58 Center Street

In 1867, when Harvey Baker purchased the property at 58 Center Street, there were two small houses on the lot, which he tore down to make way for this house.  Harvey Baker served as County Clerk for six years and was also Postmaster.  In 1879, he sold the house to Frank Burt, an insurance and real estate agent, who improved it and rented it.  Mr. Burt, in turn, sold it to Charles and Cordelia Fielder in 1883.  When they built the house now at 80 Center Street in 1887, they sold this house to William Willard.

For a time William Willard had conducted a grocery and meat business on Main Street.  In 1877, he moved to Caledonia to superintend the Street Farm for the Wadsworths.  In 1889, he moved back to Geneseo where he remained an agent for the W. A. Wadsworth estate for 33 years.  The Willards improved the house before their deaths, Mrs. Willard in 1903 and Mr. Willard in 1929.  The house was left to their only daughter, Gertrude, who had married Carl Phisterer of New York City.  Robert and Betty Allen purchased the house in 1959 from the Phisterers’ daughter, Catherine Phisterer Larew.