The Little House

Built in 1819 either as a doctor or lawyer's office, it was originally situated across the road from its present location. A very large home was located where Messner carpeting is now and this little building sat next to it on the east side. It was used as a lawyer office for the lawyer who lived in the large home and it was used as a doctor's office for Dr. Carpenter, whose family lived in the large home.

This little building has had many uses when it was not being used for those two businesses. At one time it was a private home; at other times it was a library, a bakery, a nursery school, and its last use before the move was as Pittsford Travel Agency.

The reason for the move was that James Burdett, who operated a grocery store at 19 South Main Street, wanted a driveway out onto Monroe Ave. He purchased the Little House with the thought of tearing it down to make room for this driveway. A group of concerned citizens, who recognized what a gem of Federal style architecture it was, contacted Mr. Burdett and persuaded him to sell them the property, which he did but then told them they had to move it!

What a scramble happened then! A new site for the building had to be found and quickly, too.

Mr. Fletcher Steele, a noted landscape architect whose family owned the home almost directly across the street, agreed to lease a small part of his land for the sum of $1.00 to the Pittsford Historic Society, (which was the concerned group) and allowed them to construct a foundation and move the building across the street, where it remains today.

It is now the office headquarters and office of Historic Pittsford, Inc. who maintain it. It is set up as a law office and has some very interesting furnishings which depict the use in 1819.