Question: When this structure was built in 1910 on a main street in the village it was described as “one of only a few in this country.” Do you know where it was and what made it unique?
Last week’s answer: In the late 1800s, Baldwinsville was a very busy community with much commerce. Many people came here to conduct business so there was a need for several large hotels to accommodate them. The Northwest Corner has been the site of three Seneca Hotels. The first one was built in 1832 and lasted until 1883. The second Seneca Hotel was short-lived — it lasted from 1883-1889 — and the last one existed from 1889–1935.
The photo from last week was taken right after the fire that destroyed the second Seneca on Nov. 19, 1889. It shows the Four Corners facing south. Many of the buildings that are shown on West Genesee Street still exist. The building on the southwest corner has had its top squared off since this was taken. The ruins on the lower right in the photo was what is left of the Seneca.
The fire that destroyed the second Seneca was a fast-moving one; within two hours it not only destroyed the hotel but also two warehouses that also held other businesses. The total losses ran between $250,000 and $300,000. Unfortunately, our water system did not start until 1890, so the firefighters did what they could but could not abate the fire.
Just a month later, the American Hotel, another large hostelry, caught fire and burned to the ground. This happened on Dec. 20.
Bill Mignault wrote in with the correct answer this week:
“The fire is what’s left of the Seneca Hotel that was where the green Van Wie block is now located,” he wrote in an email. “I think, not sure, but it burned Nov. 20, 1889. The buildings that you see are mostly still there, ex. the dry goods store building… The building at the left is still at the southwest corner of Genesee and Oneida streets. Its roofline has been changed some, but still there. The picture also shows a few horse and buggies. I can still remember Pearl Palmer telling the class about Baldwinsville’s history.”
New subscriber Alena Tyler also called in to identify the photo.
All of these hotels are very much a part of Baldwinsville’s history. If you haven’t seen a photo of them be sure to stop at the Baldwinsville Public Library or the Shacksboro Schoolhouse Museum and learn more about our wonderful community!
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.
