Guest view: You’re all invited to a party in the park

The OD featured a guest viewpoint by Michael Bosak, president of the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica, about Utica's plethora of magnificent architecture, arts, restaurants and citizens. Ask any visitor to this city, and the message is nearly the same.

Yet sometimes the city doesn’t entirely appreciate the gifts and the assets that it has. It would be hard to imagine Utica without Union Station, the Stanley, Old Main, Hotel Utica or the Swan Fountain — but all of these and many others were nearly lost but for the intervention of the Landmarks Society of Greater Utica.

Despite these efforts, far too many “landmark” structures are now gone for the sake of enterprise, expediency or because of neglect. Among those are Old City Hall, Vice President James Sherman’s home, Sen. Horatio Seymour’s house, No. 2 Rutger Park, the Saturday Globe Building, (where the first color newspaper in the country was printed), and on and on.

The most significant historic district in Utica is Rutger Park. The architects involved in the design, planning, landscaping and construction of these mansions were among the most important of their times. It was built at what was then the outer edge of the city, the frontier, so to speak. Essentially, the city grew up to and around it, with the centerpiece being No. 3 Rutger Park.

The Miller-Conkling-Kernan House, as it is sometimes called, was (and is) the most historic address in Utica. Originally constructed in 1830, two years before Utica was incorporated as a city, this house was visited by U.S. presidents, bishops, judges, governors, statesmen, abolitionists, inventors, politicians and others of national prominence. It was owned by some of the most powerful and influential individuals in the country, and it was the premiere location for entertaining in Utica.

In June 2008, The Landmarks Society purchased No. 1 and No. 3 Rutger Park with the assistance of The Community Foundation of Oneida and Herkimer Counties (Dr. Ted and Melva Max Fund), The Preservation League of New York State and the city of Utica. The purpose was to preserve and restore these architectural and historic gems and to develop a heritage tourism destination.

It is the first step in what is hoped will be a regional marketing approach to draw people to the best that the area has to offer in arts, entertainment, architecture and history. However, the effort and cost to preserve and restore these mansions will be great and the road long.