The East Shelby Community Bible Church began as prayer meetings held by Erik Olsen in his Oakfield home. When his home outgrew the weekly meetings, Olsen and his followers began looking for a bigger place to meet.
In 1989, the group purchased the former East Shelby Methodist Church on East Shelby Road, which had been abandoned for 30 years. After months of renovation, they opened the doors on Palm Sunday 1990 as the East Shelby Community Bible Church.
Olsen’s congregation has grown and grown to standing room only, even with an addition put on in 2009. His followers come from all over Genesee, Orleans and surrounding counties.
The church has become famous for the miniature 1800s village they constructed across the road from the church, named West Jackson Corners (the name of East Shelby in the 1800s).
Every third weekend in July, they put on an Old Tyme Day, scheduled this year on Sunday.
All visitors are welcome to bring the entire family for an afternoon of old-fashioned fun, beginning with the 10 a.m. church service.
The village has a grange where youth perform old-fashioned dances; members portray characters from the area’s past, such as Charles Silvernail, of Basom, who masquerades as the mayor; and there are conversations with historical characters, such as Ben Franklin, Martha Washington, Betsy Ross, and John and Abigail Adams.
Lorna Klotzbach, of Batavia, can often be found giving wagon rides with her horses to the historic East Shelby Cemetery.
For only a penny, visitors can sample classic dishes cooked over an open fire or breads baked in a beehive oven, a tradition brought from Olsen’s native land. There are homemade pies and hot dogs, hand-spun ice cream and popcorn.
Activities include kids’ games, wool spinning, candle making, basket weaving, old-fashioned photos and weaving on an old-time loom.
Other features of the village are a working blacksmith shop; the woodworker’s shop named for Israel Sanborn, who built the church, complete with turning lathe; a mill with waterwheel fed by a sluiceway; a barn with animals; a sewing shop; and a penny candy store.
Festivities will end with a concert at 4 p.m. in the church, performed by members of the church choir. The church is located at 5278 E. Shelby Road, barely a mile north of the Genesee County line.
Top photo: Charles Silvernail of Basom is the “mayor” of West Jackson Corners, the miniature 1800s village built by East Shelby Community Bible Church. The church started as a Bible study in the home of Erik Olsen, of Oakfield, and now draws worshipers from all across Genesee and Orleans counties, as well as the entire area. On Sunday, the annual Old Tyme Day will take visitors back into the past with old-fashioned fun, worship service, musical entertainment, heritage activities and food.
Above, Erik Olsen, of Oakfield, left, and his son, Levi, are Vikings in this photo taken at last year’s Old Tyme Day at West Jackson Corners, the 1800s village built by the East Shelby Community Bible Church, which Erik founded on East Shelby Road. Photos by Virginia Kropf.
