Main Street Historic District

Main Street Historic District. Area 2. , The Main Street Historic District in Medina, New York, United States, is the downtown commercial core of the village It is a 12-acre area stretching south along Main Street from the Erie Canal to the railroad tracks. Its buildings contribute to its historic character and reflect the development of Medina from the early days of the canal, where a bend in the route made it a exceptional harbor from the 1830s to the 1920s. They are brick or native Medina Sandstone buildings in a variety of architectural styles from the 19th century, primarily Italianate. Many of them have been renovated or are currently undergoing renovation after a period of decline in the mid-20th century., In 1995 it was designated a historic district and listed on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places. Two years later, a rail freight depot at the south end was added to the district. The district is one of the most complete collections of 19th century downtown architecture anywhere., Medina Sandstone, Discovered around the time of the digging of the Erie Canal in the 1820s and accepted as a superlative building material, it was quarried for over a century in Orleans County and shipped world-wide for architectural masterpieces. Find it in Buckingham Palace, Brooklyn Bridge, the NYS Capitol, thousands of homes, and in cobblestone streets. It has strength and integrity, plus unmatched beauty in many shades. Noted local builder Patrick O'Grady was responsible for many of Medina's magnificent sandstone buildings, including Bent's Opera House (1865) and the First Baptist Church (1872)., (Captions):, Medina's Main Street as it appeared in the late 1800's was the bustling commercial core of the village and surrounding area., Below left - Parish and Stratton was one of dozens of shops lining Medina's busy Main Street., Below right - With every building arrayed in bunting and flags, citizens from far and wide lined Main Street for the Old Home Week Parade in 1906., Medina's Main Street is listed on the New York State and National Registers of Historic Places.