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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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
St. Martin Lutheran Church will hold a Drive Thru Chicken BBQ on Saturday, May 4 at the church, 813 Bay Road, Webster. The event begins at 4:30 p.m. and will continue until all dinners are sold out.
Dinners will include a half chicken, salt potatoes, coleslaw, roll, butter and cookie, and will cost $15.
The event will be drive-through only and there will be no advance sales; first-come, first-served. Cars should enter the parking lot, follow the signs, and purchase dinners using exact payment of either cash or check. Cars will then pick up boxed dinners.
Proceeds from the BBQ will support both St. Martin’s Little Free Pantry and Christmas Stocking Project, which reaches more than 500 local youth in Monroe and Wayne counties.
What the heck is a hellebore?
The Webster Arboretum will host a presentation on May 9 titled Lenten Rose and Christmas Rose are Hellebores.
Learn about the care and culture of these amazing plants. Donna Shayder, Master Gardener of Monroe County, will discuss the growing conditions, types, management and appropriate care of the hellebore. She’ll also conduct a tour of the hellebore plantings at the Arboretum and answer all your questions.
No registration or fee is required. The program will begin at 6:30 p.m. Meet at the Curry Building at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Road.
Get your Mother’s Day plants here
The Webster Arboretum Association, together with local growers and local garden clubs, will host the 2024 Webster Arboretum Plant Sale on Saturday May 11 from 8 a.m. to noon.
A tremendous variety of beautiful, healthy plants from standard to uncommon will be available including annuals, dwarf conifers, geraniums, dahlias, tomatoes, trees, shrubs and more. It’s a great way to celebrate spring and get some live plants perfectly suited for your garden. And don’t forget Mother’s Day!
The sale will be held at the Webster Arboretum, 1700 Schlegel Rd. Webster.
Barn Sale at Heritage Square
Heritage Square Museum, at 7147 Ontario Center Rd. in Ontario, is holding a huge Barn Sale from Thursday May 9 through Saturday May 11. Hours are:
Thursday, May 9 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Friday, May 10 from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Saturday, May 11 from 9 a.m. to noon ($5 bag sale, bring your own bags)
And looking ahead, the museum will be hosting a chicken BBQ on Friday May 13 from 4 p.m. ’till gone.
Get rid of those ugly mugs
I’ll be highlighting a few more Webster Public Library events in a future blog, but this one especially caught my eye today.
Apparently the library has a “community exchange table,” which I don’t think I realized. And this month, community members can exchange MUGS there.
We all have them, a collection of coffee mugs that we’ve gathered through the years but we never use, so they’re tucked back in the back of the cabinet. Dig them out and take them to the library to exchange them for some mugs you might actually use. And who knows, someone may really want that bright pink mug with the bikini-clad flamingo that you just HAD to get on your last vacation.
Also coming up this month at the library
* Author Day on Saturday May 4, when the library welcomes three local published authors, who will talk about the paths they took from the beginning writer to nationally-known authors. Karen Miller will speak from 10 to 11 a.m.; Charles Benoit will speak from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and Ruth Rosenberg Naparstek will speak from 1 to 2 p.m.
Registration for each speaker is requested. Click the name to go to the registration page for each.
* On Thursday May 9, the Webster Library, in conjunction with Webster Comfort Care Home will present “Tending to Life — Comparative Religions: Funeral Customs and Rituals.” Area faith leaders will talk about death in relation to their religion’s customs.
It’s still several months away, but plans are already gearing up for the huge annual NY HOPE garage sale, scheduled for this September.
If you have items you’d like to donate, drop off dates are Wednesdays, May 8, 22 & 29 from 3 to 5 p.m. at the Knights of Columbus, 1460 Ridge Road (located behind Holy Trinity), Webster.
Before you drop off your donations, check out the DonationGuide, because items that cannot be used, including furniture or large items (at this time) will be refused. We may refuse items if we cannot use them.
Mark your calendars now for the sale, Wednesday, Sept. 11 through Saturday Sept. 13.
Concert to benefit the Harmony House
Music will fill the air on Saturday May 18 when the Chorus of the Genesee and Rochester Rhapsody join forces to present Harmony in the House, a fund-raiser concert to benefit the Harmony House Renovation Project.
Shows will be at 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. at the Harmony House, 58 East Main St. in the Village of Webster. Tickets are $20 and must be purchased in advance. There will be no sales at the door. Click here to get yours, or call 585-259-3094.
Garlic Fest vendor applications now being accepted
Last but not least today, if you’re a craft or food vendor and would like to get into this year’s Webster Garlic Fest, the call for vendor applications has just gone out.
This year’s festival will run from September 7-8 at the Webster Recreation Center, 1350 Chiyoda Dr. A 10′ x 10′ booth will run you $150, and early set-up will be available both days.
This has become one of Webster’s best-attended events. Last year there were more than 100 vendors and 3,000 attendees. So get your application in before the spaces sell out. Click here to apply.
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email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
We drive by them all the time, those bushes along Rt. 104 just east of the Bay Bridge that spell out WEBSTER, welcoming residents and visitors alike to our fair town. But did you ever wonder about their history, who originally planted them and who takes care of them now?
According to Webster Chamber of Commerce president Barry Howard, the WEBSTER bushes installation was a project spearheaded by the Chamber in 1986 as a beautification project. The Chamber commissioned the design in February of that year, got all the required permits by September, then arranged to have the bushes and stone scape installed. The sailboat motif in colored stone mosaic was added in 1993.
The landscaping company who originally planted the bushes went out of business, and Thomas Landscape took over their maintenance just a year or two later. The company has been taking care of them every year since, for more than 35 years, at the Chamber’s expense.
Many will remember that back in 2010, vandals destroyed the bushes, cutting every single one of the plants to the ground. At the time, the Chamber asked people if something like a welcome sign should be put in instead. But the community stood behind their much-loved WEBSTER shrubs, and overwhelmingly voted to replace them. With help from a radio-thon fundraiser hosted by WARM 101.3, 75 new bushes were purchased and planted.
It’s been more than 10 years, and the new bushes are doing pretty well, but it’s going to take them a while to get back to their former glory.
“They’re coming around,” said Thomas Landscape owner Rick Thomas. “Last year we started doing an organic-based fertilizer on the plants and it’s definitely helping.”
“It’s an extremely hard area to grow plants because of the steep slope,” he added. “You don’t realize how steep it is until you’re standing on it. Water and nutrients just roll down it. It’s a tough area to grow anything.”
Between the Chamber of Commerce and Thomas Landscape, the WEBSTER shrubbery continues to get regular TLC. The stone scape was repainted a few years ago, and Thomas staff members head up there three times a year for general maintenance. They’re even giving some thought to perhaps changing out the stone design in front “to keep things fresh.”
“I think it’s still viable,” Rick said. “People like to look at it. It’s fun; we’ll be up there trimming and weeding and cleaning up and people drive by, waving and cheering.”
I’ll be one of those people waving and cheering next time I see you up there, as a thank you for keeping our favorite town landmark looking great.
email me at missyblog@gmail.com. “Like” this blog on Facebook and follow me on Instagram and Threads (@missyblog)
You can also get email notifications every time I post a new blog by using the “Subscribe” link on the right side of this page (or all the way at the bottom of the page if you’re on your phone).
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
