Black and White Mounted Photograph

"Ancient Council House of the Senecas"

Unidentified Photographer

c1872

This interesting photograph comes from the early years of the Council Grounds. Mr. Letchworth purchased the old Seneca structure and had it moved to the bluff above the Glen Iris in the winter of 1871. The building was restored and dedicated in 1872.

The photographer was standing east of the Council House, looking west. A canoe hangs on the Council House, nearby by a small tree has been planted. Across the empty grounds is the King George Cannon and wooden flag pole. In the coming years Mr. Letchworth would add more to the Council Grounds, including the Jemison Cabin, a museum, caretakers cottage, and the grave and memorial to Mary Jemison.

The exact date of the image is not known. Since the dedication is mentioned in the label, one would think the photograph was from 1873. But it appears that an earlier image was used to create this souvenir of the Council Grounds.

See the enlarged image below for more details. Also below we added a second photo, taken perhaps a year after this image was made.

(Below)

Black and White Mounted

Unidentified Photographer

c1873

This interesting photograph comes from the early years of the Council Grounds. Mr. Letchworth purchased the old Seneca structure and had it moved to the bluff above the Glen Iris in 1871. The building was restored and dedicated in 1872. image. There are a few changes from the earlier photograph - a coat of arms has been added to exterior of the Council House and some of the plantings in the background appear to be more established. (The slight change in the angle of the camera makes comparison a bit difficult.)

Note the cameras near the planting on the left. The planting to the right of the Council House might be the Black Walnut that was planted by Kate Osborne with the help for former President Millard Fillmore during the dedication of the Council House in October 1872.

For later views of the Council House and Grounds, see Images 119 and 121