Welcome to the History Corner!
Celebrating the rich history of Port Byron, New York, an old Erie Canal village in the Town of Mentz. This site is dedicated to the legacy and heritage of our community as well as a variety of regional historical tidbits. I hope you enjoy your visit and will stop by again.

Saturday, October 12, 2013

Panther Update

The true origin of the "Port Byron Panther" belongs to our athletic teams!!  I had previously found evidence that the yearbook club was the first to adopt the Panther with their circus themed yearbook.  However, I just stumbled onto a newspaper article dated December 20, 1951 that tells us the yearbook club adopted the name to have the same name as the school sports teams.  So now the proper credit for our mascot can be traced to our athletic teams of years past.  Now the question remains, when did the actual panther mascot become part of our school culture?

Port Byron Chronicle and Cayuga County News
December 20,1951
fultonhistory.com

Monday, September 16, 2013

Village Jail

The Auburn Citizen
January 25, 1928

Village Lockup—Port Byron
Inspected December 31, 1927
George Newkirk, mayor; T. M. Crane, village clerk. The village population is about 1,000.  This lockup is located in fire headquarters on the ground floor of the two-story Village Hall.  It consists of a two-cell latticed steel cage, each cell equipped with folding bunk, waterproof covered mattress and comfortable.

Large windows provide ample light and ventilation. Electric light and coal stove. Sanitary buckets are used as there are no sewers in the village.  General condition good.  Only one person has been detained here during year just closed.

When this lockup is occupied close and competent - supervision should be provided against the fire risk.
Respectfully submitted,
WALTER W. NICHOLSON,
Commissioner.