A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
From the Photo series: A Closer Look: Explore Western New York’s architectural treasures series
The Holland Land Office presided over the surveying and sale of the large tract of land known today as Western New York. The building that today is home to the museum was erected in 1815 under the management of Holland Land Co.'s Joseph Ellicott. Today, you can explore the Holland Land Office Museum, located at 131 W. Main St. in Batavia, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Holland Land Office is said to be the birthplace of Western New York.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
Made from limestone, the walls are 2 1/2 feet thick. The building was in danger of being demolished, but Batavia High School came to the rescue and raised funds to buy the building in 1894.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The building was erected in 1815 under the management of Holland Land Company's Joseph Ellicott and operated until the 1830s. The building was also used as a seminary, boarding house, bank and church before becoming the museum 125 years ago in 1894.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The museum displays the history of the Holland Land Office. Hanging prominently is a portrait of Joseph Ellicott, the head surveyor.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A surveyor's compass from the period on display. Tools like this were used to survey the 3.25 million acres from the Holland Land Purchase before it could be sold.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
This is a surveyor's chain, each link is 7.92 inches and the total rod is 16 feet. Chain like this was used to survey the entire Holland Land Purchase.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The surveyor's chain was replaced by the surveyor's tape sometime during the 19th century.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Land Office room includes a surveying book used by Joseph Ellicott.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
This is a land deed from an individual purchase.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
Period tools used by surveyors.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Land Office room displays this surveyor's tripod.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A letter press used by the Holland Land Office is on display at the museum.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The original flooring is visible.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Native American room highlights tribal life and also explains the treaty that led to the sale of the land to Robert Morris who then sold it to the Holland Land Company. This is a model of a longhouse village.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
Eli Parker was a Seneca, a lawyer, a Civil War general and head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A map from 1797 of the Morris purchase shows the lands reserved for Native American reservations. The purchase extended from Lake Ontario to Pennsylvania and Lake Erie to Stafford. The Native Americans received 200,000 acres for 10 reservations in exchange for the 3.25 million acres.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The pioneer kitchen is a hands-on room showing period life in Genesee County.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
An iron kettle sits on a potbellied stove from 1840 in the pioneer kitchen room.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A spinning wheel is on display in the pioneer kitchen.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A mortar and pestle from 1840.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
There is a case of mastodon bones found in Genesee County. This mastodon jaw is about 11,000 years old.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Holland Land Office Museum gives the history of life in Genesee County.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A mirror from the Richmond family mansion. Dean Richmond was president of the New York Central Railroad, his wife Mary Richmond was president of the Holland Purchase Historical Society. Pieces from their mansion such as this mirror are displayed in the museum.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The east wing shows life in the 19th century and beyond.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The east wing shows life in the 19th century and beyond in Genesee County. There's a case celebrating the Batavia Muckdogs baseball team's 80th anniversary.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A collection of balls from the Batavia Muckdogs.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The office sign of Dr. Guy Patterson, who was a Batavia dentist.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
Paul Fricker, a Batavia barber, used this 1910 chair in his shop.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The military room shows Batavia natives who were prominent servicemen. On display is the West Point uniform of Emory Upton who was a Civil War general and responsible for modernizing the army after the war.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
Emory Upton was a Civil War general who had an impressive collection of calling cards. This one is Robert E. Lee's.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
More of Emory Upton's calling card collection.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The calling card of Ulysses S. Grant.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
A portrait of Charles Rand, who was decorated as the first volunteer in the Civil War. He also received the Congressional Medal of Honor and is buried in plot No. 1 in Arlington National Cemetery.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
On display is Charles Rand's Medal of Honor that was awarded for his valor in battle and is the oldest Medal of Honor.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Holland Land Office museum.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The hat of Rear Admiral Ralph Chandler who served in the Navy.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
This is the Genesee County gibbet that was used for executions. It differs from gallows in that there is no trap door. A counterweight jerked the condemned upward, breaking their neck. This often didn't work and they died of strangulation.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
This is the original staircase of the Holland Land Office.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
This is one of two cannons from the New York State Militia from the 1820s to 1830s in the front of the museum. They both will be restored soon.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Holland Land Office Museum gives the history of life in Genesee County.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
An original door lock from the building.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
An original set of iron vault doors.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The locks on the original set of iron vault doors.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
Period surveying tools.
A Closer Look: Museum of the Holland Land Office, where WNY's roots begin
The Holland Land Office Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday.
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Photo series: A Closer Look: Explore Western New York’s architectural treasures
This series has taken Buffalo News photographers inside, outside, above and, on occasion, underneath local landmarks and to places most people…
