SHERWOOD - Patricia White did a double take as she drove by Slocum Howland's former home. The last time she passed it, she recalled, she hadn't noticed the broken front window.

Yet such deterioration is nothing new for this 19th-century structure, which was the residence of a prominent Quaker abolitionist and an important stop on the Underground Railroad. The green shingled roof has several holes, a back portion of the house is caving in and the red paint that once coated the exterior is almost completely scraped off.

Less than a mile away, the former home of Howland's son, William, isn't doing much better. Surrounding shrubbery has overtaken the property, a porch has bent under the weight of debris and broken windows allow snowflakes inside the once prestigious dwelling.

Now White and the other board members of the Howland Stone Store Museum will have the opportunity to investigate ways of preserving these

structures, as well as at least 10 other properties in and near Sherwood.

The hamlet, located in Scipio, was recently named to the Preservation League of New York State's “Seven to Save” list, an annual list of structures, properties and areas with historical significance that tie in with the state's past. It is the first property in Cayuga County to be a part of the program.

Jay DiLorenzo, president of the league, said that Sherwood was chosen because in the 19th and 20th centuries, it was a “real hotbed for social reform issues,” including temperance, abolitionism and women's rights.

“The buildings tell the stories of social reform movements that shaped our national character,” DiLorenzo said. “They helped define us as Americans. We want people to understand that and to value that.”

White, who wrote the board's “Seven to Save” application, already understands.

Thanks to her family ties (her great, great, great grandfather was Slocum Howland's brother) and her schooling (she attended Sherwood Central School, which was housed in a structure built by Slocum's daughter, a women's rights and education activist named Emily), White grew up hearing stories about the Howlands.

She has been active with the Howland museum, the site of where Slocum ran his business from 1837 to 1881, for the

last three years and has great respect for the hamlet's famous family.

“I think it's just important to understand that a little place like this, just a little four-corner town ... was where a lot things were happening that changed the course of our history,” White said.

Little it is.

The hamlet is surrounded by large swaths of open land, and driving to all of the historic sites in Sherwood takes under five minutes.

Most traffic that comes through is passing by on its way to Auburn or Aurora. The speed limit is 40 miles per hour, but many cars go much faster, spending just seconds in the hamlet, likely unaware of its historical significance.

“There's really nothing terribly contemporary about Sherwood,” White said. “This is really sort of an old-country town.”

Town of Scipio Historian Sandie Gilliland, who vividly remembers visiting the Howland museum as a child, believes

that being named to the list will draw people's attention to the rich history of what many

may currently view as a sleepy town.

The Howlands were forward-thinking people that sacrificed for their community -

quality often missing in today's society - and the increased attention on the area could draw

in more tourists interested

in such history, Gilliland predicted.

Yet though White is also enthusiastic about the possibility of more visitors, she doesn't want the quaint character of the hamlet to change; she's not looking to make it into a commercial destination.

Rather, she's hopeful that the league can offer some advice on how the board can go about preserving the properties.

Most, like Emily Howland's former home, where Emily used to entertain guests such as

Harriet Tubman, are privately owned. And many, including an old one-room schoolhouse attended by a former slave, are well-kept.

Yet there are several improvements that could be implemented, from fixing fallen

headstones in the cemetery to installing a marker for Slocum's home.

White would also like to see the museum's vast collection of letters, diaries and other documents

now in its possession better organized.

“I think we have nothing to lose,” White said of being named to the list. “Anything they can do to help us or to guide us - guidance is part of what we need. We need to understand what our options are.”

Over the next year, the preservation league is available to offer the hamlet various services, from legal counseling regarding preservation law to advocating on the hamlet's behalf for grants that could fund architectural assessments.

The league also acts as a middle-man for local historical groups, putting areas with similar preservation concerns in touch with each other.

Cayuga County Legislature Chairman George Fearon, who spoke at the ceremony where the “Seven to Save” announcement was made, is excited about the possibilities.

“It's going to help stabilize and preserve these key properties that without protection and assistance could be lost forever,” he said.

DiLorenzo noted that the initial publicity of being named to “Seven to Save,” which has been around since 1999 and has helped to preserve several historic structures, can be beneficial because it raises the visibility of the resources, and that may lead to more volunteers and a greater receptivity by the community to future actions.

“It's our way of ringing a clarion call to the local people,” he added.

Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net