Exhibit shines light on county’s fascinating architecture

The Tioga County Historical Society Museum (TCHS), located at 110 Front St. in Owego, N.Y., welcomes visitors to take a walk back through time and explore their current exhibit, “The Historic Architecture of Tioga County, New York,” by Thomas McEnteer.

Visitors will find, according to the exhibit introduction, that, “The villages of Tioga County are literally living textbooks of American architectural history.”

The exhibit, which runs through May 31, features more than 100 photos that capture the county’s architectural history from log cabins to spectacular and elaborate mansions, and going back as far as the 1780’s.

Also showcased are several three- dimensional replicas, many of which have been designed and built by Owego Apalachin school students through the decades. 

Children are welcome to the exhibit, too, and will have fun creating their own architectural wonders with building blocks. 

The exhibit highlights several architecture styles, from early frame and brick houses to Federal, Greek Revival, Gothic Revival, Italianate, Victorian, French Renaissance and Queen Anne styles, among others.  

While some properties are familiar, for example the Bement-Billings House in Newark Valley and the Tioga County Courthouse, many properties are lesser known. Visitors will find their interest sparked by the descriptions and significant facts presented for each property. 

For example, at 275 Front St. in Owego, once a store around 1814, the property known as the Charles Platt House was once home to the Owego Post Office upstairs, and was also the first print shop for the Owego Gazette. Visitors who view the photo of 396 Front St. might imagine hearing the footsteps of its once well-known resident, John J. Taylor, who was a railroad executive, U.S. Congressman and Owego’s first fire chief.

In other areas of Tioga County, a photo from Candor shows the Edward Wand house on Spencer Avenue, which was built for the owner of Candor’s glove factory, circa 1890’s.  And then in Nichols, the Platt-Cady Public Library on River Street tells the story of the property being a private residence until 1941.

A few other properties no longer standing are on display, too, such as the Dimmick House Hotel in Newark Valley, dated 1879, and that shows a photo of porch-sitters enjoying early Tioga County life.   

Also for public viewing are engineering drawings of the proposed renovations for the museum. Expanding the TCHS museum property, founded in 1914, is one of several projects being recommended for the Downtown Revitalization Initiative (DRI).

Scott MacDonald, the museum’s executive director, remarked, “As part of my personal legacy, one of my goals is to mitigate future flooding and to protect the 300,000 or more artifacts that we have housed here.”

Should the funding not be approved, MacDonald said, “We will seek out other funding.”

Museum hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, call (607) 687-2460 or find them on Facebook. You can also find future exhibits and special events listed on tiogahistory.org.