Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District
Encyclopedia
The historic village of Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
rises on a hill above the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake
. The village was named by Captain Benjamin Ledyard, who settled there in 1793, in the post-Revolutionary
development of the Finger Lakes
region. Up until the mid-nineteenth century, Aurora played an important part in the history of Central New York.
County seat for first Onondaga County
and later Cayuga County, the village was also a leading market town in the region. A steam-powered flour mill was built in 1817, the first of its kind west of Albany
, contributing to Aurora's importance as a commercial center. Aurora was a major shipping point for goods bound up the Lake and through the Erie Canal
, until the canal's role was replaced by railroads in the mid-19th century.
Its significant business entrepreneurs included men such as Henry Wells
, founder of American Express
and Wells Fargo
, whose operations created new express mail and banking services that spanned New York state and reached to the developing state of California. Having earned capital in shipping and trade, Edwin Barber Morgan
invested with Wells and served as a director for Wells Fargo for years. In addition, Morgan founded the United States Express Company, which provided express mail to the South, and he was an important early investor in the New York Times. They and other successful men built ambitious grand houses in the village, an architectural legacy which has contributed to its significance.
With wealth, Aurora's capitalists supported education. Wells founded Wells Seminary, later Wells College
, in 1868, starting Aurora's second period of historic significance. Morgan also supported the college.
In 1980, the Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District was entered on the National Register of Historic Places
.
was built in 1833. A complete renovation was completed in 2003. The Shakelton Funeral Home is a large, white, neo-classical wooden structure built in 1903-1904.
Solomon Myers, a mason, built The Bank of local limestone circa 1840 for use as his home. In 1864 the second owner sold the building to a consortium forming the First National Bank of Aurora. At that time, several physical improvements were made and the Italianate features were added before the bank opened. Edwin Barber Morgan, a leading citizen of Aurora, had the E.B. Morgan House built in 1857-1858. It was designed by New York City architect Joseph C. Wells, who also designed the Presbyterian Church in Aurora. The imposing stone mansion on the shore of Cayuga Lake now operates as a bed and breakfast inn. Other commercial properties that contribute to the district include: the Shakelton Hardware Store, the Aurora Office Building, Mack's Drug Store, the Aurora Village Hall, the White Elephant Shop, the Aurora IGA, and the Thompson Block.
, who administered George Washington's oath of office and was Grand Master of the Masons, signed the charter for the Masonic Lodge in Aurora, received in 1797. It is known as the Scipio Lodge #110. New York State Governor DeWitt Clinton
, also Grand Master of the Masons, laid the cornerstone for the existing structure in 1819. The Masonic emblems incorporated in the design of the structure survive to this day.
The Cuyler House is the birthplace of Theodore Ledyard Cuyler, Presbyterian clergyman and writer, according to the historical marker in the front yard. The Federal-style Peter Fort House was built in 1819-1820.
, founder of American Express
(1850) and Wells Fargo
(1852). The campus includes fourteen properties contributing to the historic district. Glen Park
, built in 1852, was originally the home of Henry Wells
and later donated to the college. The house was designed by noted architect
A.J. Davis
, while the grounds were designed by equally notable architect A.J. Downing.
Pettibone House is a Gothic Revival structure built of stone in 1858. The Main Building was built in 1890. The Wells College Boathouse, on Cayuga Lake, was built in 1898. The science building, Zabriskie Hall, was built in 1905.
The remaining nine contributing properties on campus are Fritt House, Power House, Boyer Cottage, Macmillan Hall, South Hall, Bellinjou, Dining Hall, Cleveland Hall, and Morgan Hall.
Aurora, Cayuga County, New York
Aurora is a village and college town in Cayuga County, in the Town of Ledyard, north of Ithaca, New York, United States. The village had a population of 720 at the 2000 census, of which more than 400 were college students....
rises on a hill above the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake
Cayuga Lake is the longest of central New York's glacial Finger Lakes, and is the second largest in surface area and second largest in volume. It is just under 40 miles long. Its average width is 1.7 miles , and it is at its widest point near Aurora...
. The village was named by Captain Benjamin Ledyard, who settled there in 1793, in the post-Revolutionary
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
development of the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region. Up until the mid-nineteenth century, Aurora played an important part in the history of Central New York.
County seat for first Onondaga County
Onondaga County, New York
Onondaga County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 467,026. The county seat is Syracuse.Onondaga County is part of the Syracuse, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and later Cayuga County, the village was also a leading market town in the region. A steam-powered flour mill was built in 1817, the first of its kind west of Albany
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
, contributing to Aurora's importance as a commercial center. Aurora was a major shipping point for goods bound up the Lake and through the Erie Canal
Erie Canal
The Erie Canal is a waterway in New York that runs about from Albany, New York, on the Hudson River to Buffalo, New York, at Lake Erie, completing a navigable water route from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. The canal contains 36 locks and encompasses a total elevation differential of...
, until the canal's role was replaced by railroads in the mid-19th century.
Its significant business entrepreneurs included men such as Henry Wells
Henry Wells
Henry Wells was an American businessman important in the history of both the American Express Company and Wells Fargo & Company.-Early life:...
, founder of American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
and Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
, whose operations created new express mail and banking services that spanned New York state and reached to the developing state of California. Having earned capital in shipping and trade, Edwin Barber Morgan
Edwin Barber Morgan
Edwin Barber Morgan was an entrepreneur and politician from the Finger Lakes region of western New York. He was the first president of Wells Fargo & Company, founder of the United States Express Company, and director of American Express Company...
invested with Wells and served as a director for Wells Fargo for years. In addition, Morgan founded the United States Express Company, which provided express mail to the South, and he was an important early investor in the New York Times. They and other successful men built ambitious grand houses in the village, an architectural legacy which has contributed to its significance.
With wealth, Aurora's capitalists supported education. Wells founded Wells Seminary, later Wells College
Wells College
Wells College is a private coeducational liberal arts college located in Aurora, Cayuga County, New York, on the eastern shore of Cayuga Lake. Initially an all-women's institution, Wells became a co-ed college in Fall 2005....
, in 1868, starting Aurora's second period of historic significance. Morgan also supported the college.
In 1980, the Aurora Village-Wells College Historic District was entered on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
.
Aurora Village properties
The contributing properties in the village of Aurora are of varied styles and vintage. They include commercial buildings, the Masonic temple, three churches, many homes, some barns and two cemeteries.Commercial properties
The vernacular-design Patrick Tavern was built in 1793 and is the oldest building in the village. Built in 1898, the Tudor Revival style Aurora Free Library/Morgan Opera House served until 1996 as the Public Library/Town Hall, as it was originally intended by benefactor Louise Morgan Zabriskie. The brick, Greek Revival style Aurora InnAurora Inn
The Aurora Inn was built in 1833 at Aurora, Cayuga County, New York for Edwin B. Morgan, a local businessman involved in trade and shipping on Cayuga Lake, one of the seven Finger Lakes. Aurora served as a port for shipping goods up the lake and through the Erie Canal to New York City and other...
was built in 1833. A complete renovation was completed in 2003. The Shakelton Funeral Home is a large, white, neo-classical wooden structure built in 1903-1904.
Solomon Myers, a mason, built The Bank of local limestone circa 1840 for use as his home. In 1864 the second owner sold the building to a consortium forming the First National Bank of Aurora. At that time, several physical improvements were made and the Italianate features were added before the bank opened. Edwin Barber Morgan, a leading citizen of Aurora, had the E.B. Morgan House built in 1857-1858. It was designed by New York City architect Joseph C. Wells, who also designed the Presbyterian Church in Aurora. The imposing stone mansion on the shore of Cayuga Lake now operates as a bed and breakfast inn. Other commercial properties that contribute to the district include: the Shakelton Hardware Store, the Aurora Office Building, Mack's Drug Store, the Aurora Village Hall, the White Elephant Shop, the Aurora IGA, and the Thompson Block.
Masonic Lodge
Robert LivingstonRobert Livingston
Robert Livingston may refer to:* Robert Livingston the Elder , New York colonial official, and first lord of Livingston Manor*Robert Livingston the Younger , mayor of Albany...
, who administered George Washington's oath of office and was Grand Master of the Masons, signed the charter for the Masonic Lodge in Aurora, received in 1797. It is known as the Scipio Lodge #110. New York State Governor DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton
DeWitt Clinton was an early American politician and naturalist who served as United States Senator and the sixth Governor of New York. In this last capacity he was largely responsible for the construction of the Erie Canal...
, also Grand Master of the Masons, laid the cornerstone for the existing structure in 1819. The Masonic emblems incorporated in the design of the structure survive to this day.
Churches
Three churches contribute to the historic district. The Presbyterian Church, built in 1860, is of Romanesque design, with a Gothic steeple. It was designed by New York City architect Joseph C. Wells, who also designed the E.B. Morgan House. St. Paul's Episcopal Church is Greek Revival in style and was built in 1870-1871. It is located on the east side of Main Street. Across the street is St. Patrick's Catholic Church, built in 1873 of Italianate design. Both were designed by local architect Samuel Mandell.Homes
Over fifty homes contribute to the historic district, too many to enumerate. The imposing Taylor House on the east side of Main Street was built around 1838 and was the site of many village celebrations. Mandell House was built by local architect Samuel Mandell for his own use. It is designed in a combination of Queen Anne and Stick styles. The romantic Queen Anne-style Abbott House is at the northern end of town. The Leffingwell House was the first house built of brick in Aurora, circa 1826.The Cuyler House is the birthplace of Theodore Ledyard Cuyler, Presbyterian clergyman and writer, according to the historical marker in the front yard. The Federal-style Peter Fort House was built in 1819-1820.
Wells College
In 1868, Wells Seminary, later Wells College, was founded by Henry WellsHenry Wells
Henry Wells was an American businessman important in the history of both the American Express Company and Wells Fargo & Company.-Early life:...
, founder of American Express
American Express
American Express Company or AmEx, is an American multinational financial services corporation headquartered in Three World Financial Center, Manhattan, New York City, New York, United States. Founded in 1850, it is one of the 30 components of the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The company is best...
(1850) and Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo & Company is an American multinational diversified financial services company with operations around the world. Wells Fargo is the fourth largest bank in the U.S. by assets and the largest bank by market capitalization. Wells Fargo is the second largest bank in deposits, home...
(1852). The campus includes fourteen properties contributing to the historic district. Glen Park
Glen Park
Glen Park can refer to:* Glen Park, San Francisco** Glen Park Station on the BART system* Glen Park, Toronto* Glen Park, Williamsville, New York* A district within the fictional city of Los Santos, San Andreas, from the game Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas...
, built in 1852, was originally the home of Henry Wells
Henry Wells
Henry Wells was an American businessman important in the history of both the American Express Company and Wells Fargo & Company.-Early life:...
and later donated to the college. The house was designed by noted architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
A.J. Davis
Alexander Jackson Davis
Alexander Jackson Davis, or A. J. Davis , was one of the most successful and influential American architects of his generation, in particular his association with the Gothic Revival style....
, while the grounds were designed by equally notable architect A.J. Downing.
Pettibone House is a Gothic Revival structure built of stone in 1858. The Main Building was built in 1890. The Wells College Boathouse, on Cayuga Lake, was built in 1898. The science building, Zabriskie Hall, was built in 1905.
The remaining nine contributing properties on campus are Fritt House, Power House, Boyer Cottage, Macmillan Hall, South Hall, Bellinjou, Dining Hall, Cleveland Hall, and Morgan Hall.
External links
- Scipio Lodge Number 110 (F. & A. M.), Main Street, Aurora, Cayuga, NY: 13 drawings, 14 photos, 3 data pages, and supplemental material at Historic American Building Survey