Opendore
Sherwood Hamlet, Cayuga County, NY
Opendore, the former home of Isabel Howland, a Cornell University-educated Quaker suffragist and reform leader, stands as a legacy site for activism in abolition, women’s rights, temperance, and education. Built between 1837 and 1910, the estate once welcomed reformers and visionaries to the hamlet of Sherwood. By the 1970s, however, the house had been abandoned, left to deteriorate for more than three decades.
The Project
The turning point came in 2008, when the heirs of the property stopped paying taxes and Cayuga County assumed ownership. Before the property was put up for sale, the chair of the county legislature approached the Howland Stone Store Museum to ask if they were interested in saving it. Recognizing its historical significance, the Museum purchased Opendore for back taxes, just $6,000, with the curator personally covering $5,000. At the time, the building was in dire condition, almost beyond saving. But the conviction that “this place matters” was strong enough to ignite a movement.
What followed was a 17-year journey of phased planning, restoration, and perseverance. The effort drew on state grants, but when bids for the second phase came back higher than funding allowed, the project transformed into a massive volunteer effort. In 2016, the “Opendore building crew” was born: 41 volunteers contributing more than 12,000 hours over the next several years. Their motto “We can do this!” carried the project through unexpected hurdles.
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Guided by leaders including Pat White, Randy and Beth Crawford, and later Guy Garnsey, the team balanced professional expertise with community dedication. By 2021, Opendore held its grand opening, and by 2025 the final rehabilitation tasks were completed.
Equity and Inclusion
Rooted in a history of social justice, abolition, women’s suffrage, Native American rights, Opendore builds on those legacies through programming and publications. It serves as a welcoming third space for the community, where diversity, equity, and inclusion are embedded in both mission and practice.
Reflections
For the volunteers, many of them retired, the project became more than a preservation effort; it was a way to leave a legacy. “The Opendore project has provided a strong sense of accomplishment,” shared one volunteer. “A wonderful spirit of teamwork was born from working together ten hours each week for several years.”
Outcomes and Benefits
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Reclaimed a landmark structure after decades of neglect
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Engaged volunteers in preservation skills and teamwork, logging more than 12,000 hours
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Restored community and research space, including public library services
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Invested $1.25 million in regional trades and materials, catalyzing $450,000 more for a future library addition
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Inspired significant goodwill and pride in Sherwood and Cayuga County
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Earned the 2022 Preservation League Award
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Community Impact
Today, Opendore is an anchor of the Howland Stone Store Museum, which also stewards the historic 1837 Slocum Howland Cobblestone Store. Together, the sites tell the story of the Sherwood Equal Rights Historic District, a crucible of reform from 1830 onward. Programs, exhibits, and archival collections highlight nationally significant women’s suffrage materials, abolitionist history, and the Gutchess women’s history archive.
School groups, researchers, and community members use Opendore as a gathering place, library, and interpretive center. The building is fully ADA-compliant, ensuring accessibility, and its geothermal heating and cooling system, along with material reuse, highlight sustainable restoration practices.
Lessons Learned
Opendore demonstrates that no place is too small to spark big change. Once nearly lost, the house now thrives as a center for memory, learning, and engagement. Its story reminds us that perseverance, vision, and a few determined people can transform a derelict structure into a living resource for generations to come.
The Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning is a project
of the Center for Transformative Action, a registered 501(c)3 organization.
Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning
Tompkins Center for History and Culture
110 North Tioga St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
© 2025 by Susan Christopherson Center for Community Planning