Historic Huron
2016 Open House Newsletter
volume 2 number 1
Seeking Friends for the Huron Grange.
In October 2015, The Western New York Landmark Society listed the Huron Grange on its Five To Revive roster. The Five to Revive recognition is intended to instill pride and incentive for communities to pay a little closer attention to their buildings and work toward preservation and use (or reuse) of the structures.
A long-term goal of the Huron Historian is to revitalize the Huron Grange. There are many steps needing to be taken to do this, and a single person cannot do it alone. Any interested individuals who may like to be part of preserving and reviving the Grange Building are invited to contact Rosa Fox either by email or phone (see back of this newsletter) for more information. A meeting will be planned for early fall at the Grange to discuss what has been happening, ideas for possible use, and steps toward moving forward to make the Huron Grange a special monument in our community.
Historic Huron – Grants 2015-2016
Huron received two grants this year – one from the Western New York Landmark Society in the amount of $3000 for the completion of a building site report of the Huron Grange. Bero Architecture of Rochester completed the site report in December 2015. It provides a framework for preservation, maintenance, and proper material selection for any work to be done on the building.
A second grant in the amount of $2000 was received from the Hoffman Foundation (Wayne County). This grant has made possible the restoration of three of the Grange leader chairs.
History Revisioned – James Madison Cosad –
Many thanks to Ruth and Jim Chatfield for sharing valuable information about a nineteenth-century resident of Huron. The Chatfield’s information has set the Huron Historian on a history detective path – great fun!!!
Briefly – James Madison Cosad moved from Junius in Seneca County to the Chimney Bluff/East Bay area of Huron in 1856. He later bought property on Lummisville Road (June McDougall’s) in 1858. In 1876 Cosad built what was to be known as Liberal Hall across the road from his house ( – ). In August 1877, Cosad hosted the first Freethinkers meeting at Cosad’s Grove. Estimates are that nearly 1500 attended the three-day event. Information can be found about the Freethought Trail (http://www.freethought-trail.org). James M. Cosad is listed with others of significance in this movement: Susan B. Anthony, Frederick Douglas, Matilda Joslyn Gage, Robert Green Ingersoll, Amy Post, Gerrit Smith, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton.
Freethinkers had a number of political platforms – women’s rights, abolition of slavery, and separation of church and state. The local Freethinkers views were closely aligned with those of the Republican Party of the late 1800s.
Cosad’s role in the Freethinkers movement and the timing of events surrounding the Civil War leads one to question what his role in the Underground Railroad may have been. More to come about this very interesting topic as the Huron History detective unearths more clues!
Huron Historian Publishes Local History Book about Sodus Bay
Huron Historian, Rosa Fox has authored and recently published through the Arcadia Publishing’s Postcard History Series, a new history book titled Great Sodus Bay. The volume is a collection of postcards and other images of the Great Sodus Bay area from circa 1890 to 1930. Each image has a caption to tell a bit of local history relative to that particular image. Drawn from the Foxes’ private postcard collection and enhanced by the postcard and photo collections of the Town of Huron, Sodus Bay Historical Society, and other individuals and organizations, this historic tour of our Great Sodus Bay is sure to have something for everyone who is fond of or has any kind of connection to these Silvery Waters! The book may be purchased from the author or from the Sodus Bay Lighthouse Museum gift store.
Programs of a Local Note
Wayne County New York Genealogical Society. This organization provides programs highlighting family and local historic research. Meetings are January through November – the fourth Tuesday of the month– at the Newark-Arcadia Historical Society Museum at 120 High Street, Newark, NY. (www.wcnygs.com).
Sodus Bay Historical Society History Alive Series. Informative local history programing, free to the public May through September. (www.sodusbaylighthouse.org).
Local Historical Societies often offer local history programs – check the Facebook page of the Rose Historical Society (www.facebook.com/Historic.Rose) and the website of the Wolcott Historical Society (www.wolcottny.org/wolcott-historical-society.html) for up to date information on programs relative to our area.
Contributions Welcome!!
Historical donations are always welcome!
Stories or other information relative to the donation are helpful and encouraged. When thinking about giving donations to your local historical archives, it very is important to consider keeping collections intact. Ideally, this kind of archival practice allows the researcher, historian, or other interested persons a clearer picture of a person, place, or item’s history.
Photos
Journals
Memorabilia
Historic information of people, places, businesses, items, events
Apple and other farming history and items
Other contributions to the historic preservation cause are also welcome.
Cleaning
Sorting
Cataloging
Transcribing
Spring gardening at Old Town Hall
Monetary Donations
Are
Always Accepted!
Rosa Fox, Huron Historian
315-573-4493
Sue Bacon, Deputy Historian
Kara Chapin, Archival Volunteer
Facebook: Historic Huron, NY
Website: www.historichuron.org