Who knew...?
The Town of Mentz (formed from the Town of Aurelius as “Jefferson” on March 30, 1802 and changed to “Mentz” on April 6, 1808) celebrates its 200th anniversary in 2008.
The house on the corner of Route 38 and North Main was once a one-room schoolhouse called “The Little Yellow Schoolhouse.”
Port Byron wasn’t always known as Port Byron. Previous names were “The Lick", “King’s Settlement” and “Bucksville.”
Three hotels were located in Port Byron: Erie House, Howard House and the Port Byron Hotel. Erie House, built by Peter VanDitto, is considered one of the few Erie Canal buildings still in existence.
The trolley station (now the American Legion) was built when the R. S. & E. trolley went through Port Byron from 1908 to 1931.
The first packaged mincemeat, produced by the H.C. Gutchess Company, was manufactured in Port Byron from 1880 to 1895.
The only remaining aqueduct arch from the old “Clinton’s Ditch” can still be seen behind St. John’s Catholic Church.
Lock 52 and Tanner’s Dry Dock are the remains of Port Byron’s double lock, which allowed two boats to pass through simultaneously.
The Port Byron Hotel has gone by many names: The National Hotel (1859); Hotel Carey (1900); Park Hotel (1908-33); Hotel Port Byron (1933-36); and The Port Byron Hotel (1936-present).
Port Byron has seen its share of notoriety. Some of its more famous inhabitants included: Kitty Rhoads (actress); Theodore Brooks (musician and inventor); Brigham Young (leader of the Mormons); Henry Wells (of Wells & Fargo and Wells College fame); Isaac Singer (perfected the sewing machine); Richard (Bunn) Bonelli (opera singer); and Clara Barrus (noted physician and author).