Building date: 1833-4, demolished when blown down in a February 1909 storm.
Original use: Tavern, Store, Dwelling
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Map views courtesy Google Maps. 2013 street level view. Address is Google Earth confirmed; 43°13'17.97"N 76°48'37.02"W.
Town of Wolcott and Wayne County Maps
This cobblestone house once stood at the corner of Auburn and Oswego streets in the village of Wolcott. It was built in 1833-4 by Levi Smith Sr., an early settler in the area. A small store was located in the west end. It burned February 2, 1909. Richard Palmer blog.
Levi Smith Cold Water Tavern history sheet. From the personal research of cobblestone historian Karen Crandall.
History of a Cobblestone House, Lakeshore News, Wolcott, N.Y., August 30, 1906
A local correspondent seems to have looked up the history of Ashael Foster's cobblestone house, Wolcott, which is about to be taken down. He says:
"The land on which this house stands was part of a tract of 500 acres, granted to Jonathan Melvin, in 1806. In 1820, when Melvin suffered financial reverses, that option of the tract lying east of Mill Creek was sold to Levi Smith. At that time a tavern known as the White Hotel has been erected in Wolcott and was notorious and was notorious for the sale of intoxicants.
"Smith erected on his purchase, directly across the road from the White Hotel, the stone house, which he proposed to run as a "cold water" tavern. This was in 1833. The enterprise school failed and Mr. Smith changed it into a store, which he conducted until about 1841 or '42, when it was converted into a dwelling and has ever since retained its present appearance." Richard Palmer blog.
Will Raze an Old Wolcott Landmark, Cobblestone Building Erected by Levi Smith, Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Tuesday, August 28, 1906
Wolcott, Aug. 27 - One of the few remaining dwellings erected here in the early days is about to be removed. The old cobblestone building at the top of Mill hill, which as in turn done duty as tavern, store and dwelling, has begun to fall apart and will soon be taken down. For more than a year it has not been considered safe and now a long section of wall has caved in.
The land on which this house stands was part of a tract of 500 acres, lying in the center of what is now the village of Wolcott, which was granted to Jonathan Milvin Sr., in 1806. In 1839, when Milvin suffered financial reverses, that portion of the tract lying east of Mill creek was sold to Levi Smith. At that time a tavern known as the White Hotel had been erected in Wolcott and was notorious for its sale of intoxicants.
Smith erected on his purchase, directly across the road from the White Hotel, the present stone house which he proposed to run as a "cold water" tavern. This was in 1833. The enterprise soon failed and Mr. Smith changed it into a store, which he conducted until about 1841 or '42, when it was converted into a dwelling and has ever since retained its present appearance. Richard Palmer blog.
Old Landmark Laid in Ruins, Syracuse Post-Standard Tuesday, February 9. 1909
Cobblestone House at Wolcott Succumbs to the Elements
WOLCOTT, Feb. 2. - The recent cold weather has proved too severe for one of the oldest landmarks of Wayne county and the old cobblestone house at the top of Mill hill in Wolcott village has become a heaped mass of stones and mortar. The building has served in turn as a tavern, a store and a dwelling, being finally vacated about five years ago by the late Mrs. Kimplin.
The building was erected by Levi Smith, one of the pioneer settlers of Wolcott, in 1833. Mr. Smith bought the land on which it stood from Johnston Melvin, being a part of a 500-acre tract which was granted to Melvin by the government in 1804. This parcel of land is now the northern part of Wolcott village.
It was built by Smith for a "cold water" tavern. Mr. Smith's enterprise failed and he turned the building into a country variety store, for which purpose it served many years. Later when the mercantile establishments of the village became located on the opposite side of Wolcott creek the building was converted into a dwelling and has since retained that appearance.
The cobblestones with which the wall was faced were carefully selected along the lake shore. They gave the appearance of being almost uniform in size and were laid with extreme regularity. Richard Palmer blog.
This structure is not listed in the Wayne Historians Organization (WHO), Historic Sites Inventory Website
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¹ Photography courtesy Richard Palmer.
