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"Near Westside Neighborhood" Welcome to Church Street, facing West.

Near Westside Neighborhood, Elmira, NY. West Church Street.

303 West Church Street

circa 1850

Remodled in 1916 TUDOR REVIVAL stle features.

The Hall family acquired the house in  the 1860's and it became the family homestead. The Halls were early settlers, businessmen. prominent citizens. Fred and Robert Hall owned and operated Hall Brothers, booksellers and stationers. Francis Hall, (Traveller) was briefly U. S.Consul to Japan, Mayor of the Village of Elmira, 1852-1860, and was instrumental in the establishment of the Steele Memorial Library,Arnot Ogden Memorial Hospital, and was noted for his philanthropies. Members of the Hall family, Edwin Church, owned and lived in the house until it was sold to Dr. Thomas Burke in 1926. Since 1937, the building has housed various professional offices, retail and commercial businesses, and individual apartments. In 1916, the Ithaca firm of Gibb and Waltz did the renovation resulting in the present style of the house.

304 West Church Street

306 West Church

310 West Church Street

311 West Church Street 

314-316 West Church Street

Church 323 circa 1850

355 West Church Street circa 1874 style Queen Anne and Eastlake

This parcel was part of Wisner's Town Plot, ;latted by Henry Wisnerin 1795. An initial frame dwelling was built by 1852, owned by R. Derby. In 1865, P. Morton owned the house. The present house was built for Frederick S. Steele, a prominent dry goods wholesaler, Steele lived there from 1875-1892. Between 1900-1902, The house was owned by Charles F. Riddle. In 1920, Mrs. Susan B. Fitch purchased the house. Mrs. Fitch, a dormitory for the Jean Summers Business School located at 363 West Church Street. In 1968, The Jean Summer's School became the Elmira Business Institute. The dormitory folded in 1975 and then was converted into apartments. Presently, it is being used as a nursing home for senior citizens.

359 West Church Street History of the home.

Architects Pierce and Bickford

     This home is a Second Empire. One of three remaining Second Empire homes in Elmira's Nationally registered historic district. The other two being www.thepaintedlady.net and Mark Twains best friends home on West First Street. This property was originally owned in 1795 by Henry Wisner. An early frame dwelling built before 1852, was razed in 1870 to make way for the current house, which took two years to build. Jackson Richardson, president of the J. Richardson and Company Boot and Shoe Company from 1861-till 1910. His estate included a formal garden, complete with carriage path and fountains, on the adjacent parcel to the west. Richardson's shoe company prospered during the Civil War. The first factory, with 50 employees in 1861.  The factory was located across West Water Street from the Harold's building in down town Elmira. In 1865 he employed 225.

     Jackson Richardson was the president of two banks in 1892: the Elmira National Bank and the Elmira Savings Bank. His position in the financial community and his real estate holdings indicate his important role in the city's post Civil war development.

     From 1910-1958, the house was owned by Daniel Kennedy, president of the Kennedy Valve Company. Kennedy Valve was founded in 1877 in lower Manhattan to make gate valves for the New York City Water System. In 1907, the firm moved to Elmira, a victory for the city's industrial promotion activities.

    Mr. Richardson was a friend with Rev. Beecher of Park Church. Mark Twain was also a friend of the Beechers. Did Mark Twain have a connection to this prominent home? Rev Beecher would take his sexton, pocket watch, telescope, and at his Water Cure Hill residents use his sun dial to set Jackson Richardson?s clock tower on his factory which was also a Pierce and Bickford. This is how Elmiran's set their clocks

359 West Church Street had a fire in the back carriage house which is being razed 4/11/09 photo's

www.HStrauss.com
H. Strauss Clothiers is currently housed in a beautiful and historic home on "Victorian Row" on West Church Street in Elmira, New York.  H. Strauss Clothiers occupies the first level of this remarkable home. The quaint and comfortable feeling of the historic home, makes shopping for the best in men's clothing a delightful and inspiring shopping experience.

Bruce Chalmers and his family (including "Abbey") occupy the upper stories.  Stop by and have Bruce tell you about this lovely old, half-timbered Victorian home. 

Historic Elmira, New York

Elmira, New York is located in the beautiful Finger Lakes district of New York state.  The town has a wonderful history involving many important and colorful figures including author Mark Twain, astronaut Eileen Collins, football legend Ernie Davis, motion picture pioneer Hal Roach, and broadcast journalist Brian Williams. 

Church Street after 1904 Gas street light hanging. Facing East.

411 W Church St Elmira, NY Slate Roof Repair's in the "Near Westside Neighborhood"

Before and After trees. Fireplace relief close up. Has been removed!

Church 426 circa 1885 carriage house.

423 W. Church Street circa 1860 George W/ Waters Ginger Bread Style with Gothic-like trimed porch.

Newel Post Top Railing at Social Connections

463 W. Church St  circa 1865 Greek Revival Style Charles Swan Insurance Co.

467-469 W Church Street Italianate circa 1865 NY Govener David Hill's and Elmira, NY Mayor home 1875-1895

    Church Street 510   circa 1893 

Entrance to Glove House above. Billiard Room below

http://albums.phanfare.com/slideshow.aspx?i=1&pw=3DbpuKZt&db=1&a_id=4529673

 Church Street 524    circa 1915

In 1956, the house was converted into a two family residence. The site for this house was bought from Frederick Hill, who owned the house directly to the east of this residence. It was built by George Peck, (1855-1937), who moved to Elmira in 1915 from Savona where he has started a chain of 10 hardware Stores. He opened his first hardware store in Elmira in 1911 at 216 West Water St. He was mayor of Elmira in 1920-21. During his admin istration, a new Main ST. Bridge was built and the Steele Memorial Lebrary was opened. When this house was oend in 1915, it was reputed to have cost $35,000. Other owners were Joel H. Carroll, a Dodge dealer and a community benefactor, Harry and Helen Baker, who was a partner in Keefe and Baker Insurance Co. and Gerald and Francis Steed, well known  pharmacists.

 

 Church Street 600   circa 1885

This lot was part of the William Hoffman Farm bought in 1803 and later sold to private owners for building homes. It remained an empty lot and changed ownership severaltimes. From 1874-85 it was owned by a M. D. Ridgeway. There was a Martha Ridgeway that was a seamstress amd ;ater dbeca,e a mirse/ Sje resoded a t 604 Doclspm/ 1885-1907 it belonged t A.D. Blair. He was a lawyer and had offices at 102 Lake St. and at 316 E. Water St. he was a Notary Public. Was a member of the Common Council in 1886-87. He lived in this home until his death in 1903. 1911-1936 George W. Wyckoff and his family lived in the house. He ws the president of A. Wyckoff & Son Co., a manufactuing company of wood water pipes and steam pipe coverings. It was one of the pioneer business concerns of this section, and the largest house of the kind in the world. Wyckoff was a socially prominent famil for many generations. They had one of the first in-ground swimming pools in the city. It was built in 1920. He was President of the Chamber of Commerce in 1915. was on the board of trustees for the Elmira Savings Bank (Southern Tier SavingsBank). He died in 1922, and his wife, Eleanor, continued to live in the house until 1936. In 1940-1953, Charles H. Sayre, President of Trayer Products, Inc. Lived in the house. In 1955-1975, Bernard Paltrowitz family occupied the home. He was an agent for Metropolitan Life Insurance Company. In 1976 to the present, Mary and Nip Barton Became owneres of the property, and it was converted to the "Barton's Rest Home" for elderly residents.

Church Street 607 circa 1886