The Yates Heritage Tours Project began in 2010 when four friends &#8211 all active members of the Barrington History Group, the Dundee Area Historical Society and the Yates County Genealogical and Historical Society &#8211 got together with the goal of telling local history. They have published their first two books on the region, with a third on the way.

The first, a book on Jemima Wilkinson, The Public Universal Friend (the first American born woman to found a religious movement) titled &#8220The Unquiet World&#8221 features a companion audio CD self driving tour of historic sites relating to Wilkinson and her followers, the Universal Friends, who created a settlement on the New York frontier in 1788.

They have also published a small book titled &#8220Architecture in a Small Town&#8221 which covers architectural styles beginning with 1790 through today in Penn Yan, NY. The book lists each style with its characteristics and illustrations and includes a glossary of terms and a map showing the location of each structure. Though focused on Penn Yan, the book is a handy reference the architectural styles of buildings you find in other towns, villages and cities.

A third effort, &#8220Penn Yan and How It Got That Way&#8221 about the history of Penn Yan is expected to be released soon and will also include a companion audio CD walking tour of of Penn Yan’s Main Street historic district.

&#8220The Unquiet World&#8221 and &#8220Penn Yan and How It Got That Way&#8221 are written by Frances Dumas, Yates County historian and the public historian for both Penn Yan and Milo NY.

Yates Heritage Tours products can be purchased on their website or through local vendors such as Longs’ Cards & Books on Main Street in Penn Yan, New York and the Yates County Genealogical & Historical Society on Chapel Street. For more information you can reach Yates Heritage Tours via email at [email protected] or by phone at (315) 536-2491.

Note: Books noticed on this site have been provided by the publishers.