People who appreciate history in the towns of Cato, Ira, Victory and Conquest as well as the villages of Cato and Meridian formed a membership club several years ago known as CIViC Heritage.

This year, the club is sponsoring a tour of historic buildings and grounds in the four-town, two-village area. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 21, as a special fundraising event.

Pictured is district No. 2 Brick Church School House on State Route 34 in the town of Cato. Built in 1861, the interior of this building is furnished with ink well desks and other authentic pieces. Thanks to the town of Cato, which has maintained this building for many years, local children get to come and play school the old fashioned way.

Down Short Cut Road is the second building on our tour; the Timerson Home. Built circa 1845, this brick home has many original finishes including original iron window grates and decorative interior moldings. All buildings on the tour include interior viewing as well, and this one should not be missed.

The James Garden, on Hollister Street in the village of Meridian, contains a mix of perennials and woody shrubs in a serene setting. This historic garden is enhanced by architectural elements that complement the space.

The northern most building on the tour is located in the historic hamlet of Ira Hill. This crossroads has undergone few changes over the years and leaves visitors with the feeling that they have entered a bygone era. Settled amongst several other old buildings is the physicians office of the late Dr. Weber. The doctor practiced here until 1938. The building has had very few changes, and visitors will feel privileged to see this private collection.

The fourth building on tour is the McCurdy home on Mechanic Street in the village of Cato. This impressive home was built by the Conger family who were early settlers here. The home was later owned by several generations of the Pople family, local dairy farmers that delivered milk by a special horse drawn wagon. The home and barn are both on display.

Also in the village of Cato is the old Cato Mill. No longer in operation, the Cato Mill still retains many of the original fixtures. The adjoining mill pond and garden are an attractive respite with Great Blue and Green Herons.

On South Street in the village is the secluded grave of Dr. Jakway. The doctor settled here before 1815 and was said to be a friend of Ethan Allen. Jakway is the source of the original naming of the village formerly known as Jakway's Corners.

In the town of Victory, no visitor will walk away disappointed by the collection of artifacts at the Victory Historical Building.

The collection spans several periods with an emphasis on local pieces. Beverly Sayles, the town of Victory historian, will lead guided cemetery tours at the nearby Victory Cemetery.

Don't forget the special tour locations in the town of Conquest at the hamlet of Emerson. Joni Lincoln, the town of Conquest historian, will give tours of Emerson Cemetery at 10 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. Emerson Church, built in 1862, will be open for the event. The building is a good example of Greek Revival Architecture and contains many original furnishings and wavy glass windows. The district No. 5 Emerson School House will also be open for tour. This is one of the few remaining school houses that was built in the first half of the 19th century. Old classroom photos will be on display.

These buildings can be viewed in any order. Free refreshments will be served in several locations. For ticket information, go to civicheritage.org.

This would be a good time to thank Bernie Corcoran for sponsoring our new Web site. Bernie does not only do the Web site for CIViC Heritage, but maintains the county's Cayugagenealogy.org site that is a must see.

Eva Taylor Sholes is the town of Cato historian and can be reached at 834-6306