Of all of our town’s beautiful trails, perhaps my favorite are the ones which wind through Four Mile Creek Preserve at the corner of Lake and Phillips roads. Not only is the landscape beautiful, especially during the fall, but the trails serve up some very interesting history.
Scattered along the Four Mile Creek trails are seven rusted-out old cars, including a 1949 Nash Ambassador Custom Airflyte, a 1950 Chevrolet Deluxe Bel Air, a 1956 Nash Rambler and others.
On Saturday Oct, 5 from 1 to 3 p.m., the Friends of Webster Trails‘ trail steward Dennis Kuhn, will lead a guided Cars Along the Creek tour, filled with anecdotes and fun facts. Hikers will also have stops at the overlook to identify the “Blue Ribbon” trees of the preserve. Organizers promise snacks and prizes.
The family-friendly two-hour hike will begin at 1 p.m. at the Four Mile Creek Preserve parking lot, corner of Phillips and Lake roads. This is a very popular hike, so PLEASE register here (it’s very quick and easy).
Here’s a bit more background about the cars, from Dennis Kuhn:
The cars were driven onto the property from Lake Road across a bridge that accessed farmland where the cars were last driven. It seems that some local youths decided to create a racetrack somewhat off the beaten path to have some fun cavorting around the open fields that were available at the time. If you traverse the land as it is now, you’ll have to use your imagination to see a relatively treeless landscape that existed sometime in the nineteen fifties or early sixties.
Nevertheless, the youths of the day had a ton of fun going around in circles until they ran out of gas or had a flat tire or wrecked the transmission.
The cars you’ll see include:
* 1951 Chevrolet Styleine Deluxe Bel Air * 1961 Ford 500 Galaxy Club Victoria * 1959 Nash Rambler * 1959 Chevy Bel Air * 1954 Plymouth Belvedere Suburban * 1949 Green Nash Airflyte
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The Webster Recreation Center has come up with YET ANOTHER fun challenge to keep us healthy, and this one has the added benefit of spotlighting our town’s beautiful trail system.
They’re calling it their Two-Week Trail Challenge, and it’s based on the brand new Hit the Trail Passport, recently updated in conjunction with the Friends of Webster Trails.
This newly updated passport is a whopping 40 pages long, and includes 32 trails and trail spurs in all, spanning Webster from west to east, measuring more than 36 miles of incredible natural beauty. Each page features a different trail, detailing its individual spurs, their length, difficulty and approximate hiking time.
For the Two-Week Trail Challenge, hikers are encouraged to walk all the trails in the passport between Oct. 5 and Oct. 20. The challenge doesn’t include Webster Park or Bike Trail, but it’s an added bonus if you do them too. Hikers will record their progress on an online form (emailed to all registrants) and will receive a completion certificate and a keepsake pin as well as social media and website recognition.
Please register for program #301204-A either online or by calling 585-872-7103, option 0. You can pick up one of the new Hit the Trail Passports at Webster Parks and Recreation on Chiyoda Dr., or at Wegmans (Holt Rd. or Eastway) You can also see the passport and download it here.
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The newest exhibit at the Webster Museum shines a spotlight on the many businesses that have helped shape the Town of Webster.
Called “A Measure of Webster Business,” the main display case is packed with historical information and photographs from more than a dozen businesses which have been an important part of Webster for decades, some for more than 100 years. They include Bill Gray’s (86 years), Finns Automotive (85 years), Proietti’s Restaurant (54 years) and Empire State Weeklies (125 years).
A separate display, called “Then and Now,” looks at local businesses which are currently in operation, and what they were back in the day. For example, in the 1950s, what we now know as Abbott’s Original at the corner of Gravel and Ridge roads used to be a Carvel. The Webster Post Office was housed in the building on West Main St. which is now Arrow Kitchen and Bath. And Knucklehead Brewery in West Webster used to be Seitz’s Delicatessen.
The “Measure of Webster Business” displays are an extension of an exhibit created in May, which takes a look at historic Webster businesses through the promotional yardsticks that graced nearly every Webster household. Along with the kinetic yardsticks display, other memorabilia from local businesses, old and new photos, brief biographies and timelines for each business round out this retrospective look at Webster’s history.
The “Measure of Webster Business” exhibits will be on display until early November, so head over to the museum before then to find out more about all of the businesses which played an important part in helping our town and village grow.
The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday afternoons from 2:00 to 4:30 p.m.
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I got an email from the Friends of Webster Trails the other day with some exciting news: the Wegmans Hit the Trail Passport has been updated.
The passport program began at least five years ago as a way to encourage families to get out and discover our area’s beautiful trails, using a passport to record their completed hikes. Each trail has a marker post somewhere along it, which participants use to make a rubbing into the passport.
This newly updated passport is a whopping 40 pages long. It includes several new trails which the Friends have added since the last printing — the Herman Rd. Forever Wild Forest, State Rd. Nature Preserve, Michael Johnson Nature Trail and the Hickory Bark Trail — plus the Bike Trail. There are 32 trails and trail spurs in all, spanning Webster from west to east, measuring more than 36 miles of incredible natural beauty.
Each page features a different trail, detailing its individual spurs, their length, difficulty and approximate hiking time. The location of each marking post is clearly indicated, and there’s even a short description of each trail’s unique features. (A sample page is below.)
Basically, it’s a fun and educational way for the whole family to explore our amazing trail system. And if you’ve completed the passport program before, there are so many new trails to explore, it’s time to do it again!
You can pick up one of the new Hit the Trail passports at Wegmans (Holt Rd. or Eastway) or at Webster Parks and Recreation on Chiyoda Dr. You can also see the passport and download it here.
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Our Webster Volunteer Fire Department must have some sort of lucky charm which they can rub every year at parade time. I can’t remember (at least in recent memory) having a nicer evening for the annual parade. Especially since it was still raining in the morning.
With 99 units and lasting a good two hours, this year’s parade did not disappoint, especially for kids who love trucks and love candy. And thanks to the good weather, the crowds were pretty thick.
If you were in the parade, chances are very good you’ll be in one of the280 photos inthis gallery … and I take that many of them because I hear from you all how much you like to see them, especially if you couldn’t be there to watch.
So grab a coffee, sit back and enjoy the photos. And if you took any of your family gathered for the parade, send them along and I can add them to the gallery.
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If you’ve seen this week’s edition of the Webster Herald, you’ve already seen this month’s History Bit, which you’ll see in its entirety below.
To research that article, I drew heavily from the Webster Volunteer Fire Department’s 1906-2006 100th anniversary volume, and historical editions of the Herald. I discovered all sorts of interesting facts about the carnival, but had to leave many of them out in the interest of newspaper space. Since I have no space concern in a blog, I’ve posted much of that additional information here, following the original Bit.
Some Webster Fireman’s Carnival history
With the return of the Webster Fireman’s Carnival this week, it seems an appropriate time to take a look back at the history of this very popular and long-running summer event.
According to the Webster Volunteer Fire Department’s 100th anniversary history book, the Fireman’s Carnival turns 87 years old this year. The first carnival was held July 23 and 24, 1937 on Ridge Rd. just west of Corning Park, where Pierce St. is now. The first chairman, Russell B. Mason, reported a net profit of $514.63.
Not much is known about that first year, but we do know that the carnival was held at the same location the following year. The July 15, 1938 edition of the Webster Herald reported that carnival-goers would enjoy four thrilling rides, plus free dancing and entertainment. They could also enter to win cash door prizes, a radio from Hawley’s Hardware and a refrigerator from Netzman’s Appliances.
The 1938 carnival was even more successful than the first, netting about $1100 despite some challenges. It rained buckets Friday night, and on Saturday the Ferris wheel broke down. Fortunately, though, carnival-goers had other entertainment options, including a hoop-rolling contest and a “Dutch bowlers” (cricket) demonstration game, which attracted an audience of 700.
Even before the 1938 carnival, the Webster Fire Department was well into the planning stages of purchasing its own property for use as carnival grounds. That September, they finalized the sale of a 24-acre tract of land owned by William Partridge near their current festival location west of Corning Park, purchased for $2500. The firemen have held their carnival on that property, now known as Fireman’s Field, every year since.
Now, here are some other interesting things I read:
In 1939, just two years after the first carnival, stands were built on the new property and a water line installed.
In 1940, wooden toilets were installed.
Several improvements were made between 1946 and 1950, including constructing two bridges across the stream, and building a storehouse and a building with flush toilets.
In the early 1950s there was talk of building a community pool, with an awning, on the site. But those plans never got off the ground.
In 1956 the Webster School Board asked for a right-of-way across the Fireman’s Field to Ridgecrest School. At the time, the board was granted permission to allow children to walk across the field to school, In June of 1957, a road was built across the field from Ebner Rd. (which at the time ended at the village line) to the Ridgecrest property line.
The “clubhouse,” now known better as the Firemen’s Exempt building, was erected in 1960.
In the early 1970s, restrooms were enlarged and remodeled, hot water and sinks were added to the food booths, and several stands were rebuilt after suffering damage in a windstorm.
Carnival organizers applied for their first Game of Chance license in 1982.
In 1983, McDonald’s inquired about purchasing a parcel of the property along Ridge Rd. The motion was voted down. Three more offers were made in 1986 for “the front piece of the carnival grounds” for $100,000, $200,000 and $270,000, which were all turned down. (It appears that the decision to sell the property was finally made in late 1987.)
In 1985 (and for several years in the late 80s and early 90s) the carnival was opened up Friday night to local homes for the handicapped so they could enjoy the festivities without the crowds.
In 1986, 2.765 acres adjacent to the carnival field were purchased from the school district for parking.
The beer stand ticket booth was built in 1988.
In 1999, a few buildings were removed to make room for more rides.
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Thanks to Hurricane Beryl, it looks like the weather for the start of the 2024 Webster Fireman’s Carnival is about the worst it could be. But that could change, and our hardworking firefighters will do their very best to make sure the festivities continue unabated. For the latest updates, make sure to check out the Webster Fireman’s Carnival Facebook page or website.
In the meantime, things are hopping over at Fireman’s Field. The rides are arriving and are being set up, the parking lot has been marked off, and the snow fencing and barrels arranged, so right now everyone is expecting a great carnival and great crowds.
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One of the most colorful signs of summer in Webster is the return of the Joe Obbie Farmers’ Market to Webster Towne Center Plaza on Holt Rd. (in front of Old Navy).
The market opened for the season on Saturday June 8, and will be set up every Saturday at the plaza from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. through October, rain or shine.
If you’ve never been to this market, you should start making it a regular Saturday morning stop. Varying with the season, you’ll find baked goods, pies, meats, poultry, goat cheese and goat cheese products, flavored nuts, herbs, spice blends, honey, maple syrup, cider, soap and body care products, plants and cut flowers, jewelry, crafts, and of course a wide variety of fruits and vegetables.
The very popular Evening in the Park Market will also return in July to Charles Sexton Park (formerly known as North Ponds) on Wednesday evenings.
Starting July 17, the market will be set up at the park from 4 to 8 p.m. every Wednesday through August 28. In addition to the vendors, these events will also have live music and food trucks (including Firefly Nectar mobile bar every week), so remember to pack your quad chairs!
Something new this year is a Music Raffle — a raffle to help support the musical guests — with some great prizes (check out the flyer for details). Tickets will be available from vendors at the Saturday market, and the drawing will be held on July 17.
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Heritage Square Museum is a 19th-century living history museum, located just 12 minutes east of the Village of Webster on Ontario Center Rd. It features ten individual buildings spread across 13 beautiful acres, which illuminate what life was like for many of the Town of Ontario’s earliest settlers.
I only really discovered the museum myself last September when I accepted an invitation to stop by during one of their community open house days and see what it was all about.
It’s a pretty cool place, offering a very educational and entertaining experience for the entire family. (Here’s theblog I wrote about my visit.) It’s really a hidden gem, which is why I’m happy to pass along news of some of their upcoming events.
The museum is opening for the season next weekend, with guided tours on Saturday June 1 from 1:30 to 4 p.m., and an ice cream social on Sunday June 2, also from 1:30 to 4 p.m., featuring live oldies music by Patrick Runne and Cheap Datez.
Opening weekend is a great chance to check out the museum, maybe absorb some history, and sit outside eating an ice cream while enjoying good music.
Can’t make it on opening weekend? The museum is open every weekend through Sept. 29, offering guided tours from 1:30 to 4 p.m. for a small fee. (Last tour starts at 3 p.m.)
If you like what you see, consider signing the kids up for one of Heritage Square Museum’s Stepping Back in Time children’s programs:
Thursday June 27, 10 to 11:30 a.m.: Games and Toys of the 1860s (register by June 13)
Thursday July 25, 10 to 11:30 a.m.: School Fun in the 1860s (register by July 11)
Thursday August 22, 10 to 11 a.m.: Daily Life in the 1860s (register by Aug. 8)
The programs are designed for children ages 5-10, and all three programs are free, but registration is required by calling Judy at 585-271-4925.
Each child may be registered for one or more programs, and each child must be accompanied by an adult. Children are encouraged (but not required) to dress like a child of the 1860s.
Heritage Square Museum is located at 7147 Ontario Center Rd., Ontario.
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May is National Historic Preservation Month, so it’s only fitting that for this month’s History Bit, we take a closer look at one of the Village of Webster’s most historic and stately buildings: the Harmony House at 58 East Main St., which celebrates its 125th birthday this year.
The Harmony House earned its musical nickname from its best-known tenants, the Chorus of the Genesee. However, the building is officially known as the Webster Grange Hall, and was built in 1899 as a meeting place for Webster Grange #436. The lot was purchased for $450, chosen for its location near the heart of the business district, where it had direct access to the railroad via Kircher Park.
The Webster Grange was one of the largest and most important local organizations in the history of the town and village of Webster. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, when Webster was primarily an agricultural community, the Grange served an important role in bringing farm families together for education, entertainment, and social gatherings. It was said to have been the largest Grange in the country; by 1930 the organization had 1,046 members (out of a town population of 4,778) and was said to have been the largest local Grange in the world.
In addition to the regular Grange meetings, the Hall was rented out for a wide variety of community events through the years including dances, movie nights, minstrel shows, festivals and a flea market. In June 1952, the Church of the Good Shepherd also started holding services there.
The Chorus of the Genesee entered the picture in March 1974 when the Rochester Chapter of the Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet Singing in America purchased the building for $45,000. The Chorus has continued to call the Grange – Harmony House – home for the last 50 years. The building also still functions as headquarters for the Webster Grange.
The Grange Hall’s design and layout remain virtually unchanged in the last 125 years, and it’s recently been placed on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. But it is definitely showing its age, and funds are being raised right now to begin much-needed renovations.
You can help by attending the annual Harmony in the House joint performance by the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody, Saturday May 18 at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. For more information, visit the Harmony House on Facebook or call 585-259-3094.
Discover more fascinating bits of local history at the Webster Museum, 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 2 to 4:30 p.m. Visit the website at webstermuseum.org.
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I feature the people and places and events that make Webster the wonderful community it is — and throw in some totally-not-Webster-related personal ramblings every once in a while as well.
I love it when readers send me news about the great things happening in their schools or the community, so please email me anytime at missyblog@gmail.com
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