LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commending the Montezuma Historical Society upon
the occasion of the dedication of the historic marker for the Mentz
Church and Cemetery, on June 2, 2013

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to commend the efforts
of those organizations which seek to bring recognition to historical
places within the State of New York, and in so doing, help to ensure
that the complete history of our State and Nation is preserved and
shared with present generations of citizens; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commend
the Montezuma Historical Society upon the occasion of the dedication of
the historic marker for the Mentz Church and Cemetery, celebrated at its
7th Annual Meeting on Sunday, June 2, 2013, Montezuma, New York; and
WHEREAS, The Mentz Church in the Town of Montezuma, Cayuga County, has
been a treasured landmark in its community for nearly 190 years; and
WHEREAS, Dedicated on May 14, 1825, as the Mentz Methodist Episcopal
Church, it served the worship needs of residents from the Baptist, Meth-
odist and Protestant faiths until it fell into disuse in the 1950s; this
humble but important church is surrounded on three sides by more than
200 graves of the town's original settlers; and
WHEREAS, In 2003, the Town of Montezuma assumed ownership of the Mentz
Church and, the following year, the church was listed on the National
Register of Historic Places; and
WHEREAS, The Montezuma Historical Society, chartered in 2006, evolved
out of the preservation committee formed to facilitate the restoration
of the Mentz Church; now restored, the church serves as the home of
Montezuma Historical Society, thriving once again as a community insti-
tution; and
WHEREAS, The dedication of this historic roadside marker represents
the final stage of the Mentz Church's revitalization; denoting the
church, its cemetery and the first trustees, John Gilmore, William Bell,
and James Weston, the marker serves the dual purpose of educating the
public about the area's rich past, and fostering historic tourism, a
potential economic boon to towns and villages across this great Empire
State; and
WHEREAS, This Legislative Body is pleased to have this opportunity to
express its highest admiration for the Montezuma Historical Society, and
for all of the individuals who have worked to bring proper attention to
a place and time which merits recognition in the grand panorama of the
history of our State and Nation; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commend the Montezuma Historical Society upon the occasion of the dedi-
cation of the historic marker for the Mentz Church and Cemetery; and be
it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Montezuma Historical Society.