Young's_Roadhouse

John Young's Roadhouse

This is not Young's Plank Road Roadhouse - no pictures of that structure have been found. This structure at 414 Kirkpatrick Street was undergoing some renovation at the time this image was captured in 2011. However, it has all the earmarks of a saloon, location and a side door for the ladies entrance. It also appears on a 1924 map of the area. This is probably the same structure where John Young had his earlier saloon.

An Earlier John Young Saloon

In 1893 and 1896 John Young had been approved for an excise license for a saloon at 414 Kirkpatrick Street at the corner of Steuben. In 1897 John Young had two excise licenses: one for 414 Kirkpatrick and a second for 2252 Park St., which was his roadhouse on the Liverpool Road.

One night there was a fire at the Kirkpatrick saloon. “At 10:30 o’clock last night a paper balloon dropped on the roof of a house at the corner of Kirkpatrick and Steuben sts., and started a blaze. The place was occupied by John Young’s saloon. No damage was done.” [1894-07-05]

Description Of Young's Roadhouse on the Plank Road

John Young’s Hotel and Saloon had a grand opening on May 13, 1895. It has also been described as a hotel and boathouse, which was located on Bear Trap Creek, just before it empties into Onondaga Lake. It was located north of the Iron Pier (which was located at the end of Salina Street) and on what is now Park Street just inside the city line.

The newspapers of the day described it as follows:

“Jack” Young’s disreputable resort located on the shores of Onondaga lake a short distance north of the Iron Pier.” “The place where Harth took his life is one of the most disreputable resorts in this vicinity and is a favorite resort for persons of evil repute.” “Frequent reports have been heard of orgies in the place during the summer and it is known that it has been the resort of persons who have police records.” [1895-10-31a]

“The Young saloon, where the deed was committed, stands above the waters of the lake about 200 yards beyond the city line. The place is one of the most desolate spots in the vicinity of the city and in order to reach it a plank walk about two feet wide has been erected over the marsh from the road. The pathway winds in and out among the weeds three feet above the water level, while the only entrance to the saloon is by means of a rudely constructed door at the extreme end of the little building over the lake.” [1895-10-31b] [It was actually just inside the city limits.]

John Young’s Place on the Plank Goes Up in Smoke. Two story frame hotel on the Liverpool Road “just inside the city limits was badly damaged by fire.” The fire started in a sitting room and was caused by a hanging lamp.

[1897-11-23]

Apparently Young rebuilt the place and got some financing from the bank. His father and brother were carpenters so he probably got a good deal on the new construction. During 1898 and 1899 his place was uncharacteristically out of the headlines in the local papers. A Receiver at the Syracuse Savings Bank was offering the place for rent in 1900 so Young must have lost his financial footing and lost the place after the 1899 season. His “resort” never seemed to surface again as a going concern. Criminal elements later occupied his old boathouse on Bear Trap Creek until they were arrested for their crimes and sent to the penitentiary.

Date	Description	Comment
John Young saloon, restaurant or hotel activity on Old Liverpool Road
1895-05-12	Grand Opening of John Young’s summer resort. [1895-05-12]
1895-10-31	Daniel Hart of 412 East Division Street killed himself at John Young’s saloon. [1895-10-31a], [1895-10-31b], [1895-11-07]
1897-06-11	Edward Simpson and Josephine Hart had been boarding at Young’s saloon near the Iron Pier. They stole $10 when they left quickly. “Johnny” Young keeps a saloon and hotel on the Liverpool Road. [1897-06-11], [1897-06-12]
1897-11-23	John Young’s Place on the Plank Goes Up in Smoke. Two story frame hotel on the Liverpool Road “just inside the city limits was badly damaged by fire.” The fire started in a sitting room and was caused by a hanging lamp. [1897-11-23]
1900-04-17	Young’s old Boathouse and Hotel were for rent. The offering was made by George D. Chapman of the Syracuse Savings Bank who listed his title as that of Receiver. This would imply that John Young probably failed to keep up with his loan payments. [1900-04-17]
1900-05-14	John Young was working out of an office at 200 North Salina Street cleaning out “vaults and cesspools.” In the 1900 census he listed his occupation as “Contractor Sanitation Work.” [1900-05-14]

A Nearby Young Family Was Unrelated to John Young

Robert Young, who owned property on Buckley Road in Greenpoint, was one of the original settlers and had been involved in the salt industry for many years. He was not related to Anthony Young, who came from Germany in 1844 at the age of 16. Anthony’s son, John conducted a roadhouse on the Liverpool Plank Road just inside the city limits from 1895 until 1900.

Date	Description	Comment
Early saloon, restaurant or hotel activity on Old Liverpool Road
1901-05-18 PS	Dan T. Evans inspected the Young farm near Greenpoint. He might open a new hotel there. Evans was the steward at the St. Cloud Hotel. He was with Thomas Young and C. R. Ruck (Burke?). Robert Young, the owner of the farm, had just recently died, on April 7, 1901. The “Thomas Young” mentioned in the article is probably Thomas Gale Young, 18-year old son of the late Robert Young.	Evans & Theodore Faatz leased the Switzer Hotel (Watering Trough) on Sept 26, 1899. Partnership dissolved March 12, 1900. Evans returned to finish out 5-year lease by Feb 1904 when Faatz moved up the road to take over the Rural Inn.
1902-01-15	Edward I. Rice purchased 30 acres of the Young farm at Greenpoint, near the first toll gate (on the Liverpool Plank Road). He was still considering what he would do with the property. [On August 30, 1888 Edward Rice had married Florence Young, daughter of the late Robert Young.]	This probably short circuited any plans that Dan T. Evans might have had for a new hotel on the property. Rice was primarily into real estate.

Notes:

[1894-07-05] - "The Fire List," The Syracuse Daily Journal, Syracuse, NY, Thursday, July 5, 1894.

[1895-05-12] – “Grand Opening,” The Syracuse Herald, Syracuse, NY, Sunday, May 12, 1895.

[1895-10-31a] – “A Strange Case,” The Syracuse Daily Standard, Syracuse, NY, Thursday, October 31, 1895.

[1895-10-31b] – “Harth Killed Himself,” The Evening Herald, Syracuse, NY, Thursday, October 31, 1895.

[1895-11-07] – “By A Hand Unknown,” The Evening Herald, Syracuse, NY, Thursday, November 7, 1895.

[1897-06-11] – Hart & Simpson charged with theft. The Syracuse Daily Journal, Syracuse, NY, Friday, June 11, 1897.

[1897-06-12] – “Charged With Theft,” The Syracuse Courier, Syracuse, NY, Saturday, June 12, 1897. Also

[1897-11-23] – “ ‘Hotel’ Burned,” The Daily Journal, Syracuse, NY, Tuesday, November 23, 1897.

[1900-04-17] – “To Rent – Boat House And Hotel,” The Evening Herald, Syracuse, NY, Tuesday, April 17, 1900.

[1900-05-14] – The Evening Herald, Syracuse, NY, Monday, May 14, 1900.