George Elbert Putnam came to Geneva on the Lake with his family in 1866 when he was 8 years old. His family bought the Fitch home (now Jennie Munger Gregory Museum site) and 30 acres of land, which they farmed.
He was instrumental in transforming the family property from a farm to tourist housing. The land was subdivided and two lanes were put in to serve the subdivision.
George Elbert purchased the farm from his mother and siblings after his father died in 1908, and in 1914 developed “Grandview Allotment”. Reserving the farmhouse situated on two acres, the balance was laid out with residential lots on two lanes which he named “Putnam Lane” and “Grandview Lane”, which are still in existence today.
In 1919, he sold the Grandview farmhouse to his friends, Bert and Jennie Munger Gregory of Geneva.
He was married to Alice Mae Story of Geneva in 1879. They had three children: Edward, Grace, and Florence. Florence and her husband John later ran Ford Cottages on the property she purchased from her father on Putnam Lane. Florence’s daughter, Grace (Bunny) and her husband Hugh later ran Ford Cottages.
George Elbert died at the age of 88 in 1946.
Photo and information provided by Louise Payne Bergeman in February 2016.