The Brockport Blog

The Brockport Blog Caurie Putnam is a longtime Rochester print journalist. The Brockport Blog has been her passion project since 2010.

I'm proud to have called Brockport home for the past 22 years. I love it because it has a small town feel, but the presence of SUNY Brockport adds a small city flavor. I moved to Brockport after graduating from the University of Rochester in 1998 to cover the community as a reporter for Messenger Post Newspapers. I grew up in Connecticut and the Saratoga Springs area, but fell in love with Brockpo

rt and decided to raise my family here. I wrote for for the Democrat and Chronicle (D&C) for over 10 years. The Brockport Blog and this page was started by the D&C in 2011. When the D&C disbanded all blogs and, later, my columnist positions (due to COVID-19 downsizing) I continued this page as a community service. I have also covered Brockport and WNY for Reuters. I am the current content coordinator for Spencerport Neighbors Magazine, a publication of Best Version Media and I also freelance for the Rochester Business Journal. My Brockport activities include: The Brockport Moms Club, Brockport PTSA, JJ's Angels and Brockport Jewish Community. As the Brockport Blogger, my goal has always been to bring you positive, family centered, community news and photos. Brockport is the hidden gem of Monroe County and I love to make it sparkle. Please send ideas, press releases, and feedback to Caurie at [email protected] You can also follow me on Twitter at

The Brockport Community Museum's newest interpretive panel was dedicated today. The panel "Brockport's Main Street Lift ...
05/30/2026

The Brockport Community Museum's newest interpretive panel was dedicated today. The panel "Brockport's Main Street Lift Bridge" is located in front of the Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid Post Office Building, 14 Main Street.

The dedication of the panel featured remarks by Allan Berry, president of the Brockport Community Museum; Sandeep Singh, Village of Brockport trustee on behalf of Village of Brockport mayor Ben Reed; Margay Blackman, former Village of Brockport mayor; and Archie Kutz, treasurer of the Brockport Community Museum.

The dedication was part of this evening's Night at the Museums event. The Brockport Community Museum is a "Museum Without Walls" that brings local history into the community. It was chartered by the NYS Education Department in 2002. đź’™Caurie

The Rochester NFFF Fire Hero Family Golf Outing, benefiting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's Hal Bruno Kids...
05/30/2026

The Rochester NFFF Fire Hero Family Golf Outing, benefiting the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation's Hal Bruno Kids Camp will be held on May 31 and June 1 at Deerfield Country Club in Clarkson.

The National Fallen Firefighters Foundation Hal Bruno Kids Camp provides a free summer camp experience for children who have lost a firefighter parent in the line of duty.

Originally launched in 2007 as a golf tournament, the Rochester event was reimagined for 2026 as a non-competitive golf outing focused less on scores and more on supporting children from firefighter families affected by line-of-duty deaths.

The outing regularly fills both days with approximately 204 golfers and about 50 volunteers each day. In 2023, Rochester’s tournament raised nearly $59,000, which was the second-highest fundraising total among 11 national golf tournaments supporting the cause.

The annual fundraiser also honors firefighters lost in the line of duty locally and across the country, including West Webster firefighters Lt. Michael Chiapperini and Tomasz Kaczowka, who were killed during the 2012 ambush shooting; Spencerport firefighter James “Jim” Boring, who died in 1997 while responding during a storm; Hartland firefighter Jason Arno, who died on scene in 2021; and Brockport Fire Department firefighter James Hopkins, who died in 1971 following an overnight fire response and was later added to the New York State line-of-duty death database in 2023.

Other firefighters remembered through the event include Rochester firefighter Jordan Celeste, Buffalo firefighters Patrick McCarthy and Timothy Holewinski, Elba firefighter Steven Pollard, and Bergen firefighter John C. Coyle, along with the many firefighters lost during the September 11 attacks and others from departments across New York State and the nation.

For more information on the event visit: https://www.firehero.org/event/golf-rochester26/

đź’™Caurie
Photos: Provided.

Eight local history museums throughout the Brockport area will open their doors on Saturday, May 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p....
05/29/2026

Eight local history museums throughout the Brockport area will open their doors on Saturday, May 30, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for the annual Night at the Museums event.

This free, family-friendly evening invites visitors to explore local history at their own pace by traveling from museum to museum throughout the community. The event began in 2019 with five participating museums.

Participating museums this year are:

-Brockport Museum of Local History, 49 State Street, Brockport

-Capen Hose Co. No. 4 Fire Museum, 237 Main Street South, Brockport

-Brockport Community Museum (a museum without walls) -dedication of the new Main Street Liftbridge interpretive panel at 4 p.m. at 14 Main Street in Brockport. The group will be present here throughout the event.

-Morgan Manning House, 151 Main Street, Brockport
Although the historic home remains under restoration following last year’s fire, visitors will be able to stop by a tent on the grounds featuring photos, updates on the rehabilitation efforts and volunteers available to answer questions and share information about the property’s ongoing preservation.

-Clarkson Academy, 8343 Ridge Road (Route 104), Clarkson

-Seymour Library, 161 East Avenue, Brockport
The library’s Local History Room, which opened in 2015, features archival collections and several mini museums highlighting Brockport’s past.

-Town of Sweden Farmers Museum, 4988 Lake Road South, Brockport

-Harford House Barn and Livery Museum, 15 South Lake Avenue, Bergen

🚧The Smith Street Bridge in the Village of Brockport will be closed beginning June 1, 2026, for approximately three mont...
05/28/2026

🚧The Smith Street Bridge in the Village of Brockport will be closed beginning June 1, 2026, for approximately three months to allow for necessary work and improvements. During this period, posted detours will be in place. 🚧

A Century of Kindness: Brockport Kiwanis Celebrates 100 Yearsby Maria Liberatorephotos by Lennon PardunThe Kiwanis Club ...
05/27/2026

A Century of Kindness: Brockport Kiwanis Celebrates 100 Years
by Maria Liberatore
photos by Lennon Pardun

The Kiwanis Club of Brockport celebrated its 100th anniversary last month on April 25 at Deerfield Country Club. Members from SUNY Brockport Circle K Club and Brockport High School Key Club were invited to attend, along with many other influential figures who were recognized and thanked for contributing to the success of this generous organization.

Kiwanis is a nationwide volunteer organization whose members are active community leaders dedicated to helping others. Brockport’s Kiwanis Club and its affiliates at the high school and college have supported various organizations and causes throughout the community, including the Brockport Toy Shelf, the Brockport Food Shelf, Seymour Library, Golisano Children's Hospital, and many more.

Each year, the Kiwanis Club funds scholarships for students at SUNY Brockport and Brockport High School who demonstrate kindness, citizenship, and service within the Brockport community. The newly added David Jewell Scholarship honors the late David Jewell, an active community member who served twice as the Kiwanis Club’s president after joining in 2006.

As the Key Club publicist at Brockport High School, I had the pleasure of attending this event. It was a wonderful gala featuring live music, beautifully written speeches, and delicious pastries. Participating in this milestone celebration was a meaningful way to commemorate my final year in Brockport High School’s Key Club and reflect on the many years I spent working alongside this generous organization to better our community.

I wish nothing but continued success for the future of the Kiwanis Club of Brockport and look forward to seeing the future projects they bring to Brockport.

_____________________________________________________
Maria Liberatore is The Brockport Blog's 2025-2026 Student Journalism Intern. She's a senior at Brockport High School.

🍓June 2026 Events🍓June events in the Brockport area. To have your event added to this pinned post, please email me a fly...
05/26/2026

🍓June 2026 Events🍓
June events in the Brockport area. To have your event added to this pinned post, please email me a flyer at [email protected] or DM me at Caurie Anne.
Thank you! ❤️Caurie

Today, on Memorial Day, we pause to remember those from the Brockport community and beyond who were lost in, and from, s...
05/25/2026

Today, on Memorial Day, we pause to remember those from the Brockport community and beyond who were lost in, and from, service to our nation. We send love to their survivors who remember them, not once a year, but every day.
đź’™Caurie

The Brockport Community Museum invites the community to the dedication of its newest interpretive panel - Brockport’s Ma...
05/19/2026

The Brockport Community Museum invites the community to the dedication of its newest interpretive panel - Brockport’s Main Street Lift Bridge - at 4 p.m. on Saturday, May 30. The panel (which is veiled until the dedication) is located in front of the Staff Sergeant Nicholas J. Reid Post Office Building on 14 Main St.

The Brockport Community Museum (which is a museum without walls) will have a table at the dedication location from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. that evening as part of Night at the Museums event. Free Brockport Community Museum calendars will be available while supplies last (donations accepted). You can also have your Night at the Museum Passport stamped at the table. More information coming soon on the Night at the Museums. đź’™Caurie

05/17/2026

This week, Governor Kathy Hochul announced the six projects in the Village of Brockport (from among thirteen finalists) that have been selected to share in the $4.5 million NY Forward award for Brockport, first announced in February 2025.

The NY Forward program works in concert with the state's Downtown Revitalization Initiative to accelerate and expand the revitalization of smaller and rural downtowns throughout the State.

Brockport's winning projects (and share of the $4.5 million received) are:

*Enhance the Clinton Street Streetscape ($1,412,000): Enhance the Clinton Street streetscape to improve the pedestrian experience, enrich its character and strengthen its connection to Main Street.

*Revitalize Blighted Property at 41 Clark Street with New Townhomes ($820,000): Construct new townhome units at 41 Clark Street to diversify and expand downtown housing options.

*Construct Canal-front Workforce Housing at 60-90 Clinton Street ($1,500,000): Convert a vacant lot at 60-90 Clinton Street into an apartment building, activating Clinton Street and the waterfront area while providing new housing options.

*Create an Accessible Venue at the Brockport Welcome Center ($286,000): Retrofit and expand accessible outdoor seating at the Brockport Welcome Center to enhance waterfront amenities for events and informal gatherings.

*Modernize Brockport Fire Station ($137,000): Replace the Brockport Fire Station's outdated overhead bay doors with attractive full-view doors for enhanced downtown streetscape appearance and operational efficiency.

*Establish a Small Project Grant Fund ($345,000): Provide financial assistance to property owners and business owners in the NY Forward area for building improvements, facade renovations, signage, equipment upgrades and public art installations.

To receive funding from the NY Forward program, localities must be certified under Governor Hochul's Pro-Housing Communities Program, which recognizes and rewards municipalities actively working to unlock their housing potential and encourages others to follow suit.

To date, more than 410 communities across New York have been certified, including the City of Canandaigua and the Villages of Brockport and Phelps.

For more information, visit: https://www.governor.ny.gov/news/governor-hochul-announces-23-transformational-projects-finger-lakes-part-downtown

Photo: From a September 2025 public information meeting about the NY Forward grant. photo by Caurie Putnam

Happy Mother's Day 2026 to all my lovely readers who are mothers or mother figures! Here are a few of you I captured wit...
05/10/2026

Happy Mother's Day 2026 to all my lovely readers who are mothers or mother figures! Here are a few of you I captured with my camera since last Mother's Day. Have a beautiful day, everyone. đź©·Caurie

p.s. Sending special thoughts to those missing their mothers or children today.

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