Starkey: Historic Sites and Regional Flavors

The Town of Starkey combines historic houses and churches with scenic spots, including waterfalls and the Peleg Briggs Wildlife Sanctuary. The dates range from the early 19th century to the 20th century, offering different historical perspectives on the town’s past.

Historic Houses and Their Eras

The earliest-dated buildings are the Timothy Hurd House, from 1810, and the Enos Allen House, from 1815. The Timothy Hurd House has been altered and is located on Lakemont-Himrod Road; the Enos Allen House is on Old Lake Road. The Simeon Royce House and the Daniel Shannon House and Millsite date from 1825. The Simeon Royce House is on Lakemont-Himrod Road near Hayes Road, and the Daniel Shannon House and Millsite is also on Lakemont-Himrod Road. The Pierce-Mitchell Houses are on Route 14A and date from 1820 to 1840. Thus, individual dates stand alongside a broader time span: 1810 and 1815 mark the older houses, while the Pierce-Mitchell Houses are not assigned a single year. The Dr. Henry Spence Cobblestone House dates from 1848, is also on Lakemont-Himrod Road, and is now the Cobblestone Springs Retreat Center.

Churches and Scenic Spots

The Rock Stream Presbyterian Church is dated 1865, and Memorial Hall dates from 1931. The Starkey Methodist Church and Cemetery dates from 1882 and is on Lakemont-Himrod Road. The Rock and Big Stream Falls are also scenic and historic sites within the Town of Starkey. The Peleg Briggs Wildlife Sanctuary belongs to the same group of places and is on Log City Road. These sites range from buildings to natural areas. If you are planning to visit any of these historic sites, check accessibility beforehand.

A Travel Anecdote from the Hamlet of Starkey

A historical travel anecdote tells of a rhyme at the New York Central (“N.Y.C.”) station in the Hamlet of Starkey in Yates County: in the past, it guided many travelers to the nearby village of Dundee. Thus, alongside the sites in the Town, there is a story specifically about the hamlet and the former directions to Dundee.

Bakery and Winery in the Nearby Area

In Dundee, near Starkey, the bakery at Tabora Farm & Winery offers fresh bread, cookies, and pies. The winery produces its wines exclusively from its own grapes grown on more than 200 acres of vineyards. It also has a tasting room. The bakery and winery complement the historic and scenic sites with offerings from the nearby area, while not themselves being among the sites within the Town of Starkey.

Putting Starkey in Context as a Travel Destination

If you are looking for a hotel in Starkey, you can consider the Town’s sites and the offerings in Dundee as different aspects of your trip planning. The houses, churches, and scenic spots belong to the Town context; Tabora Farm & Winery is in nearby Dundee. This makes it possible to distinguish the town’s historical focus from a complementary visit to the bakery and winery.

Discover more destinations: Branchport, Penn Yan, Himrod, Dundee

For the broader travel overview: Yates County.