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HISTORIAN’S CORNER
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From "200 Years of the Town of Phelps"
Clifton Springs -National Exposure
(By Fred Gifford, Historian Emeritus)
It was a thrill a few days ago to learn that our next door neighbors, the Scott Landschoot Family, of 54 West Main, Clifton Springs, NY have provided us
with national and possible international recognition on the Internet.
Last fall a photographer by the name of Joe Link drove though Clifton Springs in his research for the Best Places to Live in America series. He was visiting Ontario County and taking photos for a National Magazine called Progressive Farmer. This publication is well known to area farmers and provides national information on farms and farm families.
In passing through Clifton Springs on a beautiful fall day, he saw two young mothers sitting on a front porch watching several of their children play with a football. What could be more AMERICAN? He stopped and asked if he could take a photo of the group and they said fine. " Who knows," he said, " you might even find yourselves on the internet one day!" Thinking nothing further of the occasion, the Landschoot family continued on with their busy lives.
The Landschoots are a warm, friendly example of the many fine families we have in this Finger Lakes section of upstate New York. As so many others they pursue their young lives endeavoring to bring up their children with the high values of rural living. Away from the busy live of city dwellers, they settled in Clifton Springs close by the community where their parents had raised them. They went to school here, they roamed our countryside, and they knew the values that are too often missed in growing up. It was here they chose to raise their own families.
Husband, Scott is an airlines pilot and although his wife, Ann's profession was nursing, she has chosen to be a stay-at-home Mom to give her children Benjamin, Christopher and Andrew her full attention while they are growing up. She must often wonder where the hours in a day go to but all she has to do is look at her children's needs and activities to have her answer.
If you go to the internet and type in >>progressive farmer.com<< it will lead you to the internet site of that magazine. As soon as the site loads on your computer screen you will be greeted by a caption, which reads, "The Best Places To Live." Here you will find a "delightful" photo of two mothers sitting on the porch steps at 54 West Main watching two of their children having fun with a football. The lovely house is always a delight to see with its wide front porch with shuttered windows and Ann always adds a touch of beauty each year in her plantings for the season. Sitting on the porch steps are Barbara Notter (on the left), a close neighbor and friend who lives with her husband Tim and their two girls Abbey & Maggie just across the street at 37 West Main. Ann sits on the right and they are taking great pleasure in watching Maggie Notter and Andrew Landschoot play football. What is a beautiful fall day without sports and outdoor activity? Believe me these children really enjoy them all.
I was personally delighted to have them tell me this week that their photo was on the internet. I took the first opportunity to bring up the site and sure enough, there on the cover story was this delightful photo of my next-door neighbors. We have been especially blessed to have the Landschoots and the Notters for neighbors. They include we aging Giffords in many of their get-togethers and are helping to keep us young and totally interested in their exciting lives.
The article goes on to relate some of the beauties of Ontario County and why
it was chosen as one of the best places in which to live in this great land of ours. How very special it was to have our community feted as one of those special places. Of course all of us who are natives or residents of this community are justly proud of what we have. The Progressive Farmer puts this county in its list of top counties for many reasons among which are: great schools, low crime, and excellent health care. Just a short 45-minute drive to the north is the City of Rochester and its international airport from which we can travel the world. It goes on to commend us on the many roadside stands from which we can purchase a rich fall harvest of vegetables and fruits. It also tells of our location in the heart of rolling hills from whose grapes come the fine wines we enjoy. Here and around us, farms are still farms.
"At a time when the word, "government" is so often negative, look to Ontario County to see how its residents make it work. Indeed, its Democracy the way it is supposed to work."
We salute the Progressive Farmer and its fine treatment of our county and especially we the people of Clifton Springs thank them for a very special salute to us in picking 54 West Main Street and its Landschoot family to picture why we are and hopefully always be ONE OF THE BEST PLACES IN AMERICA TO LIVE!
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