The Village Hall

The initial construction of this building is believed to be 1855. Our accounts show that in 1880 the home was owned by Gabe Wood, who had a telegraph office in his home. In 1881 this telegraph line was made part of the Western Union and Gabe Wood was the telegrapher. Mr. Wood was totally blind, but was considered one of the best telegraphers.

A story told by ancestors of a resident, relates that on election nights, townspeople would gather on the lawn of Gabe's home and Gabe would type out the reports on sheets with the results of the state and national elections. His office was on the second floor and it is said that as fast as he could get the reports, he would type them, toss the sheets out the window to the roof of the porch, where his wife Mary would sweep them to the lawn for the townspeople below. The neighbor next door would make quantities of popcorn and lemonade and the whole evening took on an air of festivities.

This home subsequently became the home of many and among them the Wiltsie family. Mr. Charles Wiltsie was born in this home and later moved to Plymouth Avenue. As a prominent gentleman, he became very involved with the Rochester Public Library, being its President for the last fifteen years of his life. His daughter, Mary Emily Field, purchased the home in 1936 and had it renovated as a memorial to her father, and donated it to the community as its library. The rear portion of the original home was removed and an addition duplicated in detail the living room of the Wiltsie home at 123 Plymouth Avenue. The mahogany paneling and the furnishings were brought to Pittsford intact.

It remained the Community Library until 1974 when the Library needed more space and was moved to the former Star Market on State Street. It then became the Village property and used as its municipal building.