Hidden treasures await in Victor, a small town with old-fashioned charm and modern amenities. Best known for its progressive business climate and one of the finest school districts in the state, Victor is among the fastest growing towns in the region. Located just off the New York State Thruway, it offers easy access to the stunning hills and views of the Finger Lakes.
Victor’s first settlers were the Seneca Indians who were part of the Iroquois Confederacy. The thriving Seneca village of Gannagaro was destroyed by the French in 1687, and the site of the village is now a state park known as Ganondagan. It features miles of hiking trails, a visitor center and a replica bark longhouse.
Established in 1812, Victor was named after Victor Boughton, a distinguished hero of the War of 1812. Agriculture became the most important local industry, and in the past 30 years, Victor has seen a dramatic rise in small high-tech firms and upscale housing.
Begin your tour of Victor starting at Valentown Hall, a three-story wooden structure that was intended to be the center of the town. As fate would have it, the railroad came through two miles away, and Valentown is now a museum featuring a 19th century grocery, meat market, cobbler’s shop, school of music and bakery. Stop in at the adjacent Ichabod homestead to enjoy an afternoon tea.
At the other end of Valentown Road is Mott’s Corners, site of the historic 1820 Springdale Farm homestead, now a bed and breakfast. This cozy getaway features a 100-acre nature preserve. Put on your hiking shoes and watch for the bluebirds!
Don’t miss Ravenwood Golf Club, offering some of the area’s finest golfing. Victor also features an Arabian horse farm (Sugar Hill Farm), located next to the Gillis-Schoff Maple Sugar Farm. Taste the best cream puffs around at Sweet Times Bakery, and stroll Main Street to shop for fresh flowers and unique gifts. Don’t miss Beau Monde, a full-service spa where you can escape the pressures of everyday life. For the ultimate in shopping, spend some time at Eastview Mall.
Located in the Finger Lakes Region, Victor is just north of scenic Canandaigua Lake, home of the New York Wine and Culinary Center. The village is only a one-hour drive from Niagara Falls and Canada, and three hours from the Thousand Islands and the Adirondack Mountains.
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Hidden Treasures
Ganondagan’s Granary Trail at Fort Hill (County Roads 444 and 41) takes you to a plateau that offers sweeping views of valleys and hillsides throughout the town. This was once the site of the picketed granary where the village’s winter supply of corn was stored. Forty interpretive signs give firsthand accounts of the mass destruction of the granary by the French campaign of 1687. The surface is dirt and mowed-grass paths.
Valentown Hall (7370 Valentown Square) is an intriguing historical museum located in Victor. It contains thousands of artifacts, objects and heirlooms that represent the 19th century history of the Victor and Rochester area.
1820 Springdale Farm Bed & Breakfast (242 County Road 9) is one of the oldest homesteads in the area. An historic agricultural and produce farm, it still has the original threshing barn and a working artesian well from one of the many natural underground springs on the property.
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Special Events
The Gillis-Schoff Maple Sugar Farm (6445 Gillis Road) offers tree-tapping and syrup-making demonstrations throughout the month of March. Take a wagon ride to the sugar bush, or step into the sugarhouse and watch the evaporators in action.
Mary Frances Bluebird Nature Preserve (County Road 9) will be the site of a guided hike on June 14. Sponsored by the Victor Parks and Recreation Department, the event will also include a tasty breakfast at 1820 Springdale Farm across the street.
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Dining
Champp’s
Eastview Mall
www.champps.com
Chit Chat Café
164 West Main Street
Grandma Hattie’s Tea Party
Valentown Museum grounds
www.grandmahattiesteaparty.com
India House
7343 Route 96
www.indiahouse.com
Napa Wood Fired Pizzeria
90 West Main Street
Otto Tomotto’s Good Italian
300 Phoenix Mills Plaza, 6385 Route 96
www.ottotomottos.com
Sweet Times Bakery
110 Phoenix Mills Plaza, 6385 Route 96
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For more details, visit:
www.destinationvictorny.com
www.visitfingerlakes.com
by Eileen Cash with Joy Underhill
