A great find in Brockport

The White Farm in winter
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I have traveled to Brockport, NY on business several times. Brockport is a small Victorian-styled town on the Erie Canal about a half hour outside of Rochester. When I go to Brockport, I always stay at the Holiday Inn Express. It's clean and inexpensive and also the largest hotel nearby. (There is also an Econ-O-Lodge.)

When I booked this trip a month back, I tried to make a reservation at the Holiday Inn Express, but was told they were sold out. I was quite surprised. I had heard there is a nice b&b in town -- they were sold out too. Reluctantly, I called the Econ-O-Lodge, only to be told that they too were sold out. I franticly started searching the Internet for something else close by. (I would have stayed in Rochester, but I *hate* driving in the snow and wasn't sure how mid-March might be.)

One of the highlights of the house is a large dining room, which has been restored to include original murals painted by artist and taxidermist David Bruce in the late 1800s.

The front room
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All of this led to my very fortunate finding of the delightful White Farm Bed and Breakfast. This lovely b&b is just outside of town and very convenient to the university. The rooms are beautifully decorated and convey the rich history of the 1800s when the house was built. One of the highlights of the house is a large dining room, which has been restored to include original murals painted by artist and taxidermist David Bruce in the late 1800s. The Victorian decorative paintings include stencils of flowers, foliage, and birds, as well as freehand panoramas of buffalo roaming the plains and other nature scenes. It is difficult to imagine the time and effort involved in stripping years worth of conventional interior paint to reveal the murals underneath, but the final effect is amazing.

One of the murals (see the next entry for more)
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Restored and run by Christine Hunt, the b&b has four guest bedrooms with baths and a spacious downstairs where they also host parties or other events. I understand that the grounds are equally lovely with gardens and orchards (although I can't attest to that since everything was under snow when I was there :).

If you happen to be in the Brockport area and are looking for a place to stay, try the White Farm. Next time I'm here, I'll call here before the Holiday Inn Express.