LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - OCTOBER 5, 2014
The Ghosts Of LeRoy House Will Appear Again
by Lynne Belluscio
The ghosts are returning to
LeRoy House on October 18
and 19. After their appearance
last year, we thought we’d invite
them back. But not all of them
were available this year so we
had to find a few others who
were willing to tell their stories.
There are five rooms that will
be “haunted”. Not scary, but
historical. All the events are
based on true stories or people
that happened in LeRoy House.
If you enjoyed the stories last
year, you had better call and get
tickets as soon as you can. And if
you missed out last year, now is
the time to find out what everyone
was talking about.
You will meet Jacob LeRoy’s
g a r d e n e r , Mr . F l o r e n c e
McCa r t hy ( p l ayed by Sam
Leadley), who arrived in LeRoy
in 1830, to manage the extensive
gardens. He has grown some
wonderful giant cauliflowers.
In fact, the giant cauliflowers
caught the eye of some men from
Batavia, and they reported it to
the newspaper. Everyone knows
about these giant cauliflowers but
the cook isn’t happy. Come and
listen to the heated discussion and
find out what is going to happen
to the giant cauliflowers!
Upstairs in the back parlor
two Ingham University students,
Mary Cox (played again by
Liz Carney) and Anner Peck
(played by Elizabeth Bolton)
are gossiping over tea. They are
anxious about the courses they
are taking. And they certainly
have noticed all the handsome
young soldiers who are living
down on Church Street. On
Sundays, the Ingham girls sit in
the balcony of the Presbyterian
Church facing all the young
men. It’s hard to concentrate on
the sermon. And some nights the
soldiers walk up to Ingham Hall
to serenade the young women.
Mary and Anner have a lot of
stories to share.
Last year you met Mrs. Spry
(played by Brenda Beal). Her
husband is the Superintendent
of the LeRoy Central School
and the Spry family lives in
LeRoy House. Last year, she had
just returned from the reception
for Amelia Earhart. This year
(1934), she has been on the
welcoming committee for the
visit of the First Lady, Eleanor
Roosevelt. She is campaigning
for a friend who is running for
Congress. Mr. Spry will fill you in
on every little detail of the day’s
events. She’s even brought some
of the left over cookies to share.
The Land Office is being
rearranged and it will become
the parlor of the apartment of
Professor Russell and his wife.
They lived in LeRoy House in
the 1870s, when the house was
used as a boarding house for
the LeRoy Academic Institute.
Their apartment was the two front
rooms, upstairs and downstairs,
connected by the “disappearing
staircase.” Mrs. Russell’s two
children are upstairs asleep,
but Mrs. Russell wants to tell
you about another tenant who
lives in the house, Professor
Blennerhassett. He’s quite an
odd person, but he is convinced
that the house is haunted and
he knows why! Mrs. Russell is
reluctant to tell the story, but since
her children are asleep, she will
probably tell you what she knows.
LeRoy House became the
property of the LeRoy Historical
Society in 1942 through the
generosity of Allen Olmsted.
He had grown up in LeRoy and
wanted to make sure that historic
LeRoy House be preserved. He
acquired the house from the
LeRoy Academic Institute and
allowed the Superintendent of
the LeRoy Union Free School
to live in the house, until such
time that a Historical Society be
formed.
I n 1940 , t he Hi s t o r i ca l
Society received its
provisional charter.
Unfortunately, Allen
Olmsted died before he
could see the Historical
Society take possession of
the historic house. Members
of the Historical Society had
met in private homes and
the Woodward Library.
Beginning in May 1942,
the Executive Board
began meeting at LeRoy
House. Plans were being
made for the formal
open i ng o f LeRoy
House on August 26.
Join President Roy
McPherson (played
by Scott Ripley) and
Secretary Adrienne
Sanderson (played
by JoanneGraham).
Curator Albert
M c Ve a n h a s
assembled some
of the wonderful
an t i que s t ha t
h a v e b e e n
dona t ed t o t he
Historical Society in a
small display.
Everyone is invited to join
us for this special glimpse into
the past. It is a rare opportunity
to meet the ghosts who were
here. Tickets are available for
$5 for members and $8 for non-
members and can be purchased at
the Jell-OGallery 10 to 4Monday
through Saturday or Sunday 1
to 5. Or call 768-7433 for more
information.
