Restoration of Mexico Point Park’s “Park People”

MEXICO, NY – The life size carved wooden statues displayed during the summers at Mexico Point State Park are called The Park People and were commissioned by the Friends of Mexico Point Park. There are six statues, each representing a different period during the history of the area now known as Mexico Point Park, or a different aspect of how the area has been enjoyed over the centuries. During the summers, five of the wooden statues have been placed outside in specific locations around the park, depending on the part of the park they reference. However, being on display outdoors, even in the summertime has taken it’s toll, and many of the statues are deteriorating due to rot from the wet and weather. This summer The Park People will be on display inside Casey’s Cottage while undergoing much needed restoration. Rotted portions will be scraped away and replaced with wood hardener and epoxy, which will be shaped, sanded and then painted to restore them to their original beauty. The public is welcome to visit the Park People inside Casey’s Cottage as each takes their turn on the “operating table” or while they wait their turn to be repaired.

The statues Bessie Maude, Joseph Brant (2006), The Swimmer, and Carmen Basilio were all carved by the late Kenvyn Richards. Kenny, the fishing boy, and his dog, Hoover, were carved by Peggy Hoover. All five of these statues were originally painted by Rebecca Woods, and are about fourteen to twenty years old. They were all repainted by Bonnie Sommers in 2018. The wooden statue of William Casey was carved by chainsaw in 2020 by Jon Vincent Antonuk and is permanently on display inside Casey’s Cottage.

The history behind each statue is fascinating. Joseph Brant (Theyendanegea) represents a historical figure who was a Haudenosaunee (Mohawk) Indian and served the British as a guide, interpreter, fighter, officer, and diplomat during the French and Indian Wars and later during and after the American Revolution. His pointing hand indicates the direction to Oswego where he had additional Indian braves willing to fight for British Col. Barry St. Leger to take Fort Stanwick from the Colonists. (This plan was foiled by Silas Towne who overheard the plans and informed the Colonists of the threat.) Joseph’s statue has a trillium carved on his cloak. Each of the statues has a flower that is native to Mexico Point State Park carved somewhere on them. Bessie Maude represents the waitresses who served the people who came to the upscale hotel and restaurant that occupied Mexico Point from the late 1800s through 1953, when it burned down. Bessie Maude has a black-eyed Susan carved on her dress. The Swimmer, Grace, represents all the swimmers who have enjoyed swimming in Lake Ontario off Mexico Point. Grace has a pink Ladies Slipper carved on her swimming costume. Carmen Basilio represents the professional boxer who won the world championship in both the welterweight and middleweight divisions in the mid 1950s. He trained during the summers on the lawn of the Mexico Point Club. Carmen Basilio has a wild rose carved on his boxing shorts. The boy, Kenny, and his dog, Hoover, represents all the people who enjoy fishing and walking their dogs along the shores of Mexico Point.

William Casey, our most recent carving, represents the Sociology professor at Columbia College who spent summers at the Mexico Point Club in the 1930s and 1940s. When the club switched from horse drawn carriages to automobiles, Casey asked to transform the carriage house into a Medieval Manor House, circa 1100s England. With the help of his artist friend, Severin Bishof, a professor at Syracuse University, he designed a whole new interior for the building. Their students came and under their guidance, created amazing artwork, carving the walls, floors, and ceilings with images of knights, kings, ladies, armor, and coats of arms of the period, while enjoying friends, music, and good conversation. There is an iris carved on the rock at Casey’s feet. Even William Casey’s statue, though protected from the weather, has developed cracks from drying, and these will need to be filled, sanded, and the entire statue coated in polyurethane to prevent further cracking.

The Friends of Mexico Point Park and their volunteers will be working to restore each of the wooden statues, and the public is welcome to visit the Park People inside the Cottage and observe the restoration process. We are looking for volunteers to help with the restoration process, particularly people who are familiar with the processes of wood restoration. If you are interested in helping, please call Diane Chepko-Sade at (315)529-1589 or email [email protected]. Casey’s Cottage opens on Memorial Day Weekend and will be open 2-4:00 pm, Saturday and Sundays throughout the summer, and through the Labor Day weekend, although the work on the statues will continue throughout the week. For more information about Mexico Point State Park visit mexicopointpark.com. We are also looking for financial contributions to cover the cost of wood restoration chemicals and epoxy to replace the parts that have already rotted away, and for paint to repaint the statues once they are restored. To make a contribution towards the restoration of the Park People you can use the donate button on the website page for Casey’s Cottage (at mexicopointpark.com –scroll down to find the Donate button). Or mail a check to Friends of Mexico Point Park, 818 County Route 16, Mexico, NY 13114.

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