Building date: 1837
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Map views courtesy Google Maps. Street level view not available. Address is Google Earth confirmed; 42°50'12.17"N 78°16'27.13"W. Current owner of record, Woodworth/Stewart as of the 2019 Tax Roll.
Town of Attica and Wyoming County Maps
Walbridge-Merle House, 919 Exchange Street Road, Attica. Built in 1837. Richard Palmer blog.
A house for the ages: 1840 cobblestone recognized by Attica Landmark Preservation Society, By Matt Surtel, Batavia Daily News, October 31, 2017
ATTICA - Call it love at first sight.Corey and April Woodworth with their one-year-old daughter Alexis in front of their home at 919 Exchange Street Road in Attica. They bought and are restoring the structure that sat empty for several years. Photo by Mark Gutman/Daily News.
Corey and April Woodworth like the Attica community. And when they went looking for a house, a particular cobblestone caught Cory's eye immediately.
Six years later, the 123-year-old structure has earned the Attica Landmark Preservation Society's annual House of the Year award.
"We're humbled and honored to get the recognition," April said on Monday. "A lot of work and a lot of living through construction."
The Attica Landmark Preservation Society annually recognizes a house of historic significance. Past winners have included everything from stately Victorians to some of the village's earliest surviving homes.
Corey said he appreciated the cobblestone - but the couple was prepared for a lot of work to bring the old house back into shape.
"My wife wasn't too fond of it," he said. "It was pretty run-down. Nobody had really done anything to it for years, and it had been sitting empty for four or five years I think."
The Woodworths embarked an a major and continuing renovation, with the more-expensive work taking priority. Plumbing, electric, septic and other essentials all needed upgrading.
April said they initially remained in their apartment while they worked on the house as much as they could. What they've created - and continued to work on - is a vintage house which retains its historic appeal, while still featuring modern amenities.
The house's history and stature are part of what attracted the Attica Landmark Preservation Society in their selection.
"That cobblestone house is one of the few - the last one in Wyoming County, and being that old, the cobblestone on it is so perfect," said Co-President Bill Meisner. "I don't know how they did it. They must have had a lot of time of their hands. I don't know they did it."
The Woodworths live in the house with their 12-year-old son Matthew - a soccer player and Boy Scout - and their 1-year-old daughter Alexis. What's the best part of living there?
"Just the historical aspect of it," Corey, 36, said. "My parents were in charge of the historical society in Mount Morris and I kind of grew up with historical homes and stuff, so that kind of plays into it I guess."
"The kitchen," April said. "It used to be the coal room and it was a farm hand's room, so we made it one big area, so we have a 10-foot kitchen table in here. We have an island and a built-in in bench. It's just a space for people to people to come and gather together - lots of memories with families and friends."
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¹ Images provided by Richard Palmer blog. Photos taken prior to renovations.
² Image courtesy Cobblestone Museum.
³ Photography courtesy Larry Warren, Councilman Town of Covington.
4 Photography courtesy Richard Palmer. As residence appeared in 2019.
