Medina sandstone, formed by nature 400 million years ago, has been the “cornerstone” of the culture of Medina, New York which gave it its name. Discovered around the time of the digging of the Erie Canal in the 1820’s and accepted as a superlative building material, it was quarried for over a century in Orleans County and shipped world-wide for architectural masterpieces. Find it in Buckingham Palace, Brooklyn Bridge, the NY State Capitol steps, thousands of homes, earlier in cobblestone streets. It has strength and integrity, plus unmatched beauty in many shades. Local examples of Sandstone architecture are as follows:
Soldiers & Sailors Monument at Mount Albion Cemetery 
The Culvert Road Tunnel by Kelly Dudley 
St. John’s Episcopal Church, Medina 
St. Mary’s Sandstone and Glass by Kellie Hurrell Winter on the Erie Canal by Paul Wengrzycki 
Company F Memorial, Medina 
Medina Armory, 1903-1977 (currently YMCA) Hillside Chapel in Clarendon by Kristina Martin
The Medina Sandstone Society created the Sandstone Hall of Fame in 2013 to recognize outstanding examples of Medina Sandstone. They represent churches, homes, public buildings and other architectural significant structures. The criteria by which these nominees have been judged is based on their age, their longevity – still in use, their beauty and/or their architectural uniqueness. Visit the Sandstone Hall of Fame at Medina City Hall, 600 Main St., Medina or click here to view Sandstone Hall of Fame inductee ceremonies.
Discover Sandstone Architecture in Orleans County
| OC Hall of Fame Inductees (Red) | OC Hall of Fame Nominees (Green) | Other Notable (Yellow) |
| 1) Medina Armory (YMCA) 2) St. Mary’s RC Church, Medina 3) St. John’s Episcopal Church, Medina 4) First Presbyterian Church, Albion 5) Pullman Memorial Universalist Church, Albion 6) Mount Albion Civil War Memorial 7) The Chapel at Hillside Cemetery, Holley 8) St. Mary’s RC Church, Holley | 1) Medina Railroad Station (Senior Citizen Ctr) 2) Medina City Hall 3) Robin Hill/Smith Home, Lyndonville 4) St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Albion 5) Cornerstone Church, Hulberton 6) Clarendon Stone Store 7) First Baptist Church, Holley 8) Hamlin Beach State Park | 1) Bent’s Opera House, Medina 2) First Baptist Church, Medina 3) Medina Lumber’s Sandstone Building 4) NAPA Auto Parts, Medina 5) Oak Orchard Creek Culvert/Aqueduct 6) Erie Canal Culvert 7) Holy Family Parish (St. Joseph’s RC Church), Albion |
Click here to nominate a significant Sandstone structure.
For more information, visit the Medina Sandstone Society website.
