| The climbing irons were the original stairs from the second floor up to the roof. The pull down stairs replaced a small climb through opening in the second floor ceiling. The “Irons” led to a removable hatch in the roof to enable the owner access to the roof in order to place a flag. The original owner was a local artist. He basically built the house himself. The fireplace and 8 corners pillars are made of concrete. It was built as a cottage. All the first floor openings/windows are still doors and opened at one time, although they are now sealed shut. Our records show the house was started around 1925/26 and completed in 1928. The Rochester Democratic & Chronicle Newspaper did a full page article on it a few years later. There are 8 pull open “seats” still functional |
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that open out of the floor in order to sit around the fireplace. The interior walls were all painted with murals in the “dark” paint colors of those days. Curtains were painted around the openings, scenes were in between. Nothing has been painted over but a “hopefully” removable wallpaper now covers them. Two of his original small - about 8” - renditions of a bird and a fly were left uncovered on the concrete pillar and fireplace. The story goes that there was once an encampment at that location. The artist found an old military button which is now framed and given to the new owners. It has the shape somewhat of the house. Locally, the “house” is better known as the “mushroom” house. Stationary with a picture of the house can be found at the Genessee Country Museum. |