Hotel Lenhart

The Hotel Lenhart in Bemus Point and Neckers Company General Store in Clymer have been added to the New York State’s Historic Business Preservation Registry.

State Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andy Goodell recently presented the historic business awards to the two businesses.

The Historic Business Registry was established in 2020 and newly launched this spring. It includes businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their communities’ history.

The Hotel Lenhart was built in 1881 by Dr. J.J. Lenhart and his wife, Dora Baldwin overlooking Bemus Bay on Chautauqua Lake.

The current hotel, rebuilt following a fire in 1891, has a main floor and three upper sleeping floors, with a total of fifty-three rooms. It also has a 185-foot wrap-around veranda. Up until the end of this summer season, the hotel had been in the same family for four generations.

Neckers Company General Store

Neckers Company General Store was founded by John H. Neckers and Ed Neckers. The store opened at its current location in 1910. Groceries, dry goods, boots, shoes, kerosene and wallpaper were some of the items for sale. The fourth generation of Neckers, Barry and his wife, Kathy, continue to run the store.

Today the business sells groceries, fresh cut meats, made-to-order pizzas and subs, home decor, shoes, boots, apparel, and more.

The honorary program, which provides educational and promotional assistance to help ensure businesses in the state remain viable, is coordinated through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP).

An interactive storyboard map, which provides information about the location and history of each business, can be found on the agency website at https://parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/business-registry/default.aspx.

State Senator George Borrello, Fancher Chair CEO-Owner Gary Henry, and Assemblyman Andy Goodell

State Senator George Borrello and Assemblyman Andy Goodell visited Fancher Chair in Falconer Friday to announce the company’s incorporation into New York State’s Historic Business Preservation Registry.

The registry, launched this spring, includes businesses that have been in operation for at least 50 years and have contributed to their communities’ history.

Borrello said state senators were allowed to nominate businesses for the list, “The requirement is that they had to be in business for at least 50 years. Well, you guys blew that number away, obviously, at 215. They wanted to create this registry through Parks and Recreation that would recognize historic businesses here in New York State. There’s also a website where people can check it out and hopefully visit some of the locations but in recognizing the fact that there are amazing companies that have been in business a long time.”

Fancher Chair CEO-Owner Gary Henry discusses machinery with State Senator Borrello and Assemblyman Goodell

Fancher Chair’s origins trace back to August 1, 1807, when a man named Edward Work purchased 1,260 acres from the Holland Land Company and constructed the first sawmill in the heart of the Allegheny forest.

Always evolving, Fancher Chair has lived in many guises. In 1905, as the William T. Falconer Manufacturing Co., it made washing machines. As the American Manufacturing Co., in 1910, it specialized in toys.

From 1946-1973, the plant started making larger furniture items. In 1975, the company began making residential furniture. Over time, Fancher Chair Co. converted to making wooden chairs for furniture retailers, and when the residential market moved overseas, Fancher Chair produced commercial chairs for banks, libraries, schools and businesses.

Since 2010, several CNC woodworking machines have been installed to further produce fine furniture chairs, benches, stools and tables. Fancher Chair is one of the country’s oldest manufacturing companies and is likely the oldest manufacturer in continuous operation in New York State.

The Historic Business Preservation Registry program is coordinated through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation and can be found at https://parks.ny.gov/historic-preservation/business-registry/default.aspx