 1918

The spring of 1918 would be very different for the three canal villages of Cayuga County. No longer would water fill the canal that had helped to shape the villages 98 years prior. No longer would the citizens hear the sound of tin horns blown by the passing boatmen....

Spring Newsletter and Appeal

It’s spring appeal time again! Yes, we know, no one likes to be asked for money, and believe me, no one likes asking you for money. But the Society does need your support. We can’t survive without your help. So if you enjoy what we do, ask yourself if it...