How many folks have hiked, biked, rode horseback, run or rode snowmobiles on the Cayuga County Trail from the Village of Cato to Fair Haven? Did you wonder what the buildings were used for at the intersection of Watkins and Ira Station roads?
The Lehigh Valley Railroad had stations located at points along the route of the railroad to North Fair Haven. North of Auburn stations were located at Throop, Weedsport, Brick Church, Cato, Ira Station, Martville, Sterling Station, Fair Haven and north Fair Haven.
It was in 1889 that Fay C. Adams was transferred to the Ira Station from the south end of Cayuga County. Mr. Adams was the modern day entrepreneur. Farmers that had extra eggs beyond what they could use themselves asked if there was a market for their eggs somewhere. Eggs were collected from these local farmers and shipped express to New York City. This sales venture led to the construction of “egg house” at the Ira Station area. In this building the gathered eggs were readied for shipment to restaurants and hotels in New York City. This “egg house” was eventually turned into a feed/grist mill in later years by the Van Wie family.
Another business venture and building added to the area along the railroad was a Ford dealership. Mr. Adams' obituary from a December 1935 Cato Citizen states that “he became the first Ford dealer in this section and the dealership had the distinction of selling more cars for the size of his territory than any dealer in the United States.” This building is still standing.
Students in the area of the station would take the train to the Village of Weedsport so they could attend high school there. Local families would take the train to Auburn for shopping sprees. Schoolteachers would take the train home on the weekends. Miss Iva Wall was one of those teachers that went home weekends to Fair Haven.
When the Terpening Band played for band concerts in the hamlet of Ira, folks would take the train to the Ira Station where they would be picked up by a livery wagon and transported to Ira for the concert. About a thousand or more folks would attend the concerts, many having come by train.
Over the years more buildings were constructed: Scales and scale house; grain storage; feed mill; coal shed; and a milk plant. Of course with the automobiles gaining popularity, gasoline and oil became a major enterprise for Mr. Adams. He eventually went into the distribution business for gasoline and oil. He kept his office at Ira Station area.
Many thanks go to Mr. Jim Krupa of Watkins Road in the Town of Ira for noticing an item for sale on eBay that should come back to Ira. This item was a bundle of correspondence about the Lehigh Valley RR and drainage pipes for the milk plant. It was purchased and sent back to Ira. Mr. Krupa had it on a table at this lawn sale when Jim Van Wie stopped to browse. To make a long story short, Jim now has the correspondence. His grandfather and father were the last ones to conduct business at Ira Station. The History Room in Ira's Municipal Building has a copy of this correspondence.
In May 1996, Mrs. Bramble, Ira's town clerk then, told me on Saturday morning that the late Paul Stoneburg had called her to tell her that there was a photo of LVRR's Ira Station in the late 1890s for sale at one of T.W. Conroy's auctions. Mrs. Bramble and I decided on a bid price and were the lucky bidders. Town of Ira now has the photo for their archives.
Jim Van Wie has shared with me old photos that he has of buildings there at Ira Station. On May 15, 1996 I had the opportunity to take photos of the remaining buildings at Ira Station before any more are gone, and had a guided tour of the area.
Mr. Adams sold his interests in the property #3, Ira Station to Mr. George Van Wie in the early 1920s according to a letter dated March 24, 1923. The site of the coal sheds was owned by the LVRR and was leased to Mr. Adams, then Mr. Van Wie for the sum of $5 per year. The lease for the site of the coal sheds was changed to Earl Van Wie April 1, 1929 after the death of George in 1927. (From correspondence between Mr. Adams and the Lehigh Valley RR office in Geneva, that Mr. Krupa rescued.)
In 1953, Lehigh Valley RR received permission to halt business north of the Cato Station in February due to the lack of business. The tracks were removed in the 1970s. Some day, take a journey along the Cayuga County Trail to view the buildings left at the area referred to as Ira Station. It will take you back to the time when railroads were the main mode of “long-distance” transportation.
Dorothy Southard is the town of Ira historian.
It was in 1889 that Fay C. Adams was transferred to the Ira Station from the south end of Cayuga County. Mr. Adams was the modern day entrepreneur. Farmers that had extra eggs beyond what they could use themselves asked if there was a market for their eggs somewhere. Eggs were collected from these local farmers and shipped express to New York City. This sales venture led to the construction of “egg house” at the Ira Station area. In this building the gathered eggs were readied for shipment to restaurants and hotels in New York City. This “egg house” was eventually turned into a feed/grist mill in later years by the Van Wie family.
Another business venture and building added to the area along the railroad was a Ford dealership. Mr. Adams' obituary from a December 1935 Cato Citizen states that “he became the first Ford dealer in this section and the dealership had the distinction of selling more cars for the size of his territory than any dealer in the United States.” This building is still standing.
Students in the area of the station would take the train to the Village of Weedsport so they could attend high school there. Local families would take the train to Auburn for shopping sprees. Schoolteachers would take the train home on the weekends. Miss Iva Wall was one of those teachers that went home weekends to Fair Haven.
When the Terpening Band played for band concerts in the hamlet of Ira, folks would take the train to the Ira Station where they would be picked up by a livery wagon and transported to Ira for the concert. About a thousand or more folks would attend the concerts, many having come by train.
Over the years more buildings were constructed: Scales and scale house; grain storage; feed mill; coal shed; and a milk plant. Of course with the automobiles gaining popularity, gasoline and oil became a major enterprise for Mr. Adams. He eventually went into the distribution business for gasoline and oil. He kept his office at Ira Station area.
Many thanks go to Mr. Jim Krupa of Watkins Road in the Town of Ira for noticing an item for sale on eBay that should come back to Ira. This item was a bundle of correspondence about the Lehigh Valley RR and drainage pipes for the milk plant. It was purchased and sent back to Ira. Mr. Krupa had it on a table at this lawn sale when Jim Van Wie stopped to browse. To make a long story short, Jim now has the correspondence. His grandfather and father were the last ones to conduct business at Ira Station. The History Room in Ira's Municipal Building has a copy of this correspondence.
In May 1996, Mrs. Bramble, Ira's town clerk then, told me on Saturday morning that the late Paul Stoneburg had called her to tell her that there was a photo of LVRR's Ira Station in the late 1890s for sale at one of T.W. Conroy's auctions. Mrs. Bramble and I decided on a bid price and were the lucky bidders. Town of Ira now has the photo for their archives.
Jim Van Wie has shared with me old photos that he has of buildings there at Ira Station. On May 15, 1996 I had the opportunity to take photos of the remaining buildings at Ira Station before any more are gone, and had a guided tour of the area.
Mr. Adams sold his interests in the property #3, Ira Station to Mr. George Van Wie in the early 1920s according to a letter dated March 24, 1923. The site of the coal sheds was owned by the LVRR and was leased to Mr. Adams, then Mr. Van Wie for the sum of $5 per year. The lease for the site of the coal sheds was changed to Earl Van Wie April 1, 1929 after the death of George in 1927. (From correspondence between Mr. Adams and the Lehigh Valley RR office in Geneva, that Mr. Krupa rescued.)
In 1953, Lehigh Valley RR received permission to halt business north of the Cato Station in February due to the lack of business. The tracks were removed in the 1970s. Some day, take a journey along the Cayuga County Trail to view the buildings left at the area referred to as Ira Station. It will take you back to the time when railroads were the main mode of “long-distance” transportation.
Dorothy Southard is the town of Ira historian.
