iXkht A" ' r:\ i\ iai_ i '\C 6827 G32 B36 Cornell University Library The original of tiiis book is in tine Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924024415857 Y- THIS BOOKLET Aims briefly to indicate by means of amateur photos and a short historical sketch, a few of the desirable features of THE LENOX AVENUE TRACT as a location for Ideal Homes Large lots, perfect title, easy terms, good neighbors, ccnti'ally located, six minutes from post-office and the business center of the city. Head of Wash- ington Street. WARNER E. DANPORD .JOHN R. BAKER There is a grove of forest trees on the West and the lots are of gen- erous size. The lots are suitable for investment or for homesteads for business and professional men. Foi Further Information Write or Call on CHARI/E^S D. BBAN, 9 Masonic Temple, Geneva, N. Y. NAd Two ol' the young men who attend the Endymion Summer School; which is held in the Forest Grove on the Lenox Tract, tor six weeks each year. — The Camp omitted this year on account of the war. Lectures by Distinguished College Professors, Professional and Business Men. Adelphi Lodge. Two-story and basement stone Bungalow. Rasy Terms A Bargain. Invest Now. Own a Home. An Ideal Home on the Lenox Tract. An Outing on the Lenox Tract. "Maple Hill," Geneva, N. Y. "Buena "Vista," From the Bast, Claymer &. Menge's House. "Far View," Dr. Spengler's House. "Get back to nature, at least as near as you can and nature will repay you a thousand fold in Health and Happiness." "Claremont," Mr. A. R. Thayer's House. "Buy a home first," should be to every normal man more than a mere saying. Every right-thinking man with a family wants to have a home of his very own where the rent collector does not call every month. Where he gets the real benefit of his time and money spent on the pro- perty in which he lives: A Home which daily be- comes more valuable, attract- ive and Homelike. A Home which possesses Individual- ity of its own. I Washington Street Corner in 1914 and Mr. Glen Gray's House The Original Advertisement of the Lenox Tract FOR SALE — Lots and Houses in all sections of the city of Geneva. Your opportunity to own a home and save money. Any one interest- ed from out of town should write or call for Illustrated Descriptive ^^ Pamphlet Free, of the LENOX AVENUE TRACT. v^ CHARLES D. BEAN, Masonic Temple, Geneva, N. Y. Large Lots, Perfect Title, Easy Terms, Good Neighbors Surveying Party At the Head of Washington and Hamilton Streets. Suitable for Investment or Homesteads for Business and Professional Men Driving Wells on the Lenox Tract On the Lenox Tract An attractive Twelve Room Corner House, with One or Two Lots about Two Acres, Well, Cistern, Fruit Trees, Carriage House &c. Splendid dairy cellar, cement floored with outside stone stairway, and inside stairs. Three- fourths of the Purchase Price Could Remain on Mortgage For Ten Years or More, if Desired. July 4th. Ready For One of the Field Day Events. Six hundred trees, three hundred of them fruit trees of all the choice varieties, have been set out on the fifty lots the past year. Social and Field Events are occasionally held in the Grove on the Property. Method of Construction. Practically Fire proof Houses. With un- usual natural advantages to begin with, the Lenox Tract is being developed in a way to constantly and steadily increase its value. Titles Guaranteed. Every person who buys a Lot on the Lenox Tract, receives an Ab- stract of Title free, of his Property. Any well known lawyer in Ge- neva preferred by the purchaser, is employed to examine and pass upon the search, that the buyers of the Lenox Lots may feel that they receive an absolutely good title. — Pour lots, $500 each, $100 down, rest on mortgage. Lot, one half acre. Two Pine Forest Trees. Faces Washington and Tremont Streets. Valuable Gravel and Sand Pit on one corner, Ten Hundred. Lot, One and One-Fourth Acres. (52,632 Square Feet) $800. Think how many potatoes this would raise. Cheapest Lot in Geneva for the price. Lot, 185 Feet Square. Paces two streets. Lot, on Hamilton Street, Stone Pavement, 100 feet front, 500 feet deep, "Hill Crest" Lot, 100x275. Finest Single Building Lot in Geneva. Head of Washington Street. Walter S. Jeffers' House under construction.. An Ideal Bungalow. Every Modern Im- provement. A Corner of the Swimming Tank, on the Lenox Tract. In Summertime. Reception Room. One of the Homes on the Lenox Tract. Library Porch on the Lenox Tract. The Indian Marker — With Group of Keuka Indians. South Doorway of the Priory; on the Lenox Tract. Formerly the Main Entrance to Banker Southworth's mansion, a landmark which made way for the New Methodist Church at the head of Seneca Street. DELPHIAN HISTORICAL SOCIETY OF GENEVA ELECTED OFFICERS, 1 882- 1917 President 1882 General John B. Murray 1883 Dr. John Towler 1884 Charles D. Bean 1886 Rev. Peyton Gallagher 1888 Hon. Geo. W. Nicholas 1890 Sherman Coolidge 1892 Dr. Herman J. Abel 1894 Dr. Edwin R. Maxson 1898 Joseph Michaelson 1900 Lewis H. Clark 1903 Rev. Percy T. Fenn 1906 Jasper B. Stahl 1909 Rev. H. L. Gaylord 1911 Adrian R. Wadsworth 1913 Dr. John A. Spengler 1914 Dr. Orrin D. Kingsley 1915 Judge A. R. Wyckoff 1916 Dr. Wm. W. Hopkins Secretary Rev. Payton Gallagher James M. Mowry Hassan S. Snyder Hon. George S. Conover Hugh Conley Seward Henry W. Conklin Robert H. Gere James G. Simpson Rev. Lewis Halsey Walter H. Renn .Henry G. Meacham Warner B. Danlord Vernon Van Derburg Frank C. Hofmann John R. Serena Clarence D. Kendall Willard H. Davie Glenn W. Gray Sergeant-At-Arms George W. Bostwick William J. Snyder Myric M. Kelly Dr. John A. Spengler Harvey Waldo Fred A. Spengler Alfred Pearce Herbert L. Gaylord Charles H. Grigg George W. Everett Frank C. Hofmann George M. Valentine Adrian R. Wadsworth Willis C. Henderson Weston D. Bayley George R. Missner George L. Dawson James Malcolm Mowry Officers 1917: President, Charles D. Bean; Vice-president, Dr. L. B. Gardner; Secretary, Dr. John A. Spengler; Treasurer, Clymer S. Menges; Chaplain, Rev. J. Wilford Jacks; Sergeant-at-Arms, Dr. Frank V. Hoehn. Executive Committee, Judge A. R. Wyckoff, Clarence D. Kendall, Dr. Wm. W. Hopkins. Object; to collect and preserve the History of Geneva, especially matters of interest re- lating to the Soldiers and Historic Relics, which may be of future value. GENEVA MASONIC HISTORICAL SOCIETY Officers - 1917 President, Jasper B. Stahl. Vice-president, Charles J. Root. Secretary, Charles D. Bean. Treasurer, Dr. John A. Spengler. Program Committee, Frank A. La Pointe, John B. Clark, William Darling, A. A. Allen, Frank C. Hofman, Wm. Carpenter, Rev. Dr. Lyman P. Powell. Maple Hill, From the North Station, is the sight of the old stockade of the Six Nations' of Iroquois of which a fac-simile was exhibited at the Pan- American exposition. The original stockade was destroyed by General Sulli- van during his famous raid in 1787. The "Lafayette Tree" has had a wonderful history, To-day it is the largest tree in the State, with one ex- ception. It seems that over a century ago, when the pioneers first began to settle in Geneva, a man by the name of Lee made several trips over the Albany and Buffalo Turnpike, which wound around the foot of Seneca Lake and west through the village, now Hamilton street. TWs Ephraim Lee had reached the shores of the lake on one of his trips, when to assist himself in walking he cut a cane. The same afternoon he reached a maple grove on the hill one mile west of the village. Feeling fatigued he stuck his cane in the ground and went to sleep. It was late when he awoke, and, surprised at having slept so long, he seized his bundle and hurried on, entirely forgetting his cane. The following year his journeyings brought him to the same grove, where to his astonishment he beheld the cane growing. The stick freshly cut and so soon set out in the ground, sprouted, and the top was now ^covered with leaves. It grew on, and years after- ward- when the grove was cut down, was spared, because of its history. In 1843 a former ow^er of Mapel Hill had dif- ficulties with the roadmaster, who in- sisted that the tree be removed. The owner was _ a practical man and drove the tree full of spikes from the ground up presenting a very formidable and terrifying armour against the intrusion of the ax blade. The monarch of the forest stood and grew, and, among experts, it is believed that the insertion of the iron is the cause of its wonderful growth and extreme age. In August, 1892, a careful and accurate measurement of the tree was made, with the result that it was found to be somewhat larger than formerly supposed. By triangulation the Iieight was" determined at 120 feet, the dia- meter of the foliage at 115 feet and the circumference of the trunk at 24 feet. For many years the road on which the tree stands was an Indian trail, but was formally made a State road in 1794. MAJOR FREDERICK FURNISS, From the ridge on which the tree stands the country may be seen for miles. To the east is "Melrose," the home of -the De Lancey school; on the west. Maple Hill; on the north the State Ex- perimental station and laboratory build- ing; and on the south the city reservoirs and the White Springs Farm, formerly the home of Gideon Lee, former mayor of New York, and afterward o_f the Hon. George W. Nichols. The tree stands on the north side of the street exactly on the street line and about five rods from the intersection of Hamilton street with the old Pre-emption road. The branches of the south half hang over the entire street, and fts ample shade has several times been used by a congrega-j tion for religious services. Copyright, 1916, by W. H. Stevens- By permission of "Central New Yorker Magazine" A HISTORIC VISIT TO GENEVA /^NE of the most pleasing incidents ^-^ in the early history of Geneva was the visit of General Lafayette, June 8th, 1825. This event is worthy of note, both because of that hero's distinguished services to the nation, and for the num- ber of pioneers, military and civilians, who took part in the ceremonies of that ' occasion. The writer, a student of early Colonial history, has had, through the courtesy of literary friends, access to records not generally attainable, which he here pre- sents, believing them of-^general interest. It was on May 28th, of that year that a committe'e of citizens of the then village of Geneva, sent General Lafay- ette a letter inviting him to visit the town during his tour and while he was a guest of the nation. A portion of the letter reads : "It will afford our neighbors and our- selves the highest gratification to express to you in person the gratified sense we entertain of your public services, in which you acted so distinguished a part, with a generosity and disinterestedness which are without a parallel in the an- nals of the world." This letter was signed by a long list of the committee and the invitation was graciously accepted. This historic visit was in continuation of a tour through western New York. He had been the guest of the cele- brated lawyer, Gregg of Canandaigua, and came to Geneva by way of the Albany and Buffalo Turnpike. This State road crosses the old Pre-emption State road one mile west of the shores of Seneca Lake. On the corner formed by these roads IS the Maple Hill estate, which for many years has been the suburban home of Charles Bean, a former New Yorker. The mansion of brick and stone, painted white, and surrounded by extensive grounds, was erected in 1834, on the site of a former building. In the foreground on the property stands the balsam poplar which has been named "The Lafayette Tree," it having been on this corner and under this tree thati the famous general was received by the large concourse of citizens and mili- tary escort. On the corner, virhere the two State roads, the old Pre-emption and the Buffalo and Albany Turnpike, cross within a few feet of the tree, were stationed Captain Manning's company of artillery. Captain Ruggles's .detach- ment of cavalry, Captain Van Auken's company of riflemen and Ensign Brizee's company of light infantry, together with a number of officers of neighboring regiments in full uniform. General Lafayette came from Canan- daigua in a carriage drawn by six grey horses, and was accompanied by his son, and his secretary, M. Le Vasseur. When the carriage carte in sight a signal gun was_ fired, the General was welcomed under the tree and the local military escort joined Captain Sherman's compa:ny and took up the line of march to Pultrey Park. Here was erected a stand elaborately decorated with flags,, and as the visitor alighted from his car- riage a numerous body of school chil- dren strewed flowers in his pathway to the, pavilion. A speech of welcome was made by Major Reese, to which the genefal suitably responded. Other speeches prec^eded a breakfast at the old Franklin House, now demolished. That afternoon I^fayette left for Auburn where he became the guest of Secretary Seward. Half a inile north of this historic corner in Geneva, pn''thi present loca- tion of the. New York Experimental Cornell University Library NAC 6827 .G32B36 "he Lenox Avenue tract. 3 1924 024 415 857 1