Main Street Historic District (Medina, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Main Street Historic District
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View north on Main Street from
Center Street junction, 2010. Fuller and J.A. French blocks on left. |
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | Medina, NY |
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| Nearest city | Lockport |
| Area | 12 acres (4.9 ha) |
| Built | 1845-1925 |
| Architectural style | Romanesque, Queen Anne, Italianate |
| NRHP reference No. | 95000213 (original) 97001457 (increase) |
| Added to NRHP | March 23, 1995 (original) November 24, 1997 (increase) |
The Main Street Historic District in Medina, New York, is the main shopping and business area of the village. It covers about 12 acres. This area stretches along Main Street from the Erie Canal south to the railroad tracks.
Most of the buildings here are very old and important to the area's history. They show how Medina grew from the 1830s to the 1920s. This growth started because of a special bend in the Erie Canal, which made it a perfect spot for a harbor. The buildings are mostly made of brick or stone. They show different building styles from the 1800s, especially the Italianate style.
Many buildings have been fixed up after a quiet period in the mid-1900s. In 1995, this area was named a historic district. This means it is a special place with important old buildings. It was then added to the National Register of Historic Places. Two years later, a train depot was added to the district. This happened after people found out it was connected to the other historic buildings.
Contents
Exploring the District's Location
The Main Street Historic District has a unique shape. It follows Main Street for about a block and a half. This is both north and south of East and West Center Street. These streets are also part of important New York State routes. The land here is mostly flat, with a gentle slope down towards the canal.
North and East Sides
At the northern end, the district includes buildings on the east side of Main Street. These buildings are close to the Erie Canal. The canal makes a bend here after crossing the Oak Orchard River. The district's edge then follows the back of properties on the east side of Main. It does not include a parking lot near the canal.
Near East Center Street, the district gets wider. It includes some buildings on both sides of the street. It stops just before St. John's Episcopal Church. This church is known as the "Church in the Middle of the Street." It is one of Medina's oldest public buildings. The boundary then goes back to the rear property lines. It follows the CSX railroad tracks back to Main Street.
West and South Sides
On the west side of Main Street, the district includes all properties down to North Avenue. It also takes in a large railroad area. However, it does not include a hardware store on the corner with West Avenue. The district then follows West Avenue north, just past the tracks.
In 1997, the district grew to include the Medina Railroad Museum. This museum is across the street. This change extended the district's southwest corner to Gwinn Street. The boundary then crosses the street again. It includes the old train station building. After that, it turns north behind City Hall. It follows the back of properties on the east side of Main. This includes buildings facing Proctor Place.
What's Inside the District?
This carefully drawn area covers about 12 acres. There are 52 buildings within the district. Only three of them are too new to be considered "contributing properties." A contributing property is a building that adds to the historic importance of the district. There are no houses in the district. Most buildings are multi-story commercial buildings. Some have apartments above the street-level shops.
A few exceptions include the railroad buildings, the First Presbyterian Church, and City Hall. The district does not include the Medina post office or St. John's Church. These buildings are also historic, but they are just outside the district's boundaries.
Medina's Past: A Look Back
Medina started to grow when the Erie Canal was being built in 1817. Soon, houses appeared for canal workers near the bend in the canal. By 1825, the area near the docks was busy. It even had a general store. Back then, Main Street was called Shelby Street. None of the very first wooden buildings are still standing. They were torn down to make way for the buildings we see today. Only the foundation of the old Arcade building (343–347 Main Street) remains from those early years.
Village Growth and the Railroad
In 1823, the Holland Land Company planned out the village. This company owned much of Western New York. By 1826, this plan, along with the settlement near the docks, became Medina. At that time, it was a stop for canal barges. Passengers would often stay overnight. Many early buildings were hotels.
Medina grew quickly. Besides the canal, it had good waterpower from Oak Orchard Creek. Two old mill races (channels for water power) ran along what is now Main Street. The land around Medina was also very fertile. The settlement became an official village in 1832. This was just seven years after it was founded. By 1840, about 700 people lived there.
In 1855, the Paddock Hotel (500–506 Main Street) was built. It is the oldest hotel building still standing in the village. Around the same time, the Rochester, Lockport and Niagara Falls Railroad was built through Medina. This railroad, later part of the New York Central Railroad, helped bring raw materials and send out finished goods. This made industries grow along Main Street. The old train station (615 Main Street) was built in the early 1900s. It uses local Medina sandstone, which was very popular for building at that time.
Fires and New Buildings
A series of fires in the 1860s and 1870s led to many new buildings being constructed. Most of the buildings in the district today were built between 1870 and 1900. Because they were built around the same time, they look similar and have a consistent height. The most impressive building, Bent's Opera House (at Main and Center), was built early in this period.
In the early 1900s, Medina had many different industries and shops. Fruit farms around the village needed places to store their produce. This led to cold storage buildings near the railroad tracks. Three buildings show how important fruit growing was: the warehouse at 630 Main Street, the building at 613-615 Main Street, and the railway museum building on West Street. Medina was so successful that in 1908, residents named their new municipal building "City Hall." They hoped the village, with 5,000 people, would become a city one day.
Changes Over Time
Most of Medina's industries slowly closed down in the following decades. The Erie Canal, which carried less and less traffic, was made wider in the late 1910s. It became part of the New York State Barge Canal. But it continued to decline. The railroads were also affected. In 1931, trolley service stopped. After World War II, the demand for Medina sandstone also decreased. People started using the New York State Thruway, about 10 miles south, for travel and shipping. Eventually, the New York Central Railroad stopped passenger service and went out of business.
Even with these changes, the buildings of downtown Medina have remained. Many have been restored and fixed up with help from state and federal programs. The village still benefits from the canal. It is now mostly used for fun activities, but it still carries some goods.
Important Buildings in the District
The district has 54 buildings, one structure (the railroad tracks), and one park (Rotary Park). Rotary Park and three nearby buildings, plus one near the train station, are the only ones not considered "contributing properties." Here are some of the most notable buildings:
- Austin and Dye Cold Storage Warehouse, 613–615 Main Street. This three-story building was built in 1901. It is made of Medina sandstone.
- Bancroft Hotel, 343–347 Main Street. Its foundation dates back to 1835. This makes it the oldest part of any building in the district. The rest of the building was rebuilt after a fire in 1927. Today, it is an auto-parts store.
- Bent Block, 444 Main Street. Built in 1865, this Medina sandstone building once held an opera house. It was a major cultural spot in Medina.
- Building at 435 Main Street. This is the oldest complete building in the district. It is a stone building with a brick front, built in 1846.
- Building at 512 Main Street. This brick Italianate building has cool Art Deco style storefronts. They feature red and black Carrara glass.
- Central Bank of Medina, 514 Main Street. This is the only neoclassical building in the district. It was built in 1890, and its front was updated in 1926.
- City Hall, 600 Main Street. This is the only government building in the district. Built in 1908, it is in the Richardsonian Romanesque style. It uses rough Medina sandstone and has round-headed arch designs. Its name shows how much the village hoped to become a city. The fire department is in a newer part of the building.
- First Presbyterian Church, 520 Main Street. This is the only church in the district. It is a brick Romanesque Revival building from 1872. It is set back a bit more from the street than its neighbors.
- Fuller Block, 428 Main Street. This 1875 Italianate building has fancy decorations. These include drip molding on its round windows and detailed brickwork. It used to house a G. C. Murphy store.
- Hart House, 111–115 West Center Street. Built in 1876 as a hotel, this brick building is one of the best Italianate examples. It has tall brick columns, arched windows, and stone crowns.
- Maher Brothers Block, 116–120 East Center Street. This 1873 building has a neo-Renaissance front. This was added 30 years after it was built.
- Medina Cold Storage Warehouse, 630 Main Street. Built in 1907, it is similar to the Austin and Dye building across the street. A wooden packing house was added in the early 1920s.
- Medina Railroad Museum, 530 West Street. This large wooden building was built in 1905. It is thought to be the biggest wooden freight depot still standing in the country. It became a museum in 1991.
- New York Central Railroad Station, 615 West Street. This building has a hip roof. It was built in 1908 using different materials. It is mostly still in its original form and is now used as a senior center.
- Paddock's Hotel, 500–506 Main Street. This is the oldest hotel building in the district. It was built in 1855.
Keeping History Alive
Medina has special rules in its zoning code to protect the historic district. These rules help keep the district's historic look. The village's own historic district is a bit larger than the one listed on the National Register. It extends north to Eagle Street and includes more of East Center Street.
In 2009, a group worked with the village and local businesses to create a plan. This plan was to help make the district better. They asked businesses and shoppers what they thought the main problems were downtown. They also asked customers where they came from and how they used the downtown area.
What Businesses Thought
Many businesses were small and owned their own shops. They offered many different goods and services. They employed about 222 people. Most businesses wanted grants or loans to help them improve their shops. About half of them felt that parking was a problem for their customers.
What Customers Thought
Most customers were older women who lived nearby. They usually drove downtown to shop for groceries or go to the drugstore. They also came for personal care needs. They visited downtown a few times a month. If they didn't shop downtown, they would go to larger stores, shops in nearby towns like Albion or Middleport, or malls in the Buffalo area. They liked the small-town feel of downtown. However, they thought there could be more parking. They also wanted more attention paid to empty buildings.
Ideas for Improvement
The plan suggested adding a section about downtown to the village's main plan. Some ideas to help were:
- Sharing parts of the National Register application. This would help people learn about the district's history.
- Creating window displays in empty shops.
- Letting property owners know about tax credits. These credits help with fixing up income-producing properties.
- Creating a Business Improvement District. This is a special area where businesses work together to improve their neighborhood.
- A separate parking plan was also suggested. This would help solve the parking issues.
