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Home of the old Hicksite Farmington Quarterly Meeting, part of Genesee Yearly Meeting. From the Rochester, NY, Democrat and Chronicle.
Wrecking ball looms for Quaker meetinghouse
Farmington officials to decide on what to do with historic ruin
James Goodman
Staff writer
(December 5, 2006) — FARMINGTON — Judith Wellman used to drive by the historic Quaker meetinghouse in Farmington wondering what could be done to save this historic structure that had been turned into a barn.
But once a side of the building collapsed during a storm last February, Wellman realized that something had to be done, since the structure was declared unsafe — and faces demolition.
At tonight's meeting of the Farmington Town Board, officials will decide whether to give the decaying building a lease on life by allowing the wooden structure to stay in place with nylon mesh covering it.
The mesh would prevent debris from leaving the lot, especially if the building further decays.
Wellman, who is a professor emeritus at State University of New York at Oswego, and others seeking to save the building want time to raise the money for restoration.
"The building needs to be standing to raise funds. This is really Farmington's crown jewel in terms of heritage tourism," said Wellman, noting that the building was a meeting place for women's rights, abolition and Native American rights.
The five-member Town Board could rescind the demolition decree, give an extension or order the building demolished within 10 days, said Floyd Kofahl, code enforcement officer for the town.
Farmington Supervisor Ted Fafinski said he didn't know how he'd vote.
"It depends on the recommendation of the code enforcement officer and some of the actions that the preservations have taken," he said.
Board member Tim Mickelsen hopes demolition can be avoided.
"If they can get the construction netting in place by the end of the month, I'd like to see that happen," he said.
Advocates for keeping the structure out of reach of the wrecking ball have formed a group, the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meeting House Committee, which has a mailing list of about 125.
The house is rooted in the town's history, since Farmington was settled by Quakers from Adams, Mass., more than two centuries ago, said Farmington Town Historian Margaret Hartsough.
The house, built by some of the early settlers, is located on County Road 8, just north of Sheldon Road in the north part of this Ontario County town.
The Quakers, formally known as the Religious Society of Friends, were in the forefront of reform before the Civil War.
"And this was the site where many national reformers spoke," said Helen Kirker who is a co-chairwoman of the group formed to save the house and clerk to the Farmington Friends Meeting, the church located across the street from the structure facing demolition.
Abolitionist and women's rights leaders — Quakers as well as non-Quakers — spoke at the meetinghouse, including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass.
The meetinghouse was sold to a farmer about 80 years ago and used for storage.
On Sunday, said Kirker, the board of trustees of the Farmington Friends Meeting will vote on whether to let the structure be moved from its current location on the west side of County Road 8 to just south of the intersection with Sheldon Road on land owned by Farmington Friends Meeting.
But the immediate goal of the advocates is to stop demolition.
Once the wall collapsed, Lyjha and Jillian Wilton, who own the land, were issued an order notifying them the building was unsafe.
A fence was put around the building and eventually a support and cable were installed to help stabilize the structure. But the building has continued to deteriorate, said Kofahl.
For the past six months, the building has faced the prospect of demolition, with the town extending the deadline a couple of times.
Although the Farmington assessor's office still lists the Wiltons as owners of the meetinghouse and the 25 surrounding acres, Lyjha Wilton, a developer living in Rochester, said that after meeting with the advocates he donated the building to the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation in Seneca Falls. Wellman said that the preservation committee has raised about $28,000 to date. Putting a mesh cover over what remains of the 1816 two-story building, which is 47 feet wide and 60 feet long, would cost about $8,000, said Wellman.
She estimated that restoration would cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.
JGOODMAN@DemocratandChronicle.com
Wrecking ball looms for Quaker meetinghouse
Farmington officials to decide on what to do with historic ruin
James Goodman
Staff writer
(December 5, 2006) — FARMINGTON — Judith Wellman used to drive by the historic Quaker meetinghouse in Farmington wondering what could be done to save this historic structure that had been turned into a barn.
But once a side of the building collapsed during a storm last February, Wellman realized that something had to be done, since the structure was declared unsafe — and faces demolition.
At tonight's meeting of the Farmington Town Board, officials will decide whether to give the decaying building a lease on life by allowing the wooden structure to stay in place with nylon mesh covering it.
The mesh would prevent debris from leaving the lot, especially if the building further decays.
Wellman, who is a professor emeritus at State University of New York at Oswego, and others seeking to save the building want time to raise the money for restoration.
"The building needs to be standing to raise funds. This is really Farmington's crown jewel in terms of heritage tourism," said Wellman, noting that the building was a meeting place for women's rights, abolition and Native American rights.
The five-member Town Board could rescind the demolition decree, give an extension or order the building demolished within 10 days, said Floyd Kofahl, code enforcement officer for the town.
Farmington Supervisor Ted Fafinski said he didn't know how he'd vote.
"It depends on the recommendation of the code enforcement officer and some of the actions that the preservations have taken," he said.
Board member Tim Mickelsen hopes demolition can be avoided.
"If they can get the construction netting in place by the end of the month, I'd like to see that happen," he said.
Advocates for keeping the structure out of reach of the wrecking ball have formed a group, the 1816 Farmington Quaker Meeting House Committee, which has a mailing list of about 125.
The house is rooted in the town's history, since Farmington was settled by Quakers from Adams, Mass., more than two centuries ago, said Farmington Town Historian Margaret Hartsough.
The house, built by some of the early settlers, is located on County Road 8, just north of Sheldon Road in the north part of this Ontario County town.
The Quakers, formally known as the Religious Society of Friends, were in the forefront of reform before the Civil War.
"And this was the site where many national reformers spoke," said Helen Kirker who is a co-chairwoman of the group formed to save the house and clerk to the Farmington Friends Meeting, the church located across the street from the structure facing demolition.
Abolitionist and women's rights leaders — Quakers as well as non-Quakers — spoke at the meetinghouse, including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, William Lloyd Garrison and Frederick Douglass.
The meetinghouse was sold to a farmer about 80 years ago and used for storage.
On Sunday, said Kirker, the board of trustees of the Farmington Friends Meeting will vote on whether to let the structure be moved from its current location on the west side of County Road 8 to just south of the intersection with Sheldon Road on land owned by Farmington Friends Meeting.
But the immediate goal of the advocates is to stop demolition.
Once the wall collapsed, Lyjha and Jillian Wilton, who own the land, were issued an order notifying them the building was unsafe.
A fence was put around the building and eventually a support and cable were installed to help stabilize the structure. But the building has continued to deteriorate, said Kofahl.
For the past six months, the building has faced the prospect of demolition, with the town extending the deadline a couple of times.
Although the Farmington assessor's office still lists the Wiltons as owners of the meetinghouse and the 25 surrounding acres, Lyjha Wilton, a developer living in Rochester, said that after meeting with the advocates he donated the building to the Elizabeth Cady Stanton Foundation in Seneca Falls. Wellman said that the preservation committee has raised about $28,000 to date. Putting a mesh cover over what remains of the 1816 two-story building, which is 47 feet wide and 60 feet long, would cost about $8,000, said Wellman.
She estimated that restoration would cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.
JGOODMAN@DemocratandChronicle.com
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