By Carol Fisher-Linn
In a conversation with Ellen Siriani Frank, Ellicottville Town Historian, she expressed great enthusiasm for things that are happening with the Museum and the Historical Society for the coming year.
Washington Street in Ellicottville, NY.
By popular demand, the Historical Museum will be opening in May, rather than June this year. Last year, the museum played host to over 1300 visitors, always with the request for more hours. This year, the museum will be open every Saturday and Sunday, May 3 to September 28, 1-4pm. Siriani Frank suggested that folks who love history or enjoy meeting new people might wish to volunteer to take a few hours in that new schedule. It’s great fun to see where visitors come from and why some make repeat visits. If interested call Ellen Siriani Frank at (716) 474-8528 or (716) 699-2276.
Since skiing is such an integral part of what makes Ellicottville the fabulous year-round destination that it is, visitors will find a brand-new display on Skiing in Ellicottville this coming year. With Herculean physical effort of many willing hands, things have been shifted around a bit, to accommodate a gifted antique roll top executive-type desk from Fitzpatrick and Weller. It was likely used by Frank Fitzpatrick and/or his brother-in-law, William Weller who founded Fitz and Weller to produce shoe last blocks. Founded in 1895 in Ellicottville, NY, Fitzpatrick and Weller provided shoemakers around the world (including Queen Elizabeth’s shoemaker when she was a young woman) with finished wooden lasts (foot shapes) on which shoes were constructed. F&W remains to this day a multi-national supplier in hardwood lumber and wood component industries. The vintage desk is a very fitting piece that illustrates the huge role the lumber industry played in Ellicottville’s growth.
Sara Nuszkowski is pursuing a grant to get a start at doing much needed repairs to the circa 1853 building. Some rehab work was done in 1987 but the beautiful historic building is showing age. Issues like the need to rehab the antique door, lighting, insulation (and lack thereof) issues causing the museum to be closed in the colder months, structural issues throughout, the possibility of creating more space for storage without taking away from the public space presently utilized, consideration for removing the dropped ceiling (and what would they find?) and lack of handicap accessibility are some of the many issues facing that glorious old building. Storage is a particularly frustrating issue because the lack of it forces them to decline irreplaceable donations. Ideally, strictly from this writer’s point of view, the Historical Society needs a generous donor with deep pockets offering to resolve their storage dilemma with a well-secured, environmentally controlled space designed or upgraded to meet standards and requirements for the preservation, protection, and accessibility of the museum’s collection. Obviously, with the limits on this historic building, this space could be elsewhere in the village. As my mother always told me, you don’t know if you don’t ask.
The Society is looking for people who would be willing to share their ability, expertise or enthusiasm and become a member of the Building Committee. If you are interested, please contact Sara Nuszkowski at (716) 534-6741 or sararae77@roadrunner.com for more information.
Ellicottville Historical Society 2025 programs:
• Meetings are held at the Ellicottville Memorial Library 6944 Maples Road – first Wednesday of each month from May to October – 7pm. There will be a brief Business Meeting before the presenters.
The list of presenters:
Wednesday, May 7- Lance White Eagle on “The History of Indigenous Leaders.”
Wednesday, June 4- Vince from Chautauqua County Curiosities.
Wednesday, July 2- Ellen Siriani Frank on Revisit to Battle of Lexington and Concord. The Battles that started the American Revolution.
Wednesday August 6- Don Dwyer on “Songs and Stories of the Erie Canal”
Wednesday, September 3, Amanda Woomer from Spook Eats.
Wednesday, October 1- Marina Blair from Illusion Tours.
All meetings are free, open to anyone interested.
• Ellicottville Historical Walking Tours continue: Saturday, May 31, Saturday, June 21, Saturday July 5 and Saturday August 16. Meet at the Gazebo at pm. See and hear stories of the founding persons of Ellicottville. 1.5 to 2 hour walk. Cost is $10 per person, cash or check made out to Ellicottville Historical Society. The funds from these walks support the fine work of the Historical Society and the maintenance of the building. Go often. Be generous. Ghost tours will be offered in the fall. Stay tuned.