HISTORIC FOUR CORNERS
The Historic Four Corners is composed of the 1884 Herkimer County Historical Society Suiter House Museum, the 1834 Herkimer County Jail, the 1873 Herkimer County Courthouse, and the 1834 Herkimer Reformed Church, all listed on the National and State Register of Historic Places. Tours of the Society’s Museum are free and open to the public during open hours of Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and during the months of July and August on Saturdays from 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
Special tours of the other buildings need to be arranged ahead of time.
THE 1884 SUITER MUSEUM BUILDING
A Queen Anne style building located at 400 North Main Street in Herkimer. This building was a legacy to the Herkimer County Historical Society in 1925 by Dr. A. Walter Suiter, a prominent citizen and physician. It was named in memory of Dr. Suiter’s parents, Col. James A. Suiter, a noted Civil War veteran and Catherine Bowers Suiter. The property was purchased by Dr. Suiter at auction for $2,000 in 1867. Construction did not begin until 1883, but planning began at least a year earlier. In May of 1883, Dr. Suiter contracted with Maria Bates to partially dismantle the existing wooden structure and “clean the stone and bricks for use in new work”. Bates and her husband, Charles who is listed as a mason and builder in Herkimer in 1886 was to have the house completed by April 1, 1884. Adolphus Simmons from Utica, NY was the architect, and he designed the structure and the detailed interior specifications.
The interior of the house closely follows the dictates of the American Eastlake design. Charles Eastlake was an English architect and designer. He became the most popular supporter of a reform movement in interior furnishings with the publication of :Hints on Household Taste.” There are decorative hinges, burl veneer door panels and reticular banisters and newel posts with incised decoration. The woods used throughout the house are: Oak, Cherry, White and Birdseye Maple, Ash, Mahogany, Birch.
The most elegant room in the Suiter building, and the only one with a mantel that was completed in Dr. Suiter’s lifetime is his Study. The mantel combines elements of the Eastlake style and earlier revivals.
The house has never been lived in, Dr. Suiter used the Study and the back two rooms as his waiting room and patient examination room. He and his Sister, Mary, lived in the house at the end of Court St. until their passing. The Historical Society officially moved into the building in 1938 from the Earl Library.
The massive doors which Dr. Suiter ordered for the entrance to his mansion were built of mahogany. The griffin is one of two which grace the ornately carved front doors. The interior architectural elements are fashionable for the 1880’s and include decorative hinges, burl veneer door panels and rectilinear banisters and newel posts with incised decoration.
THE 1870 ECKLER HOUSE
The 1870 Eckler House is Italianate in style and is located adjacent to the Suiter building. This is where the Society’s offices are located as well as our Resource Center/Library and Gift Shop. This building was named after the Eckler family who were major contributors to our capital campaign project when we purchased and refurbished it in the late 1980s.
Snell Cabinet
A nice feature in the building is the Snell cabinet showcasing a variety of artifacts from the Society’s collection. Currently there is a display featuring the findings from an archaeological dig we conducted in 2015 on our property searching for any remnants of Fort Dayton. What we did find was an old well that dates back to the early 1800s. There was a treasure trove found inside that well of medical instruments, pharmaceutical bottles, many intact and some with the medicine still in them, a pristine jug and unique liquid soap dispenser – all dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s. Around the property we discovered pipe stems with a few dating to the late 1700s.
1834 HERKIMER COUNTY JAIL
The 1834 Jail is still owned by the Herkimer County government, but is operated by a new organization that has formed to save the Jail – Friends of Historic Herkimer County. Restoration work is currently being undertaken by the small, all-volunteer group and tours to individuals are not available on a regular basis.
Visit Friends of Historic Herkimer County on Facebook
It was built in 1834 under the supervision of Sheriff Francis Elias Spinner (1802-1890), who later would become the Treasurer of the United States under President Abraham Lincoln.
1873 HERKIMER COUNTY COURTHOUSE
The 1873 Courthouse is still in the property of the Herkimer County government and acts as the headquarters for the Sheriff’s Department and other County offices. It is the site of many court trials, including the famous 1906 Gillette trial. The courtroom is still intact and can be seen during the County’s open hours and on guided group tours.
1834 REFORMED CHURCH
The 1834 Reformed Church was the church to many early residents in Herkimer and still continues in operation today. It houses one of the last remaining Tiffany walls that was restored several years ago. The old churchyard is the burial spot for many of the early Palatine family members who settled the area in the late 1700s.
SCHEDULE A GROUP TOUR
School and group tours are offered by calling (315) 866-6413.