Question: This structure is obviously undergoing change. But it is difficult to tell from this picture of exposed beams and braces whether construction or demolition is underway. Do you know the story behind the photo?
Last week’s answer: The photo from last week was taken at the edge of Charlotte Street across from the Methodist Church. It shows the north side of West Genesee Street as it appeared sometime after 1887 and before 1896.
The intersection of West Genesee (Bridge) and Charlotte streets shows the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument, which was erected 1887. The building on the left on the north side of West Genesee Street was a livery stable. The structure with the tower was the first building used as a village hall. The double doors were for the fire engine and the tower was used for drying hoses. It burned on Dec. 4, 1896. Moving to the right is a house barely visible behind the tree. It was moved in the spring of 1897 when the village purchased extra land for the erection of the present village hall. It now is located on West Genesee Road two houses beyond Dexter Parkway. Next to that is the second Seneca Hotel [which burned in 1889].
Note both the roads are dirt.
The date is probably close to 1887, as the monument appeared to have been recently erected. Later photos show it surrounded with a chain fence; then lampposts on each side with an oil light on top; an animal watering trough at its base and much later a water hydrant.
A further mystery as yet unanswered: what are the two poles on the left side of the photo? No wires are visible. Gas was discovered in 1896, and very limited electricity was generated until 1897.
The first to correctly answer this week’s History Mystery was Betsy Barbour, though we also received several guesses on our Facebook page.
Contact Editor Sarah Hall at [email protected] or leave a message at 434-8889 ext. 310 with your guess by 5 p.m. Friday (please leave the information in the message; we are not generally able to return calls regarding History Mystery responses). If you are the first person to correctly identify an element in the photo before the deadline, your name and guess will appear in next week’s Messenger, along with another History Mystery feature. History Mystery is a joint project of the Museum at the Shacksboro Schoolhouse and the Baldwinsville Public Library.
