Summary:
WeissHaus is a small property on Conesus Lake in the Finger Lakes Region of New York State. Known for rolling hills, winery’s and large historic farms, Conesus Lake is settled just East of the Genesee Valley, next to Geneseo, NY.
WeissHaus is sometimes referred to as "Old 96” or "Old 94”, the addresses it wore previously. It is NOW known by the County of Livingston as 3575 Pebble Beach Road. This 2 bedroom 1-bathroom cottage was completed around 1930.The primary gathering place of the cottage is the enclosed front porch which during the day is like a big “fishbowl” and at night can been seen from across the lake with all of the lights shining bright inside. The entire cottage (but more primarily the front porch) was designed with the outside in mind, emphasizing the importance of viewing and observing the outside "happenings" on the lake and front lawns. At night people gather and listen to great music, tell stories and enjoy the view of the lake and stars. The entire cottage is designed to cool by the fresh air from the lake and the fields behind. Over the years WeissHaus has been the location of many great parties, clam bakes, cocktail hours, vacations, get-together s and “feasts” where many Pebble Beach locals and family members would meet and discuss old boats, the happenings of the airfield in the back field, who was down for the summer and who still had their boats in the water.
History:
The cottage was built by Arthur Weiss around 1930. Mr Weiss’s son “Harold” was an accountant for a plumbing contractor and built a similar, matching cottage next door to the North at 3571 Pebble Beach Road. In 1956, Arthur Weiss decided to sell the cottage (then 94 Pebble Beach Road) and it was purchased by Dr. Phillip F. Spahn a dentist from Rochester who used it with his wife and three children during the summers as a vacation retreat from their Irondequoit residence. Dr. Spahn loved the lake and later sold it to his son Philip F Spahn, Jr in 1975. Philip was a prominent Rochester attorney, historian and avid antique wood boat collector. Phil loved the lake and the property, especially the “land” across the road. Phil used the cottage as his summer residence since 1956 (when he was 10 years old) until he passed away in 2015. He used to reminisce about finding old Indian “arrowhead’s" in the back yard with his best friend and neighbor Jay Rodman and brother Tom. Phil was a notable member of the antique boat community and at one time owned 9 antique wooden runabouts. As children, Phil and Jay Rodman would race outboard hydroplanesout front and skin dive at the Steamboat McPherson wreck which burned and sunk near the outlet in 1900 (swimming distance from Pebble Beach) .
The cottage (for being a summer residence) was built with the finest materials available at the time, the floors in the main area are finished maple. All of the Anderson windows are original to the structure and are operable. The walls are made of “beaver board” which are now finished in painted beadboard wainscoting. The finished maple dining table set was purchased from an East Avenue Rochester mansion and the cottage designed around it. The beadboard wainscoting in the enclosed front porch and the bathroom was taken out of an old Conesus cottage (owned by well-known local veterinarian Dr. Ted Beyer) at 5438 East Lake Road. The fireplace was started in the 1980’s and was finished in 2017 by the current owner (Dr. Beyer’s grandson). In 2017, the property received a new insulated foundation, heating and air-conditioning as well as some other bare necessities.
There are very few old original 1930’s cottages left on the lake, this is a special place with great memories and intention.
