Cattaraugus County Source 07-16-2026

100 Years Ago This Month: Historical events from July 1926

The month of July has been home to many historical events over the years. Here’s a look at some that helped to shape the world in July 1926.

• Canadian Prime Minister Arthur Meighen’s two-day-old government is defeated in Parliament by one vote on July 1. Many of Meighen’s fellow Conservatives voted against him.

• Mexican President Plutarco Elías Calles publishes the Calles Law on July 2. The law mandated that all church property become government property and that all worship be conducted inside churches under the supervision of local officials.

• Less than two weeks after an attempted coup d’état against the government of Prime Minister Miguel Primo de Rivera, King Alfonso XIII of Spain issues a royal decree on July 3. The decree grants Primo

de Rivera an assortment of discretionary powers, including the right to banish and deport persons for the good of the country.

• Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, opens on July 4. The amusement park is the largest in the United States to have no admission fee, as rides are paid for individually.

• Twenty-one Mexican prisoners escape from Blue Ridge State Prison Farm in Blue Ridge, Texas, on July 4. The prisoners escaped by sawing their way through the main building of the prison.

• On July 6, French Finance Minister Joseph Caillaux speaks before the Chamber of Deputies and asks for emergency powers to address the country’s economic problems. The request is attacked in the chamber the following day.

• A bolt of lightning strikes the Lake Denmark Naval Ammunition Depot in New Jersey on July 10. A resulting fire causes several million pounds of explosives to blow up over the ensuing three days, killing 19 people and destroying 187 buildings.

• Golfer Bobby Jones wins the U.S. Open in Columbus, Ohio, by a single stroke on July 10. With the victory, Jones

becomes the first golfer to win both th British Open and the U.S. Open in the same year.

• King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy takes a boy who had just been hit by a train into his car on July 13. The boy dies in the vehicle while the King’s car is rushing him to the hospital.

• Linton Wells and Edward Steptoe Evans complete their flight around the world on July 14. The pilots accomplish the feat in 28 days, 14 hours and 37 minutes, breaking the record of 35 days set in 1913.

• French President Gaston Doumergue and Moroccan Sultan Yusef ben Hassan inaugurate the Grand Mosque of Paris on July 16. The house of worship is the largest mosque in France.

• On July 18, U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant Faustin E. Wirkus is crowned as “King Faustin II” while stationed on Haiti’s Gonâve Island during the American occupation of the Caribbean nation.

• An editorial published in the Chicago Daily Tribune on July 18 accuses actor Rudolph Valentino of being responsible for the installation of a face-powder dispenser in a men’s washroom.

The anonymous writer implies that Valentino is responsible for the feminization of American men. Valentino challenges the writer to a boxing or wrestling match the following day in an essay published in the Chicago Herald-Examiner, but the anonymous author did not come forward.

• Eleven tourists on a sightseeing bus to Bear Mountain State Park in New York are killed on July 22 when the driver runs off a curve while driving downhill off the mountain. The bus rolls over three times before crashing into a building, and the driver is eventually charged with 11 counts of vehicular homicide.

• Great Britain’s first greyhound racing track opens on July 24 in Manchester.

• On July 26, Robert Todd Lincoln, the last surviving son of American President Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd Lincoln, passes away in Vermont at the age of 82.

• Al Capone is freed from jail on July 29. Capone spent one night in jail after being arrested on charges arising from the murder of Assistant State’s Attorney William McSwiggin and two other men on April 27.

Advanced vehicular functions also will be contained within infotainment systems, which will affect parking assistance, daytime running lights, climate control, and voice assistants to control the different automotive systems. Depending on the

trim level, a vehicle infotainment system may not be restricted to the dashboard; some cars or trucks have rear screens as well. This enables kids to tap into favorite shows and movies, or to play games during long road trips.

Adults may find that vehicle-based entertainment enables them to catch up on audiobooks or podcasts while commuting or traveling to vacation destinations.

Vehicle information and entertainment systems can make road trips, commutes or even short trips more intuitive and enjoyable.

Randolph names students to 4th quarter honor rolls

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Descendants of 154th NY Vol. Regiment to hold annual reunion at SBU

ST. BONAVENTURE —

Descendants of members of the 154th New York Volunteer Infantry, a Civil War regiment raised in Cattaraugus and Chautauqua counties, will hold their 40th annual reunion from 2-5 p.m. Saturday, July 18, at St. Bonaventure University, The event will culminate in the premiere of a new educational film on the history of the regiment produced by the Cattaraugus County Museum and Research Library.

The 154th New York — known as the Hardtack Regiment — was raised in the summer of 1862 and participated in many of the great campaigns and battles of the war, including Chancellorsville, Gettysburg, Chattanooga, the Atlanta Campaign and Gen. William T. Sherman’s marches through Georgia and the Carolinas.

Mark H. Dunkelman, of Providence, R.I., will preside at the reunion, as he has every year since its inception in 1986. Stories and relics of his greatgrandfather, John Langhans of Ellicottville, who served in the 154th, inspired Dunkelman’s interest and led to his lifelong work as regimental historian. He is the author of six highly regarded books and dozens of articles on various aspects of the 154th’s history, and creator of the renowned mural next to the regiment’s Gettysburg monument. To date, Dunkelman has connected with more than 1,400 fellow descendants of members of the 154th.

Dunkelman said the idea for the reunions came to him after he gave a talk to the Allegany Area Historical Association in 1984. It was the first time he had given a lecture in Cattaraugus County after the publication of his book, “The Hardtack Regiment,” in 1981. He said a number of the attendees were

people he met during his annual research trips to the county in the 1970s, but some were descendants whom he met for the first time.

“It occurred to me that we descendants could meet on an annual basis like our ancestors did a century before at their annual regimental reunions,” he recalled. “In 1986, I put out a call for the first reunion, which was well attended, and we were off and running.”

Recaps of all of the annual reunions are archived on his website, www. hardtackregiment.com.

The topic of the reunion program is “Relics of a Regiment.” For the past 50 years, as Dunkelman researched and wrote about the

154th New York’s history, he collected artifacts relating to the regiment. An inventory of the collection is 16 pages long, divided into 15 categories. This year, Dunkelman decided it was time for the artifacts to join the Dunkelman and Winey Collection of the 154th New York at St. Bonaventure University. Newly-retired University Archivist Dennis Frank picked up the items in Providence and delivered them to the university. Much of the memorabilia will be on display in the Friedsam Memorial Library at the reunion. There, Dunkelman and Frank will discuss how the collection evolved in conjunction with his work on the regiment’s history.

“This year’s reunion is special in that it’s our 40th annual” — one wasn’t held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic — “and that it marks the addition of my sizable collection of 154th New York relics to the overall Dunkelman and Winey collection at SBU,” Dunkelman added.

AFTER THE PROGRAM and roll call at the library, attendees will move to the Quick Center for the Arts at 4 p.m. for the premiere of a documentary film, “The 154th New York: The East,” produced by the Cattaraugus County Museum and Research Library and made by Museum Curator Brian McClellan and documentary filmmaker John Tomerlin.

The film, fourth in a series of educational films produced by the museum meant to be available to local teachers, serves as an introduction to the regiment’s first year of service, covering its organization and the Chancellorsville and Gettysburg campaigns. Kathleen Coulter, a seventhgrade social studies teacher at Olean Intermediate Middle School who participated in the film project, said the film brings local history to life for students. She said it highlights how ordinary men and farmers from the area’s communities, many of whom are buried in local cemeteries, answered the call to serve when the divided nation needed them during the Civil War.

“By connecting national events to people and places students recognize, the film makes history more meaningful and personal,” she said. Coulter said the film is organized into manageable segments that help maintain student engagement while providing a thorough historical background. This format allows teachers to easily incorporate the film into their lessons and follow it with meaningful discussions, activities and critical-thinking questions.

“The film encourages students to reflect on who these soldiers were, the challenges they faced, and the sacrifices they made, helping them develop a deeper appreciation for both local history and the Civil War,” she said.

“This film does an outstanding job of connecting national history to the local people and places in our community,” Coulter added.

“By telling the story of the 154th New York through the experiences of ordinary men, it helps students see that history happened right here at home.” The reunion is free and open to the public. Anyone descended from a member of the 154th New York is encouraged to attend. Descendants are asked to bring photographs and relics of their soldier ancestors to be copied and added to the regimental archives. Attendees will receive a souvenir ribbon. For more information about the reunion, contact Dunkelman by phone or text at (401) 369-0637 or by e-mail at nyvi154th@aol.com. More information about his work, including summaries of previous reunions, can be found at www.hardtackregiment. com. For information on the film, contact (716) 353-8200. The museum’s other films can be found on its YouTube channel.

200 attend Little Valley alumni reunion banquet

LITTLE VALLEY — The annual Little Valley Central School alumni banquet was held June 27 at the Corporate Building on the Cattaraugus County Fairgrounds, with 200 members and guests attending. Goode’s Restaurant of Gowanda provided a buffet dinner.

President Kevin Andrew, Class of 1975, welcomed all in attendance. He stated that general fund donations and support for the MemmottLanghans scholarship have again been very generous. He thanked the many committee members and volunteers who helped to make the event possible.

Ed Memmott, Class of ‘58 and scholarship chairman, stated that 11 awards were given to Cattaraugus-Little Valley Central collegebound seniors — Rebekah Butcher, Brice Corbin, Carly Crawford, Bransen Gabel, Demaris Lillie, Johanna Luce, Grady Merrill, Devan Otto, Kylie Unruh, Alison Blair-Weishaupt and Owen Wright. Brad Lockwood, Class of ‘88, spoke on the upcoming Village of Knives event set for Friday and Saturday at the county fairgrounds.

He is looking forward to an even bigger and better event, saying it’s a tremendous way to keep the village’s knife-

and dance recitals in the near future. Carol Gloff, Class of ‘70, gave an update on the Little Valley Fund, an endowment that looks to help residents by providing projects and services beneficial to all. Part of the funds allocated this year has supported the historical and flag murals painted on Vail Hardware. In addition, “Martha’s Corner” in the Memorial Library of Little Valley was

Mark Memmott, spokesman for the honored class of 1976, shared memories of school days. He stated that the class of ’76 was the connection between the past and the future in many ways. He also remembered deceased class members.

Fran Harvey Walters, Class of ’89, was the youngest member in attendance. Art Asquith, Class of ’46, was the eldest. Pat Belec, Class of ’73, came the farthest, having traveled from Alaska. The meeting closed with the singing of the school song and alma mater.

The 2027 banquet will be held on June 26.

BY DEB EVERTS

LEON — Throughout July, the Leon Historical Society is honoring Elna Beckman on her 107th birthday, along with her dedication to the “Woman’s Relief Corps” (WRC) and to the Leon area.

The National Woman’s Relief Corps was chartered in July 1883 as the official Woman’s Auxiliary to the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) and congressionally chartered in September 1962. Designed to assist the GAR, it’s the oldest national women’s patriotic organization in the country. It was an organization devoted to giving post-war aid and other services to the Union Civil War veterans and their families.

Until the creation of the auxiliary, the

Ɋ July 17 - Rock the Park at Allegany State Park. Get ready for a rocking good time at Allegany State Park on Quarter Beach! 2-5pm: “Ask a Naturalist” and crafts and activities.

3-4pm: Kickball for all.

GAR was a fraternal organization and refused to allow women to join. It is largely dedicated to historical preservation of research and official documentation related to the WRC and the GAR, with veteran support, patriotic education and historical preservation, along with American Civil War Legacy.

The first chapter of the WRC began in Portland, Maine, in 1869, 10 years before a notable one in Massachusetts. This chapter was a secret organization to unify and utilize various local and state relief programs that had been loyal to the North during the Civil War. In 1890, a chapter of the WRC opened in New Hampshire, along with the Massachusetts post that was formed by the Union Board of New England.

Leon Town Historian

4-6pm: Live Music by Grosh.

Ɋ July 18 - Live Wildlife Presentation with Hawk Creek at Allegany State Park, Quaker Beach. Meet some of the Hawk

Pat Bromley said the Woman’s Relief Corps in Leon was organized in 1890, and Beckman would later become an important figure in the organization in New York State.

“Elna Shaw Waite Beckman was born July 7, 1919, to Ray and Maude Shaw. When she became an adult, Elna married Herman ‘Hermie’ Beckman,” she said. “They were married 51 years until his passing. He worked alongside and supported Elna in all her many endeavors.”

Bromley said Beckman was a very civic-minded woman who served as an assistant 4-H leader and a Red Cross Volunteer for 25 years. She was also a Sunday School teacher and served in every office of the Leon Methodist Church for more than 25 years.

Kathy Bower,

national Woman’s Relief Corps president, said Beckman was elected Corps Chaplain of the Leon Corps of the Woman’s Relief Corps in 1966. In 1969, she was installed as Department Inspector.

“That position required Elna to be proficient in all the rules, regulations, services and rituals, and to travel all over the state to check each corps and ensure they understood these things,” she said.

A newspaper clipping from an unknown publication that was provided by Bromley reads, “Elna Beckman of Leon has been elected Department President of the Woman’s Relief Corps of New York. She was named to the office at the 93rd annual convention held at Glens Falls, June 27-30, 1976. The new state officer is a past president of Capt. Fancher Corps and has

More Upcoming Events

Creek Wildlife Center’s animal ambassadors and learn about wildlife rehabilitation, conservation, and education. 1-3pm.

Historical Society for the 2026 Speaker series, with a presentation by Dana Klein about Native American Arrowheads. he event will be held outside, so bring your lawn char and meet on the museum’s side lawn. If it rains, the event will be held indoors. 6:30pm.

served in many other offices, including the local order, Alleghany Federation, Dept. of New York, and as a member of the National Executive Board.”

“Elna moved up the ladder to serve in the national officer status as Chairman of the Scholarship Committee in 1978,” Bower said.

According to Bromley, Beckman was also elected as the National Chaplain and the Deputy Representative of the Veterans Hospital in Bath during the era of the WRC. She held all the offices and served as President, as well as Jr. and Sr. Vice President of the local chapter of the New York State WRC.

Bromley said Beckman was awarded a Volunteer Service Award for her work at the Veterans Hospital in Bath in 1984. Also in 1984, she was presented

Summer at the Stone House events are free and open to the public. 7pm.

Leon Historical Society featuring ‘Woman’s Relief Corps’ display through July

with the Good Neighbor Award from the Town of Leon. She was also a Charter Member of the GAR and the Leon Historical Society.

“Hermie and Elna are both gone now, but the Leon Historical Society works very hard in preserving important memories of those who came before us,” she said. “They left a big imprint on ‘Our four corners of Western New York.’”

The WRC display can be seen at the 1836 church, located at the four corners in Leon. Visitors are welcome every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., or by appointment by calling Bromley at (716) 296-5709. For more details about the WRC, visit online at womansreliefcorps.org.

Weekend with some ice cream and a train ride! Saturday- Train departs at 11:00am and 2:00pm. Sunday 2pm.

Ɋ July 18 - Leon Historical Society Presents - Vintage Tweets at the Leon Historical Society Museum. The Leon Historical Society is proud to host Carol Crossed, President and Founder of the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace Museum, for a special event honoring women’s suffrage. During this commemoration, Crossed will showcase a unique collection of century-old suffrage postcards, featured in her 2019 book, Vintage Tweets. 4-5pm.

Ɋ July 20 - Olean Speaker Series - Native American Arrowheads at the Olean Pointe Museum. Join the Olean

Ɋ July 22 - Portville Music in the Park at Pioneer Park. Music in the Park is held each Wednesday. The music plays regardless of the forecast, but if it is rained out- then the performance will be moved to the Weston Mills Fire Hall.This week is Caleb Stromberg - Saxophone Classics. 6:30pm.

Ɋ July 23 - Summer at the Stone House with Allen Hopkins at Cattaraugus County Historical Museum - Stone House. The Summer at the Stone House event series continues with Allen Hopkins! He will be doing a presentation on “A Semiquincentennial of American Song.”All

Ɋ July 24-26 - Jazz & Blues Weekend in the Village of Ellicottville. A Jazz and Blues Weekend in Ellicottville is a boutique experience. Wander through the village and choose from a variety of Jazz and Blues performance areas ranging from restaurants, bars & nightclubs and streetside.

Ɋ July 25 - The WNY Fiddle Kids at Gowanda’s Historic Hollywood Theater. The Gowanda Historic Hollywood Theater presents the performance of the WNY Fiddle Kids, led by former NYS Fiddle Champion, Heather Smith Pennington. Tickets $6, at the door. 2pm.

Ɋ July 25-26 - Ice Cream Children’s Weekend Train Ride at GowandaTrain Station. Celebrate Children’s

Ɋ July 25 - 2026 Tame the Tuna Regatta at Tunungwant Creek. Volunteers will take you and your kayak or canoe to the start of the regatta on the Tunungwant Creek, what the locals call the “Tuna Creek.” You’ll spend part of the day paddling and hanging out at stops along the way with your tasty beverages. When you hit the end of the run, volunteers will bring you and your gear back to the Limestone Fire Department. Themed outfits, prizes and camping. To pre-register go to, lvfdevents.ticketleap. com. 9am.

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July 25 - HillTap Festival at Holiday Valley. The 6th annual HillTap Festival will return to Holiday Valley Resort in Ellicottville, NY. This popular event, at one of the most unique venues in the region, integrates a full day of outdoor activities and live music from three bands on two stages. The Festival begins with a chairlift ride up to Spruce Lake with live music, adventure activities, and craft food and beverages. The festival then heads back down the mountain for two additional bands to wrap up the full day of activities. Tickets for the full day of music and adventure are available and a twilight ticket is also available that provides admission to the base of the mountain for the final two musical performances. Children 10 and under are free to attend and parking is free for all attendees. 12 Noon-9pm. For More Info visit: hilltapfestival.com.

RANDOLPH —

Randolph JuniorSenior High School has announced its honor and merit rolls for the fourth marking period of the 2025-26 school year.

HONOR ROLL

Grade 12: Jenna Anderson, Nicholas Ashdown, Grace Benson, Gianna Bowles, Broden Brooks, Ryanne Bushey, Piper Chase, Dallas Finch, Jade Fleischmann, Hunter Foster, Cooper Freeman, Riley Henry, Kirsten Johnson, Rhys Kelly, Zachary Lindquist, Jaydyn Loomis, Allie Marsh-Durphy, Jaxon Morrison, Leah Olejniczak, Alyia Oliverio, Mia Olofson, Bryson Pitts, Gavin Richardson, Hayden Rosing, Gracyn Rowland, Aryana Sears, Olivia Shawley, Ayden Shields, Erinn Sluga, Mallory Smallback, Maddison VanSickle

Grade 11: Grace Arnold-Hill, Evelyn Bailey, Ty Barron, Lilly Beaver, Nicholas Beaver, Malachi Brown, Carter Conley, Lucy Conley, Kierra Dexter, Morgan Eccles, Hailey Farmer, Alexander Garland, Christian Hayes, Rileigh Jensen, Lilly John, Ashton Johnson, Davion Johnson, Jace Knuth, Kendra Ling, Kennedy Lynn, Tenley Marshall, Jadelynn McMaster, Ella Monroe, Mia Morris, Elianna Peterson, Isaac Pihlblad, Brooke Reding, Riley Reynolds, Ryann

Randolph names students to 4th quarter honor rolls

Rowland, Gavin Senn, Addyson Shawley, Stella Smith, Aidan Taylor, Ashley Terhune, Jasmine ThrasherMiller, Anya Walters, Shelby Whitford, Fallon Williams.

Grade 10: Mackenzie Baran, Grace Bender, Chloe Braley, Alliyah Carlson, Jaydan Champlin, Paige Covell, MacKenzie Cowen, Emma Day, Dominick Dowiasz, Kadence Durow, Owen Eccles, Hunter Emke, Carson Gallaway, Aiyanna Goldsmith, Hannah Hill, Autumn Malone, Aubrey Marquez, Alivianna Mattson, Eric Mighells, Jade Miller, Parker Morrison, Mya Nelson, Kyler Patterson, Easton Pence, Mason Pierce, Mitchell Plaskett, Gunnar Rosing, Harper Russell, Carra Sevenish, Grace Turney, Kobe Wagner, Connor Walters, Reese Woodfield, Nathan Zink.

Grade 9: Bella Baggiano, Savannah Baker, Savannah Bartlett, Brayden Beaver, Liam Brown, Noah Brown, Elenza Bryan, Ashton Bucktooth, Gabriella Chapman, Antonny Corona-Hernandez, Alexis Dick, Ethan DiMaria, Charlie

Dowiasz, Preston Eccles, Javin Fowler, McKenzie Fox, Michael Hadden, Kennedy Hahn, Jack Haines, Peyton Hale, Savannah Hubbard, Grady Huntington, Jessica James, Syrai Johnson, Sofia McCue, Cypress Milks, Katelyn Monroe, Michael Monroe, Josiah Neal, Tanner Patterson, Layla Reynolds, Peyton Roberts, Ava Sears, Harmony See, Wyatt Shields, Lian Sieber, Maria Stone, Preston Swan, Colton Walters, Delaney Walters, Laiden Wojtowicz.

Grade 8: Ruthie Barber, Landen Brooks, Jaxon Brown, Jonathan Brown, Keller Brown, Lindsay Brown, Tessa Brown, Austin Bushey, Ryleigh-Ann

Champlin, Sierra Clark, Amelia Comstock, Maleeyah Finch, Aurora Fleischmann, Alice Hanna, Myles Harrison, Cody Hayes, Zoey Hernandez, Brody Jones, Turah Jones, Connor Kilbury, Maybelle Kovel, Graeden Lynn, Maverick Milford, Cole Morris, Deklan O’Neil, Spencer Patterson, Callie Peters, Liana Peyton, Elise Pihlblad, Layla Reding, Reid Smith III, Chloie Smith, Remington Smith, Serena Smith, Caitlynn Sten, Peyton Whitford, Drew Winship.

Grade 7: Alexander Andress, Gabriella Baker, Lilliana Baker, Braxton Beaver, Everlett Bomberry, McKinley Brooks, Ethan Brown,

Joslyn Brown, Keira Brown, Kieran Brown, Chase Crosson, Faelyn Dalton, Maisie DeGroat, Elsie Freeman, Julianna Garland, Karena Hitchcock, Anabella Horning, Paul Inkley, Davin Jensen, Lukas Knuth, Adriana Marquez, Paige Marshall, Piper Marshall, Celina Miller, Clara Miller, Quentin Miller, Emaline Olson, Donavan Peterson, Wren Rutenber, Peyton Stoltenberg, Caden Sushko, Arie Tanner, Madden Wojtowicz, Jackson Yerpe.

MERIT ROLL

Grade 12: Shyann Arnold, Sharilee Bailey, Hannah Cass, Mara Rae Harvey, Taylor Hayes, Kevin Herington, Brookelyn Hubbard, Jamison Nottingham, Mason Peelman, Reagan Smith, Kalen Suber.

Grade 11: Matthew Beaver, Kendall Blood, Zella Dickerson, Garritt DiMaria, Kaleb Durow, Jowells Emke, James Franze, Ian

Hamilton, Aliza Hind, Marley Johnson, Layla McAllister, Randall Nottingham, Brenden Reding, Erik Terhune, Daniel Thompson, Rosetta ThrasherMiller.

Grade 10: Breayanna Delano, Aubrey Green, Brice Jones, Camden Peters, Grady Steward.

Grade 9: Tucker Davis, Michael Evans, Aayiden Milks, Benjamin Sebzda, Alexander Spinler.

Grade 8: Jaylah Baker, Calob Emke, Caleb Finch, Cooper Henderson, Izack Howard, Xander LaPlant, Max McAllister, Gracin Parker, Alyssa Rasmussen, Leeah Sullivan, Riley Weaver, Emmett Youngberg.

Grade 7: Kyran Bucktooth, Austin Durow, Kristian Durow, Timothy Gennings, Andrew Migliore, Bruce Nicholas, Elijah Peterson, Colton Pierce, Parker Simmons, Logan Smith, Krystal White, Eva Williams.

Cracked walkways threaten homes and residents in many ways

The popularity of outdoor living spaces has increased dramatically over the last decade. The National Association of Home Builders® notes that industry projections estimate the outdoor living market will reach $26.8 billion by 2027. That’s a testament to the popularity of spaces that are transforming how people use their properties and spend time at home.

cracked walkways can prevent further damage. If it’s not, then homeowners might have gotten lucky and identified the problem before it affected the foundation of their home.

outdoor living space is not compromised by unsightly and even dangerous walking paths leading residents and guests to these popular areas.

Cracked walkways should be addressed so homeowners and their guests are safe and home values are not compromised by these unsightly yet fixable issues.

Outdoor kitchens, living rooms and expansive patios garner the bulk of the attention directed at exterior living spaces, but walkways into these spaces are equally important. A stunning walkway can set the tone for a space, while a cracked walkway can pose a threat to a home, its residents and any guests who visit to enjoy some R&R in an outdoor living space.

• Cracked walkways increase injury risk. The National Center for Biotechnology Information indicates that roughly three in four outdoor falls are attributable to environmental hazards like cracked or broken walkways. The cost of a new outdoor living space can be significant, and some homeowners might

delay redoing their existing walkways so they can use those savings to fund the larger project. But homeowners planning to entertain and even those who will be using their existing walkways to access an outdoor living space are urged to include cracked walkway replacement into their outdoor living space project. Doing so can prevent falls and leave homeowners less vulnerable to accidents involving guests that can ultimately lead to higher insurance premiums.

• Cracked walkways can contribute to damage to your home

Cracked walkways also can harm a home. A cracked walkway often slopes as well, and when it slopes toward the home, it can then channel water in the direction of the home’s foundation. That can cause the soil around the home to erode and ultimate threaten the structural integrity of a home’s foundation. Homeowners may even be able to see such damage already if a walkway running alongside a garage is cracked. If so, walked into the garage and see if the foundation area opposite where the crack is outside is showing signs of damage. If it is, fixing

• Cracked walkways adversely affect curb appeal. According to Brown Jordan Outdoor Kitchens, 75 percent of prospective home buyers indicated they would prioritize homes with outdoor living spaces over homes that lacked this popular feature. Outdoor living spaces certainly boast the wow factor, but cracked walkways en route to these areas can take away from that appeal and create a bad first impression. Savvy homeowners recognize that every investment they make in their home is an opportunity to improve resale value. Fixing cracked walkways when redesigning exterior spaces is a great way to ensure the boost in curb appeal from an