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Introduction
Early History
Death Records 1860-1894
Pioneers
Early Settlers
Joseph McClure
Pardon T Jewell
Marvin Older
Delos E Lyon
Curtis Brothers
Searl and Storrs
Doctors
William McNall
Park Square and Fairs
The Story
The Trial
The Wedding
Franklinville Fair
Bands
Postal History
Introduction
Post Office
Postmasters
Hotels and Inns
Globe Hotel
Hotel Lester
Bard Hotel
Brown Eagle Hotel
Businesses and Industry
Bartholomew's Pharmacy
West Park Square Drug Store
Quality Bakery
Cutlery Industry
Mercantile
Dairy Industry
Firehouse Liquors
Blount Plow
Churches and Buildings
Baptist
Other Churches
Presbyterian
Methodist Episcopal
Morgan (Town) Hall
Amusement Hall
The Miners Cabin
In the Public Trust
Newspapers
Chronicle-Journal
Fire Department
Mt Prospect Cemetery
Public Works
Railroads
This information came from the files of Joie Wilson, formerly the Franklinville Town
Historian and the section editor for Franklinville on the Cattaraugus County website.
If you have information about Franklinville, or have a question,
contact Joie at ChasandJoie@webtv.net
Thanks, Joie !!
You are our visitor since January 29, 1999--
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Churches originally provided the only real basis for social life
in Franklinville. Later there was entertainment in private homes, most
often associated with the celebration of birthdays, weddings or other
ritual occasions.The building of Morgan Hall as a town hall,
which also contained an
auditorium for public use, then brought light opera companies to
Franklinville, providing the first out of home entertainment for the
community. By the turn of the century there were actually two movie
houses, the Gem and the Adelphi, showing silent films. All of these
things provided for passive entertainment. Not until 1910 would a
place be built expressly for amusement, including an activity requiring
physical participation .... and even then it had a practical side as
well. Unbridled frivolity certainly had not been the order of the day.
In 1910 plans were announced for the building of an Amusement Hall.
It was to contain a roller skating rink, convention hall, moving picture
theatre, bowling alley, public comfort rooms, a gymnasium on the second
floor... the first floor would be a 'hitching in" stable and a garage
for automobiles.
The building of this was accomplished and it was enjoyed for a long
time. Many more details about this are available if you are really
interested.
Times changed as the years went by, taking from the building many
of its useful aspects. For example, the increased popularity of the
automobile as a total replacement for transportation by horse did away
with the need for the hitch barn part of the operation. The downstairs
eventually housed a farm implement business ..... it too was later
phased out. The last viable remaining use of the building disappeared
sometime at the end of the 1960s with the closing of the skating rink.
Over all those years many a young man had pursued many a young lady
to
the tune of the music for The Kentucky Steal.
The years went by and the huge old building fell more and more into
a state of disrepair. Finally, in 1993, the Village of Franklinville
condemned it.
On October 25, 1993 dismantling of the building was actually begun
with the gradual removal of the siding. Next the brick chimney was
taken down .... and eventually nothing remained but a vacant lot.
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