Cobblestone Historic District facts for kids
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Cobblestone Historic District
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Partial west profile and south elevation of
1834 Universalist Church, 2010. The Ward House is in the background. |
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Childs, NY |
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| Nearest city | Batavia |
| Area | 0.9 acres (3,600 m2) |
| Built | 1834-1839 |
| Architectural style | Cobblestone Federal style and Greek Revival |
| NRHP reference No. | 93001603 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | April 19, 1993 |
| Designated NHLD | April 19, 1993 |
The Cobblestone Historic District is a special place in Childs, New York. It's home to three amazing buildings made from small, round stones called cobblestones. This unique way of building was very popular in upstate New York near Lake Ontario.
These buildings show off styles like Federal and Greek Revival. They were built a long time ago, in the 1800s. Even though they've been updated a bit over the years, they still look mostly like they did when they were new.
Today, the Cobblestone Society owns and takes care of these buildings. They've been working since the 1960s to keep them looking great. The biggest building, an old church, is now the Cobblestone Museum. It's the oldest cobblestone church in all of North America! This district was named a National Historic Landmark in 1993. It's actually the smallest historic landmark district in New York state.
Contents
What is the Cobblestone Historic District?
This historic area includes three main buildings. There's a church, a house that used to be for the church's minister (called a parsonage), and an old school building. They are all located along NY 104 in Childs. This area is about three miles north of Albion.
The land here is mostly flat. The buildings are on the north side of the highway. The area around them has a few houses, but it's mostly open fields and woods. Some other buildings nearby are also made of cobblestone, but they are not part of this special district.
The church and the parsonage are right next to each other. The old school is about half a mile further east down the road. All three of these buildings are important parts of the district.
How did Cobblestone Buildings Start?
Cobblestone buildings started appearing around 1825. People used the smooth, round stones found near Lake Ontario. It's thought that English masons (builders who work with stone) who were working on the Erie Canal first came up with this building method. They might have learned it from old Roman building styles.
Wealthy farmers near Lake Ontario liked this style. They built their homes using cobblestones in the popular Federal and Greek Revival designs of the time.
Who Started the Village of Childs?
A man named John Proctor bought the land where Childs is now in the 1820s. He was a successful businessman. Proctor planned out the village and wanted a church to be its main focus. So, he had the church built in 1834. He also owned the land where the parsonage and the school were later built. He sold these lands to the church and the school district.
How Did Cobblestone Building Change Over Time?
The three buildings in the district show how cobblestone building improved.
- The church, built first, uses regular field stones. The mortar (the stuff that holds the stones together) was kept simple.
- The Ward House (the parsonage) has stones arranged in a special pattern. This pattern is called the "Gaines Pattern."
- The school, built last, uses smaller, lake-washed stones. These stones were used as a thin outer layer, like a decoration, over a wooden frame. This was a very rare way to use cobblestones!
In 1874, the church was updated. The inside was changed, and the pews (church benches) were turned around. The parsonage also got a new front door.
Who Lived Here?
Some famous Americans lived near this area in the 1800s:
- George Pullman lived here as a teenager. He learned how to build furniture from his dad. He went to the church, which was the main church for his religion until he helped build a new one in Albion in 1894.
- Newspaper editor Horace Greeley had an aunt and uncle who lived in the Ward House. He even held the mortgage (a type of loan) on their house for a while.
What Happened to the Buildings Later?
The church wasn't used much for a long time in the 1900s. Its tall tower was taken down in 1919. The school closed in 1952 because local schools were combining.
In 1961, the Cobblestone Society bought the school for $129. Two years later, they bought the church too. In 1966, they put a new tower on the church that looked exactly like the original one. The society got the parsonage in 1975 from Inez Martyn Ward, who the house is now named after.
What are the Buildings Like?
The 1834 Universalist Church
This church is the building furthest to the west. It's a three-story building with a pointed roof. Its corners have special stone blocks. A square wooden tower sits on top. The cobblestones on the front are very smooth and carefully placed. A stone terrace (a raised area) is in front of the church. A marble sign above the front door says: "Erected by the First Universalist Society A D 1834 GOD IS LOVE".
Inside, there's a lobby with stairs leading up to a balcony. At the back of the church, there's a platform with a wooden pulpit (where the speaker stands). There's even a painting that looks like a real alcove (a small recessed area) on the back wall!
The Ward House
This house was likely built around 1840 and was used as a parsonage. It's a one-story building with a sloped roof. The main part of the house is 18-by-24-foot (5.5 by 7.3 m). The cobblestones here are placed even more carefully than on the church. On the sides, the stones are arranged in the special "Gaines Pattern," which looks like small hexagonal boxes.
The house has a small wooden addition on the back. This addition has a porch with a fluted (grooved) column. The front door is fancy, with two original stained glass windows. Inside, the walls are plastered right onto the stone. The furniture and decorations inside show what a home looked like in the 1880s.
The District 5 School
This school is about half a mile east of the other two buildings. It's the newest of the three, built in 1849. It's a one-and-a-half-story building with a pointed roof. On top, there's an open bell tower with a domed roof. The cobblestones on this building are mostly brown and were used as a decorative outer layer over a wooden frame. This is very unusual for cobblestone buildings!
The cobblestones are placed very tightly together. A stone ledge runs around the building at floor level. The windows have simple stone frames. In the front, there are two separate doors, one for boys and one for girls. Above them, a marble sign tells us about the school's history.
Inside, the doors lead to separate cloakrooms. The classroom floor slopes upwards, so students in the back sat higher than those in the front. Original blackboards are still there. There's also a cupboard and a spot for a clock behind the teacher's desk. The old heating system, with two trapdoors in the ceiling, is still in place.
How are the Buildings Protected?
The Cobblestone Society takes care of all three buildings in the district. This society was started in 1960 when people met at the church to talk about how to save these historic places. Besides these three buildings, the society also manages five other buildings nearby. These buildings show what life was like in Childs when the cobblestone buildings were built. The society also helps protect other cobblestone buildings in the county.
The society has a gift shop in the church basement and offers tours. They also let people use the church for weddings. The money they earn helps them restore the buildings and show how cobblestone masonry (building with stone) was done.
Images for kids
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Cobblestone detail on church west wall
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School ca. 1965
See also
