The Historical Society is the guardian and caretaker of two of the oldest and most significant buildings in Western New York’s Bristol Valley.

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1923 Grange hall

In the center of Bristol Springs, the nearly century-old Grange Hall has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 1997. It holds the Society’s collections and is the site of all meetings and events. All of the original woodwork is preserved, and the second floor sports a large open floor and stage. Like all Grange halls, this one has been the center of its community’s agricultural and social life for generations. In 2020, a new metal roof was installed to ensure the building’s preservation. This costly repair and other costs of upkeep and improvement are the Historical Society’s primary expense. On November 11, 2023, we celebrated the building’s centennial with a presentation by town historian Beth Thomas on the building’s history. Here are the slides from her presentation.

 

1846 METHODIST EPISCOPAL Church

This historic church building in Bristol Center was sold to the Bristol Historical Society when the congregation it served merged with the United Church of Bristol. Since 1975 the Historical Society (now the Bristol Hills Historical Society) has maintained the church through special donations and its general membership fund. Efforts are made with every repair and improvement not to compromise the church's original design elements. During the early 1990s the eight stained glass windows were cleaned and re-hung because they were sagging. Starting in 2024, the building’s critical needs inside and out have grown rapidly.

In 2024, we paid for a new metal roof and contracted to repair the church’s precious stained glass windows, work to be performed in 2026 along with painting the exterior, repairing the foundation, and repairing the plaster ceiling. To pay for these repairs — essential to the survival of this site on the National Register of Historic Places — we have launched a fund-raising campaign, “See the Past, Save the Glass.” Learn more here.