Set against the backdrop of New York’s changing landscape, Red House, New York stands as a poignant reminder of impermanence. This ghost town, once full of life and purpose, now invites contemplation about the nature of community and the inevitable march of progress.
County: Cattaraugus
Zip Code: Not available
Latitude / Longitude: 42°2′25″N 78°48′19″W / 42.04028°N 78.80528°W / 42.04028
Elevation: 2,215 ft (675 m)
Time Zone: Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
Established: Not available
Disestablished: Not available
Comments: Based on historical documentation, red House (Seneca: joë’hesta) is a town in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 38, making it the least populous town in the state. The town is on the south edge of Cattaraugus County, south of the city of Salamanca.
Remains: Today, the area the area that would become the town was first settled by outsiders after 1827. The town of Red House was formed in 1869 from part of the town of Salamanca. It was named for its famous landmark, the Red House, a Civil War-era domicile located at the confluence of a small creek (later named Red House Creek) with the Allegheny River. The house was remarkable for its strange, dark crimson coloring and was originally constructed as a resting house for those traveling along the river.
Current Status: Currently, the location is locals have expressed skepticism that the Frecks story has any historical basis, and a 1965 description of Red House’s name origin lists the original owner of the house as being “unknown.” Of the numerous ghost stories that are reputed in Red House, the Frecks story is not one of them. The house was a restaurant and hotel in its last years and, like most others in the town, was demolished in the early 1990s. Newspaper clippings from 1972 have made note of a legend that the house was originally owned by a native American at the time logging began in the area, and that only the door of the house was painted red.
Remarks: Red House represents an important chapter in New York’s history, showcasing how economic shifts and changing transportation patterns could dramatically alter a community’s fortunes. Its legacy continues to fascinate historians and visitors alike.
Red House, New York stands as a poignant example of a once-thriving community that has been systematically dismantled through a combination of government land acquisition, infrastructure development, and changing economic conditions. Located in Cattaraugus County in the southwestern corner of New York State, Red House holds the distinction of being the least populous town in the entire state, with a population that has dwindled to just 30 residents as of the 2020 census.
Origins and Early Settlement
The area that would become Red House was first settled by non-native people after 1827, though the region had long been home to the Seneca Nation, who called the area ‘Jóë’hesta” in their language. The town of Red House was officially formed in 1869, carved from part of the town of Salamanca.
The town derived its name from its most famous landmark, a distinctive house with a striking crimson color that stood at the confluence of a small creek (later named Red House Creek) with the Allegheny River. This Civil War-era domicile was remarkable for its unusual dark red coloring and was originally constructed as a resting house for travelers journeying along the river. The house would later serve as a restaurant and hotel before its eventual demolition in the early 1990s, marking the loss of the very landmark that gave the town its identity.
There are varying accounts of the red house’s origins. Some historical records suggest the original owner is unknown, while a 1953 column in The Bradford Era mentioned a legend that the house was originally owned by a Native American when logging operations began in the area. Another variant of the story, printed in 1962 and reprinted in 1972, claims that only the door of the house was painted red, rather than the entire structure.
Growth and Peak Years
The early economy of Red House centered primarily on the lumber industry. The abundant forests of the Allegheny region provided ample resources for harvesting trees, which were processed for lumber and other products. A chemical plant was established in the town to process the felled trees, further bolstering the local economy.
The town’s population reached its zenith in the 1890s, the only period when Red House ever had more than 1,000 residents. This growth was fueled by the influx of Civil War veterans seeking new opportunities in the resource-rich Allegheny region. The Bay State Lumber Company, a Massachusetts-based operation, established a significant presence in the area, even giving its name to Bay State Road, which remains one of the few inhabited areas in the town today.
During this period of prosperity, Red House developed the typical infrastructure of a small but thriving community: homes, businesses, a post office, schools, and transportation networks. The Erie Railroad operated a Red House station on its main line, facilitating the movement of both goods and people, though this station would close by 1935 as the town’s fortunes began to decline.
Mid-Century Developments and Recreation
In the mid-20th century, Red House became an early center of the region’s ski industry. Two ski areas operated within the town: the state-operated Bova ski resort and jumps (named after the Beauvais family who donated the land for this purpose), which ran from the 1930s until 1980, and the privately operated Big Basin ski area, which was in business from 1951 to 1972. These recreational facilities represented an attempt to diversify the local economy beyond its traditional reliance on lumber and agriculture.
The town was served by its own consolidated school district with various one-room schools scattered throughout the area. Mail service was provided through a local post office (ZIP code 14773) located within the town’s grocery store, where the store owner doubled as the town postmaster. However, this post office would close on June 30, 1964, with mail service thereafter handled by a rural free delivery route through the Salamanca post office—another sign of the town’s gradual dismantling.
Decline and Government Acquisition
The decline of Red House began in the early 20th century and accelerated dramatically in the mid-to-late 20th century due to a series of government actions that systematically reduced the town’s privately held land and displaced its residents.
The first major blow came with the creation of Allegany State Park in the early 20th century. Established in 1921, the park would eventually encompass the vast majority of the town’s land area. The state government began acquiring properties within Red House for inclusion in the park, setting a precedent for the gradual erosion of the town’s private property base.
A more dramatic phase of government acquisition began in 1967, coinciding with the construction of the Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers built this dam primarily for flood control, creating the Allegheny Reservoir that would flood portions of the Allegheny River valley. This project necessitated the relocation of communities and infrastructure in the dam’s flood zone.
During this period, the state initiated an eminent domain campaign to buy out the remainder of the town. The routing of the Southern Tier Expressway (then ‘new Route 17,’ now Interstate 86) directly through the core of the hamlet of Red House provided legal justification for the state to seize and destroy most of the town residents’ property. This highway construction, combined with the expansion of Allegany State Park and the effects of the Kinzua Dam project, dealt a devastating blow to the physical integrity of the community.
In 1973, the state attempted but failed to claim the remaining privately held land in the town for park expansion. Despite this setback to its acquisition plans, the state maintained (and continues to maintain) a standing offer to purchase any property that is either abandoned or put up for sale in Red House, ensuring the gradual attrition of private land holdings.
Some residents fought back against these government acquisition efforts. Llewellyn ‘Hook’ France, a lifelong resident born in Red House in the 1930s, successfully contested the state’s attempt to take his property in 1965. After hiring a lawyer and making three trips to Albany, France was able to retain control of his family land, which had been in his family since before the Civil War when his great-grandfather built a sawmill and home in the area.
Current Status and Remaining Community
Today, Red House exists as a shadow of its former self. The town’s population has declined to just 30 people as of the 2020 census, making it the least populous town in New York State. About a quarter of the town’s residents hold public office, a testament to how small the community has become.
The few remaining residents are concentrated primarily along Bay State Road, sandwiched between the Allegany Indian Reservation and Allegany State Park, southwest of the original hamlet location. This small northwest corner of the town remains outside the park’s boundaries, with about half of it on the Allegany Indian Reservation and much of the rest occupied by Camp Li-Lo-Li, a Christian camp.
The town still maintains a small, unremarkable white structure that serves as the town hall. A few classical farmhouses remain along Bay State Road, including some with historical significance. One such property was the childhood home of ‘Marvelous’ Marvin Hubbard, a former NFL running back who played for the Oakland Raiders and the Detroit Lions after attending Randolph High School and Colgate University.
Religious institutions have also been affected by the town’s decline. A local church was forcibly relocated to Jimerson Town, while a Roman Catholic chapel remains standing but abandoned. The town’s school district was eventually annexed by the Randolph Central School district, despite residents’ petitions to be transferred to the closer Salamanca City Central School District.
Despite its diminished state, Red House maintains its status as an incorporated town with a functioning local government. The France family has occupied the highway superintendent’s position since 1944, demonstrating the continuity of certain family legacies within the community. The town has two justices, a married couple who sometimes receive middle-of-the-night phone calls to arraign low-level criminals for infractions such as sneaking alcohol into Allegany State Park.
Physical Geography and Land Use
Red House encompasses a total area of 55.9 square miles (144.7 km²), of which 55.7 square miles (144.2 km²) is land and 0.19 square miles (0.5 km²) is water. The southern town line forms the border with Pennsylvania, while the northwestern part of the town borders or includes the Allegany Reservation, defined by the Allegheny River.
The most significant feature of Red House today is Allegany State Park, which occupies the vast majority of the town’s land area. At approximately 65,000 acres, it is the largest state park in New York, effectively transforming Red House from a lumber town to a vast natural preserve. As one resident poetically observed, it’s as if the 38 people of Red House have ‘the whole park as their backyard.’
Interstate 86 passes through the town, with access from Exit 19. There are also some mostly decommissioned portions of what used to be Route 17 and New York State Route 382. Allegany State Park Routes 1, 2, and 3 are the main routes serving the park and town. The northwest corner of Red House is detached from the rest of the town’s roadways and is served by only one road, Sunfish Road, which can only be accessed by a detour of several miles through Coldspring.
Legacy and Historical Significance
Red House represents a compelling case study in the tension between community preservation and public land management. The town’s story illustrates how government policies regarding conservation, flood control, and transportation infrastructure can fundamentally reshape or even erase long-established communities.
The creation of Allegany State Park, while providing recreational opportunities and preserving natural resources for the broader public, came at the cost of a once-vibrant community. Similarly, the Kinzua Dam project, while offering benefits in terms of flood control and hydroelectric power generation, contributed to the displacement of residents and the fragmentation of the town.
Today, Red House exists in a liminal state—neither fully abandoned nor truly thriving. Its remaining residents maintain a connection to the land and its history, even as the physical traces of that history are systematically erased. The town hall, the scattered homes along Bay State Road, and the memories of longtime residents like Llewellyn ‘Hook’ France serve as testaments to a community that refuses to completely disappear, despite decades of pressure and attrition.
For visitors to Allegany State Park, there is little indication that they are traveling through what was once a bustling lumber town with over 1,000 residents. The forests have reclaimed much of the land, and the infrastructure of human habitation has been largely removed. Even the eponymous red house that gave the town its name is gone, demolished in the early 1990s.
Yet, in its diminished state, Red House continues to exist as a political entity and a community of individuals with deep ties to the land. The town’s story is not merely one of decline and loss but also of resilience and adaptation in the face of overwhelming external pressures. As one of the smallest incorporated towns in the United States, Red House stands as a unique example of a community on the edge of extinction that nonetheless maintains its identity and governmental structures.
In the words of longtime resident Llewellyn France, the history of Red House can be characterized as ‘the rise and fall of Red House.’ From its origins as a rest stop for river travelers, through its heyday as a lumber town, to its current status as New York’s least populous town, Red House embodies the complex and often painful processes of change that have shaped many rural American communities over the past two centuries.
Visiting Red House Today
For those interested in experiencing what remains of Red House, a visit to Allegany State Park provides the primary access point. The park offers camping, hiking, fishing, and other recreational activities amid the beautiful forests and hills that once supported the town’s lumber industry.
Bay State Road, where most of the remaining residents live, offers a glimpse of the scattered farmhouses that represent the last vestiges of private property in the town. The town hall, though unremarkable in appearance, stands as a symbol of the community’s continued existence as a political entity.
Visitors should be respectful of private property and the privacy of the few remaining residents. Much of what was once Red House is now public land within Allegany State Park, accessible according to park regulations and hours.
While little physical evidence remains of the town’s heyday, the natural beauty that surrounds Red House provides some insight into why people were drawn to settle here in the first place, and why some, like the France family and the Andersons, have chosen to remain despite the pressures to leave.
Sources:
1. ‘Red House, New York.’ Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_House,_New_York
2. ‘New York’s Smallest Town Still Holding On.’ WGRZ. https://www.wgrz.com/article/news/local/southern-tier/new-yorks-smallest-town-still-holding-on/71-272880635
3. ‘Portrait of a Shrinking Town.’ Living on Earth. https://loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=04-P13-00006&segmentID=3
4. ‘The Secret of New York’s Smallest Town.’ Chris Carosa. https://chriscarosa.com/2012/10/the-secret-of-new-yorks-smallest-town/
5. ‘Red House.’ Historic Path. https://historicpath.com/history/red-house
6. ‘The Town of Redhouse.’ Cattaraugus County History. https://sites.rootsweb.com/~nycattar/1879history/redhouse.htm
7. ‘Red House.’ Enchanted Mountains of Western New York. https://enchantedmountains.com/taxonomy/term/238
