Ogden library and Spencerport village
receive grant for walking tour

The New York Council for the Humanities has awarded a grant to the Ogden Farmers’ Library and the Village of Spencerport that will result in the installation of a summer-long walking tour of the canal and business district areas of the village.

“Spencerport...Pathways to the Past” will consist of a series of 24 historic photographs illustrating the growth of the village from the late 19th century into the early 20th century. The photographs will be accompanied by captions written by Monroe County Historian Carolyn Vacca, and will be installed on or near light poles on both sides of the canal and on the east and west sides of Union Street down to West Avenue. Frames for the photograph displays are being built by WE-MO-CO. Brochures indicating the location of all the photographs and providing a description of the project will be available at each tour stop. Scheduled guided tours will also be available throughout the summer or upon request to the library.

Librarian Patty Uttaro and Village Trustee Tim Peer began collaborating on this project in the summer of 2001 in an effort to create a display that would draw residents and visitors downtown and, at the same time, communicate and celebrate the history of our community. Photographs will be placed in such a way that viewers will see the same area as it appeared 100 years ago compared to how it appears today. For instance, a photograph of the Lincoln House hotel will be placed directly across the street from the Nothnagle offices, so the viewer will see the photo, look up and see the same scene as it appears today. Vacca’s captions will tell the stories of Spencerport and the Erie Canal, and show how the growth of the canal influenced the village.

The New York Council for the Humanities, a state program of the National Endowment for the Humanities, is a private agency supported by state and federal monies. The council makes grants that support projects throughout New York state.