Town of Wayne, NY History Group

This is a postcard showing Waneta Lake in the foreground and Keuka Lake with the Bluff in the background. For what it is worth, the elevation of Waneta is 1,098 feet above sea level while Keuka is 714 feet above sea level. I’m guessing the postcard dates from the 1970s?

I believe the B&W photo was taken in the Town of Wayne. I have asked it there is any additional information on the photo.

Not really a ‘history’ post, but something that could have historical ramifications going forward.

Many people know there is a site in the Town of Wayne referred to as ‘The Aisle of Pines’. It once housed a main house (mansion) and a gatehouse. The houses were built in 1854 for Sam Hallett by John Quick and Jesse H. Foster. Who actually conceived the design is not known. Quick was a carpenter who had a shop in Hammondsport and built houses there. The elegant house stood for nearly 120 years as a monument to Sam Hallett’s ambitions, and as a testimony to the designer’s ar...chitectural taste as well as to Foster and Quick’s solid construction. The original cost is not known. When it was moved and remodelled in 1912 and 1913 the Hammondsport Herald reported that around $30,000 was being expended on the place. In later years it passed through a number of hands and completely exhausted the resources of at least onetemporary owner. The house went through periods of glory and longer periods of neglect. When it burned March 12, 1973, the monument to the fame and legend of its originator and his family was gone. Below are 4 items from the Town of Wayne’s collection on Sam Hallett and The Aisle of Pines. The first is a color aerial photo taken from a postcard about 1970. Another photo, a B&W one is labeled ‘Girl Scouts water their horses at the fountain’ (no date). In the background is the house frequently referred to as The Gatehouse (which exists today). The 3rd photo shows the main house (mansion) circa 1920. And finally, the Town also has a copy of the 8-page booklet by Ada B. Turner ‘Aisle of Pines’ (circa 1958). The mansion no longer exists but the land and gatehouse are in private hands today.

I was sorting through Town of Wayne History files and found this 1/2 sheet of paper. It allegedly describes how the name of Keuka Lake changed from Crooked Lake to Keuka Lake around 1880. This story, apparently from a publication called Finger Lakes Topics of May 1926, credits the name change to the wine industry. Has anyone heard this story before? Does anyone know anything about this publication - The Finger Lakes Topics? Does anyone have opposing information? It doesn’t list a wine company - any information out there to identify the company? Thanks.

In the 1920's, the construction of small regional electrical power generating plants had begun. The Wayne, NY, area was no exception. In 1929, a hydroelectric plant was constructed on Keuka that utilized the waters from Waneta and Lamoka - which are about 385 feet above Keuka - to power the turbines. Because of this, developers began to imagine how the new power source could spawn regional projects. One such project was to develop the northwest shore of Waneta with a project called Sylvan Beach. Here is a brochure announcing their plan and how it was related to the yet-to-be-opened power plant.

Probably the most recognized location in the Town of Wayne is actually not in the Town of Wayne. It is the present intersection of Rte. 230, The Old Bath Road and the Hammondsport-Wayne Rd. This is a photo originally taken in 1912 that looks north east. The Wayne Baptist Church is along the road to the right - which today is Rte. 230. The road to the upper left is the Old Bath Road (today County Rte. 26). The building in the center no longer stands and today is a commercial building which is home to Roadmasters (previously Mercury Aircraft). Everything you see in this photo is actually in the Town of Tyrone, Schuyler County - not in the Town of Wayne.

The Town of Wayne History Group is in the process of sorting through and updating their holdings. In going through the files, we notice that we did not have many photos of certain business/buildings that operated in the Town over the last 70 or so years. So if anyone has vintage photos of the exterior of the following, we would appreciate your sharing them or donating them to the Town History Group. Here is a list of what we are looking for: Country Tavern (c. 1965-69) Ros...es Restaurant (then French Quarter and then Blondies - the old Sackett store in Keuka Village) Country Host restaurant (also called Shucker's Cove, then Keuka Cone, and now Keg and Barrel) Country Host Motel Branding Iron Restaurant Morse's Store on Rte. 54 Any old photos of Wayne Four Corners (Fleet Rd at Ridge Rd) The Hydroelectric Plant and/or the Pipeline Any shot from Keuka looking towards Wayne showing Central Point cottages, the Hydroelectric Plant or Keuka Hotel Thanks in advance for any help. Just post them in the comments section or let us know if you have something and we can arrange to pick it up. (Below is a photo of Rose's restaurant, c 1974?)

Earlier this month, I posted a summary sheet I discovered in the Town of Wayne History Office files. It lists the name changes of the three local lakes over the past 220 years (Keuka, Waneta and Lamoka). Well today I found a newspaper article (Ithaca Journal, September 2, 1927) which summarized the proposed idea of changing Keuka’s name to Guyanoga by the Keuka Yacht Club.

In going through some Town of Wayne History Office files, I discovered this - a mid-1980s attempt to track the name changes of the 3 lakes in the Wayne area. According to this find, old maps and reference books indicate that in the 1790s, the names were Crooked, Small and Mud. Over the next 230 years, Crooked turned into Keuka; Small was changed to Mud then to Little and finally to Waneta; while Mud morphed into Muddy and then Lamoka. Anyway, if anyone has any other references that give clarity to the changing names, please share it (especially if you are an attorney and know any of the NY Stare laws/statutes mentioned). Thanks in advance.

Most cities and towns have communities or neighborhoods that are easily recognized. For example Corning has The Gaffer District, Elmira has the Near West Side District, and Rochester has Neighborhood of the Arts. Wayne is no exception. It has Keuka (or Keuka Village) and Grove Springs for example. But it has other less known areas. Two of those are North Urbana and Wayne Four Corners, which can be seen on the bottom of this 1903 Topographic Map of the Hammondsport Quadra...ngle shown below. None of these communities or neighborhoods have their own government or are recognized under NY State Law. However there is one thing they do share - post offices. Yes, Keuka, Grove Springs, North Urbana and Wayne Four Corners all had operating post offices - and for decades. All together there were 5 separate Post Office (with distinct letter cancels) in Wayne - North Urbana, Wayne Four Corners, Keuka, Grove Springs and Wayne. They all began operating around 1850. North Urbana, Wayne Four Corners and Grove Springs all closed around 1902 when Rural Free Delivery was introduced by the US Post Office. The Keuka Post Office, located at Sackett's Store on Keuka Village Road, operated until 1955. And one last bit of Post Office trivia - the Town of Wayne Post Office itself - has NEVER been located in the Town of Wayne. It has always been located in the Town of Tyrone, Schuyler County, just outside of the eastern boundary of the Town of Wayne. See more

The Town of Wayne, like many other municipalities, has many neighborhoods. Some of them are Wayne Four Corners, Central Point, Crystal Beach and Keuka Village (Keuka Village is actually not an incorporated municipality under NY State laws and is a part of the Town of Wayne). Anyway, before Keuka Village was called Keuka Village, it was referred to as Keuka Landing during most of the 1800s. It was referred to as Keuka Landing because it was home to a Steamer stop that was ...used to deliver and pick up passengers and products such as grapes. After the rise of trains and automobiles, the steamers on Keuka died out and the landing ended up being the main dock for the Keuka Hotel. There are very few if any photos of Keuka Landing. However there was one - which is presented here. It is from an article in the May 30, 1940 Penn Yan Chronicle-Express written by Mrs. Charles Rose. The photo did not contain a date, but we are guessing sometime around 1890. See more

So - let’s see another map of Wayne. This one actually supersedes the municipal borders of Wayne. First, note that the red lines separate counties and towns - Steuben (Wayne) to the left, Schuyler (Tyrone) to the bottom right and Yates (Barrington) on the top right. Then note the blue lines (forming sort of a box with a triangle at the upper right). That represents the boundaries that the Town of Wayne Fire Department services. Under contract with both Schuyler and Yates, the Wayne Fire Department provides protection to portions of Barrington and Tyrone. The contracts are reviewed/ updated yearly. The Fire Department Borders in this drawing only approximate - Steuben County has the exact boundaries.