Blooming Grove Acquires 1840's Historic Lasser Home With a $500k Grant from Senator James Skoufis

The Lasser 1840's Homestead

as seen from Station Road, adjacent to Lasser Park

When Blooming Grove Town Supervisor Rob Jeroloman learned that one of the oldest homes in town, the historic 1840's Lasser Family home and 5 acres that surround it were for sale (they are immediately adjacent to the Town’s 100 acres of athletic fields, summer camp and new Senior Center), he sat with the Town Board which agreed they should move forward to purchase it with a grant from Senator James Skoufis that could only be used for this historic purchase of property protected as “Forever Green”.  The grant had originally been sought for a different site that turned out to have some ownership issues and would have expired soon if not used. The final purchase price ended up being $495,000. Good fortune opened the door for this alternative acquisition which is equally appreciated by the Lasser family, which now knows that their beloved house and farm will remain in safe hands and Forever Green. Meanwhile, the Town finally has both a place to store and show its historic documents, a place where the public can appreciate them and grow its history and environmental pursuits. Town Board member & Town Historian, Johanna Kiernan praised Jeroloman for his awareness and foresight in seeing the importance of saving this historic Blooming Grove home.

Field behind the house (above) and trail across the pond/waterway

(Note: bridge has caved in at the far end)

The timing could not have been more perfect since Board Member and Town Historian Johanna Kiernan is retiring from her board position and will now have more time to devote to sharing the Town’s rich history with the public. Not only that, but the Lasser Family has offered to share a treasure trove of stories about the farm’s long history, and the historic house interior still has some of its original antiques. The Lasser House needs some renovation, so it will not be open to the public for awhile. But Supervisor Jeroloman will be continuing to work with with David Keller, Building and Grounds Supervisor in hopes of it being ready for viewing in the Fall of 2026.

Built in the 1840s with a second section added in the 1860’s

the Town has already worked on plumbing and heating to

secure it’s safety through this exceptionally cold winter.

An old shed, possibly also dating back to the 1840's, sits at the

rear of the backyard, with the landscape of Lasser fields on

the other side of the treeline.

The house has a large side yard toward Lasser Park

Waterway between Lasser Farm and Lasser Park

As for its potential longterm future, no one knows. But its potential can make farm and history admirers' heads spin with ideas. Might it turn into another “Hill Hold” historic site and have events that educate the public about this area’s rich history, environment, and farmland practices? Might it be the site for the Community Garden that Board member Steven Amante has been wanting to develop for several years? a butterfly garden? a bird cam?, lamb shearing demo, buggy rides? How about some Cornell extension Agency activities over at this end of the County? Whoa! (maybe take one step at a time). The site's top purpose is to preserve Blooming Grove's history and there are many documents and maps that will be displayed either here and/or at the Senior Rec Center.

This is a strong “infrastructure first” kind of Town Board, so it will definitely be awhile before any accessory activities develop, but the view of this farmland, with the background of athletic fields for football, lacrosse, summer recreation camp activities and the new Senior Rec Center in the background is already quite a legacy for this board to have accomplished, and quite the opportunity for Town Historian Johanna Kiernan to bring Blooming Grove's rich history to life along multiple pathways. Historical and environmental events are already being planned.