This cache is part of my Historical Education series. Circa 1900's Julia and Alphonsus Bowes built a residence at 300 Lincoln Avenue, Endicott, NY. Mrs Bowes served as the office manager for George F. Johnson. Mr Bowes owned a company on Washington Avenue and was a prominent Endicott community leader.
Following WW2, the house was renamed Colonial Hall and became the headquarters for Triple Cities College, affiliated with Syracuse University. The fledgling institution evolved and expanded to become Harpur College, and then Binghamton University. After the college moved to Vestal in the mid 1950's, Colonial Hall served as administrative offices for the Union Endicott School District.
The Village of Endicott acquired the building in 1994 to create a Visitor Center, which extends the building's tradition as a place of community service and education. The graceful mansion houses exhibits which reflect the corporate leadership of the Endicott-Johnson Corporation and IBM (and a HUGE shoe!). The strong influence these companies had on the development of the village and on community life is still evident today in Endicott, Endwell and Johnson City.