Youngstown’s rich history revealed in Historic Home Tour

by Emily Dulanski
Lewiston Porter Sentinel, June 27, 2009

The Swain family - one of the original landowners in Youngstown.

Youngstown is a little village overflowing with a lot of history. Dating back to the 1800s, many of Youngstown’s historical landmarks are still standing. Featuring the Swain Homestead, a converted schoolhouse, and a cobwork house, the third Youngstown Historic Home Tour and Tea is scheduled for Saturday, June 27, from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Hosted by the Town of Porter Historical Society, the Youngstown Garden Club and the Youngstown Study Club, the Historic Home Tour includes six historic homes. Three of the locations in this tour are connected to the Swain family.

The Swain Homestead, built by Isaac Swain, one of the original landowners in Youngstown, is located at 914 River Road. Although his first home burned down in 1813, Swain became a prosperous landowner and farmer after building his home in 1836. This cobblestone structure housed the Swain family until 1946.

Another part of the tour, currently the Van Zandt home, is located at 900 River Road. Swain’s son, William, built this house sometime after 1890. After returning from the 1849 California Gold Rush empty handed, William resolved himself to farm and raise his family.

Eliza, also called Lila, was the eldest of William’s three children. William built the house for her, and she and her family lived there for some time.

While William is known for his letters and diaries about the gold rush, George, his brother, became the first Youngstown village president in 1854. In addition, William taught at the wood frame schoolhouse, located on Main Street until it was relocated, and was the first teacher at the Red Brick School.

The Red Brick Schoolhouse on Main Street.

The Red Brick Schoolhouse, currently the Schlaich home, was built in 1840. Located at 565 Main St., it operated for more than 50 years. It was later sold in 1900 and was converted into a home.

One other notable place on the tour, although not associated with the Swain family, is the Shippy Homestead, located at 731 Lockport St. Currently the Allender home, this structure is distinguished by how it was built rather than who built it.

Cobwork construction, used with the Shippy Homestead, is a method in which each wall is built separately, rather than using a frame, as is the modern technique. To accomplish this, lengths of wood are stacked on top of each other with a type of mortar in between. When the weight of the roof is added to this structure, the wood is compressed and the walls and foundation are secured.

Also featured on the tour are the Bowen home at 550 Main St, which housed one of the first physicians in Youngstown, and the Linda Lee ferryboat, currently displayed at 147 William St.

In addition to this self-guided historic tour, the Youngstown Garden Club will feature centerpieces at each home as part of its flower show. Also, the Youngstown Study Club will serve tea and desserts from 1 until 4 p.m. in the rear of The Goller Home at 615 Main St., overlooking the Niagara River. Tickets for the Historic Home Tour can be purchased at Dan and Lucy Wilson Realty, located at 128 Lockport St.