Members of the Seneca Nation were the first people living in this area. European settlers arrived the early 1800's. Elihu Church is credited with being the first settler, and he built a cabin in Riga in 1804. He purchased the land where Sprucewood Nature Center now stands for his brother, Sam. Sam eventually built a sawmill and a gristmill on Black Creek near the waterfall by Buffalo Road in the Village of Churchville.
A stage coach line and railroad eventually came through Churchville from Rochester to Batavia, NY. This led to a large farming community, which drove out many of the wild animals. As the land was cleared, the fox, deer, wolves and other animals left. At one time, the area of Churchville Elementary School and the Nature Center were farm land.
The first schools in the area, including the Cobblestone School, offered classes in agriculture. Many students were from farming families and planned to continue that tradition. Students needed to learn the latest advances and methods of farming.
J. Franklin Bonner was the agricultural teacher in Churchville in the early 1900's. In the 1920's, he helped to plan Churchville Park. Monroe County had bought all of the farmland that is where CES, Sprucewood and Churchville Park are now located. During the 1930's, the Works Progress Administration studied the area's streams, soil and vegetation. These studies are still used today, almost 100 years later. The WPA also planted many of the trees growing in Churchville Park.
In 1935, there was a major flood in the Southern Tier, including Letchworth Park. The habitats of many animals were destroyed, and various wild animals returned to the area. As you walk through the Nature Center and Churchville Park, you will see many of these animals today.
In 1937, the building that is now Churchville Elementary School was built and housed grades 1 through 12. The agricultural classes planted evergreens and other trees on the school grounds, including the Sprucewood Nature Center, and created the woods you now see today.
In 1958, the Churchville-Chili Central School District, with the help of the Shum family, purchased the 13 acres that is now the Nature Center. Monroe County had not developed this area when Churchville Park was created. The county sold the land for $8,000 with the condition that is was to be used only for educational purposes.
After many years of planning, in July of 1982, a group of parents, teachers and students began cutting the first trails in Sprucewood Nature Center. The volunteers battled the heat and bees. However, the workers persevered and on June 3, 1983, the Nature Center officially opened. Over the years, the Nature Center has evolved; a pavilion, outdoor classrooms, signage, observation decks and trails have been added. Many community groups, parents, students, service organizations, scout troops and individuals have donated time and money to maintain and enhance Sprucewood.
Currently, the Nature Center is experiencing the death of many ash trees due to the emerald ash borer, an invasive species from Asia. Ash trees continue to fall from rot and wind. The Center also experienced the loss of its signature white spruce tree in 2020. Eventually, these seemingly devastating losses will lead to new growth.
Sprucewood Nature Center continues to thrive. CES teachers and staff use the trails and outdoor classrooms for instruction and recreation. Every year, the CES fourth-graders are invited to join the Sprucewood Nature Club to learn about the environment and help with the upkeep of the Center. During the summer, Continuing Education offers a class for district students. Many community members also enjoy the trials and observation decks. Sprucewood Nature Center remains a living, ever-growing, always-changing classroom that provides hands-on learning for our students and community.
