Village History
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Want to learn more about Village History and get involved in historic preservation? 

​Check out the websites for our Village Historic Preservation Commission
and the ​Webster Museum. 

Edna Struck
Village of Webster's Neighborhood Gardener

​Edna Struck was born on September 27, 1901 at 256 Phillips Road. She was the eldest of five children born on the farm to Harry and Hatti (Hettler) Struck.

Edna learned her gardening skills while helping on the family farm. Her love for learning began when she attended District School #9 on Lake Road. Her first schoolhouse still stands and is preserved as the St. Andrews by the Lake Chapel at 1206 Lake Road. In 1913 Edna attended the new school building next door to the chapel. The two-room schoolhouse at 1212 Lake Road was later converted into a modern home.

After Edna completed her elementary education, she attended the old Webster High School at 97 South Avenue. Since the school was nearly four miles from her home, and there were no school buses, Edna began living much of the school year with her grandparents on Park Avenue in the Village.
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Upon graduation, Edna went to live with her Aunt Florence in New York City and attended Barnard College. While she was in college, her father built the new large “Struck Homestead” which is still standing at 256 Phillips Road. After graduating from college, Edna accepted a position at the NY Public Library as a Payroll Supervisor and worked there for over 30 years.

In 1956 Edna returned to Webster to live with her sister Irma Legasse at 58 Park Avenue. Edna was a fixture in the neighborhood, helping to care for the gardens and lawns of her neighbors, along with shoveling sidewalks, and collecting trash on the street. She also spent time planting flowers and shrubs at the United Methodist Church.

In 1966, the neighbors of Lapham Park worked to preserve the island garden located in the middle of Lapham Park near Elm Street, including Edna. The group gathered on the front porch of Dr. Ralph Dublin’s house and decided the best way to preserve the park was to make it more attractive. Dr. Dublin and Carl Studeman purchased petunias; Dick and Ruth Batzing agreed to till the soil and Edna agreed to plant and care for the flowers. With their efforts, the Lapham Park Petunia Society was formed. 
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The Society won the support of the village fathers who agreed to plant three crabapple trees. Edna cared for these trees and the petunias until she died in 1991. It was because of her dedication to maintaining the neighborhood that the neighbors collected money and erected a marker in her honor, identifying her as the Village Gardener. 

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A new exhibit is being unveiled at the Webster Museum.  "A Measure of Webster Businesses" takes a look back at historic Webster businesses through those ubiquitous yardsticks that graced nearly every Webster household. 

Along with the kinetic yardstick display, other memorabilia from local businesses, old and new photos, and brief biographies round out this latest retrospective look at Webster's history.

Check out this new exhibit at the Webster Museum, located at 18 Lapham Park.
webstermuseum.org

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