Six

Branchport

Branchport was commonly known as Esperanza until 1830, but was named Branchport prior to the establishment of the post office in 1832. Early industry consisted mainly of lumbering and farming, but these enterprises declined when the trees had all been harvested and the land was worn out. Vineyards became prevalent, and remain so today. As the other Keuka Lake port in Yates county, Branchport was important in the steamboat era.

This 1909 postcard shows Main Street looking north with St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, built in 1866, on the right.

The schoolhouse shown in this photograph from the 1910–11 school year was built in 1868. It is now the Jerusalem Town Hall. Today we are unaccustomed to seeing such an age spread in one school group. Although most of the boys are wearing hats, you can bet that they did not wear them into the classroom!

It must be a quiet Sunday afternoon in this c. 1915 photograph of young people fishing from the Erie Railroad dock at Branchport. The apparel makes one wonder if they would take home any fish they caught, but three young couples probably would not care if they caught fish or not. Fourth from the right is Marjorie Evans, and on the right are Carrie and Jim Evans.

The photographer obviously did not use flash powder for this photograph inside John Miller’s Blacksmith Shop in 1898—the flash would have spooked the horse. From the right are Robert Scott, John Miller, and William Moore (shoeing the horse). The man seated is a customer, possibly waiting for his horse to be shod.

The Branchport Nine (plus batboy) are shown in this 1909 postcard. From left to right are as follows: (front row) Joel Burtch, Emery Steadman, Carlyle Vail, and James Carroll; (back row) Wright Burtch, Arthur Vail, Joe Coryell, Jack Evans, Mark Jennings, and Ray Schofield. (Photograph courtesy Jim Evans.)

The Bluff Point Grocery at Kinneys Corners is the subject of this 1951 photograph by Bill Potts. Recently remodeled, The Merry Go Round Grocery now contains a restaurant as well as a store. This photograph was taken in almost the same spot as the photograph on p. 69.

The P.Y., K.P. & B Railroad ended in Branchport as shown in this c. 1910 photograph looking west toward the main intersection. The sign on the car advertises dancing at Electric Park (see p. 92), a popular activity at the time. The bandstand in the middle of the crossroads is rumored to have been rolled down the hill and broken up to get it out of the middle of the road.

Burtch’s Grocery was well known to Branchport residents and summer people on the west branch in the late 1940s when this photograph was taken by Bill Potts. Kirkland Burtch and Lawrence Cook bought out the former Burtch Brothers business. The grocery later became known as Larry and Don’s when Don Fernandez became a partner with Cook. It is now the Crooked Lake Mercantile.

The Friend’s house was built in 1814, five years prior to the death of Jemima Wilkinson. Built in the Federal style, the house still stands today and has been recently renovated. When Wilkinson lived there, the entire third floor was her private quarters. The other floors were used as common areas by her followers.

The Branchport Hotel was located at the four corners where Pinckney’s Hardware is today. It burned in a 1901 fire that also destroyed the post office, a drugstore, an attorney’s office, a dentist’s office, a barbershop, the Weaver Opera House, and a private residence. To the right of the post are Luther Jackson, Frank Jackson (holding the horse), and Mary Lynn Jackson (one of the ladies on the upper porch). The Jacksons ran the hotel for several years.

This postcard of the business section of Branchport, taken in the 1930s, shows a quiet intersection on a beautiful summer day. The store on the right was built on the foundation of the Branchport Hotel. As was common at that time, there are gas pumps at the hardware and the grocery store. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

This c. 1910 photograph is just the opposite of the photograph on p. 74, taken from the intersection looking east toward the trolley stop. Note that there is a car coming up the road from Penn Yan. It must have been a long trip judging from the condition of that unpaved road.

In 1922, when this postcard photograph was taken, Route 54A had been paved. Although the Penn Yan and Lake Shore Railway (formerly the P.Y., K.P. & B) was to operate for another five years, the handwriting is already on the wall—note the bus parked down the road.

This beautiful Burnell photograph was taken before 1922 when the Esperanza became the County Home. The Greek Revival mansion was completed in 1838 by the Rose family. It is said that the Roses brought their slaves from Virginia to build their home and then freed them when the house was completed. A local landmark empty for many years, Esperanza is being privately restored.