The Great Age of Horse - Drawn Transportation
The nineteenth century was the great age of horse-drawn transportation. Americans were on the move in wagons, coaches, shays, sleighs and on horseback.
During the last century, hitching posts and mounting steps were a common visual item in American and European cities, towns and villages, and a common feature of inns, churches, farms and country houses where they were once almost an obligatory feature.
Fairport is very fortunate to have over 25 locations with these artifacts still standing. You will find several locations with multiple examples.
Most of the village hitching posts are rather simple pillar style structures cast from concrete. There is one example of a more elaborate cast iron model. Molten iron can be molded into almost any form, and this allowed a wide range of decorative patterns to be made available to the American public. An entire industry rose around the decorative cast iron hitching post.
This hitching post at 1 East Church Street is made of Medina sandstone, and has the metal ring for the reins. This property, the DeLand House, has a mounting block or carriage step and another post.
The village also has a number of posts and steps carved from Medina sandstone, a locally quarried stone used the world over for decorative stonework. With that influence comes a whole history of immigrant stonecutters who worked the stone, and the Erie Canal where it was ferried to ports along its route.
Over time, simple horse mounting blocks evolved into more elaborate carriage steps. Blocks consisting of two steps, sometimes with a handrail or a recessed area for an engraving of the owners name, are seen in front of several of our village homes. Many of these belonged to prominent residents, the Seeleys, Henry DeLand, Daniel DeLand and the Potters, to name just a few.
The survey of the hitching posts and mounting blocks is a project of the Society's Historic Structures Committee, which is dedicated to identifying and educating the public about the unique and venerable historic structures in Perinton.
This concrete hitching post is located at 106 West Church.
We invite you to enjoy this self-guided tour to see these wonderful relics of our past. Some artifacts, like the hitching post at 187 South Main, are not visible from the public walkway.
To find these artifacts, view the map and list below. The map has locations indicated with a "horse" icon. A printable version of the Hitching Posts and Mounting Block Self-guided Tour is available to download.
While you are in the neighborhood, stop by the Fairport Historical Museum.
Over 25 locations that have Either Hitching Posts or Mounting Blocks
Locations of Artifacts:
1 East Church St. - mounting block (Medina sandstone), 2 hitching posts (medina sandstone on concrete)
10 East Church St. - mounting block (Medina sandstone)
24 George St. - mounting block, hitching post (sandstone)
106 Hulburt Ave. - mounting block (Medina sandstone), not visible from walkway
6 Perrin St. - hitching post (limestone) this post was moved to 10 Perrin St.
53 Roselawn Ave. - mounting block inscribed Silver, 2 hitching posts (concrete)
98 Roselawn Ave. - 2 step mounting block (Medina sandstone)
76 South Main St. - hitching post (concrete)
138 South Main St. - hitching post (Medina sandstone)
187 South Main St. - hitching post (concrete), not visible from walkway
200 South Main St. - mounting block, not visible from walkway
249 South Main St. - mounting block, part of porch foundation
61- 63 West Ave. - mounting block (limestone)
68 West Ave. - mounting block (Medina sandstone), on Beardsley side
83 West Ave. - 2 step mounting block, 2 hitching posts (limestone)
111 West Ave. - mounting block (marble), inscribed Hitchcock
112 West Ave - block with ring (marble, iron)
This 1885 postcard image from
the town of Perinton collection shows a hitching post in front of 150 West Avenue. The house and barn are still very beautiful, but the post is gone.
120 West Ave. - hitching post (marble)
155 West Ave. - mounting block (marble)
53 West Church St. - mounting block (limestone)
54 West Church St. - hitching post (Medina sandstone), on West St. side of property
106 West Church St. - hitching post (concrete)
182 West Church St. - hitching post (cast iron)
8 West St. - mounting block (medina sandstone)
36 West St. - mounting block (marble), inscribed J. Duncan
42 West St. - mounting block (stone)
22 West St. - hitching post (concrete)
24 West St. - stone with ring
30 West St. - mounting block (concrete)
31 West St. - curb ring (iron)
The following artifact is located in the northeast area of the Village:
26 East St. - mounting block (concrete)
Search
The Structure Committee has located over 25 properties that have either a hitching post or mounting block and sometimes multiple examples.
For a printer friendly version of the locations and a map, download Hitching Posts & Mounting Block Self-guided Tour in PDF format.
The marble block at 111 West Avenue has the name "Hitchcock" on the front of the stone.
A Medina sandstone block at 98 Roselawn Avenue has two steps. This mounting block was originally located at 107 Roselawn Avenue.
This cast iron hitching post is located at 182 West Church Street.
Another post made of Medina sandstone is located on the west side of 54 West Church Street.
A block with an iron ring was found in the garage of 112 West Avenue. It now graces the garden on the inside of the picket fence.
Another Medina sandstone block is located at 8 West Street. West Street has more of these artifacts than any other street.
Don't miss all the carriage houses on these streets as well.
