Address: 3800 Hoover Road, Blasdell, NY 14219
History
A little background on our building and location.
THE DOCK AT THE BAY WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1993. THE BUILDING IN WHICH THE RESTAURANT IS LOCATED HAS A HISTORICAL VALUE DATING BACK AS FAR AS 1806. AS EARLY AS 1932, THERE HAS BEEN REPORTS OF GHOSTS THAT HAVE BEEN HEARD AND SEEN ON THE PREMISES.
IN 1805, NATHANIEL TITUS PURCHASED THE LAND FOR $5.00 IN WHAT IS NOW CALLED BLASDELL, NY. HE THEN BUILT A HOTEL/TAVERN RIGHT ON THE LAKE AND CALLED IT THE WILLINK HOTEL.
THE BAY BEHIND THE DOCK IN THE EARLY 1800’S WAS A LOT LESS ROCKY AND HAD A DEEPER WATER LEVEL. THIS PROVED TO BE A MAJOR THOROUGH FARE FOR MANY VESSELS, ESPECIALLY IN WAR TIME, BECAUSE OF THE PROXIMITY TO CANADA. THE BAY HOUSED MANY WAR SHIPS AND THE “INN” HOUSED MANY A SOLDIER.
THE DOCK HAS BEEN KNOWN TO HAVE A FEW FOLK LEGENDS CONNECTED TO IT. IN THE EARLY 1800’S, CAPTAIN JAMES BYRD FOUGHT ALONGSIDE ADMIRAL PERRY IN THE THE WAR OF 1812 ON THE MIGHTY NIAGARA RIVER. IN 1814, BYRD WAS EXECUTED BY A FIRING SQUAD IN ERIE, PA. THE REASON FOR THIS EXECUTION WAS WHILE PERRY’S SHIP WAS ANCHORED IN THE BAY, BYRD SLIPPED OVERBOARD TO VISIT WITH HIS GIRLFRIEND AT THE WILLINK HOTEL. THIS WAS REPORTED. ALTHOUGH BYRD RETURNED WITHIN A FEW HOURS, HE WAS COURT MARSHALED AND SHOT TO DEATH. HE WAS BROUGHT HOME AND BURIED IN HAMBURG, NY.
AMOS BYRD, COUSIN OF JAMES, ALSO FOUGHT IN THE WAR OF 1812 IN THE BATTLE OFF BLACK ROCK. HE DIED AND WAS BURIED IN BAYVIEW, NY. HIS GRAVE IS FOUND THERE. BYRD’S HEADSTONE IS SAID TO BE PART OF WHAT IS NOW CALLED THE DOCK AT THE BAY.
IN THE MID 1800’S, THERE WAS A BARROOM SCUFFLE THAT WAS TAKEN OUTSIDE THE ‘INN’. DURING THE ARGUMENTS, SHOTS WERE FIRED AND A PIECE OF BYRD’S HEADSTONE BROKE OFF. AT THE SAME TIME, THE OWNER OF THE INN HAD HIS FRONT STEPS DESTROYED IN THE ARGUMENT. AS AN APOLOGY THE MEN TOOK THE BROKEN PIECE OF HEADSTONE (BYRD’S) AND FASHIONED IT INTO A DOORSTEP. LEGEND HAS IT THAT BYRD WAS UPSET AT THE FACT THAT HIS GRAVE WAS TAMPERED WITH. HE IS SAID TO BE ONE OF THE MANY SPIRITS THAT HAUNT THE PRESENT DOCK AT THE BAY.