When traveling through Wayne County along the waters of the Erie Canal, canallers claimed they knew they were approaching the town of Lyons by the distinctive smell of mint in the air. Known as the Peppermint Village, Lyons was home to H.G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Co., famous for its pure peppermint oil.
The scent from the plants that line the roads and gardens around the Canal lingers. The continued impact of the Canal is prominent in Lyons, evident through busy canalside parks and murals dedicated to preserving the town’s heritage. With a population of 5,600, Lyons residents are fond of their historic streets and welcoming atmosphere.
“Our community is very warm and friendly,” Lyons resident Patricia Alena said. “Ever since I was little growing up here, everyone has looked out for each other.”
Alena, known around the town where she’s lived most of her life as “Peppermint Patty,” is the president of the Lyons Heritage Society. Driven by her love for local history, Alena taught social studies for 27 years in the Clyde-Savannah and Wayne central school districts. Today, Alena runs the Peppermint Museum and the Peppermint Days festival.
“Growing up in Lyons and returning to live there and raise our family has been a joy,” Alena wrote in “Growing Up in Lyons” for Voices of Wayne County: A Bicentennial Commemorative Book. “I would do it all over again if I had the chance.”
The construction of the Erie Canal in the early 19th century brought growth and prosperity to canal communities across New York State. Between 1824 and 1825, the population of Lyons doubled from 450 to 900. The population increase was driven by the influx of travelers and commerce along the Canal.
The Canal also brought new businesses to town, including the H.G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Peppermint Co. and the Lyons Beet Sugar and Refining Co., contributing to the area’s economic development. Hiram Gilbert Hotchkiss started the peppermint business in Phelps in 1839. Hotchkiss recognized the advantages of proximity to the Canal and decided to relocate the company to Lyons in 1841.
“If it weren’t for the Erie Canal, I don’t know if he would have come to Lyons,” Alena said. “He came because of the Canal. This is a perfect example of someone coming, on purpose, to begin a business that became huge.”
The H.G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Co. building stands just 15 feet from the banks of the Canal. In its basement remains a large wooden door where workers loaded peppermint oil onto packet boats and shipped it to clients like Beech-Nut Gum and Johnson & Johnson. Products like toothpaste and candied mints used peppermint oil. The entrance door, which dates back to 1812, still bears the initials of early workers who contributed to the construction of the Canal.
Hiram Gilbert Hotchkiss III took over the business after his father died in 1897. His daughter Anne Hotchkiss served as the secretary-treasurer until 1963. She was the last president of the H.G. Hotchkiss Essential Oil Co. and sold the company in 1982.
Alena recalled visiting Anne Hotchkiss shortly before her death, where they discussed the future of the building that housed one of the world’s leading peppermint producers.
“I decided to take a visit to Newark-Wayne Community Hospital to see and visit with Anne. We are so glad we did,” Alena wrote in “An Essay About Anne Hotchkiss.” “I told her that I wanted to make sure that she knew that the Hotchkiss Building is saved and will be restored and will be taken care of.”
Anne Hotchkiss donated the building to Wayne County after her death in 2010. But residents had concerns with the upkeep of the building.
“The county wasn’t taking care of it. I could see it going downhill, right into the Canal,” Alena said. “So we stepped up. We had to battle to save this building.”
The town rallied together to preserve the building and establish a museum. Wayne County donated the building to the town, which then sold it to the heritage society for $1. When Alena walked through it, she discovered hundreds of historical items from the family as well as the oil business Anne Hotchkiss had left behind.
“When you see the building, you see the artifacts she left. She had a vision, I think, of it being a museum. So we ran with it,” Alena said.
With the help of community volunteers and donations, the historical society renovated the building into a museum that offers visitors a glimpse of the business as it operated throughout the 19th and 20th centuries.
The town’s murals were made possible by the efforts of Mural Mania. Founded in 2007 by Lyons resident Mark DeCracker, the organization has installed over 80 murals along the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor, forming the world’s longest mural trail.
“We care about our history, and we want to share it,” DeCracker said. “The Erie Canal is a big part of that.”
Wayne County alone features dozens of these vibrant works of art, including an H.G. Hotchkiss mural painted by artist Dawn Jordan in 2008. The public art display is located on the Hotchkiss Building on Water Street. Alena is depicted in the mural, waving from a packet boat.
The waters of the Erie Canal still echo throughout Lyons, flowing powerfully over the spillway where the Canandaigua Outlet meets the Canal at Lock E-27 in the heart of town, just yards away from the Peppermint Museum.
