calkins square

The Calkins family acquired farm properties in the Wyoming area and continued ownership of a farm in New York state that been in the family for 127 years when the doctor died in 1909. His widow, Lucinda, lived on until 1915.

Before his death in 1909, Calkins ordered a bronze plaque to commemorate and honor Wyoming men who served in the Civil War. The monument was not completed until 1912. You can see it as you pass the property on Main Street.

The house and the Calkins’ property were left to the City of Wyoming by Walter and Mary Briggs, grandson and granddaughter of Dr. Calkins. A commission manages it. Allen Willman, chairman of the commission, notes Calkins family descendants worked closely with the commission to see the doctor’s legacy preserved.

Today, the National Historic Register house is much like it was when Martin and Lucinda lived there with their two girls. It looks like the house of a prosperous farmer or a New England home but basic in its design.

Compared to the “McMansions” built before the Great Recession it appears downright modest for one of the wealthiest residents of Wyoming. Many furniture items in the Calkins family have found their way to the National Historic Register address.

The Calkins Barn on the property is of new construction and has become a unique venue for family events, meetings and retreats. The annual Grant Wood Scenic Byway stakeholders meeting was held in the barn last fall and brought first time visitors to the modern facility. It brings a whole new meaning to what a “barn” should be.