High School Picnic

 These two photos are of the same group, taken at the same time. Maybe somebody moved? Anyhow, the only hints we have is the label, P.B.H.S. and on the back it says; Port Byron H.S. Picnic.

It also lists Reba Pinkney, Chancey Henery, and Leslie Blake. A bit of research finds that Leslie Blake was a 16 year old man in 1910, and Chauncey Henry was 17 in 1910. Reba remains a mystery. I can find a Pinckney and Pinkney family in Mentz about that time, but no Reba. I don't know who was who, either.

Grace Austin's Class- 1896

This is the second of the photos loaned me by Joni Lincoln. It was very faded, so I did my best to bring it back. I did make out that it was taken in 1896 at the Port Byron School. Grace Austin wrote the pageant that marked Port Byron centennial. She was listed as the Mrs. G. Thomas Powell of Glen Cove, Long Island.

Miss Coulter's Class

Miss Myra Coulter was the teacher of this Port Byron class. I would place this photo around 1896-1900 as Richard Bunn (later the opera singer Richard Bonelli) is in this class in the front row and he was born in 1889.
There are lots of interesting names in the record of students. As for Miss Coulter; she first started teaching in 1885. In 1906, she married local druggist Charles Vaughan who was a boarder at her mom's house. But in Vaughan's obit, it states that she had moved back to Port Byron after leaving him and hoping he would come home to be around those who would support him.
Look at the names. Many still can be found in the village, so there are lots of grandparents in this photo.

The Phoenix

 

My neighbor was kind enough to drop off this 1940 yearbook she found in her attic. So over time, we will feature pages of it here. As you can read, it was titled "The Phoenix" as the school has risen from the ashes just as the mythical bird did.

1938- The new Port Byron School

It is 1938 and the new school is complete. This photo gives us a real nice view of Port Byron. See what you can find. The Warren Mill, with the millpond in the upper right corner, the churches on Church Street, the lumber and coal yard, the route of the old Erie Canal and the trolley. So much to see!

The Outlet and School - 1957

This photo was taken in 1957 by a Canal Society of New York State member who was photographing existing canal structures. But so much more can be seen. The auto garage on the banks of the Outlet next to St John's; the old Creamery; the church next to the school; the old aqueduct stonework; the arch from the first aqueduct; the Coal Yard, and so on. See what you can find. Click on the photo to make it larger.