Robert Corby on Pittsford
|
BACK
|
 LET'S
START WITH YOUR FAMILY. WHO WERE THEY AND HOW DID THEY GET HERE?
THE ONE BRANCH THAT WAS THE EARLIEST BRANCH WAS THE LUSKS. STEVEN LUSK
CAME HERE IN 1786 AND FIRST CAME TO WHERE LANDING ROAD IS NOW IN BRIGHTON
AND LIKED THE AREA, WENT BACK TO VERMONT
TO GET HIS FAMILY LIKE MANY NEW ENGLAND SETTLERS THAT CAME HERE, THE
REASON WAS BETTER LAND, MORE LAND AVAILABLE. HE CAME BACK SEVERAL YEARS
LATER. BY THE TIME HE CAME BACK HERE, SIMON AND ISRAEL STONE HAD ALREADY
ESTABLISHED HOMESTEADS IN PITTSFORD SO HE DOESN'T QUALIFY AS THE FIRST
SETTLER, BUT HE ESTABLISHED WHERE THE FAMILIAR LUSK FARMHOUSE IS TODAY AT
THE INTERSECTION OF S. MAIN
STREET AND RTE 64.
LOTS OF OTHER ROOTS HERE, TOO, BESIDES THE LUSKS?
LIKE ANY FAMILY THAT'S BEEN HERE A WHILE YOU CAN FOLLOW ANY OF THE
BRANCHES, THERE'S TOO MANY TO TELL ALL THE STORIES, BUT THEY ALL HAVE
INTERESTING CONNECTIONS, INTERESTING AND UNEXPECTED THINGS THAT HAPPENED
TO THEM ALONG THE WAY. ONE BRANCH OF MY FAMILY, SAMUEL HUTCHINSON LIVED IN
MENDON, HE WAS A FARMER AND AT ONE POINT HE BOUGHT HIS NEIGHBOR'S CHAIR
FACTORY AND THE NEIGHBOR JUST HAPPENED TO BE BRIGHAM YOUNG WHO LEFT THE
AREA WITH THE REST OF THE MORMONS TO PURSUE A MORE HOSPITABLE ENVIRONMENT
TO THE WEST AND HE HAD THAT FOR SEVERAL YEARS, DIDN'T MAKE A GO OF THE
CHAIR FACTORY, MOVED TO THE VILLAGE AND STARTED A PRODUCE BUSINESS.
ANOTHER FAMILY CAME HERE BY THE CANAL?
THE SWEENEY'S. THE SWEENEY BRANCH CAME FROM IRELAND AND THE POTATO
FAMINE. MOVED UP THE CANAL, THE ERIE CANAL FROM NEW YORK CITY, HOPPED OFF
THE CANAL AND LEASED A FARM IN PITTSFORD.
WHY DID THEY STAY, WHY DO YOU STAY? WHAT'S THE ATTRACTION OF THIS
AREA?
I THINK PITTSFORD HAS ALWAYS BEEN A NICE PLACE TO LIVE BECAUSE IT'S
HAD, EVEN WHEN IT WAS A RURAL AGRICULTURAL COMMUNITY IT HAD A NICE BALANCE
OF A PLEASANT ENVIRONMENT, A NICE LOCATION AND NICE PEOPLE THAT LIVED
HERE. AND I THINK DESPITE THE GROWTH THAT'S HAPPENED OVER THE LAST 50
YEARS THOSE QUALITIES HAVE BEEN MAINTAINED AND I THINK IT ALSO SEEMS TO
HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A COMMUNITY THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT AND I THINK THAT
REFLECTS IN THE QUALITY OF THE VILLAGE TODAY.
IT'S THE OLDEST VILLAGE IN MONROE COUNTY. THE VILLAGE ITSELF WAS INCORPORATED IN 1827 AS A RESULT OF THE BOOM THAT HAPPENED HERE AFTER THE
ERIE CANAL OPENED UP.
AFTER THAT TIME, ROCHESTER SUPERCEDED PITTSFORD AS THE PRIMARY URBAN
CENTER IN MONROE COUNTY, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE WATER POWER, WHICH
PITTSFORD DIDN'T HAVE. AND PITTSFORD REMAINED KIND OF A RURAL BACKWATER
UNTIL THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY WHEN SUBURBAN DEVELOPMENT BEGAN.
WE OUGHT TO MAKE THE DISTINCTION, THERE'S A DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
VILLAGE AND THE TOWN. TWO VERY DIFFERENT ENTITIES?
VERY DIFFERENT. THE VILLAGE HAS AN AREA OF ABOUT 3/4 OF A SQUARE MILE
AND A POPULATION OF ABOUT 1,500 PEOPLE. THE TOWN HAS AN AREA OF ABOUT 25
SQUARE MILES AND A POPULATION OF ABOUT 26 OR 27,000. IN THE VILLAGE, THE
BUILDING STOCK, 80% OF IT IS OVER
50 YEARS OLD. IT HAS THE OLDEST BUILDING STOCK OF ANY MUNICIPALITY IN
MONROE COUNTY. IN THE TOWN, MUCH OF THE HOUSING HAS BEEN BUILT WITHIN THE
LAST 40 YEARS. THE VILLAGE IS ACTUALLY A COLLECTION OF FAIRLY MODEST
HOUSES, THE AVERAGE HOUSE HERE HAS A VALUE OF ABOUT 150 TO 17,000 DOLLARS.
THE AVERAGE SIZE IS UNDER 2,000 SQUARE FEET SO IT'S REALLY A VILLAGE OF
FAIRLY SMALL MODEST HOUSES.
IS THERE A PERSONALITY HERE?
I THINK THERE IS, THERE IS A MIX. IT'S INTERESTING, IT'S CHANGED, WHEN
I WAS A KID, THE COMMUNITY WAS LARGELY A COMMUNITY OF OLD RETIRED PEOPLE
THAT HAD BEEN HERE FOR YEARS. THAT'S CHANGED AND A LOT OF NEW PEOPLE HAVE
MOVED IN HERE. AND THE NEW PEOPLE ARE A COMBINATION. IN GENERAL THEY'RE
PEOPLE THAT VALUE A QUALITY ENVIRONMENT FOR LIVING WHERE YOU CAN WALK AND
WHERE YOU CAN MEET AND WHERE YOU CAN KNOW YOUR NEIGHBORS. AND I THINK IT'S
EVENLY SPLIT BETWEEN YOUNG FAMILIES WHO WANT TO RAISE THEIR KIDS IN THIS
PLACE AND RETIRES WHOSE KIDS ARE GONE AND NOW WANT A PLACE WHERE THEY
REALLY ENJOY LIVING AND THEY SNAP UP OLDER HOMES AND EVEN
HAVE BIDDING WARS. BECAUSE OF THAT, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAS
HAPPENED, REAL ESTATE HAS ESCALATED, WELL ACROSS MONROE COUNTY THE PRICING
HAS REMAINED FLAT, EVEN IN THE MORE EXPENSIVE NEIGHBORHOODS. IN THE
VILLAGE I THINK WE'VE HAD ONE OF THE HIGHEST INCREASES IN THE VALUE OF OUR
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE.
YOU'VE MENTIONED GROWING UP HERE, ONE ROLE, DID THE CANAL IF ANY,
PLAY IN YOUR CHILDHOOD?
WELL, ACTUALLY, WHEN I WAS A KID THE CANAL WAS STILL LARGELY IGNORED
AND THE AGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES THAT GREW UP BETWEEN THE RAILROAD AND THE
CANAL WERE STILL FUNCTIONING. AND SO IT WAS LARGELY JUST A WAREHOUSE
DISTRICT AND MANY PEOPLE THOUGHT
IT WAS UGLY. AND IT'S INTERESTING ... TODAY, IT'S KIND OF A FOCAL POINT OF
THE VILLAGE. BACK THEN IN THE 60'S THERE WAS A STUDY DONE IN THE VILLAGE,
AND THE CANAL WAS ALMOST ENTIRELY IGNORED, AND IT'S AMAZING BY TODAY'S
STANDARDS AND I THINK A LOT OF THE CREDIT TO PROMOTING THE CANAL GOES TO 2
PRIOR FIGURES THAT WERE ACTIVE IN THE TOWN, WELL ACTUALLY 3 PEOPLE. ONE IS
FORMER MAYOR HOLSWORTH WHO WORKED FOR YEARS ON SMALL PROJECTS THAT
INCREMENTALLY BROUGHT ATTENTION AND USE TO THE CANAL WATERFRONT. THE OTHER
WAS JOHN BURGERON, A TOWN COUNCILPERSON WHO ALSO WORKED ARDUOUSLY FOR
DIFFERENT ISSUES FOR THE CANAL, AND THE THIRD IS MAY BOWDOM WHO IS THE
CHAIR OF OUR PLANNING BOARD WHO HAS WORKED ON IT SEEMS LIKE 100'S OF
PROJECTS OVER THE LAST 25 YEARS.
TODAY, THE CANAL PLAYS WHAT ROLE IN THE VILLAGE?
WELL I THINK THE CANAL IS AN ANCHOR FOR THE VILLAGE. OUR BUSINESS
DISTRICT HAS CHANGED BECAUSE OF THE MALLS AND BIG BOX RETAILERS, IT NO
LONGER PROVIDES ALL THE SERVICES THAT IT USED TO. FORTUNATELY SPECIALTY
SHOPPING AND OTHER THINGS HAVE
COME IN HERE. AND ANY BUSINESS DISTRICT HAS ANCHORS AND THE CANAL IS ONE
OF THE THINGS THAT DRAWS PEOPLE INTO THE VILLAGE TO WALK AND TO PLAY. AND
IT ALSO PROVIDES A RESOURCE. IT'S A PLACE TO WALK YOUR DOG, SEE THER
PEOPLE, GET AN ICE CREAM CONE, OR JUST SPEND A PLEASANT EVENING, AND THERE
AREN'T MANY PLACES LIKE THAT. THE WAY WE GROW AND DEVELOP AREAS TODAY
DON'T PROVIDE THAT. TODAY IN PLANNING, THE PRIMARY THING THAT HAPPENS WITH
ZONING, AND REAL ESTATE AND GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT ARE DEVELOPMENTS THAT
BUILD HOUSES, FACILITATE EITHER RETAIL SHOPPING OR INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT
AND ALLOW THE RAPID MOVEMENT OF THE CAR. NONE OF THOSE THINGS HAPPEN IN
THE VILLAGE AND IT'S ALMOST THE OPPOSITE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO HERE
AND I THINK AS THAT ATTITUDE HAS BECOME MORE AND MORE INVASIVE, PLACES
LIKE PITTSFORD BECOME MORE AND MORE VALUABLE TO EVERYBODY.
WHAT'S IT'S POTENTIAL? IF WE LOOK AT THIS FOR THE NEXT 10 YEARS, AND
WE LOOK AT THE EFFORTS THAT THE STATE IS UNDERTAKING IN A LOT OF PLACES
ALONG THE CANAL, WHAT IS THE POTENTIAL, PARTICULARLY FOR PITTSFORD?
WELL I THINK THE POTENTIAL FOR US, IS TO CONTINUE TO FINE-TUNE THE
THINGS WE ALREADY HAVE DONE. I DON'T THINK WE FORESEE ANY DRAMATIC
COMPLETE CHANGES IN THE CHARACTER OF WHAT WE HAVE, I THINK WE CAN JUST DO
BETTER SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE ALREADY DONE. THERE ARE STILL A FEW
OF UNFINISHED PIECES, ONE OF THE HUGE STRENGTHS OF OUR WATERFRONT IF WE
STILL HAVE OUR ENSEMBLE OF HISTORIC WATERFRONT BUILDINGS INTACT, SO IT
STILL LOOKS LIKE AN ERIE CANAL VILLAGE. AND THE FLOUR AND THE BEAN MILLS
WERE OPERATING UP UNTIL 2 YEARS AGO SO THEY HAVE COMPLETE HISTORIC
INTEGRITY AND I THINK THE REDEVELOPMENT AND REUSE OF THOSE FACILITIES IS
PROBABLY, WILL BE THE FINAL KEY IN FINISHING OFF OUR WATERFRONT. AND
THERE'S OTHER MINOR INFRASTRUCTURE IMPROVEMENTS. RIGHT NOW WE HAVE A
COMPREHENSIVE PLAN COMMITTEE THAT IS PRIORITIZING THEM AND DEVELOPING A
PLAN FOR THE FUTURE TO MAKE SURE THAT THINGS GO IN POSITIVE WAY ON THE
CANAL.
ANY CHARACTERS OUT OF YOUR PAST, OR YOUR FAMILY'S HISTORY OR THE
VILLAGE'S HISTORY
THAT POP OUT, THAT OUGHT TO BE REMEMBERED?
WELL I THINK ONE OF THEM OUGHT TO BE MY GRANDFATHER, TED ZORNOW. HE
SPENT HIS WHOLE LIFE IN BUSINESS THAT WAS BASED ON THE CANAL. AND ALSO
SORT OF TOUGHT ME AN ETHIC OF STEWARDSHIP, ABOUT PROPERTY, ABOUT THE
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AND ABOUT THE TOWN, AND I THINK THAT FOR ME WAS
PROBABLY THE BIGGEST INSPIRATION IN DOING WHAT I DO TODAY WAS KNOWING THE
HISTORY AND ALSO HIS ATTITUDES ABOUT WHAT HE HAD
DONE OVER THE YEARS. AND MY FAMILY'S FARM IF IT WAS NOT FOR MY
GRANDFATHER, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN DEVELOPED 50, 60 YEARS AGO AND FOR HIM, IT
MEANT MORE TO SEE IT AS OPEN LAND THAN THE MONEY THAT IT WOULD PROVIDE AS
A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. AND I THINK FOR THE VILLAGE IT'S A HUGE RESOURCE
TODAY THAT WE STILL HAVE THAT KEY PIECE SO THAT YOU CAN SEE PROBABLY MORE
SO THAN EVEN SOME RURAL VILLAGES TODAY THAT HAVE SUFFERED FROM ECONOMIC
DECLINE ABOUT HOW THINGS WERE 85, 100 YEARS AGO.
LAST QUESTION. ON THE LIST OF MOST MISPRONOUNCED MONROE COUNTY
NAMES, THERE IS NO "G" IN PERINTON. BUT HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE
PROPERLY "SCHOEN PLACE?"
"SHANE" PLACE.
NOT "SHO-EN"?
NOT "SHO-EN". IT'S NAMED AFTER THE SCHOEN FAMILY THAT RAN A
LUMBERYARD AND COAL AND PRODUCE BUSINESS THERE IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY
AND THERE'S STILL SCHOEN'S IN TOWN AND IF YOU TALK TO ANY OLD TIMER,
THEY'LL SAY "SHANE" PLACE.
|
