Ellicottville Walking Tour Recently Updated
Ellicottville Walking Tour Recently Updated
Enjoy a Self-Guided Trek Through Our Historic Village; Updated Brochure Available
Visitors and local community members alike will appreciate an updated Walking Tour of significant parts of Ellicottville which introduces people to the varied architectural styles we boast in our beautiful, well-preserved early buildings. Ellicottville has two names: The native name for this location was ‘De-as-hen-da-qua,’ or ‘place for holding court’ and ‘Ellicottville,’ likely since 1818 when the Holland Land Company opened an office here. Our wonderful public buildings were constructed quickly since Ellicottville was designated county seat of Cattaraugus County in 1808. The village became incorporated in 1837 but the county seat was eventually moved over the hill to Little Valley in 1868 due to better railroad access. Today, so many of those buildings and places are listed in the National Register of Historic Places. (The Ellicottville Historic District, Ellicottville Town Hall, and Jefferson Street Cemetery).
Ellen Frank, Town Historian relates that, “Ellicottville was named in honor of Joseph Ellicott who was in charge of the survey of the Holland Land Company lands in Western NY. Ellicott became its General Agent for the sale of these lands. The Holland Land Company opened an office of Ellicottville in 1818. Ellicott laid out the village (lots, streets, and village square) for the future village and to allow for growth, something often lacking in villages that expanded without plans. The public square was divided into quarters. Upon Joseph Ellicott’s instruction, the 4 corners were to be used for public spaces: education, religion and two lots for the County buildings (Court House and the Clerk’s office).”
As you look around, you will notice that this geographic region is surrounded by incredibly rich forests, with an abundance of hardwoods. With the presence of fast-moving streams, log milling was a natural source of industry. Our first sawmill was built in 1821, two miles east of Ellicottville’s village, which marked the beginning of our lumbering industry. Aside from lumber, shoe last manufacturing took hold and, prior to the introduction of plastic, Ellicottville was the world center for shoe last block manufacturing. Our museum has several examples of these shoe lasts (basically a shoe form) which were made to build leather shoes on them. Bowling pins, Louisville Slugger baseball bats, baskets, wooden toys, logs, lumber, and dimension products were produced in this community. Today, the lumber products are sold throughout the United States, Canada, Europe and Pacific Rim countries through Fitzpatrick and Weller (established in 1895), whose offices and plant are located on 12 Mill Street.
Other industries included cheese making, a condensed milk factory (Borden Co.), leather tanning, high-grade hosiery, novelty boxes, playpens, upholstered chairs, and office equipment. In 1905, Ellicottville opened its own Electric Light Company. Burrell Cutlery, in operation since 1940 when they manufactured straight razors and surgical equipment, morphed into household cutlery and knives after WWII. Closed for the past few years, owner and village mayor, John Burrell, has re-invigorated knife making with TopFlight Early American Cutlery. There is just no stopping us.
Of course, then came skiing with the beginnings - a rope tow first on Fish Hill and then Greer Hill. Fish Hill began its new adventure in 1936, with a rope tow which was the second to be established in the state. Greer Hill started two years later. In your tour of houses in Ellicottville, check out #13, 25 Adams Street at the corner of Martha (go straight up to the bend from the Edelweiss Lodge). This magnificent home was first built in 1843 by banker and land agent, Theodore Smith. In 1900, it was owned by Colonel David B. Parker who held a post with the U.S. Postal Service during President Grant’s administration. The original horse block and hitching post are still in place, there were two fountains on the property fed by natural springs, and it housed a grand ballroom, the site of many social events in those early years. In later years, it was purchased by Ellicottville’s beloved Dr. Leyens and his wife where he saw patients regularly. Before he sold it, he struggled to maintain repairs inside, telling this writer in his broken German accent, “It is a white elephant ‘Kaahrol’ – the [decorative] plaster ceilings will knock you out when they fall.” Thankfully, the building has been restored and is worth the trip to see even from the outside. Back to skiing, there are old photos showing skiers gathered on the side lot to the left of 25 Adams which was 38 Martha (numbers are changed now). An old tow rope went up there, right from the village which took skiers to Greer Hill. The fun of these tips about town is the history and the interweaving of places in the village.
Here's an example, still speaking about skiing, but now Holiday Valley. The roots of ownership of that property go back to Chauncey J. Fox, who was an early pioneer of Ellicottville. In 1855, he purchased a house built in 1835 for his family on 2 Elk Street, #27 on the tour guide. It is the rambling white house on Elizabeth and Elk, across from the United Church of Ellicottville (#26 – originally built in 1852 with locally produced bricks) with the astonishing original wrought iron fencing surrounding it. You can’t miss it. Now, Chauncey Fox Jr. had the house on 52 Jefferson (#20) built in mid-1850s. He died there. His son, George moved further up the road to where you enter Holiday Valley, and built a farm on both sides of the road. The house was on the left where the Ellicottville Depot (itself an historic treasure) stands, and Holiday Valley Road was nothing but a dirt road leading to the pasture where the cattle grazed. Imagine, the hills skiers shush down for fun today are the same ones the Fox kids had to run up every day to go “fetch the cows.” Not so much fun.
Unfortunately, the guide doesn’t give you these personal insights, but it certainly helps you to discover the amazing architecture and history of this wonderful old village. The brochures can be obtained at the Chamber of Commerce building and at the Historical Society when it is open during the summer months. Guided walking tours by our Town Historian, Ellen Frank, are available during the summer months. Ellen brings the history of our settlers and community members alive. Enjoy Ellicottville. “Doesn’t this place feel great?”