The Webster Museum - Webster, New York

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We look forward to having Walworth Town Historian, Gene Bavis at the Webster Museum on Sunday, May 18 to talk about the remarkable cobblestone structures scattered amongst the towns and villages of Western, NY.

Free refreshments provided.

Puttin on the Ritz

Renowned composer, Irving Berlin (1888-1989) wrote numerous well known songs and musicals in his 60 year career. His work incuded Anything You Can Do (I Can Do Better), God Bless America, Happy Holiday, There's No Business Like Show Business, White Christmas, and of course Puttin' on the Ritz.

Known as the "King of Hoteliers, and Hotelier to Kings", César Ritz (1850-1918) ran some of the most opulent hotels in the world, including the Ritz Paris, and the Savoy, Carlton, and Ritz hotels in London. The adjective, "ritzy" is derived from his last name.

"Flapper" originally referred to a fledgling, a young bird that flaps its wings while learning to fly. The term began surfacing in England during the 1890s as a reference to high-spirited teenage girls.

Rochester resident, Louise Brooks (1906 – 1985) was a popular actress in the 1920s whose "bobbed" hair helped popularize the flapper style.

Puttin on the Ritz

1920s

Roaring and scandalous were word often used to describe the 1920s. There were dramatic social and political changes. Cities grew faster than farms. Economic growth swept the country as it became a consumer society. The prohibition of alcohol encouraged the growth of speakeasies and organized crime. The automobile provided a freedom for people to travel for pleasure. The 19th amendment gave women the right to vote. Fashion, music and art reflected the times.

FACTS AND FADS

Motion Pictures Theaters - silent movies until 1927 when Sunrise was first movie to use Movietone – a method of adding a music soundtrack directly to the film. Movietone was developed by Theodore Case in Auburn, NY.
Dance Marathons - couples dance for as long as they could, competing for money.
Dances –Charleston, Lindy Hop, Fox Trot.
Flagpole sitting - sitting on a flagpole for as long as possible to set a record.
Jazz - King Oliver’s Band, Louis Armstrong.
Crossword puzzles.
Fashion - flamboyant, short dresses, hats, shoes, handbags, makeup, jewelry, short bobbed hair.
Flapper - a generation of young women who wore short skirts, bobbed their hair, listened to jazz, and flaunted their disdain for what was then considered acceptable behavior.
Mickey Mouse - Steamboat Willie.
Vending machines.
Ford automobiles - Model T.
Pez candy.

1930s

The stock market crash of 1929 caused economic uncertainty throughout the country and a great depression that left many people out of work. Crop failures due to drought added to the poverty. The radio and movies were ways to escape the troubles of the day. Swing music and later Big Band music entertained the people.

The world political tensions were high with the rise of Hitler and the Third Reich. At home President Roosevelt’s tried to ease the country’s troubles with the New Deal. It was a decade of traditional values: modernism in art, music, and architecture, and many technological advances in science and engineering.

FACTS AND FADS

Fashion - long, slim dresses, low necklines, plaids and stripes, bow ties, zippers.
Radio shows - comedies, drama, sporting events - Jack Benny, Lux Radio Theatre, The Shadow, The Guiding Light.
Movies - Gone with the Wind, Wizard of Oz, King Kong, Seven Dwarfs, Scar Face
Sports heroes - Joe DiMaggio, Joe Louis, Jessie Owens
Prohibition repealed
Big Bands - Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Jimmy Dorsey and Artie Shaw
Tech and Science - radar, nylon, ball point pen, Kodachrome – the first mass-marketed color film
Empire State Building – world’s tallest building at the time.
Golden Gate Bridge – longest and tallest suspension bridge at the time.
Jigsaw puzzles, board games, miniature golf
Goldfish swallowing

Musueum Hours

Let it Snow

If you enjoy snow, you've come to the right place. There has been no shortage of the white stuff this year. So pop on your ice skates, snow shoes, or skis and make your way to the Webster Museum for a look at Winter in Webster over the years.

Until the 19th century, winter attire more often consisted of a cloak than a sleeved jacket or coat. Wool was the predominant material of choice for both cloaks and coats. While wool provided a measure of insulation, it tended to be heavy especially when wet.

Outdoorsman, inventor, and retailer Eddie Bauer developed the first quilted down jacket in 1939 after a run in with hypothermia on a chilly hunting trip. Since the 1930s, the development of lightweight, waterproof, and less expensive synthetic materials further impacted the way we all dress on those cold winter days in Webster.

History Quiz

How well do you know Webster history?
Take our little quiz and find out!

DOSS-HOUSE

n. chiefly British
a cheap rooming house or hotel

Randomly generated oft-forgotten words from Webster's 1828 dictionary.
Visit our Random Portmanteau page!

The Webster Walkabout Adventure Lab

The Webster Walkabout Adventure Lab will take you on a walking tour of some of the historical locations in the Village of Webster. This adventure is kid-friendly and handicap-accessible. Please stay on sidewalks throughout your journey.

You will be guided on a walking tour of the Village of Webster, NY, visiting five sites of historic significance to the founding of the Village of Webster. Your walking tour will take you on a 1.5 mile walk and will take about an hour to complete.

In order to play the Adventure Lab, you need a smart phone, with the Adventure Lab mobile app installed. The app works with both iOS (iPhones) and Android phones. You must have a free account on geocaching.com and you must also have a data plan and cell service. The Adventure Lab mobile app is a multi-media, interactive app.

To open this adventure in the Adventure Lab mobile app, use the following URL: labs.geocaching.com/goto/WEBSTER

Once you complete the Adventure Lab, you will be given a code to unlock a special bonus puzzle geocache located at the Webster Museum, located at 18 Lapham Park, Webster, NY.

To find out more about geocaching, go to www.geocaching.com

What's in a Name

The inspiration behind the names of a few towns in Western New York.

National Hamburger Month

OK, we may be a little biased, but there can't be too many cities with a tastier relationship with the hamburger than Rochester. Imagine heading out for a hamburger and only having the choice of McDonald's, Burger King or if you're lucky Wendy's. Here in Webster, we have Bill Gray's, Charlie's and when the bridge is open, Don's Original. Each restaurant with its own story and connection to the Webster community. Take a look at our little timeline of Rochester Hamburger history.