At the initial meeting with Erin Anheier of the museum and Cynthia Howk of the Landmark Society of Western NY, I reviewed the photographs and agreed to do the scanned duplicates; however, I was concerned about how the survey and photographs would ultimately be used, wondering if they would be just filed away in the museum archives. During my career at the Eastman Kodak Company, I spent about a decade working on a corporate website information database to support the worldwide customer service support for the high volume micrographics and scanner products for which as a Service Engineer, I was responsible. I suggested that the survey and accompanying photographs would be perfect fit for a web Info Base.
Within a short time a simple demo Cobblestone Info Base was presented and approved, perhaps with some skepticism that a project with such a wide scope was possible. The creation, design, programming, management and implementation of the project went through four planned phases, taking about about 1500 pro bono hours of my free time over about 22 months to achieve the public release in March 2020 you are now accessing.
The core of the Cobblestone Info Base includes the work from four major contributors: 1) The Robert Roudabush Survey on which the Info Base structure was designed, 2) the generous contribution of the contents of the extensive blog, "Cobblestone Buildings of North America", by cobblestone researcher and blogger, Syracuse NY resident Richard Palmer, 3) the copyright permission granted to digitize in my studio the Carl Schmidt books "Cobblestone Architecture" 1944 and "Cobblestone Masonry" 1966, and 4) about 2500 photographs scanned from the Martin and Sheila Wolfish collection archived at the Landmark Society of Western NY. In addition, a number other contributors have provided information on specific cobblestone structures, or documentation of a general nature about the cobblestone era. When contacted, thankfully contributor's help in resolving many different issues was invaluable.
The Cobblestone Info Base includes the generally accepted era of classic cobblestone architecture and construction from about 1820-25 to 1868+. Of course there are later examples that have been included. In addition, documentation and examples of "faux cobblestone" architecture and construction are provided. These structures were part of the work of the various contributors and included in the Cobblestone Info Base in order to assure that the contributor documentation is complete. This emphasizes that there are additional important genres of stone architecture and construction which differ from the classic cobblestone architecture and construction.
The Cobblestone Info Base is an all inclusive online, virtual library and repository of all known and found information on all cobblestone structures in North America. Just over 1000 structures with about 7500 photographs were represented in this public release. Instead of dwelling on the best or most well known examples, the Cobblestone Info Base includes the wide variety of architecture, construction and condition of all known cobblestone structures in North America. Both existing and no longer existing cobblestone structures are represented with the same emphasis in order to complete the historical record. An Unknown Cobblestone Structures section includes known information on cobblestone structures that have not been identified and/or locations established.
As the work of each contributor was being entered into the Cobblestone Info Base, occasional omissions, contradictions or errors would be discovered. Editor's Notes: present the information in question stating what is known. Hopefully a confirmed answer, resolution, and/or explanation can be provided. If not, the situation is presented "as-is" so that the reader is aware and should he or she encounter related information in another source, they will be aware that there is an issue. Perhaps a reader will know the correct information and will contact the Cobblestone Museum.
This project will be a work in progress for years to come as the archives, holdings, documentation and knowledge contributed by the Cobblestone Museum, historical societies, libraries, publications, internet content, historians, structure owners, and cobblestone enthusiasts become available. If you have have information or photographs to contribute, or have a question or concern, please refer to the Contact page.
Gregory Lawrence - Providing a pro bono service of high resolution digital imagery and documentation for select non-profit artisans, collectors, museums and historical societies in the Brockport NY area.