Editing Medina, New York (section)

=== Early Industry ===
Medina's first known industry was an [[ashery]].<ref name=":13">{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=6}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=August 30, 1976 |journal=The Journal-Register |title=Medina Review (The story of a canal town written in the mood of 1922) |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn93063954/1976-08-30/ed-1/seq-20/ |language=en |issue=1976/08/30 |pages=20}}</ref> The area was mostly covered in trees and brush when Ebenezer Mix was assigned to survey the area.<ref name=":13" /> Clearing the area would have been necessary for the village to be laid out and the Erie Canal built. An ashery would convert hardwood ash into lye or other usable products.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=December 22, 1976 |journal=The Journal-Register |title=Workshop "Fits" in Landmark House |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn93063954/1976-12-22/ed-1/seq-6/ |language=en |issue=1976/12/22 |pages=6}}</ref> Most of these industries would rely on the Erie Canal for their transportation needs.

==== Mills ====
Medina had a variety of mills over the years.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=May 25, 1899 |journal=The Medina Register |title=Medina's Boom |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn88074109/1899-05-25/ed-1/seq-3/ |language=en |issue=1899/05/25 |pages=3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=June 19, 1879 |journal=The Medina Tribune |title=The Medina Tribune: Village and Vicinity |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031556/1879-06-19/ed-1/seq-3/ |language=en |issue=1879/06/19 |pages=3}}</ref> Grain and flour mills<ref>{{Cite journal |date=February 18, 1909 |journal=The Medina Tribune|title=Medina Union Mills |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn83031556/1909-02-18/ed-1/seq-6/ |language=en |issue=1909/02/18 |pages=6}}</ref> were very important to the area and built as early as 1830.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=63–68}}</ref> Two stave mills<ref>{{Cite journal |date=September 30, 1982 |journal=The Journal-Register |title=Image 7 |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn93063954/1982-09-30/ed-1/seq-7/ |language=en |issue=1982/09/30 |pages=7}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=May 12, 1906 |journal=The Medina Daily Journal |title=Plating |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn94057567/1906-05-12/ed-1/seq-3/ |language=en |issue=1906/05/12 |pages=3}}</ref> existed in the 1870s,<ref name=":14">{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our History |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=68}}</ref> producing wood strips for the production of barrels. A Cloth mill also existed for a time though exactly when is not known. Saw mills were used for creating rough lumber and finished boards for other local industry.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=69}}</ref>

==== Barrel Manufacturing ====
The popularity of flour production resulted in a large need for barrels to transport the flour down the Erie Canal.<ref name=":14" />

==== Foundries ====
The Bignall Foundry<ref>{{Cite journal |date=October 14, 1915 |journal=The Medina Daily Journal |title=Building of the First Foundry Dam in Medina, 1871 |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn94057567/1915-10-14/ed-1/seq-3/ |language=en |issue=1915/10/14 |pages=3}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=February 22, 1965 |journal=The Medina Daily Journal and Medina Register |title=Blaze Ruins Portion of Unused Foundry|url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn91066521/1965-02-22/ed-1/seq-1/ |language=en |issue=1965/02/22 |pages=1}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal |date=August 26, 1970 |journal=The Journal-Register |title=Gone Forever! |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn98067642/1970-08-26/ed-1/seq-1/ |language=en |issue=1970/08/26 |pages=1}}</ref><ref name=":19">{{Cite journal |date=October 4, 1972 |journal=The Journal-Register |title=Take A Trip Back -- The Medina of 1920 |url=https://nyshistoricnewspapers.org/lccn/sn93063954/1972-10-04/ed-1/seq-11/ |language=en |issue=1972/10/04 |pages=11}}</ref> began selling iron pumps, sinks, and more in 1861.<ref name=":15">{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=70–72}}</ref> After several fires, the company was part of a consolidation into the Central Foundry Company along with two other local foundries, A.L. Swett Company and Beach & Co in 1899.<ref name=":15" /> The Central Foundry focused on soil pipe manufacturing. A.L Swett Iron Works<ref name=":19" /> opened in 1871 to manufacture hardware specialties and continued operations in Medina through the 1920s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=71–72}}</ref> Beach & Co manufactured plumbing supplies starting in the 1880s.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=72}}</ref>

==== Furniture Manufacturing ====
The Maher Brothers were the first large scale furniture maker in Medina, opening in 1882.<ref name=":16">{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our History |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=73–75}}</ref> The family continued to run the business until 1928.<ref name=":16" /> S.A. Cook<ref name=":19" /> opened their furniture business around 1882, the Morris chair being among their most popular products.<ref name=":17">{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W. |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=76}}</ref> In 1911, Mr. Cook built a large block on Main St which still bears his name today.<ref name=":17" /> Another large furniture company of note was the Empire Couch Company.<ref name=":19" /> They moved to Medina in 1902.<ref name=":18">{{Cite book |last=Grinnell |first=E.W |title=Medina, Here's To Our Heritage |publisher=Medina Historical Society |pages=77}}</ref> They successfully operated through the widening of the canal in 1913 but could not stay in business during through the Depression, declaring bankruptcy in 1935.<ref name=":18" />

==== Medina Sandstone ====
Medina is known for its [[Medina sandstone|Medina Sandstone]], a stone used widely in buildings across the region.<ref>[http://www.eriecanalmedina.com/medina_sandstone.html Medina Sandstone] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080613091251/http://www.eriecanalmedina.com/medina_sandstone.html |date=June 13, 2008 }}, on ErieCanalMedina.com</ref> Some local examples include the "million dollar staircase" at the [[New York State Capitol]] in Albany,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Rethinking of Old Orleans|last=Lattin|first=C.W.|date=April 20, 1983|work=The Journal-Register}}</ref> the [[Richardson Olmsted Complex]] in Buffalo,<ref>{{Cite news|title=Medina Sandstone in Buffalo Spotlight|last=Rivers|first=Tom|date=February 23, 2013|work=The Daily News}}</ref> and in buildings at the [[University of Rochester]] and [[Cornell University]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Prospectus...Medina Sandstone Quarries|year=1899|publisher=Publisher unknown|location=Medina, NY|pages=6}}</ref> Sandstone varies in color from light grey to a deep reddish brown.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Landmarks of Orleans County|publisher=Signor|year=1894|pages=153}}</ref>

The first commercial sandstone quarry was opened in 1837 by John Ryan.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|title=Only Memories Remain Of Sandstone Industry|last=Hudnut|first=Jim|date=February 8, 1985|work=The Journal-Register}}</ref> At their peak, sandstone quarries were one of the largest employers in the county with upwards of 2,000 employees.<ref name=":4" /> With the discovery of cheaper alternatives, Medina Sandstone's popularity began to decline around World War 1.<ref name=":4" />