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Webster community mailbag

2 Mar

Get your mammograms here

Rochester Regional Health’s Mobile Mammogram is coming to the library.

On Thursday, March 5, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Mobile Mammogram Center will be parked in front of the Webster Public Library, and will be giving out screenings every 15 minutes (that’s four women an hour).

Women must be at least 35 years of age, not exhibiting any breast-related problems, and have had a mammogram at least a year ago. No insurance is needed and no one will be turned away. Appointments are not necessary but are accepted. To make an appointment: call 833-922-PINK (between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.) or click here. The library is located at 980 Ridge Rd., at the back of Webster Plaza.

You want Italian for dinner, right?

Boy Scout Troop 262 will host their Famous Spaghetti Dinner on Saturday, March 7 from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Webster Firemen’s Exempt Building, 172 Sanford St. Cost is $10 for adults and $8 for children under 10. Plus there’s a bake sale!

Eat in or take-out, your choice. So why not let the Boy Scouts make dinner for you this Saturday?

Welcome, spring!

Beat the Winter Blues at the Webster Recreation Center this Saturday, March 7, and get ready for spring by enjoying a great family-friendly community event.

From 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, participants will enjoy indoor lawn games, competition, energy-busting activities, music, and fun. The event is free and open to the community and no registration is required.

Story Time at the Museum

The Webster Museum will host their next Story Time at the Museum on Saturday March 7 from 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. The theme this month is quilts, highlighting the great collection of quilts on display at the museum right now. The program is geared for elementary-aged children and parents must remain at the museum during the story and activity.

There’s no cost and registration is not required.

Chat with the supervisor

Your next opportunity to have a chat with Webster Town Supervisor Alex Scialdone is this Saturday, March 7 when he’ll hold his next Community Office Hours from 11 a.m. to noon at the Webster Public Library, 980 Ridge Rd. And if you can’t make that time, he’s also scheduled office hours on Tuesday, March 24 from 5 to 6 p.m. at the library.

Note that there is no formal presentation at these events. It’s just your chance to hang out with the supervisor, ask your questions and present your concerns. You don’t have to register; just show up.

News from the Chamber

The Chamber’s next Eat Drink & Connect event is Tuesday March 10 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Reliant Credit Union, 870 Holt Rd., Webster.

Eat Drink & Connect events are opportunities to develop current business connections and start new ones. These are great social opportunities for visitors to get to know the Webster Chamber and its members. Don’t forget to bring your business cards for the raffle, and even donate a raffle prize to earn more visibility for you and your organization.

There’s no cost for this event, but reservations are required.

Women’s Club March luncheon is soon

Wendy Lesko, Director of the Gathering Place Webster, will speak at the Women’s Club of Webster’s March luncheon meeting, scheduled for Thursday, March 19. Gathering Place is a non-religious, non-profit organization whose primary mission is to provide accessible opportunities for community service, making it easy for people of all ages, from toddlers to seniors, to participate in hands-on volunteer work without long-term commitments.

March’s luncheon will be hosted by Proietti’s Restaurant, 980 Ridge Rd., Webster. Social time begins at 11:15 a.m., followed by a business meeting at noon, lunch at 12:30 p.m. and Mr. Donovan’s presentation at 1 p.m. Enjoy a buffet featuring chicken Marsala, stuffed shells, salad and a cannoli. Cost is $19. New members are always welcome, and warm camaraderie is included at no charge.

Send check made out to WCW by March 12 to Carolyn Rittenhouse, 405 County Line Road, Ontario, 14519. If you think your check might be late, or if you have any questions, call Carolyn at 585-265-1303.

Learn about life on the ISS

The Webster Public Library will present a very interesting program on Saturday, March 21 from 1 to 2 p.m., all about Life on the International Space Station.

For more than 25 years, the International Space Station has orbited Earth over 150,000 times and hosted more than 280 astronauts. But, what does the average day from Earth’s Space Station look like? Join Dan Schneiderman to explore daily life, scientific research, and unforgettable moments from one of humanity’s greatest achievements.

There’s no cost, but registration is required.

These next three notices from the Webster CSD:

Webster CSD PreK lottery

Attention parents/guardians of preschoolers residing in Webster CSD, registration for the prekindergarten lottery is open.

Prekindergarten (preK) is a New York State-funded program designed for 4-year-olds who are not eligible for kindergarten. Each year Webster CSD invites eligible children who reside in the district to apply. Registration for the lottery is open through March 13.

To be eligible for the 2026-27 school year, children must have a birth date falling between December 2, 2021 – December 1, 2022. Please understand that these dates are fixed, and the school district is unable to make any exceptions. Families who have questions about their child’s age and eligibility for preK should utilize the district’s school age calculator found online here.

Interested families are encouraged to learn more and register at websterschools.org/prek. 

Petitions Available for BOE Candidates

The Webster CSD Annual Budget Vote and Election of Candidates is Tuesday, May 19 at Webster Schroeder High School. Anyone wishing to run for the board of education (BOE) may pick up a nominating packet from the district clerk’s office, 119 South Avenue, Webster, weekdays, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Petitions must be returned to the district clerk’s office no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, April 20. The Webster CSD Budget Vote and Election of Candidates takes place on May 19.

Questions about candidacy or eligibility may be referred to District Clerk Heather Murphy at (585) 216-0001 or heather_murphy@webstercsd.org during the office hours noted above.

Senior Citizens Save the Date for Drama Production

Senior Citizens save the date! Webster CSD is inviting senior citizens residing within the district to come to Webster Schroeder High School on Wednesday, April 29 for a morning of light refreshments and a performance of the drama, The Outsiders.

Details and registration information will be forthcoming, but mark your calendars now for April 29 for the 10 a.m. to noon show, spread the word, and check the Webster CSD website, websterschools.org, for developing information. 

Here’s some information about The Outsiders:

Whether it’s Tulsa, Oklahoma in the 1960s or Webster, NY in 2026, there has been and always will be “outsiders”– outcasts, underdogs, and those who are just simply misunderstood. Based on the book by S.E. Hinton, The Outsiders brings the timeless and beloved 1967 classic novel of the same name to life. Ponyboy Curtis and the rest of his Greaser gang are trying to survive the hardships of growing up, all while attempting to de-escalate tensions with rival gang, The Socs. This coming-of-age tale tackles violence, heartbreak, and tragedy as both Greasers and Socs learn that nothing gold can stay.

Nothing new here, folks

The following are reminders about events which I’ve featured in my earlier mailbags. (So nothing new here if you have something else to do.)

  • The Webster Association of Senior Program Supporters (WSPS) will be the recipient of a Spaghetti Dinner fundraiser at the Webster Masonic Temple, 30 Orchard St., on Friday March 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. About 20 to 25 of the organization’s volunteer drivers will be there serving folks in our community. Cost is $12 for adults and $6 for kids 12 and under. And while you’re there, make sure to take a chance on the raffle for a hand-carved bear. (You know you’ve always wanted one.) Funds raised will help WSPS continue to expand their service programs.
  • The Webster Arboretum will present a program about Preparing Your Garden for Spring Planting on Tuesday, March 10 beginning at 7 p.m. The program will be presented by Master Gardener Wendy Mendola. There’s no cost to attend, but please register at thewebsterarboretum.org. The Webster Arboretum is located at 1700 Schlegel Rd.
  • The Webster Public Library’s next Vintage Book Sale has been scheduled for Saturday, March 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. There’ll be 14 tables of books set up in the Community Room, separated into a large variety of genres to make browsing easier. Most books are under $20.
  • Also a reminder that the Webster Public Library program about Elsa von Blumen, is this Thursday, March 5 from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Von Blumen was a Rochesterian who, in the 1880s, raced high-wheeled bikes against horses, skaters, male cyclists, and eventually a growing number of women cyclists. Her first professional bike race was against a horse in Rochester’s Driving Park. There’s no cost to attend but registration is required.

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(posted 3/2/2026)

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).

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February History Bit: The Blue Line Trolley

14 Feb

In the early 1900s, before automobiles became commonplace and horse-drawn wagons just weren’t considered fast enough anymore to travel long distances, Webster residents had another option: the “Blue Line” trolley.

The trolley was part of the Rochester and Sodus Bay Railroad Company, which was incorporated in August, 1898. It was nicknamed the “Blue Line” because the cars were all painted a deep, distinctive royal blue. The section that ran through Webster was built in 1900, taking passengers on a rather circuitous route through the town, especially where it climbed the east bank of Irondequoit Bay. When it reached the top of the hill, along what is now Rt. 104, it crossed the highway south of Dayton’s Corners and Plank Rd., continued to Creek St. and Bay Rd., then to Glen Edith. From there, the line headed east through West Webster, the Village of Webster, Union Hill, Fruitland, Ontario Center and beyond.

In the villages along the route, tracks were laid through the main streets; in the Village of Webster, the trolley stopped at 28 East Main St., where Root Rituals Salon is now. At smaller stations, the trolley would only stop if there were passengers to embark or disembark. In pleasant weather, riders could wait along the tracks and watch for the trolley to approach, but in inclement weather, catching the trolley was a bit more challenging. Then, passengers would have to wait inside a small ticket booth and watch for it to arrive. If they didn’t get outside quickly enough, the trolley would pass by without picking them up.

One of these original ticket booths still stands on Bay Rd. near Avalon Trail. It’s believed that the Avalon Trolley Stop could be one of the line’s historic “porthole” stops. Passengers peeked out through a window and were instructed to light a “torch” made of rolled-up newspaper to signal the approaching trolley. Unsurprisingly, this method was eventually deemed a fire hazard for both the passengers and the wooden shelters, and eventually an electric light was installed on the building to signal the trolley driver.

When the line first operated, trolleys ran on an hourly schedule from Rochester to Sodus Point and back between 6 a.m and 9 p.m., along 47 miles of track. A normal run took two hours and 19 minutes, and tickets cost $1.32. During the spring months, the Blue Line was often referred to as the Apple Blossom Special; for a reduced rate — just 75 cents — passengers could take a ride along Ridge Road to see and smell the apple blossoms.

In 1920 the automobile began taking business away from the trolley, and business fell off considerably through the later part of the decade. The Blue Line made its last run on June 27, 1929. Esther Dunn described that run in her book Webster … Through the Years: “On that day, William ‘Yank’ Gloor, Sodus Bay line’s most popular motorman who ran the first regular car to Sodus Point from Rochester, had the distinction of piloting the last car to leave the Point for Rochester. On this last trip, car number 111 carried a banner on front which read, ‘My Last Run — Goodbye Folks.'”

You can read more about the Blue Line Trolley at the Webster Museum, where the volunteers there have created a very informative display right inside the front door. So stop by and check it out for yourself. The museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster, and is open from 2 to 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Thank you to Webster Town Historian Lynn Barton and several other museum volunteers for helping me pull together this information.

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(posted 2/14/2026)

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).

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New museum program pairs story time with history

29 Jan

The Webster Museum is introducing a brand new program in February, designed to help history come alive in a fun way for elementary-aged students.

It’s called “Story Time at the Museum,” and the first one is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 7 at 2:30 p.m. This month’s theme is Valentine’s Day. Children will share a story, learn about the history of this special day, examine some antique Valentines and make their own Valentine greetings.

The Valentine’s Day-themed story time is just the first in what organizers are hoping will be a regular first-Saturday-of-the-month event, each month pairing delightful stories with interesting historical lessons. On March 7, the story time program will be all about quilts and quilting, and highlight the museum’s current display of historical quilts.

There’s no charge to attend and all ages are welcome. The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster.

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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).

(posted 1/29/2026)

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A quilt-lover’s paradise at the museum

20 Jan

The Webster Museum’s annual Quilt Exhibit — called “Stitched Stories” — has returned, and if you love anything and everything about quilting you’re not going to want to miss it.

Stitched Stories offers an illustrated journey through Webster’s history, told through the evolving designs, colors, fabrics and intricate patterns of heirloom quilts. Over the years, the museum has been the fortunate recipient of many vintage quilts. Most are documented in detailed binders that include their history, the artisans who created them, and, in many instances, their appraised value. These textile treasures capture decades of Webster history in their stitches.

More than 20 quilts of different sizes have been placed on display throughout the museum, from doll-sized mini-quilts, to a small cot quilt, to a full-sized courthouse steps quilt. They hang in exhibit cases, decorate the vintage parlor and bedroom, and adorn walls and railings. With some pieces dating back over 170 years, each stands as a testament to months of patient needlework and intricate craftsmanship.

I stopped by the museum on Tuesday afternoon to see the exhibit for myself, and discovered how LITTLE I know about the history of quilting. For example, there are so many different designs, popular during various times — like the wedding ring design, flying goose quilt, nine-patch quilt, crazy quilt and the “beginner friendly” courthouse steps design. (I did not consider that anywhere near beginner friendly myself.)

The Woodhull quilt
Bicentennial quilt

Some of the history was very interesting. The tiny doll quilts, for example, were popular from the late 1800s to the mid-1900s, often made by young girls just learning to sew. Cot quilts, used on a small bed or cot, were just the right size for a soldier in the Civil War to tuck into his backpack. The album panel quilt, crafted by Minerva Green Woodhull, has writing on it by her father-in-law, Byron Woodhull, who was Webster’s first supervisor. And I particularly liked the Webster Bicentennial heritage quilt, depicting a Webster map and squares representing historical highlights, made in 1976 by members of the Webster Quilt Guild.

An informative binder near the museum’s front entrance provides some background about each of the quilts on display. There’s even more information about each in the museum’s library, if you’re interested. Just ask one of the volunteers about that.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park, in the Village of Webster. They’re open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

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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).

(posted 1/20/2026)

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January History Bit: What IS this thing?

14 Jan

You never know what curious artifact you might discover when you wander through the Webster Museum. Case in point, this funny-looking, heavy glass, jar-like thing. Believe it or not, it’s actually a mouse trap, on display among many other farm and home gadgets that were instrumental to the lives of Webster residents a century ago.

The trap is about 6 inches long, with one open and one closed end. It has such an unusual shape and is so unlike anything we’re familiar with, that visitors are naturally drawn to examine it more closely and find out exactly what it’s all about. Fortunately, its history is thoroughly explained in a very helpful magazine article posted with the trap.

According to the article, it was patented in 1918 by Nute Wigginton of Winchester, Virginia, who dubbed it a “Mouse Exterminator.” Apparently, farmers at that time commonly used strychnine-coated oats and wheat to poison mice in their orchards and vineyards. But if the bait was exposed to the weather, it would be spoiled by the first rain shower that came through. It was a real problem, especially since a single mouse could destroy as many as ten or more fruit trees in one winter by gnawing on the bark at the base of the tree.

Wigginton came up with a brilliant solution. He designed his exterminator so that a tablespoon of poisoned bait could be inserted from the top. Then, when placed on the ground with the hump up, rain couldn’t get in. But a mouse could easily climb inside and eat the bait, and because the strychnine worked so fast, the mouse never got back out.

This particular Mouse Exterminator was found in the orchard of Drake Farm, which was located just west of Bay Rd., at the Webster/Penfield border. Unfortunately, the date it was found is unknown, but that doesn’t diminish the fascinating history behind it.

Stop by the Webster Museum yourself to see what other curious finds you might discover. The museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the village, and is open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m. There’s no admission charge. 

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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).

(posted 1/14/2026)

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And the Tree Festival winners are …

2 Jan

The 2025 Webster Museum Festival of Trees has concluded, and after counting and re-counting, the winners have been announced.

This year’s contest included 20 mini-trees, beautifully decorated by these organizations and individuals:

  • American Legion
  • Gwen Hoffman
  • Jack Foundation
  • La La’s
  • Spry Lego League
  • The Webster Citizen’s Action Group
  • The Webster Republican Committee
  • Webster Arboretum
  • Webster Comfort Care
  • Webster Community Chest
  • Webster Country Gardeners
  • Webster Democratic Committee
  • Webster Firemen Ladies’ Auxiliary
  • Webster Grange
  • Webster Museum Volunteers
  • Webster Quilt Guild
  • Well Field Preservation
  • Women’s Club of Webster
  • Wreaths Across America

More than 630 votes were tallied in person and online, and I can tell you from personal experience, it was not an easy choice.

Taking first place this year, with 84 votes, was the tree decorated by the Webster Comfort Care Home. (This is the third year in a row that Webster Comfort Care has taken the top spot. We’re talking a dynasty here.) Coming in a close second with 78 votes was the Go Bills! tree designed by Webster Museum volunteer Gwen Hoffman. I didn’t vote for this one, but I thought it might be a fan favorite.

In third and fourth places were the Webster Quilt Guild with 61 votes and the Webster Community Chest with 58.

GO Bills!
Webster Quilt Guild
Webster Community Chest

The Webster Museum hosts the very popular Festival of Trees every year. Voting typically opens in early December on the day of the Village of Webster’s Winter Wonderland and runs through the end of the year. It offers a great chance for local organizations to have a little fun with tree decorating, while drawing some attention to their cause. And having 20 beautifully lit and decorated trees sprinkled throughout the museum makes the museum really sparkle during the holidays.

Congratulations to all the winners, and thank you to everyone who participated.

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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).

(posted 1/2/2026)

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Looking back at the year in blogs

30 Dec

As I like to do at the end of every year, a few days ago I took a stroll back through all of the blogs I wrote in 2025. It’s always a fun exercise, as I review all of the events, business openings and closings, people and places that I found to share with you all. They reflect the extraordinary diversity of people, places and events we have here in Webster, and how close-knit this town is.

In the last 12 months, counting today, I posted 334 blogs. That works out to about 28 blogs every month. And thanks to the wonders of the Internet, I managed to keep up that pace even though I was in Prague for six weeks. It’s also interesting (at least to me) to note that the blogs were viewed more than 238,000 times. Fourteen of the top twenty blogs were about new businesses, the most popular one being an update on The Coach renovations — which was my best-read blog of the year.

As in previous years, my photo galleries following events like the Trick or Treat Trail and Fireman’s Parade were also big draws, and my History Bits — highlighting local history — are also still very popular.

If you’ve got a few minutes and would find it interesting, I’ve pulled out my favorite blogs from each month. My posts have run the gamut from special events to special people, new businesses to new trails. But you’ll notice that many of my favorite blogs are the ones where I share personal stories and everyday moments, the kinds of things that may not seem very exciting, but are what make our lives interesting and meaningful.

If something really strikes your fancy and you want to read any of them again, click through the hyperlink.

My two favorite blogs in January were about local history: the Irondequoit Bay Bridge and the first of my six-stop History Bit Webster Museum tour. The bridge blog was a follow-up on two blogs I’d posted the previous March when the Bay Bridge celebrated a birthday. Like those, this one about how the bridge had won an award also garnered several “likes.”

In February I caught up with a village neighbor of mine who will often hitch up her dogs to a dogsled and run them through village neighborhoods. This was a good example of a great community story which I was alerted to by one of my readers. Usually the best blog ideas come from my readers.

Jack’s Happy Hour celebrated its five-year anniversary in March. I first wrote about this nightly gathering of Brooksboro Dr. neighbors in 2022, when they were celebrating the occasion of having come together for a beverage every night for 1000 days straight. Last March they marked five straight years of gatherings. Every. Single. Night. For five years.That was definitely worth a blog.

In April, I posted what would become one of my most popular History Bits, about Willow Point Park. So many people fondly remember the old amusement park and shared a lot of memories. That month I also highlighted Webster Schroeder graduate Adam Marino, who was playing Frankie Valli in OFC Creations’ production of Jersey Boys.

My two favorite blogs in May were both personal reflections. I wrote about my recent trip to Prague, and how I successfully completed my first (and only) half marathon upon my return. Both were extremely memorable experiences. One of them I would like to do again. I’ll leave it to you to guess which one.

In June, my favorite blog was probably the shortest, when School Resource Officer David Herrle joined me in a dramatic reading of Mo Willems’ We Are in a Book, starring Elephant and Piggie. I was substituting at State Rd. Elementary when he happened to pop into the library and I corralled him. I love showing that police officers are fun-loving people, too.

I highlighted the WEBSTER bushes in July, the ones that welcome visitors to town on Rt. 104. They have some interesting history. I also enjoyed highlighting an unusual benefit to living in the Village of Webster when I wrote about how the Webster Marching Band practices at Spry Middle School during the summer and provides my own personal band concert.

In August, I followed up another blog idea submitted by a reader when I attended a Front Porch Pickin’ social event on Millcreek Run. I wrote a History Bit about the Forest Lawn Train accident, and shared some thoughts about some trail riding my husband and I did in Penn Yan and Waterloo, where we saw some beautiful scenery and explored some Civil War history.

I was honored to be invited to Jack’s Happy Hour again in September when the Brooksboro gang celebrated their 2,000-night anniversary. (They SAID it would be their last time, but I don’t think it was….) The whimsical Holt Rd. skeletons were back in action for Halloween, and I had to share this year’s cleverness with everyone. Also in September, I introduced everyone to young Pierson Farina and his “Returns for a Reason” initiative in which he collects returnables and donated the funds to local nonprofits.

In October I featured Judah Sealy — who doesn’t live in Webster but plays every year at the Webster Jazz Festival — who landed the role of Clarence Clemons in the new Bruce Springsteen movie. I also wrote another more personal piece about my running buddies and two races we did together that month.

In November, I caught up with Fritz Sierk, owner of The Coach, for an update on his repairs and renovations. It proved to be my best-read blog of the year. I also gave everyone a behind-the-scenes look at one of my favorite local organizations, the Friends of Webster Trails, when I tagged along to watch the installation of a trail counter. And I visited those crazy Holt Rd. skeletons again, who for the holiday season had been transformed into the Rockettes.

Finally, in December I posted my annual gallery of photos from the Village of Webster’s Winter Wonderland and Parade of Lights festivities. People love these galleries and it makes me feel good that I’m able to share events like this with people who can’t attend, especially those who now live out of state. And just a few weeks ago I wrote what might be my favorite blog of the entire year, about when a representative from Toter/Wastequip came to town and presented Pierson Farina with his very own “Returns For a Reason” toter, making his biggest Christmas wish come true.

Whew. If you’re still with me, thank you for reading this far. I hope you found it interesting to revisit some of this year’s blogs. And remember that if you ever think of something or see something that might make for an interesting blog, PLEASE drop me an email. As I said, the best blog ideas come from my readers.

Thanks again for reading, and all of your likes, comments and messages. Please have a safe and happy new year.

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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).

(posted 12/30/2025)

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Webster community mailbag

26 Dec

Webster Museum’s Festival of Trees

There’s still time to vote for your favorite mini-Christmas Tree at the Webster Museum’s Festival of Trees.

Nineteen beautifully decorated trees have been set up around the museum, decorated by local non-profit agencies. Community members are invited to examine them all and vote for their favorite one. Votes will be accepted through the end of December. You can stop by the museum on Tuesday, Thursday or Saturday from 2 to 4:30 to see them in person, or vote for your favorite online at the museum’s website.

Also, beginning Jan. 13, the museum will introduce their 2026 Quilt Exhibit, called “Stitched Stories: A Celebration of Vintage Quilts.” It will be on display in both the museum AND the Webster Public Library.

Start off the new year with a hike!

For the first time ever, Friends of Webster Trails will be hosting a free, guided First Day Hike at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 1 at Whiting Rd. Nature Preserve.

This family-friendly hike will be about an hour over easy or moderate terrain. Dress in layers and have traction devices for your feet if necessary. Well-behaved, leashed dogs are welcome. 

Please register online for this event so they have an idea of how many to expect.  

Friends of Webster Trails is a volunteer organization dedicated to maintaining the public trails throughout Webster, including the Hojack Trail which runs through the village.

Village of Webster Christmas Tree Recycling

Curbside collection of Christmas trees will take place during the Village’s monthly brush pick up, the week of Jan. 5. Remember:

  • Live trees only, no artificial trees
  • Remove ornaments and lights
  • Do NOT put tree in a bag or cover with plastic
  • Place tree at curb by Sunday, January 4

News from Webster Comfort Care

Webster Comfort Care Home will be selling Kittelberger 12 Months of Flowers Cards from Jan. 5 through Jan. 26.

Cost is $50 and entitles the bearer to one fresh new bouquet of flowers every month for 12 months. For more information, click here. Payment accepted by cash, check or credit card. Cards can be picked up at Webster Comfort Care Home, 700 Holt Rd., from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Women’s Club announces January meeting

The Women’s Club of Webster will host their monthly general meeting and luncheon on Thursday, Jan. 22, at Nucci’s Restaurant, 807 Ridge Rd., Webster. The gathering begins with social time at 11:15, a business meeting at noon and lunch at 12:30, followed by a speaker. This month, the Women’s Club welcomes Margery Morgan from Webster Hope, a nonprofit organization which helps Webster residents in need of assistance by providing food, clothing and emergency financial support.

Cost of the luncheon is $23, and will feature a buffet with chicken parmigiana, pork loin, greens and beans, oven-roasted potatoes, penne with sauce, and salad. Cost is $23. Please send your check made out to the Women’s Club of Webster by Jan. 15 to Carolyn Rittenhouse, 405 County Line Road, Ontario, 14519. If you think your check might be late, please call Carolyn at 585-265-1303.

At the library …

Here’s a sneak peek at some of the Webster Public Library‘s January programs:

For adults:

  • Elsa von Blumen: Famous Rochestarian and Female Bicyclist — Thursday, Jan. 15, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Learn about Elsa, a famous Rochestarian in the 1800s. Registration is required.
  • Salaff String Quartet Concert — Thursday, Jan. 22, 4 to 5 p.m. Enjoy a variety of music from classic to folk, performed on string instruments. Registration is required.

For Teens and Tweens:

  • Make it Monday: Snowy Pine Cone Trees — Monday, Jan. 12, 6 to 7 p.m. Teens (grades 4 and up) and adults are welcome to attend this monthly craft night. All supplies will be provided. Registration is required.
  • T(w)een Library Club — Wednesday, Jan. 28, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. For grades 4 and up. Do you like books, games, crafts, sharing your ideas, or just hanging out with your friends? This group is for you. Registration is required.

For the little ones:

  • Rubber Ducky Storytime — Tuesday Jan. 13, 10 to 10:30 a.m. Celebrate National Rubber Ducky Day with stories, songs and rhymes about ducks, plus an activity and simple craft. All ages are welcome.
  • Preschool Puzzle Morning –Tuesday, Jan. 27, 10 a.m. to noon. Stop by the storytime room to try an assortment of toddler-friendly puzzles.

And this stuff:

  • The Webster Library’s annual Webster-Area Preschool Fair will be held on Saturday, Jan. 10 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Meet representatives from many area preschools to learn about their programs, More to come about this.
  • Zaurac’s Space Music Show — Saturday, Jan. 17 from 1 to 3 p.m. Zaurac (also known as Steve Fentress), will perform a live celestial-themed keyboard concert complete with cosmic-themed songs and imagery. For all ages. Registration is required.
  • The January Community Exchange is cookbooks. Bring in some you don’t use anymore, and pick up some new-to-you ones.

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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).

(posted 12/26/2025)

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Merry Christmas (1840s style)

24 Dec

For this Christmas Day 2025, I offer a reminder of what Christmas was like — or rather, NOT like — in the 1840s, courtesy of the Webster Museum. I pulled this piece directly from the Museum’s most recent Penny Farthing newsletter, just one of many fascinating historical nuggets included in this month’s edition. (More info at the end of the blog about how you can sign up for this informative publication.)

The article made a very interesting comparison between what the Christmas season was like back in the mild-19th century and what it’s like now. Specifically, here’s a list of things that are completely normal today, but would have been utterly impossible, unimaginable, or simply didn’t exist in an 1840s Christmas:

Decorations and the tree itself

  • Electric Christmas lights / fairy lights (first strung in 1882, not common in homes until 1900s–1920s)
  • Artificial Christmas trees (widespread only after 1930s plastic, 1960s aluminum, 1990s+ PVC)
  • Tinsel (invented 1870s in Germany, not common until 20th century)
  • Tree ornaments made of blown glass (mass-produced only from 1860s–1870s onward)
  • LED projector lights, inflatable lawn Santas, laser light shows
  • Putting up outdoor Christmas lights in November and leaving them until February

Gifts and wrapping

  • Wrapping paper with Santa/print designs (mass-produced only from ~1910s)
  • Stick-on gift tags, Scotch tape (1930), gift bags
  • Any toy with batteries, screens, or plastic, or electronics
  • LEGO, Barbie, video games, drones, smartphones, AirPods, etc.
  • Gift cards, Amazon vouchers

Santa Claus as we know him

  • Red suit with white fur trim (solidified by Coca-Cola ads 1931; before that he wore green, brown, blue, or bishop’s robes)
  • “Santa lives at the North Pole” (only fixed in the 1860s–1880s)
  • Flying reindeer named Dasher, Dancer, Prancer… (named in 1823 poem, but not universal until much later)
  • Leaving cookies and milk for Santa (an American 1930s tradition)

Food and drink

  • Candy canes (peppermint striped hook shape only from ~1880s–1900s)
  • Chocolate in Christmas stockings (milk chocolate bars only after 1875)
  • Cranberry sauce in a can with ridges
  • “Advent calendar” with chocolate (invented 1958)

Cards and greetings

  • Commercial Christmas cards (first one printed 1843 in London, By 1849 still a novelty.)
  • “Merry Christmas” was only just starting to replace “Happy Christmas” in the 1840s.

Media, music and entertainment

  • Jingle Bells (1857)
  • Silent Night in English (widespread only after 1860s)
  • White Christmas, All I Want for Christmas is You, Last Christmas, etc.
  • Any Christmas song played on radio, Spotify, or shop speakers 24/7
  • Watching It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, Home Alone, Die Hard, or The Grinch on TV
  • Hallmark Christmas movies

A typical Christmas Day in the 1840s consisted of:

  • Church in the morning
  • A slightly-better-than-usual dinner (goose or beef instead of salt pork, maybe a small plum pudding if you could afford suet and raisins)
  • Parlor games, a new pair of socks or a handkerchief as the big present
  • Perhaps a single candle in the window

If you’d like to read more interesting historical tidbits like this, sign up to get the Penny Farthing delivered to your mailbox every few months. Each issue is packed with historical photos and stories, event notices, and information about the museum. If you’d like to be added to the distribution list, email WebsterMuseum@gmail.com.

Happy Christmas everyone. I hope you’re surrounded by friends and loved ones this holiday season and enjoy your own old-fashioned or newfangled traditions.

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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).

(posted 12/24/2025)

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December History Bit: Meet the Webster Museum (Part 6)

9 Dec

What do a pig ringer, a bull leader, a hog scraper, a hitching weight and a goose collar all have in common? Well, if you were a Webster farmer back in the 1800s, these items were all helpful tools of your trade. And while you’re not likely to find any of these gadgets on a farm these days, you can see them all at the Webster Museum.

Our “Meet the Webster Museum” tour makes our last stop in this month’s History Bit, ending on the right-hand side of the building as you enter the museum, where these farming implements are part of an eclectic collection of 19th-century tools and labor-saving appliances that offer a glimpse into life in early Webster.

Our tour began last January, and so far, we’ve strolled down the Village of Webster’s Main Street, revisiting Witmer’s Variety Store and the Candy Kitchen; stopped into Mayor Hawley’s office and a recreated pharmacy; paused to remember Webster’s many service stations and dairies; and peeked into an early parlor, bedroom and kitchen. Here at our last stop, near the farming tools and other everyday necessities, visitors can also see presentations about two of Webster’s earliest and most profitable industries: apple drying and basket making.

All of these displays, however, really just scratch the surface of the impressive variety of exhibits at the Webster Museum that illuminate our town’s early history, as well as the extensive resources available for anyone interested in researching their family or home.

For example, these include:

  • three different kids of early washing machines on the “back porch,” including one that looks and operates a lot like a butter churn;
  • evidence that mammoths passed through here (and left a molar) and that Native Americans hunted and fished here;
  • an authentically recreated one-room schoolhouse, complete with double desks, a schoolmaster’s desk, a collection of early textbooks, and early teaching aids;
  • typewriters and rotary phones (yes, they’re historical artifacts now!);
  • an exhibit highlighting our local military veterans;
  • a toy room filled with dolls, trucks and trains;
  • the “barn” (the museum’s front porch) with farming tools, a display about the “Blue Line” trolley that once rolled through Webster, and Holly the Horse pulling a one-horse sleigh.

And tucked way in the back is a research library devoted to cataloging Webster’s history, with an extensive archive of books, photos, maps, documents, and more. Community members are welcome to use it to explore their own heritage.

The Webster Museum is a true community gem, devoted to preserving and celebrating our town’s rich history. If you’ve never visited, make it a new-year goal to stop in. And if you have been there before, come back to see what’s new; the seasonal exhibits are always changing. At the very least, take a spin through the Webster Museum website; it’s filled with terrific stories and insights into our town’s past.

The Webster Museum is located at 18 Lapham Park in the Village of Webster. It’s open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 2 to 4:30 p.m.

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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).

(posted 12/9/2025)

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