Phoenix Building (Pittsford, New York) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Phoenix Building
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Phoenix Building, December 2009
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 Location in New York
Location in the United States
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| Location | S. Main and State Sts., Pittsford, New York |
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| Area | 1 acre (0.40 ha) |
| Built | 1820 |
| Architectural style | Federal |
| NRHP reference No. | 74001257 |
| Added to NRHP | August 07, 1974 |
The Phoenix Building, also known as the Phoenix Hotel or Pittsford Inn, is a very old and important building in Pittsford (village), New York. It was built around 1820. This historic place in Monroe County, New York used to be an inn and a tavern.
It was designed in the Federal style. At first, it served people traveling by stagecoach. Later, it helped travelers on the famous Erie Canal. The building worked as a hotel for many years, until the 1950s.
Contents
History of the Phoenix Building
Early Days and Famous Visitors
Newspaper stories from the early 1900s say that an inn was first built here in 1807. A man named Glover Perrin built it. This first inn hosted DeWitt Clinton, who was the Governor of New York. He was looking for a path for the Erie Canal.
The first building burned down. Then, John Acer built the current structure in 1820-1821. In the 1800s, it was known as the Phoenix Hotel. In the 1820s, it was a popular stop for stagecoaches. These coaches traveled through Pittsford from places like Canandaigua and Palmyra.
Many famous people visited or passed by the hotel. In 1826, a man named William Morgan stopped there for a meal. He was being taken from jail. The French hero, Marquis de Lafayette, stayed at the hotel in 1824. Members of the wealthy Vanderbilt family also passed by in 1837.
Important Events and Changes
In 1860, during an election, Frederick Douglass was supposed to speak in Pittsford. He was a very important speaker for equal rights. His speech was planned for outdoors. But it rained, so it needed to be moved inside.
Some people who did not agree with Douglass rented the only large hall in the Phoenix Hotel. They locked it all day. This was to stop him from speaking. But Douglass still gave his speech in a nearby warehouse.
Some old newspapers also say the hotel might have been a stop on the Underground Railroad. This was a secret network that helped enslaved people find freedom. However, this idea needs more proof.
A famous long-distance walker, Edward Payson Weston, passed through Pittsford in 1867. He was walking from Boston to Chicago. It is said the hotel owner thought he was a tramp and would not give him dinner. Weston walked through Pittsford again in 1922. He was 84 years old and walking from Buffalo, New York to New York City. This time, public officials and the Pittsford Town Band greeted him.
New Owners and New Names
The Phoenix Hotel had many different owners over the years. Between 1807 and 1929, there were as many as 29 owners! In 1921, George and Harold Tyler bought the hotel. They renamed it Tyler's Inn.
Later, in 1929, the hotel was renamed the Pittsford Inn. In 1933, the restaurant inside the hotel started having a German theme. It was called "Old Heidelberg at the Pittsford Inn."
John F. Wegman, who helped start the famous Wegmans grocery stores, lived in the building by 1935. After he passed away in 1950, the building was sold.
Later Years and Today
The Phoenix Building was damaged by two fires by 1957. It was left empty for a while. In the 1960s, Andrew Wolfe bought the building. He made it the home of his publishing company, Wolfe Publications.
Today, the Phoenix Building is a private office building. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1974. This means it is recognized as an important historical site.
