Ganondagan State Historic Site
This site offers visitors a glimpse of Seneca Indian life more than 300 years ago. The Bark Longhouse, a full-sized replica of a Seneca home, is a highlight featuring contents that reflect life in the 1670s. Indian crafts, herbs and medicines as well as colonial items are on display. Self-guided trails allow visitors to walk the village to learn about Indian plant life, tribal customs and history--including one trail that details through journal entries the day the French army attacked the village, leaving it in ruins.
The center hosts many events throughout the year, including the summer annual dance and music festival, featuring cornhusk doll making and a family drum jam. Winter activities include dog-sledding demonstrations, maple sugaring and snowshoeing. The site's trails are open daily, and the visitor center is open year-round every day except Monday.
Ganondagan State Historic Site
1488 State Route 444
Victor, New York 14564
(585) 924-5848
ganondagan.org
Valentown Museum
The Valentown Museum depicts early settler life in the Victor-Rochester area through a collection of heirlooms, including pioneer hand tools and implements, musical instruments, Civil War artifacts and military flags, documents from the Gorham Land Purchase of 1788 and a wagon from the American Revolutionary War. Full-room displays include a cobbler shop, a leather- and shoe-repair shop and a community and meeting room. The site is on the National Historic Register and has been largely untouched by renovations since it was built.
The museum sits amid a group of 19th-century structures in the area, part of an original idea to build the community near a planned railroad stop that never materialized. The museum is closed in winter and opens in May. Miss Lillian's Tea Room is on site and open year-round for lunch or afternoon tea parties. Year-round ghost tours of the site are also available.
Valentown Museum
P.O. Box 472
7370 Valentown Square
Victor, New York 14564
Museum: (585) 924-4170
Ghost tours: (585) 749-7951
valentown.org
The Victor Apple Farm
Apple lovers will be in heaven here, with everything from tart Paula Reds to sweet Golden Delicious available for sampling or picking. The Victor Apple Farm is open daily, offering a chance to snack on cider doughnuts, pies, pastries and even a doughnut sundae and apple split. The orchard has specialty apple items for sale, including pancake mixes, honey, maple syrup and cider.
Group tours let visitors get a look at the entire orchard, including trees, cider-making facilities and storage and packing areas. A wagon takes visitors on a partial ride through the orchard. The tours are first-come, first-served, and each person receives a free doughnut, apple and cup of cider.
The Victor Apple Farm
1640 State Route 444
Victor, New York 14564
(585) 924-3420
TheVictorAppleFarm.com
About The Author
Cece Nash began her career as a writer, editor and graphic designer for Gannett Co. in 1995. She has edited for health magazines and business-to-business publications, and her work has appeared on websites such as ModernMom, RedEnvelope and USAToday.com. Nash earned a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Iowa.
