Historic Sites

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Bay View Bed and Breakfast (formerly Silver Waters B&B)

Historic Site #:12-158   (Exists)   Type: D,F2,H Town:Sodus
Site Name:Bay View Bed and Breakfast (formerly Silver Waters B&B)GPS Coordinates:43.270405, -76.984087
Address:8420 Bay Street Sodus Point New York
Description:
This may be the oldest existing building in Sodus Point. It is reported to go back to 1835 when it was built (or rebuilt) as a tavern. Folklore has it that it was used as a safe-house for the Underground Railroad during the mid 1800s. Today it is a popular Bed and Breakfast in Sodus Point.


🔊Audio: Tour Sound Bite
 
Present Day Bay View B&B (2022)Present Day Bay View B&B (2022)
Earlier photo of the property. Photo courtesy of Mike NovikAmazing grace UGRR
 
Historic narrative:

Sodus Point gets its name from the Native American word “Assodorus,” meaning “silvery water.” This Bed and Breakfast is named after that part of our past. During the War of 1812, the Battle of Sodus Point was  fought at the crest of the hill where this building is now located. A small tavern was here at the time owned by the Sill brothers. On the next day after the battle, the tavern was burnt by the British. The current building is believed to have been built around 1835. In the 1840s, it was owned by David and Caroline Rogers thru the early 1900s. David Rogers was a prolific ship builder during the mid 1800s rivaled only by Henry Doville. Rogers is said to have provided a safe house for fugitive slaves as part of the Underground Railroad.  Ironically, he built the schooner Free Trader which would transport the fugitive Slaves from Sodus Point to Canada in the 1850s. Later in the mid 1900s, the Featherly family lived there and reported underground tunnels coming into their house and barn.  Today it is a popular Bed and Breakfast in Sodus Point owned by Corinne Bentley.



Above photo and following writeup submitted by:

 

Mike Novik – Innkeeper at Silver Waters Bed and Breakfast


The Battle for Sodus Point was fought here where our Inn now stands, in June of 1813.

 

During the underground railroad, slaves from the safe-house at Alasa Farm, were rowed across Sodus Bay at night, from the marshes west of emerald Point. A tunnel came into our kitchen before recent renovations closed it over, from the embankment to our south, on the  Sill property. The tunnel then went north from here down the east side of John Street, to the large house with the stone pillars, where the tunnel once again entered into the basement of that property. From there, slaves were taken by boats to ships traveling to Canada.

 

Our Inn was built in 1835 after it was destroyed during the battle of Sodus Point. Our Inn was a tavern as well as a hotel for travelers coming to the Village of Sodus Point.

 

 

Three poems were written about this house and its involvement in the Underground Railroad. To read them please click on this link:   http://historicsoduspoint.com/slaves-in-sodus-point/underground-railroad-poems/

 

For further information on Bay View  Bed and Breakfast please click on the link below:


https://bayviewstay.com/

 






References:

Historic Sodus Point Bay View B&B web Page

Historic Sodus Point Underground Railroad Poems web page

Bay View Bed and Breakfast web page

YouTube Video Amazing Grace UGRR Tour