# Webster, New York

Webster is a town in the northeastern corner of Monroe County, New York, United States. The town is named after orator and statesman Daniel Webster. The population was 45,327 at the 2020 census, up from 42,641 in 2010. The town contains a village also named Webster. It is located in the Rochester Metropolitan Area.

## History

On July 25, 1837, orator and statesman Daniel Webster spoke to a gathering of Whigs in nearby Rochester about the economy. Whig farmers from North Penfield, who were part of Webster's audience, were so impressed by his eloquence that when they petitioned the state legislature for separate town status from Penfield, they chose to name it in his honor. On February 6, 1840, the northern part of Penfield was officially established as the town of Webster, with a population of 2,235. Webster has its own museum dedicated to sharing the town's history with its citizens. The museum has many permanent historical displays and also features changing displays for different times of the year.

## Geography

The town of Webster is bordered on the north by Lake Ontario, on the east by the towns of Ontario and Walworth in Wayne County, on the west by Irondequoit Bay and the town of Irondequoit, and on the south by the town of Penfield.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 35.2 square miles (91 km$^2$), of which 33.5 square miles (87 km$^2$) are land and 1.7 square miles (4.4 km$^2$), or 4.85%, are water. Irondequoit Bay, an inlet of Lake Ontario, contains most of the water area within the town.
Webster Park covers 550 acres (2.2 km$^2$) of the town's land along the Lake Ontario waterfront.

## Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 45,327 people, 19,432 households, and 12,483 families residing in the town. The population density was 1,352.4 inhabitants per square mile (522.2/km$^2$). There were 20,132 housing units at an average density of 600.4 per square mile (231.8/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the town was 89.2% White, 2.9% Black or African American, 0.0% Native American, 3.2% Asian, and 3.6% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 4.2% of the population.
Among the 19,432 households, 27.3% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49.9% were married couples, 7.0% were cohabitating unmarried couples, 13.9% had a male householder with no spouse/partner present, and 29.2% had a female householder with no spouse/partner present. 30.6% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.31 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the town, the population was spread out, with 20.4% under the age of 18, 5.5% from 18 to 24, 23.7% from 25 to 44, 29.3% from 45 to 64, and 20.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 45.1 years as of 2021. For every 100 females, there were 90.4 males.
In 2021, the median income for a household in the town was $81,345, and the median income for a family was $108,065. Males had a median income of $52,494 versus $33,943 for females. The per capita income for the town was $43,896. About 3.0% of families and 5.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 5.0% of those under age 18 and 7.2% of those age 65 or over.

## Education

Webster's public schools are under the direction of the Webster Central School District (K-12). While all of its middle schools (Spry, Willink) and high schools (Thomas, Schroeder) are situated in the town of Webster, only five of its seven elementary schools (DeWitt Road, Klem North, Klem South, Schlegel Road, State Road) are.
Additionally, there are several privately run schools:
* Hillside Children's Center Halpern Education Center (grades 6–12), secular
* Lakeside Alpha (grades 3–12), Christian Brethren
* Rochester Christian School (grades pre-K–8), Calvinist
* St. Rita School (grades pre-K–6), operated by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rochester
* Webster Early Learning Center (grades pre-K–1), secular
* Webster Montessori School (elementary), ¾ mile south of the town line in Penfield, serves students in the Webster school district

## Sports community

On May 15, 2005, Webster was awarded the title of "Number 1 Sportstown in New York" by Sports Illustrated. SI Publisher David Morris said that "Webster's commitment to finding creative and resourceful ways to enhance sports for the well-being of its community fits perfectly with the principles of our Sportstown program, as well as the overall mission of our anniversary celebration."
Webster is part of the section V (Five) New York State Public High School Athletic Association along with the rest of Monroe County, Wayne, Livingston, Yates, Seneca, Steuben, Wyoming, Genesee, Orleans and Allegany.
The Webster Schroeder High School football team has won three New York State Championships in Class AA (a designation based on number of students). At one point, they had a winning streak of 31 games. In the USA Today High School football Super 25, Schroeder was, at one time, ranked #21 in the nation. At least five Webster players have gone on to play Division 1 college football at Syracuse, Michigan and Colgate, among others.
In March 2008, the Webster Thomas High School hockey team, in only its sixth year of competition, won the New York State Championship in Division II, beating Thousand Islands by a score of 5-2. The Webster Thomas soccer team also has won the sectional title 3 years in a row and went on to the state finals in 2007. The soccer team has produced two division 1 soccer athletes both attending Colgate University. The men's lacrosse team won a sectional title in 2009 and has produced many division 1 athletes under Coach Rob Ruller. The women's Lacrosse team has also won a section V title in 2007.
Webster's sports facilities include two lighted stadiums, a hockey/soccer complex, an indoor track and an Olympic-size indoor pool.
Webster has several sports clubs including the Webster Cyclones (youth hockey), Webster Lacrosse Club, and Webster Soccer Association. The annual Webster Lakefront Classic, run by the Webster Soccer Association, is one of the largest soccer tournaments in the Greater Rochester area and takes place annually on Father's Day weekend.
Webster is also home to a summer collegiate wood bat team, the Lake Ontario Ridgemen. The Ridgemen play in the New York Collegiate Baseball League. Their home games are played at Basket Road Stadium. The Ridgemen are run by an organization called Athletes in Action.
In 2014, the Webster Schroeder hockey team won the NYSPHSAA State Championship, beating Beekmantown by a score of 2–0.

## Public safety

The Webster Police Department protects the citizens of Webster as a New York State Law Enforcement Accreditation Council agency. Dennis Kohlmeier is the current Chief of the Department. It consists of around thirty sworn officers.
Fire protection is covered by two agencies. On the west side of town, the West Webster Fire District provides fire protection. It is an all-volunteer department. Fire stations are located on Gravel Road, Backus Road, and Plank Road in Penfield.
The east of town, including the village, are protected by the North East Joint Fire District (Webster F.D.) It is an all-volunteer department, as it has been for over one hundred years. Fire stations located on South Avenue in the village, Phillips Road in the town and Plank Road in Penfield.
Ambulance service for the Town is provided by Webster EMS. North East Quadrant Advanced Life Support Inc. provides ALS care for all patients in need. Webster and West Webster fire departments provide EMS separate from ambulance depending on the severity of the call.

## Homicides

On December 7, 2011, 15-year-old Michael Pilato poured gasoline over his house in Webster and set it on fire, killing his father and two brothers (16 and 12 years old) as his mother and teenage sister escaped with injuries. In June 2013, Pilato was convicted of second-degree murder, attempted murder, murder by arson, and arson; he was subsequently sentenced to life in prison.
During the predawn hours of December 24, 2012, 62-year-old William Spengler ambushed volunteer firefighters from the West Webster Fire Department, shooting and killing two and seriously wounding two others as they arrived to put out a car fire on Lake Road. Investigators later determined the fire was started by Spengler. Ultimately seven homes were destroyed because fire fighters were unable to extinguish the flames until the scene was made safe by law enforcement. Volunteer fire fighters Mike Chiapperini (also a lieutenant with the Webster Police Department) and Tomasz Kaczowka died at the scene. Theodore Scardino and Joseph Hofstetter remained hospitalized with serious injuries. John Ritter, a policeman from nearby Greece, New York, happened to be in the area, and was injured by shrapnel.
Spengler had armed himself with three guns: a .38-caliber revolver, a 12-gauge shotgun, and a .223-caliber Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle outfitted with a flash suppressor. Spengler had served 17 years in jail for manslaughter, having been convicted in 1981 of beating his 92-year-old grandmother to death with a hammer in 1980. He shot and killed himself as a SWAT team approached. Later, human remains believed to be those of his elder sister, with whom he had feuded, were found in his house. On December 28, 2012, 24 year-old Dawn Nguyen of Rochester, New York, was arrested and charged in connection with furnishing Spengler with certain weapons in his arsenal which were used in the ambush. In September 2014, she was convicted and sentenced to 8 years in prison. The New York State Senate subsequently included a "Webster provision" in a gun control law passed in the wake of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting, mandating life without parole for murderers of emergency personnel.

## Notable people

* Elma Bellini, New York Supreme Court justice
* Joseph L. Biehler, U.S. Army major general
* Brian Bliss, soccer player, coach, and front office executive
* Paul Buchheit, lead developer of Gmail and originator of the Google motto "Don't be Evil"
* Grant Catalino, Major League Lacrosse player (New York Lizards)
* Philo Dunning, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
* Eugene K. Felt, member of the Wisconsin State Assembly
* Susan Gibney, actress
* Gregor Gillespie, professional mixed martial artist
* Lou Gramm, born Louis Andrew Grammatico; songwriter and lead singer of the rock band Foreigner
* Kara Lynn Joyce, swimmer, US National Team; medalist in the 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics
* Pat Kelly, player for the National Football League Denver Broncos and New York Jets
* Brian King, director of the Food and Drug Administration's Center for Tobacco Products
* Brian Kozlowski, player for the NFL Washington Redskins
* Richard Leone, New Jersey Democratic Party politician; New Jersey State Treasurer
* Edward Tsang Lu, Space Shuttle astronaut (also resided on the International Space Station)
* Wendy O. Williams, punk rock singer (The Plasmatics)

## Communities and locations

* Avalon Estates – a neighborhood development located off Phillips Road
* Lake Road – a neighborhood also known as Fieldcrest located on Webster's east side. It runs along the town's northeastern Lake Ontario shoreline.
* Forest Lawn – a neighborhood in the northwest part of the town, on the shore of Lake Ontario
* Gallant Fox – a neighborhood at the end of Webster Road near Hedges Nine Mile Point Restaurant and Bar and Mama Lor’s Restaurant
* Glen Edith – a location on the west side of the town, on the shore of Irondequoit Bay
* Oakmonte – a large neighborhood in the central-southern part of the town consisting of private homes, apartments, and town homes
* Parkwood – a smaller neighborhood with its main entrance off Klem Road and directly across from Klem North Elementary School. A community park shares its name.
* Union Hill – a hamlet on the Wayne County line at the intersection of NY-404 and Ridge Road
* Webster village, located in the center of the town
* West Webster – a hamlet at the intersection of Ridge and Gravel Road