Tinker Cobblestone Farmstead - Henrietta, NY
Posted by: 
sagefemme
N 43° 04.129 W 077° 34.509
18T E 290333 N 4771675
1585 Calkins Road, Henrietta, NY 14534
A significant example of a nineteenth century farm complex in Henrietta, Monroe County.
Waymark Code: WMDEC9
Location: New York, United States
Date Posted: 01/02/2012
Views: 6
This collection of orginal structures reflect the rural agrarian heritage of the region and provide information on farming practices in the Genesee River Valley. The farmhouse is particulary significant as an outstanding example of the cobblestone method of construction in New York State and as a distinguished example of vernacular, Federal style domestic architecture in Henrietta from the period 1829 through to 1900. This is one of 13 surviving cobblestone buildings in Henrietta, and of about 130 throughout Monroe County.
The masons responsible for the construction of cobblestone houses are often unknown to history, but according to the research done for the NRHP nomination, this one is believed to have been built by Michael McCarty, a local mason. Reasearch by historian Connie Cox Bodner indicates that the first Tinkers to live on the property brought their children from Waterford, Connecticut. They came to the property containng two log cabins. They acquired additional acreage in 1824, 1828, 1842 and 1853 totaling about 300 acres. The house was begun in 1828 replacing the original log cabins.
The property remained in the hands of members of the Tinker family, with Grace Ann Tinker inheriting from James and Rebecca Tinker in 1856. Grace died in 1897, leaving Adelbert Tinker to assume control of the farm. The farmstead underwent partial subdivisions, mostly to members of the Tinker family. By 1963, John C. Aldridge (married to a Tinker) was farming 282 acres and maintaining a small herd of dairy cows. In 1992, the Aldriches doneated the farmhouse and other structures on 65 acres of farmland to the town of Henrietta.
As part of the significance statement in the nomination form for NRHP, this justification was given: "Together the buildings illustrate typical farm aconomics and common building technologies over an extended period of time. Currently owned by the Town of Henrietta and operated as a museum, the farmstead will be used to assist in the interpretation of regional agricultural history." (
visit link)
As someone who loves cobblestone buildings, what impresses me most about this one is that it has three fireplaces on the first floor, and two on the second. The kitchen fireplace has a beehive brick oven, which, judging by the photographs submitted with the nomination, is actively used in demonstrations (there is a baked pie staged in front of the oven in the photo). (
visit link)
My next favorite details include the well with hand pump in the front yard, and the two-seater outhouse in the back between the house and the chicken coop!