Phelps is a quaint, pedestrian friendly village with nearly 2,000 residents. It is located in Ontario County, just north of Geneva and about midway between Syracuse and Rochester, off the NYS Thruway. Phelps was once the largest producer of sauerkraut in the world! Though the factories have since left the village, the history is honored with a huge annual Sauerkraut Festival each first weekend in August.
Cute village signs proclaiming Phelps, NY the center of the world.
A charming fountain in the garden median between Ontario and Main Streets.
The 1849 Phelps Town Hall and Bonnie’s Beauty Boutique on Main Street.
Cheney Funeral home, and a residence on Main Street.
Thea loves her house in the village, especially all the cute details.
The Howe residence, built in 1869 in the Second Empire style, is now a museum as well as headquarters of the Phelps Historical Society.
A particular draw of the museum is the unusual two story privy built on the back of the house!
The historic Phelps Hotel, on the corner of Main Street and Exchange Street, is currently for sale. The Hotel had its opening in 1868. President Teddy Roosevelt is said to have been its most famous visitor, giving a campaign speech from the second floor balcony.
Across from the Phelps Hotel on Exchange Street, you’ll find the award winning Crafty Ales and Lagers, a nano brewery with a selection of small batch craft beers. Owner and Master Brewer Mike Darling (pictured) will be happy to share his knowledge, and help you find a new favorite! They have a patio, often feature live music, and have a great relaxing atmosphere.
The De Baere Block, at the corner of Church and Main Street in the downtown historic district.
A walk through the Main Street business district gives you a chance to appreciate the unique architecture in the village. Stop at Vanilla Bean Bakery for a coffee and sweet treat, or try Astoria Restaurant for lunch.
A close-up view of the architectural detailing on the 1899 Sullivan Block.
Pretty wildflowers growing along Flint Creek.
Inside the Phelps Community Center on Banta Street, you’ll find the Phelps Library, with its innovative STEAM LAB Makerspace program. The program provides the community with classes, workshops, and access to tools and technologies for anyone to imagine and create in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math. It is accessible to all community members; you don’t even need a library card!
Old Mill Hot Dog Stand on Main Street.
Holly serves Rose an ice-cream cone at Old Mill Hot Dog Stand.
Crooked Bridge Park, on Williams Street, is a great place to have a picnic or wade in the creek.
McClean Gristmill Stone on display at Crooked Bridge Park.
Flint Creek flowing under the Williams Street bridge.
The village has many charming homes.
Beautiful color and architectural detail on this village home.
The “Country Lawyer’s Office” (15 Church St.) was built around 1835, modeled after the Ontario County courthouse in Canandaigua. The site became well known after the bestselling novel “The Country Lawyer,” written in 1939 by Bellamy Partridge. Bellamy’s father, Samuel S. Partridge, practiced law in the building for nearly 40 years. In 2005, The Phelps Community Historical Society acquired the building.
Phelps Art Center, 15 Church St, makes its home in the former St John’s Episcopal Church building. The 1850 Gothic Revival Church was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1978.
In 1884, Lysander Redfield donated land to the Village of Phelps “for public use for all gatherings and recreations of people.” (taken from Phelps Historical Marker) Today, Redfield Park is used for just that. There is a playground, ballfield, picnic areas and a gazebo that’s perfect for the summer concert series.
P.O.S.H is a charming consignment boutique store at 116 Main St.
I wandered into Bear and Vine, a Boutique and Antique shop at 256 Main St, where I met owner Eric Biletzky. He and his wife Kiana opened the store last November, after moving back to the area from California to be closer to family. The store is eclectic, but the focus is on antiques, sports cards and memorabilia. They mix in a lot of seasonal items for the holidays as well. Eric claimed his wife said it best when she said, "We are in the business of preserving history, and passing it from one individual to another.”
The Blue Ribbon Smokehouse Restaurant & Bakery, at 261 Main St.
I asked Kelsey what the favorite meal at the Blue Ribbon was and she replied, “Well, the chicken and biscuits, that kind of goes without saying, and the ruebens - of course the ruebens!
The Water Side Bar, at 125 Main St, offers a full range of premium wines, craft and microbrew beers and gourmet light fare. You can sip a glass of wine by the fireplace, or head out to the patio overlooking Flint Creek Waterfall.
Flint Creek Falls (also called Old Mill Falls, or Falls at the Dam) is a 5-foot high natural falls with a 10-foot high dam built on its crest. It’s located right on Main Street (Rt 96) near Flint Street. You can see the patio of The Water Side bar just beyond the falls.
Ontario Pathways Rail Trail is a 25 mile system. The eastern trailhead is in Phelps, with the first few miles of this recreational trail passing by more waterfalls on Flint Creek. The entrance to the trial is right off Route 96, close to Route 488. It’s a great recreational resource for the community of Phelps.
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