It is with great pleasure to announce that John Kucko, prolific Western New York photographer, has given permission to display his recent photos taken at the Memorial Service For Marcile and Julian Woelfel on August 14th at The Pink House.
Mr. Kucko has decided to present his work in four parts, here is the first:
Inside the Pink House (Part 1): I immediately became fascinated with the “Pink House” in Wellsville, NY (Allegany County) the very first time I saw it. I photographed it two years ago at the urging of a follower of mine here on the page. I was SO impressed, I returned many times to see this Victorian treasure in the ever changing seasons here in Western New York and the Southern Tier to photograph it from the sidewalk just like countless others through the years. Edwin Bradford Hall had this home built in 1866–it was finished in 1868 and has remained in his family ever since. E.B. Hall was a well known, highly successful pharmacist in Wellsville, had eclectic tastes and it is believed this grand residence was modeled after one that Hall took a liking to in Lake Como, Italy. He liked the color pink, had the paint mixed in his pharmacy and it has remained that way for generations. Earlier this year, the “Pink House” was listed on the National Register of Historic Places—it is truly a special place.
Two months ago, I received a message on my page from Kristy Woelfel. She had seen some of my posts on the “Pink House” and informed me that she and her husband, Jay, were the new owners. E.B. Hall was Jay’s Great-great grandfather. So when I was invited down to meet them in Wellsville last Sunday, to say I was excited would be greatly understating the matter. I wanted to learn more, to see more of this grand place that has intrigued people for ages. Over the next few days, I’ll get into some of the legacy here. I’ll also provide a rare peak inside this home—a stunning collection of living history.
It’s not a museum, it IS a residence—has been from day one—and tours are extremely rare. A caretaker is always on the grounds, has been for years. Jay and Kristy were here from their home in California to hold a memorial service for Jay’s mother. Marcile Woelfel passed away last August, she and her husband, the late Dr. Julian Woelfel, lived here off and on—splitting time between Wellsville and their main residence in Columbus, Ohio. It was during their time here, that the beauty and charm of this one-of-a-kind home was restored to its luster. Original furniture, along with many other items, were brought out of storage from a carriage house on the grounds and returned to their rightful place.
One is immediately captivated upon entering through the cherry wood front doors as a cavalier lamp, once gas-lit, greets you upon entry (second image). An immediate turn to the right brings you to the “Blue Parlor”, a stunning room with its original chandeliers in place, complete with smoked glass bells for gas lighting. The marble fireplace is adorned with alabaster urns and figurines, gifts brought back to Wellsville from Italy during Mr. Hall’s honeymoon after he married Antoinette Farnum. This “Blue Parlor” room brought great joy and sadness to the family—I’ll explain that later. A terrific book, The Pink House, authored by retired history professor William Paquette is THE definitive source on this historic estate. I was gifted a signed copy by the owners and will treasure this for years.
SO beautiful is this place, that I’ve made it one of my feature photos in my 2022 New York Scenes Calendar—a wintry, snowy scene at the “Pink House”. We are donating much of our calendar proceeds to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (participating NYS affiliates) and have already raised $8,500. The pre-order link is right here: bit.ly/3vuTNQ7 Calendars are $12.25 each (plus shipping and handling), I’ll sign each one and they’ll be shipped in early November. Watch tomorrow here for the second installment of Inside the Pink House.
Part 1 of John Kucko’s Pink House Sponsored by:
