Harford Livery Museum

This week in 1880, Bergen was dealing with the devastation of the Great Fire which occurred in the early morning hours of March 1st . 33 businesses and residences were destroyed by the fire on both the East and West side of Lake St (mostly north of the Rochester and Buffalo St intersection). The fire was believed to have started in the barn of H.A. King, which was adjoining his warehouse. Within minutes of the fire being discovered, it spread to the warehouse and within 1...5 minutes (due to the fact businesses were connected and made of wood) several explosions had taken place. The fire was eating up the buildings on both sides of Lake St which resulted in most of the business district to be left in ruins. Refer to the images from 1875 included in this post as to what Lake St looked like before the fire. Source: Jodi Fisher Genealogist and Archivist Bergen Historical Archives See more

The Dairylea Ladies Luncheon, 1972. This was an annual tea party type get together often held during fair season. Shown here are some of the most revered women of Bergen. From L-R, Shirley Paine, Tally Almquist, Lucille Miller, and Marietta Wilcox.

Wishing everyone a beautiful Martin Luther King Jr Day from the Bergen Historian’s Office.

Christmas Day in Bergen ca. 1920. Jim Thompson and his niece, Judith are likely on their way to visit family. Merry Christmas everyone!

On this day in 1777, George Washington’s army marches into Valley Forge. The army would stay there for a long winter encampment. When you think of Valley Forge, you probably think of half-clothed and starving men, suffering through a long (long!) winter, barely surviving. But Valley Forge was so much more than that. For one thing, the mood in Valley Forge was significantly better than you might imagine. Yes, some men were not well-clothed and suffered hardships accordingly. B...ut the men who were more fully outfitted took the difficult outdoor tasks. And everyone pitched in, finding supplies in the area around them. Did you know that they built a small city of huts to house themselves? The National Park Service website describes the scene: The sound that would have reached your ears on approaching the camp was not that of a forlorn howling wind, but rather that of hammers, axes, saws, and shovels at work. Yes! The men were self-sufficient! And determined! THIS is the ethic that our country was founded upon. Other good things happened at Valley Forge, too. Washington used the time to do two things: First, he used the long months to better train his men. Baron Von Steuben, a Prussian, arrived in February 1778. He ran training drills and generally helped the men to evolve into a more professional army. Second, Washington used the time to reestablish his credibility with Congress. (His credibility was suffering after a few recent losses and A LOT of bad-mouthing.) In late January, a five-member delegation from Congress came to visit the army. Washington won this delegation over; the members of that committee became his allies and helped him to implement some of the reforms that he wanted. Yes, the winter was long in many respects. Many men died from the flu, typhus, and other diseases. Yet, at the same time, the army improved. It emerged from its winter encampment better able to take on the British. One final note: Did you know that George Washington literally never returned home from 1775 all the way until 1781? Throughout his life, Mount Vernon was the single most important possession that he owned. Yet for all the years of the Revolution, he did not return to his home. In 1777, this meant that he joined his men in a difficult winter encampment just outside Philadelphia. Valley Forge is often painted as a time of despaira low pointin our country’s history. Such a picture covers up the more inspiring story of what really happened there that winter.

Hey! Our tree was featured in this weeks video for the Holland Land Office Museum’s announcement for Wonderland of Trees! I always participate in this annual event and represent the Bergen Historian’s Office and The Bergen Historical Society. It was fun to decorate the tree this year as it’s been a difficult time for all of us. It carried me into the Christmas spirit! Be sure to take some time out to go see the trees and enter for a chance to win one of many gift baskets at H...LOM! Thomas Tiefel Bergen Town Historian https://fb.watch/1WrcMiN8UV/

Here’s something that you don’t see very often. A post-auction final sales list. This auction was held in Bergen in the spring of 1851. While the prices may seem very low by today’s standards, the rate of inflation over the past 169 years actually works out be roughly $34 to every $1 in today’s money. By this figure, the items that were sold at this auction were likely in very good condition.

On this day, we wish to thank all who served.

HISTORY OF THE BYRON BERGEN CENTRAL SCHOOL DISTRICT SCHOOL LIFE IN THE 19TH CENTURY THE BEGINNING... The first schools it is assumed, were taught in the homes as the early pioneers of Bergen were busy clearing the lands and constructing the necessary buildings that were needed to create a town. It wasn’t until a sufficient number of children could be gathered that a proper schoolhouse would be built. At This time, the settlers would build a log cabin serving not only as a school, but a church as well. This log cabin school was built sometime between 1800-1810 and the location is unknown. By the 1840’s, Bergen had a total of 8 school buildings and each was deemed a district. The buildings themselves were fairly uniform. They averaged twenty to thirty feet in width and thirty five to forty feet in length. They were of wood construction and usually painted white, except in the case of District Number seven which was painted red for an unknown reason. The floors were wood plank and the desks were constructed of the same. District Number One: was erected about 1840 and was located in North Bergen District Number Two: was also erected in 1840 and was located at the corner of Jericho and Townline roads. District Number Three: was also erected in 1840 and located on Route 19, just south of Sackett road. District Number Four: was erected around 1842 and located on the corner of Creamery and West Sweden roads. District Number Five: was erected in 1843 and located on the corner of Swamp and Jericho roads. District Number Six: was also erected around 1843 and located on West Bergen road. District Number Seven: was erected in 1867 and was located on Route 19, just north of the village. In 1923 a fire destroyed the building and the new location was acquired on Rochester Street. District Number Eight: was erected in 1850 and was located at Stone Church on Route 19.

It was on this day in 1792 that the cornerstone of the White House was laid by George Washington. Ironically, Washington would be the only president to never live in the White House. From the Library of Congress: The Cornerstone Of The White House Was Laid... October 13, 1792 Who was the first president to live in the White House? Although George Washington helped to choose the site for the residence while he was president, he never lived at the famous house. Philadelphia had been the country's capital before Congress declared the city of Washington the permanent capital of the United States in 1791. The cornerstone of the White House was laid on October 13, 1792. Eight years later, John Adams, the second president, and his wife Abigail, moved into the mansion. A competition had been held to design the presidential residence. Can you guess which future president participated in the competition? Thomas Jefferson was among the many people who submitted a plan for the White House. His design, however, was not chosen. Instead, James Hoban, an Irish immigrant architect living in Charleston, South Carolina, won the competition and a $500 prize, with a design modeled after Leinster House in Dublin, Ireland. Constructed of white-gray sandstone, the presidential mansion was called the White House as early as 1812. President Theodore Roosevelt officially adopted the term in 1901. Over the years, the original building has been expanded, reinforced, set on fire, and rebuilt. British troops burned the White House during the War of 1812. The structure was rebuilt, enlarged, and readied for President James Monroe by 1817. While President and Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt and their six children lived at the White House, the second-floor rooms were converted into living quarters. The West Wing was also built during this period to house the presidential staff. Today the White House has more than 130 rooms. The presidential family lives in the main building, and the president's office is in the West Wing. Did you know that the White House also has a swimming pool, a gym, and a movie theater? About 1.5 million people tour the White House every year. Have you visited this house where the president lives?

This photo is believed to be the only one in existence of what would have been the original District #7 schoolhouse that was constructed around 1825-1830. This school would have first stood at the corner of Lake Ave. and Appletree Ave. Keeping in mind, the original village of Bergen was located at the intersection of Route 19 and Townline roads. In 1867, the school was relocated to Route 19 , just North of the village we know today. In 1923, fire destroyed this location and the school was once again relocated to Rochester St, which would later become the first Bergen High School (see additional information on a previous post Bergen Union School).

Rose Mac Vean and Florence Ferguson on a Saturday afternoon visit in North Bergen 8/30/1958.

As we embark on our first day of school, I thought it would be an excellent opportunity to create an album dedicated to our town’s history of education. It appears that Laura Church was an excellent pupil back in 1896. The Bergen Union School was considered an organized school in the early 1890’s specifically focused on those students who wanted the option of a continuing education. This was considered to be grades 9-12. The idea of this originated in the 1860’s, however... the numbers of students were scarce in the one room school house that typically taught up to eighth grade. In 1867, district building number seven would become known as the high school. Many girls who had the desire to become teachers attended. The high school was considered a private school until 1894, when it was then recognized by the State of New York. A primary factor of this recognition was the increased number of attendees as well as the formal organization known as The Bergen Union School complete with a school board that was formed the previous year. See more

Ca. 1934 Joseph Claude General Store located at 15 S. Lake St. There were usually no fewer than 3 grocery/general stores operating at any given time during the 1920’s and 30’s in the 1/4 mile stretch known as the business district. All were successful, and this was likely due to our passenger rail system and state route 19. Bergen was bustling with travelers and locals Monday-Saturday.

The cannon are back on display at the Holland Land Office Museum. They are a must see! Each one has been restored to the exact arsenal specifications. I encourage you to stop by and see them the next time you’re in Batavia.

Hesperus Lodge members L to R, Enghet Odom, George Hunt, Herb Seeley, Andrew Keller, Ray Brown, Harold Wiford, Ken Gough, and Noble Grand. Ca. 1950’s

I wish to thank Bill Schutt and Genesee County for their generous donation of PPE supplies to help get the Harford Livery Museum and Bergen Historian’s Office NYS compliant to deal with the COVID-19 crisis. We will be announcing our re-opening with protocol in the coming days!

157 YEARS AGO - July 1, 1863 - Battle of Gettysburg Confederate Generals Robert E. Lee and A.P. Hill stood in front of the Cashtown Inn on the morning of July 1. They listened to the sounds of a growing battle in the distance, a few miles east, near Gettysburg. There, two Confederate infantry brigades clashed with two Union cavalry brigades and, because the armies were marching toward each other, the fighting intensified as additional troops arrived. Soon, the rest of Hill's corps hurried forward to join the fray. The greatest battle of the Civil War was initially thought to be a small skirmish and nothing more. Nothing would ever be the same for both sides after these coming few days.

Ca. April 1955 Juddy’s Diner 8144 Buffalo Rd (Rt 33) and Mert Reynolds posing with his school bus.

It’s not very often that Civil War era campaign photos surface from the Bergen men who served. I was recently contacted by a former Bergen resident who is a descendent of the Dean family who settled in Bergen in the 1850’s. The 8th NY Heavy Artillery Co. H had a number of Bergen men who served. Two of the more prominent were 1st Lt. Marshal Cook and Lt. Thomas J. Dean (seated far right) Thomas was the grandfather of Merton Dean who proudly served our community in various ways... from the 1940’s-1980’s. Designated 8th regiment of artillery (heavy): beginning in December 19, 1862, the Boys from Bergen witnessed major battles as Spottsylvania Court House, Cold Harbor, Petersburg, and Lee’s surrender at Appomattox. Both Marshal Cook and Thomas Dean suffered serious injuries, but both men survived the war and went on to dedicate their lives to Bergen’s town government and various organizations. We are in the process of collecting this additional information and it will be a great asset to our limited collection of Bergen Civil War history. See more

Ca. 1915 Dennis Kearney - Kearney’s Barber Shop was located at 25 N. Lake Ave. (W side business district) Kearney operated his business from 1913-1924. The cost of his services in 1915 was, $.35 for a haircut, $.15 for a standard shave, and an additional $.10 if you wanted your locks trimmed. All of these prices increased by $.05 due to the start of The Great War (WW1).

The old Bergen Town Hall at 13S Lake. L-R. Monica Cunningham, Gilbert Blue, and Dorothy Sackett.

Happy Easter everyone!