Village Timeline

The Lehigh Valley Railroad was built through the village. A freight yard was installed to sort the freight cars and make up trains. A roundhouse and shop was built to repair locomotives. The yard was a division point for the changing of crews, just short of their 100 mile limit.

The first mail carrier was Rubin Gulvin who carried from 1893 to 1910. After his death Robert Farrell continued to carry the mail.

Oil street lamps were installed. The first lamp lighter, Merrit Macumber, earned $ .50 per night.

The first store built in Manchester on the north-east corner of Clifton and Main Streets burned. Since re-building it has been occupied by the Pratt Brothers, Smith & Johnson, Johnson & Bennett, and St. Dominic's Church. Aladdin's Antiques is currently located in the building.

A new union school for District #8 was opened on North Main Street at a cost of $10.000.

New residents were coming to work on the railroad. The older residents did not welcome the newcomers. Each ethnic group was suspicious of and unfriendly to the others as they struggled to adapt to their new lives. New homes were being built along Main and Salt (State) Streets. Many of these homes included barns to house horses, still the main means of transportation. The Village also contained a number of farms.

Union School #8 became a high school.

Carlos Osgood established a telephone line between Manchester and Shortsville.

The Red Jacket Telephone Company was formed by Carlos Osgood. The office and switchboard were located at the corner of Merrick and State Streets. Some of the early officers and stock holders were, Robert Peck, W. C. Ellis, Dr. John Pratt, and W. H. Preston.

Hawkes Bakery was moved to a building on the southwest corner of Main & State Streets.

Oct. 26, entries in Carlos Osgood diary. "Leo Hessney's girl arrived from Syria, Beruit, last night. Abbott paid $300 for her. They are to keep open house for a number of days."

A man was electrocuted by stepping on a downed wire. His wife, Mrs. Fox, sued the village and the Ontario Light and Traction Company and collected $7,000 for his death.

July 23, "Band concert at night. Twenty-two years ago tonight the Manchester Band gave their first concert in the then new bandstand".

April 24, (C. O's Diary). "The steam sawmill belonging to J. N. Smith took fire this morning, about 9:30, and was entirely destroyed as well as a lot of lumber, wood, logs, and a tenant house".

Traffic speed signs were installed on Main Street. The speed limit was seven miles per hour.

The first volunteer fire department was formed with Jacob Malter as Chief. Thirty names were selected as firemen.

May 4, (C. O's diary). "In the evening we went to the Gilman and Chrisley picture show in the building that was Ed. Smith's Hotel. Opening night of the first theater in Manchester". Homer Galbraith sold popcorn and later Alice Boardman and Vera Warren played the piano. Village boys found that they could enjoy a free movie by climbing in a window into the men's room.

A water system was installed in the village using wells on State Street. The water was very hard so a lot of soap was needed to do the wash. The installation of the water system was a major step in fighting fires.

William & Marietta Hawkes retired. Their sons, Hugh G, & J. Stuart continued to operate the business as Hawkes Brothers.

Water rent was $7.00/year. The rate was $1.75 per quarter for 5000 gallons. Each additional 1000 gallons cost $.20.

The first Boy Scout Troop was formed by Rev. Walter St. Johns. The first meeting was held on March 23rd, a blustery Saturday afternoon, in one of the Sunday School rooms at the Baptist Church on South Main Street. The first registered scouts were, Alden Wilkinson, Roger Schultz, Fred Hudson, and Lionel Schultz and four junior scouts, Thomas Chrysler, Milton Hudson, Albert Chrysler, and Gordon Overacre.

	TIMELINE 1892-1916 1892 The Lehigh Valley Railroad was built through the village. A freight yard was installed to sort the freight cars and make up trains. A roundhouse and shop was built to repair locomotives. The yard was a division point for the changing of crews, just short of their 100 mile limit. On August 16, the citizens of the village voted to incorporate. The village population was 365 The first passenger got off the train at the local station on September 1st. In November, the Lehigh Valley Railroad was completed as were bunk houses and the first modern restaurant. Gilligan's General Store was also built. 1893 The first mail carrier was Rubin Gulvin who carried from 1893 to 1910. After his death Robert Farrell continued to carry the mail. The village was surveyed and maps drawn. William A. And Marietta Hawkes opened a bakery on North Main Street which provided village residents with delectable baked goods for 70 years. 1894 Oil street lamps were installed. The first lamp lighter, Merrit Macumber, earned $ .50 per night. 1895 The first store built in Manchester on the north-east corner of Clifton and Main Streets burned. Since re-building it has been occupied by the Pratt Brothers, Smith & Johnson, Johnson & Bennett, and St. Dominic's Church. Aladdin's Antiques is currently located in the building. 1896 A new union school for District #8 was opened on North Main Street at a cost of $10.000. May 18, The Lehigh's crack passenger train "BLACK DIAMOND" was started. Fifteen freight trains and six passenger trains passed through the yard daily. About 275 persons were employed with up to 1,000 working at peak times. 1898 New residents were coming to work on the railroad. The older residents did not welcome the newcomers. Each ethnic group was suspicious of and unfriendly to the others as they struggled to adapt to their new lives. New homes were being built along Main and Salt (State) Streets. Many of these homes included barns to house horses, still the main means of transportation. The Village also contained a number of farms. 1901 Union School #8 became a high school. 1902 Carlos Osgood established a telephone line between Manchester and Shortsville. 1903 The Red Jacket Telephone Company was formed by Carlos Osgood. The office and switchboard were located at the corner of Merrick and State Streets. Some of the early officers and stock holders were, Robert Peck, W. C. Ellis, Dr. John Pratt, and W. H. Preston. The village's first electric bill was $28.00 per month, paid to Ontario Light and Traction Co. 1904 Hawkes Bakery was moved to a building on the southwest corner of Main & State Streets. 1905 Oct. 26, entries in Carlos Osgood diary. "Leo Hessney's girl arrived from Syria, Beruit, last night. Abbott paid $300 for her. They are to keep open house for a number of days." Nov 5, "The great social event of the year, the marriage of Lena Hessney to Leo Jacobs which was solemnized by a priest of the Orthodox Greek Church in Pratt's Hall. The entertainment at the house was lavish, and guests were present from Geneva, Ithaca and Wilkesbarre. The priest was from the latter place". 1906 A man was electrocuted by stepping on a downed wire. His wife, Mrs. Fox, sued the village and the Ontario Light and Traction Company and collected $7,000 for his death. 1907 July 23, "Band concert at night. Twenty-two years ago tonight the Manchester Band gave their first concert in the then new bandstand". 1909 April 24, (C. O's Diary). "The steam sawmill belonging to J. N. Smith took fire this morning, about 9:30, and was entirely destroyed as well as a lot of lumber, wood, logs, and a tenant house". Sept. 17, "A number of Lehigh Valley officials were in town today and extensive improvements are contemplated". 1910 Traffic speed signs were installed on Main Street. The speed limit was seven miles per hour. The first electric lights were installed on Main Street. 1911 The first volunteer fire department was formed with Jacob Malter as Chief. Thirty names were selected as firemen. An old blacksmith shop, next to the bandstand on Mill Hill, was torn down to make room for a combined village and fire hall. A 50th Anniversary Commemoration of the Civil War, attended by President Taft, was held in Rochester. On August 25, 1911, a train carrying many of the veterans and visitors returning home from the celebration passed through the Manchester Yard. As the train passed over the Canandaigua outlet trestle, the last nine cars became derailed and three cars fell off the trestle into the outlet. When the alarm was sounded, people from all over responded. Dr. John R. Pratt and Coroner Dr. D. A. Eisiline treated people on the west bank. Special trains took the injured passengers to hospitals in Clifton Springs and Rochester. Some patients were transported to Canandaigua by ambulance. The death toll reached 29 with 68 injured. It was a terrible tragedy and at that time, was the greatest disaster in Ontario County history and the worst tragedy in New York State in 20 years. Corner Eisiline held an inquest at the G. A. R. Room in Shortsville. Officials and experts testified for days on all aspects of railroad practices. In the end, it was determined that a rail had broken from an internal defect. This was the first internal defect of a rail found in U. S. history and helped lead to the current practice of x-ray or sound inspection of all rails. Mottelo's grocery store was built on Railroad Avenue. 1912 May 4, (C. O's diary). "In the evening we went to the Gilman and Chrisley picture show in the building that was Ed. Smith's Hotel. Opening night of the first theater in Manchester". Homer Galbraith sold popcorn and later Alice Boardman and Vera Warren played the piano. Village boys found that they could enjoy a free movie by climbing in a window into the men's room. 1913 A water system was installed in the village using wells on State Street. The water was very hard so a lot of soap was needed to do the wash. The installation of the water system was a major step in fighting fires. 1914 William & Marietta Hawkes retired. Their sons, Hugh G, & J. Stuart continued to operate the business as Hawkes Brothers. 1915 Water rent was $7.00/year. The rate was $1.75 per quarter for 5000 gallons. Each additional 1000 gallons cost $.20. A new three story school building was erected on the North Main Street site. This building included a modern auditorium with balcony. The fire company became mobilized with the purchase of a used Peerless fire truck. 1916 The first Boy Scout Troop was formed by Rev. Walter St. Johns. The first meeting was held on March 23rd, a blustery Saturday afternoon, in one of the Sunday School rooms at the Baptist Church on South Main Street. The first registered scouts were, Alden Wilkinson, Roger Schultz, Fred Hudson, and Lionel Schultz and four junior scouts, Thomas Chrysler, Milton Hudson, Albert Chrysler, and Gordon Overacre.