Old Mentz Heritage Center

08/31/2026

https://old-mentz.org/montezumas-mystery-girl/

Our friend Bill Hecht sent around a colorized version of a 1910 postcard that showed a young girl sitting by a finger sign in the hamlet of Montezuma. First off, it has to be noted that the use of AI to colorize an image is not like the old days when people did it with […]

08/15/2026

The mystery of the young girl from Montezuma continues but we know where the sign was thanks to Kathleen Shaw Decker and her family postcard collection. You can see the sign at the east end of Erie Drive in this postcard that is dated 1910. There are some new mysteries as the sign looks to have lost one panel and it looks like the house had electricity. But the R.S&E.RR (the trolley) opened between Port Byron and Rochester in Dec 1909, so it likely that the photo of the girl is from 1910 and the photo of Erie Street is later.

08/13/2026

Our next Genealogical Gatherings will be August 19 at 2:30 at the Port Byron Library. I recently found out about the Arrears Act of 1879 in regard to those great Civil War pension files we all hope to find, so we will talk about that for a bit. We also get updates from our crackjack researchers, Leanne and Kathy.

08/01/2026

Bill Hecht treated this postcard of the young girl with the finger signs to an AI colorization. Cheryl Longyear calls her Montezuma's poster child, but we don't know who she is. Does the colorizing bring it more to life for you?

07/13/2026

Dawn Jordan has finished her rehabilitation of the mural and it looks great. Old Mentz is so pleased to be able to presere this bit of community art. Thanks to all our members whose support made this possible.

07/09/2026

If your family has O'Connor's, we have you covered at Old Mentz.

07/08/2026

At our next Genealogical Gatherings at the Port Byron Library, we will hear from Kathleen Shaw Decker on her work on the Holy Family baptism records and how she has been using Gemini to help speed up her work. And more helpful information! It all takes place at 2:30.

07/02/2026

We don't have AC in the building, so it gets a bit close in there.

06/18/2026

We will be closed this afternoon due to storm warnings. Be safe and see you next week.