“Street of Shops” celebrates historic downtown Brockport
Art room honors Helen Hastings’ paintings.
Blossoming with new attractions this spring, the Emily L. Knapp Museum at 49 State Street in Brockport opened for the season on May 1.
A new feature developed over the winter is the “Street of Shops” on the third floor. The display of side-by-side store fronts represents merchants on Brockport’s Main Street in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s. Included are: Fagan’s Clothing Store where the Red Bird Café is now; Decker Hardware near the present Java Junction; Kimball Department store near Java Junction; and Moore-Shafer Shoe Store displaying shoes and other items from the Moore Shafer Shoe Factory.
The volunteer craftsmanship was done over the winter in the unheated building by Doug Bull of Brockport and his cousin, Bruce Newell, a Kendall resident. Bull, a retired science teacher, learned carpentry as a teen working beside his father who built a replica of an old canal town in Delavan, New York.
The scheme of the display was Sue Savard’s idea. And, she created the window displays by arranging merchandise on platforms covered with background fabric. Period artifacts taken from museum storage make up the “merchandise.” Two more storefronts will be added in the future.
Savard first started reviving the Emily L. Knapp Museum about five years ago. She visited the museum in January 2013 when she went to do research on one-room school houses. She found it in disarray and with no filing system. With a go-ahead from the museum’s trustees, she began reorganizing the museum with a team of equally-devoted volunteers. Suburban News and Hamlin-Clarkson Herald have reported on her work (footnote*). In 2017 she received the Monika W. Andrews Creative Volunteer Leadership Award “for her devoted contribution to the community” in reviving the museum.
Ever-developing, organizing and restoring
Behind the tranquil façade of the Seymour mansion, there is continuous creative activity to add displays, improve existing displays, organize the collection, and restore the interior.
A room in the annex is being prepared as an art room to display Helen Hasting’s paintings and demonstrate her painting technique. Hastings is a member of the Seymour family. Recently, over 200 of her paintings and illustrations were found in storage, showing the painting technique she learned in Italy (footnote**).
The new room was the judges’ former records store room when the Village offices and the court shared the annex. It has just been painted and many of Hastings paintings will be framed for display. Savard and Pat O’Brien, director of the museum, will consult with local artist Sarah Hart who studied the same painting style that Hastings used. “We want the studio to be an educational spot to talk about the style of her painting,” she said.
Also added over the winter are the floor-to-ceiling storage cabinets covering one wall in the second-floor office. The attractive glass-front cabinets are the creation of the Spencerport BOCES #2 class supervised by their teacher Peter Sharp. Extensive volumes of newspapers from 1800’s in huge binders are neatly stored in plastic sleeves behind the glass.
Last August two large historic maps of the Village of Brockport (1861) and Monroe County (1858) were restored. The work was done by Gary Albright, a professional at restoring historical papers, photos, and maps. They are mounted in shadow boxes built by Jim Glidden.
In the visit to interview Savard, freshly-painted walls and ceilings stood out. The painting was flawless throughout and done by volunteers. Most recently, the new art room was painted by Pat O’Brien and Margi Lewis, painted while Savard was on vacation.
Other work during the winter was accessioning (recording) the large collection, done by Roberta Hesek, Rosemary Smith, and Maggie LaPierre working with Savard.
The hidden historic gem
With a wealth of displays, all well-preserved and attractively presented, this historic gem does not get seen by much of the public. “Many people in Brockport still do not know this place exists,” Savard said.
An average of 20 people per week make use of the open hours to drop in. Otherwise, incentives are needed to draw interest. Frequently in the winter months, The College at Brockport students from the History, Anthropology, and Museum Studies departments use the museum for their research projects. During the tour of homes last year about 50 people came. Many visitors enjoyed “Be a Sleuth,” as they attempted to identify artifacts not belonging in the time period. About 100 people participated in the “Name the Eagle” contest which focused on a newly-restored stuffed golden eagle. The winning name: “Seymour.”
A successful project last year was having grade school classes visit on field trips. “The students we had last year and their teachers were thrilled with what we have to offer and I believe they have spread the word,” Savard said. The students were fascinated by the unfamiliar artifacts of life in a time past. Classes will be invited to visit again this spring.
Growing edge: A resource for searching family history
“We are becoming a resource for family history,” Savard said about inquiries she has received in the last few years. “It’s been wonderful.” A woman from Indiana and one from Texas inquired and Savard provided documents to them. A man came from Poughkeepsie who is related to the Locke, the Covell, and the Comstock families who were original settlers here, she said. “I had a LOT of information for him in artifacts that came down through his family, including a photo of his great great great grandmother Betsy Comstock.”
Locals have contributed family information. Connie Fowler donated extensive family research that she has been keeping since a young woman. Savard estimates she is probably related to 25 families in Brockport. Another woman donated a folder full of research on her family, including Ramsey Chickering, a prominent Brockport lawyer. “We are becoming that kind of resource,” Savard said about the family contacts.
The public is invited to view this fascinating display of community history during open hours: Tuesday evening 6 to 8 p.m., Wednesday afternoon 2 to 4 p.m., Wednesday evening 6 to 8 p.m. and Sunday afternoon 2 to 4 p.m. or by special appointment by calling the village offices at 637-5300
Footnotes: These articles appeared in the Westside News newspapers. Go to www.westsidenewsny.com and click on “Archives.”
* “At the ELKM: Putting order to an extensive local history collection,” April 27, 2014
** “Helen Hastings and Sarah Hart,” April 2, 2017.
