CAZENOVIA — Cazenovia Heritage will kick off its 2025 schedule of programs with a free presentation on the “Lakeland” estate on Saturday, Feb. 22, at 2 p.m., at the Cazenovia Public Library.
Cazenovia Heritage Vice President Ted Bartlett will take attendees on “a visual tour” of the estate, which was the former home of Samuel Forman (1763-1860), a merchant and one of Cazenovia’s earliest settlers.
“The visual tour will not be an interactive program but a historical presentation, with PowerPoint, on the historic development and historic features of today’s Lakeland Park,” said Bartlett, who is the senior associate and senior preservation planner for Crawford & Stearns, Architects and Preservation Planners in Syracuse.
Forman ventured into the Central New York wilderness with Holland Land Company agent John Lincklaen to set up a new community, assist in land sales, and operate the community’s first store. He eventually purchased the store and expanded his business holdings into several neighboring communities.
His grand mansion, “Lakeland,” was constructed in 1813 to closely resemble Lincklaen’s “Lorenzo.” However, Forman did not live in his home long enough to see it completed.
“About the time that John Lincklaen died, Forman moved to Syracuse to manage other projects,” said Bartlett. “The Ten Eyck family purchased the Lakeland estate by the mid-19th century and made most of the familiar Lakeland estate features.”
The Village of Cazenovia purchased the property in 1935 for use as a public park and razed the main house in 1937. Today, Carpenter’s Barn and the Forman Street iron fence are the most prominent remaining features of the estate.
Established in 2021, Cazenovia Heritage is a non-profit community organization that seeks to conserve the area’s cultural resources, including the historic architecture, neighborhoods, sites, and objects that contribute to Cazenovia’s unique sense of place and character.
The organization recently added its 2025 program schedule to its website at cazheritage.org/programs. As each event approaches, the time and location will be posted on the Cazenovia Heritage homepage under “Announcements.”
“This year, we will continue to have programs highlighting historic architecture, places, objects, and people,” said Cazenovia Heritage President Anne Ferguson. “They will include a return of ‘Legonovia,’ new walking tours of neighborhoods, and a driving tour [of] the homes of famous Cazenovians. Something for every age.”
