Looking West on Albany St, 1890
The town of Cazenovia was established in 1793. Land developer and Cazenovia’s founding father, John Lincklaen (1768- 1822) had a desire “to make something handsome of Cazenovia.” A well-planned village, featuring an attractive boulevard, stands testament to Lincklaen’s vision and legacy. However, as early as the 1870s, Cazenovia’s main street began to take on a new, more modern style, one that Lincklaen himself would not have recognized. Many of the two-story clapboard structures that once lined Albany Street were destroyed in a series of devastating fires. An array of brick, limestone, and clapboard Victorian-style constructions gradually supplanted the original buildings. Despite these alterations, Albany Street continues to exude idyllic charm.
Situated at the corner of Albany and Lincklaen Street, the “Lincklaen House” has been a Cazenovia landmark for over 180 years. Construction began in 1835, and in 1836 the Lincklaen House was opened for business. The south face of this imposing three-story brick hotel is marked by an elegant Greek Revival portico and distinctive sign (pictured above). After the introduction of The Syracuse & Chenango Valley Railroad in 1873, entrepreneur and former stagecoach driver, George Shute, shuttled hotel guests from nearby railroad stations via a horse-drawn vehicle called an omnibus (pictured in front of the portico). The hotel’s prime location near the center of Cazenovia’s business district contributed to its long-term commercial success.
Additional sources:
Atwell’s Cazenovia, Past & Present Chapter IV- Industries and Institutions