An Inside Look Of The Tower

This article is a reprint of one that I did a couple of years ago, but since then we have received some great photographs that I wanted to share. I had a chance to talk with Kermit Arrington who worked at Rib-Stone Silo Company during the 1940s. He told about repairing Don Woodward’s “tower” on Asbury Road. ... It was built in 1926 and was considered the only one of its kind in the world.

The hill that it was built on, was thought to be the highest point in Genesee County. When the tower was built, Woodward planned on using it for a party house for his friends and business associates. It rose 45 feet in the air and was five stories high, with four floors. Kermit remembers the four landings inside the tower when he was there.

This photo is obvious that he is advertising for the airshow with the sign.

Woodward had it lavishly furnished. Each floor was furnished differently with most of the furniture being specially made. It was equipped with a bathroom and kitchen. A dumb waiter served the entire structure. The top floor contained telescopes and other instruments for viewing the surrounding area. It was said that on a clear day you could see the City of Rochester and Lake Ontario, thirty miles away. A newspaper account mentions that “after its installation, it behooves those of us who reside within reach of its lens, to conduct ourselves with becoming propriety and discretion.”

The tower was built of the ribbed cement tiles that were used to build Rib-Stone silos. Large metal bands were strapped around the outside and were held together with lugs. Kermit remembers going out to tighten some of the bands. They had to wear belts with hooks that attached to the bands as they scaled the tower. When Donald held air shows at his airport on Asbury Road, the tower became one of the pylons for the air races.

With the kitchen photo - notice that there isn't any Jell-O on the shelves.

In 1937, the tower was a designated landmark for the German grand zeppelin, Hindenberg on its fateful trip to New Jersey. During World War II the tower was used as an aircraft observation point to watch for enemy planes. The tower is owned today by a retired RIT professor.

LE ROY PENNYSAVER & NEWS - May 31, 2009