Monroe County’s most historic property rebuilds its public acclaim

It’s high noon and the grounds of the Stone-Tolan House are serenely quiet. If not for the ambient noise spilling over the tall concrete walls that separate the historic site from six lanes of traffic on the expressway, it’s easy to believe this is a country road on the outskirts of civilization. Instead, the red and gray trimmed Federal-style home — the oldest building in Monroe County — sits on its original East Avenue plot dating back to 1792, a stone’s throw from the nearest Wegmans.

Originally the home of Orringh and Elizabeth Stone, the dwelling served many purposes in its formative years. The tavern — the oldest portion of the site — doubled as the town’s watering hole while offering a bed for those passing through 19th-century New York.

Currently owned and maintained by the Landmark Society of Western New York (LSWNY), the Stone-Tolan House, at its foundation, is viewed by the organization as an educational responsibility. For decades, the grounds have been toured by busloads of children on field trips to learn and experience history firsthand. 

The barn located behind the main building — though not original to the property — was added for historical accuracy, much like the garden, orchard and farm animal fences near the smokehouse. Today, it is used as a classroom and starting point for the aforementioned school visits.

In keeping with the Landmark Society’s commitment to preservation and historical accuracy, the home underwent an intensive paint analysis that ultimately determined the white siding and dark shutters it featured for decades were inaccurate; repainting to match the original red with gray trim became a topic of public controversy for many years.

Holding steadfast to historical preservation is not easy, and in the case of the Stone-Tolan House, increasingly unsustainable. “Museums are not what they used to be,” said Larry Francer, assistant director of LSWNY. “Preservation organizations around the country for the past decade have been dealing with this concern that people are just not coming to house museums.”

The cost to maintain any home can be great, especially when that home dates back over 230 years. “The hardest part is the funding,” said Wayne Goodman, executive director of LSWNY. Donations and funds to support historical sites like this property vary greatly; for example, a recent grant secured by New York State Senator Jeremy Cooney will cover repairs to the white fence framing the orchard along with other necessary repairs to the home.

From tavern takeovers to an annual orchard dinner hosted by Restaurant Good Luck, the Landmark Society has held various events on the property in an effort to unlock new revenue streams and increase exposure. “One thing that we hear often, particularly at the (Good Luck) dinner, is people are in awe and had no clue that this was even here,” said Goodman.

The potential to buy a large plot of land on East Avenue in Brighton is far from overlooked by eager property developers. Over the past decade, the organization has been contacted in hopes they would sell. “The answer has been no, and it’s going to continue to be no,” said Goodman, adding the goal is to ensure the historical integrity of the property and find a sustainable path forward.

“We want something that’s going to allow people to experience this historic site,” he said. “If we’re spending a lot of time and resources preserving this, there should be a public benefit to that. And if people don’t even know it’s here and aren’t experiencing it, something has to happen.” landmarksociety.org