FAIRPORT, N.Y. — The Potter House is a historical home that dates back to the 1850s.

“We have these terrific markers that really help us understand what we’re standing in front of," said Bill Poray, municipal historian for the village of Fairport and the town of Perinton. 

He shares pictures of what the Potter House once was and shares the history of the, at the time, very significant community home.

“It’s named after the Potter family who lived here from the 1870s to when Fred Potter donated this property to the village of Fairport upon his death," he said. 

Poray has dedicated part of his retirement to digging into these kinds of hidden gems and the impact they’ve had on our community.

“It wasn’t just the house, it was the acreage open it. Where it sits. So in the neighborhood of 10 acres of land, right in the heart of the village and it was his intent that it be used as a community center," Poray said.

The Potter House gave the community somewhere to gather and quickly became a hot spot for community discussions, scout meetings and even weddings. 

“If you imagine back in the 1940s, there wasn’t really a local park system. So this was kind of revolutionary.” Poray reflected.

As time went on, that "revolutionary" community center became one of many and, like many buildings, the Potter House is now in critical need of renovations. Water damage, torn wallpaper and simple upkeep of the property have become a challenge to maintain, and some are concerned if the historical house is worth the time and the money. 

“It’s about preserving the integrity of the building," Poray said. "We have designated ordinances to protect properties both in the village and in the town."

These designations decide what kind of opportunities the historic buildings bring to the community.

“The grounds and Potter place are designated national historic landmarks,” said Poray.

The designation gives properties protection and the opportunity for grant money to help repair their needs. Those needs are what he hopes will maintain the history and legendary title of the Potter House and other historic buildings in our area.

“It’s not good enough to see old pictures. I love old photographs, but we still need to have the tangible three-dimensional link to our past," said Poray.