Valentown Hall

Infobox_nrhp2 | name =Valentown Hall
nrhp_type = nrhp


caption =
location= Victor, New York
lat_degrees = 43
lat_minutes = 1
lat_seconds = 34
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 77
long_minutes = 26
long_seconds = 9
long_direction = W
locmapin = New York
area =
built =1879
architect=
architecture= No Style Listed
added = May 09, 1997cite web|url=http://www.nr.nps.gov/|title=National Register Information System|date=2008-04-15|work=National Register of Historic Places|publisher=National Park Service]
governing_body = Private
refnum=97000425

Valentown is the name of an abandoned shopping center located in Victor, New York. The structure was built in 1879 by Levi Valentine and is operated today as a museum and seasonal haunted house attraction. It is included on the National Register of Historic Places.

History

The three-story structure was built in 1879 by Levi Valentine as the central commercial and community building of a new town to be created by Valentine and named "Valentown". Valentine's motive was a forthcoming railroad line that was to travel past the building. However, Mr. Valentine's forward-thinking plan yielded an unfortunate result when the railroad company went bankrupt and did not complete the line. With no demand for a commercial center in the location, Valentown quickly failed as an enterprise and was abandoned.

In 1940, local historian J. Sheldon Fisher purchased the property and opened Valentown as a museum. [ [http://crookedlakereview.com/articles/101_135/114winter2000/114koch.html A Grateful Salute to J. Sheldon and Lillian Fisher] ] The property is owned and operated today by the Victor Historical Society.

Alleged haunting

Valentown is thought by some to be haunted. The museum sells haunting-related t-shirts and hosts ghost hunting parties for adults and children. They also feature a seasonal "Spook-tacular" haunted house attraction. [ [http://www.valentown.org/home Valentown Website] ]

TAPS investigated the hauntings, and the footage aired on "Ghost Hunters" in April, 2006. The program incorrectly listed the museum's location as nearby Canandaigua, NY.

References

External links

* [http://www.valentown.org/ Valentown Museum, Victor Historical Society]
* [http://crookedlakereview.com/newsocietygenesee/visits/0897valentown.html Venerable Valentown Hall] by Donovan A. Shilling