Two local businesses have been added to a state registry of historic businesses.
The New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry, managed by the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, hit a milestone in 2024, according to a news release: more than 200 businesses are now listed in the registry. The registry recognizes New York-based businesses more than 50 years old that have made contributions to their communities. “These businesses have helped to craft the very culture of New York State and support local communities and their people,” the release stated. First proposed by Assemblymember Daniel O’Donnell and State Sen. Jose M. Serrano in 2020 and launched in 2022, the online registry now highlights more than 230 historic businesses across New York state.
Local additions this year include:
The Delhi Telephone Company, at 107 Main St. in Delhi, was nominated by 101st District Assemblymember Brian D. Miller. The company, which was founded in 1897 by local attorney Stephen F. Adee, “who had the goal of improving communication by providing telephone access to the growing Delhi area,” the release stated. The company started with 124 subscribers in the first year and has more than 4,000 subscribers today. Since the early days of switchboard operators, DTC has evolved and expanded its footprint across Delaware County, now offering telephone, cable, broadband internet, home security and smart home devices, according to the release.Mayhood’s Sporting Goods, at 5217 state Route 12 in Norwich, was was nominated by 122nd District Assemblymember Joseph G. Angelino. Mayhood’s was established in 1960 by Merritt (Red) Mayhood as Mayhood’s Bait Shop, according to the release. In 1990, Mike and Barb Mayhood purchased the business and added fishing gear before expanding into sporting goods in 2003.
“Our staff at the Division for Historic Preservation are committed to working with state elected officials to promote our historic businesses and the communities they serve,” Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons said. “This recognition helps highlight their achievements and their role in supporting their local communities. From family-owned restaurants serving generations of customers to New York State industries producing American-made products, we are honored to promote and recognize the business owners and families that have made New York what it is today through their ongoing work and persistence.”
According to the release, the registry is an honorary program coordinated through the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. It was expanded in 2023 by Sen. Michelle Hinchey and Assemblymember Carrie Woerner, allowing state elected officials, including the governor and lieutenant governor, to nominate up to 10 businesses for inclusion in the registry per term. The program is non-competitive, and if the nomination criteria are met, businesses will be added to the registry. Nominations to the registry must be sponsored by an elected state official. The Division for Historic Preservation provides each business with a certificate and decal and maintains an online interactive map with information about the location and history of each business.
Hinchey said, “It’s a milestone year for the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry. Celebrating over 200 featured businesses across our state is a tremendous achievement, honoring those who have anchored their communities for generations. I’m proud to have sponsored legislation to expand the registry, ensuring we can recognize more of the local businesses and business owners who have spent decades strengthening our economies and shaping the very identity of New York State and the communities they serve.”
Woerner said, “I am thrilled to learn the NYS Historic Business Preservation Registry now lists over 200 businesses showcasing a wide range of businesses that have made a long-term commitment to our state’s economy. We are so fortunate to have hundreds of businesses, from arts to agriculture, from retail to restaurants, and from product manufacturing to service organizations, over 50 years old, to recognize. I’m also excited about the recent signing of my ‘I Love New York Historical Small Business’ bill (A10036) which will direct Empire State Development to help market the historic businesses listed on the registry in its ‘I Love NY’ campaign. I’m grateful that these businesses which are the bedrock of communities across the state will enjoy some increased publicity as a result.”