Spencerport Depot & Canal Museum

09/01/2026

The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City. In 1884, the first Monday in September was selected as the holiday and the Central Labor Union urged similar organizations in other cities to follow the example of New York and celebrate a "workingmen's holiday" on that date. The idea spread with the growth of labor organizations, and in 1885 Labor Day was celebrated in many industrial centers of the country. The recommended form that the observance and celebration of Labor Day took included a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations" of the community, followed by a festival for the “recreation and amusement of the workers and their families.” This became the pattern for the celebrations of Labor Day. Speeches by prominent men and women were introduced in the 20th century, as more emphasis was placed upon the economic and civic significance of the holiday. The men and women of Spencerport are shown here decked out in their best clothes and arriving in town in their fanciest carriages. On the street is a vendor selling “toasted corn flakes,” the invention of the Harvey brothers in Battle Creek, Michigan. The company gave free samples of their corn flakes to women who would
“Give the Grocer a Wink” in the early 1900s. Different times…

08/25/2026

Doreen Castano was the Director at the Depot from 2006 to 2016 and a member of the Board of Directors until her death in March 2026. Doreen was well-known and loved throughout the community for her volunteer work and she left lasting memories in Spencerport for many people.

The Village of Spencerport has installed a new bench at the Depot in honor of Doreen. The bench will be dedicated with Doreen’s family and friends on Saturday September 12 at 11:00 am. Depot Board President Ted Rauber and Spencerport Mayor Gary Penders will lead the event. Refreshments will be served. Please join us in recognizing the tremendous contributions made to Spencerport by this wonderful woman.

08/24/2026

Dallas, Ralph, and Lucille Coyle are pictured here with Sam, Elizabeth Coyle’s driving horse, around 1926. Sam was a mustang and had two S’s branded on his hip. The Coyle’s rented and worked the Bowen farm on Union Street in Ogden NY. Because a good horse could mean the difference between feeding your family and starving, the community took great pains to protect these animals. In 1877, the Ogden Protective Society was formed to help keep horses and other livestock safe from thieves.

The OPA was an organization of individuals whose purpose was to capture thieves in general, but horse thieves in particular. Members were charged a $2.00 initiation fee and were afforded the protection of the riders of the OPA who would assume the task
of capturing the thieves who stole property from an OPA member. The sixteen “riders” were expected to take off in pursuit of thieves when property was stolen. All expenses were paid by the OPA, with dues being collected from members when necessary.

The Brockport Republic reported this story on August 16, 1877: “On Tuesday night of last week a horse, buggy and harness were stolen from the stable of Mr. William Gillette, who resides a short distance south of the Village of Spencerport. The thief stole also a blanket and some oats from the barn of Mr. Wilcox nearby. Eleven riders started off in search of the thief, who it is believed made his way toward Pennsylvania, a portion of which is considered a rendezvous for horse thieves.” The OPA continued protecting the
property of Ogden residents into the early years of the 20th century.

08/23/2026

The Arch Merrill Book Club meets this Wednesday, August 26, at the Depot. We don’t have any books left, but you can get one from the library if you want to join. This session will be led by Village Historian Ginny Parker. Come join at the Depot, 6:00 pm.

08/21/2026

Looking to carry a piece of history? Get out to GCVM and grab one of these unusual bags before they’re gone!

08/18/2026

Bicycles were first seen in Rochester in 1869, and many people believed the strange invention would never catch on because of the high cost ($100-125) involved in buying and maintaining the vehicle. However, by the late 1890’s, bicycles were all the rage, and were seen as a form of exercise as well as a convenient form of transportation. Susan B. Anthony was quoted in the Rochester Union & Advertiser as proclaiming the bicycle a “liberating invention” for women. Bicycle clubs like the one pictured here sprang up all
over Monroe County. Bicycles had to be registered, and the fees were used to maintain cycling paths throughout the county. It is also said that the first leash laws for dogs were enacted in Rochester due to an organized effort by bicycle riders who were tired of being chased and bitten by curious dogs. The Spencerport Ladies Bicycle Club shown here rode on Sunday afternoons.

08/11/2026

The Monroe County Airport went “to the dogs” when this photo was taken in the early 1940s. Accompanied by the sound of sirens and the roar of airplane motors, two tiny fox terriers were handed over to Spencerport Fire Chief Walter Miller and other members of the department by American Airlines hostess Helen Vaubel. The dogs were a gift from the Louisville Fire Department to the Spencerport volunteers who took their emergency truck to Louisville for flood service in 1937. The dogs replaced another terrier, Louisville Lou, who was tragically killed in front of the Spencerport fire house several months prior to this picture. When the Louisville firemen heard about the tragedy, they decided to send two pups along as replacements for the beloved fire dog. On hand with Miller were other Spencerport volunteers Charley Ballard, Howard Vroom, and Lloyd French.

08/05/2026

James Matheos, a Turkish immigrant, bought a confectionary business from Peter Mirras and opened Matheos Ice Cream on property at the corner of Amity and Union in the early 1900s. His brother Chris arrived in Spencerport in 1917 and joined the family business, which became so successful that, in 1926, the two brothers tore down the existing building and built a new candy store and soda fountain, with manufacturing capabilities in the rear. This building is currently occupied by Splatters Pottery Studio. The enterprise was so successful that the brothers formed a corporation in 1932 and purchased additional property to expand their production capabilities. “Matheos Velvet Ice Cream” was known throughout western New York, as was their trademark “OO-La-Las,” chocolate covered ice cream bars on sticks.

There was a time when every town had an old-fashioned ice cream parlor with curvy metal chairs grouped around glass-topped tables, and more private booths where young men took their young ladies to share a soda. Ceiling fans turned lazily above sparkling glass cases filled with mouthwatering candies and confections. Opposite the candy cases was the soda fountain with pyramids of shiny silver cups stacked on its marble top, with row upon row of crystal clear glass dishes and bottles of syrups in countless flavors lining the wall behind, all attended by a member of the Matheos family dressed in a fancy striped shirt and pristine white apron. The candy cases and glassware are gone now, but many sweet memories remain.

The Depot has two original Matheos metal signs in our collection. Stop in to see them!

07/31/2026

Did you know there used to be a fireworks factory in Ogden? This photo shows some of the factory workers posing with fireworks. Antonelli Fireworks was located on Big Ridge Road near the present-day BOCES buildings. Run by Amerigo Antonelli, the plant shifted from carnival displays to a federal World War II munitions contract before a major legal and operational scandal in 1943. Amerigo Antonelli was known as Rochester’s "Fireworks King" and was the son of the royal pyrotechnician to the King of Italy. During World War II, the factory took on a government defense contract to manufacture hand grenades and other incendiary devices. The plant made headlines when federal authorities and the FBI investigated and prosecuted top company leaders over quality control failures and defective bomb/grenade production.

07/31/2026

Some interesting local histoiry for you!

New Blog Post! 🚨
Dive into Rochester’s most interesting confectionery couple in this first installment of the Wonka’s of Rochester Saga. The story has it all, read up on Local History Rocs—check the link in our bio! 🔗