History of The Roxbury

By Amanda Seef
EXECUTIVE EDITOR

With the recent events at 172 Main St., also known as The Roxbury, it brings to question the history of the infamous building in the Village of Brockport.

The house was built in 1890 for Col. Richard Cutts Shannon, who was a Civil War officer at Gettysburg. Col. Shannon was an ambassador to Brazil in 1871, and was also appointed an ambassador by President Harrison to Nicaragua, El Salvador and Costa Rica in 1893. Col. Shannon retired in 1903 and spent the remainder of his life in the house. After Col. Shannon’s death in 1920, the house was sold to Lorenzo Blaisdell, and the house transformed into a restaurant.

The Casa Loma Tea Room got its start in The Roxbury, but soon after, it was transformed to “The Roxbury Inn.”

The Roxbury Inn was listed by Duncan Hines as one of the finest places in the country to have a meal. The Inn was a place for wedding receptions, anniversaries and other occasions.
In 1957, President Ronald Reagan had a meal at The Roxbury.

“At the time, he was a spokesperson for General Electric,” village historian Jacqueline Morris said. “He had a meal and spoke with a crowd at the Inn.”

By the 1950s, the Inn was sold to the Flaherty’s, who ran the Inn for an additional 10 years.
Jack Falsion purchased the Inn in the 60s, turning the coveted restaurant into a bar. Brockport students frequented the house, and this was the first time that a liaison between the college and The Roxbury formed.

Norm Giancursio, the current owner, purchased it in 1988 and revamped it for college housing. In 1990, Delta Sigma Phi, a recognized fraternity at the time, began living in the house.

According to a 1995 edition of The Stylus, Giancursio bought the building for investment purposes.

“When I first bought it I was hoping to rent it to area merchants, but the demand wasn’t there,” Giancursio said.

The Roxbury stands as a monument in Brockport history since it has gone through many turns. The house is on the corner of College Street and Main Street.

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