Lima Archives - Chris Carosa

European Rivals and the Seneca Frontier

By Chris Carosa on March 31, 2026

The stagnant heat draped over the weary marchers like a heavy blanket. The still air muffled any sound. The eerie silence only gnawed at their nerves.

Suddenly, the quiet forest erupted with sharp cries.

The startled Frenchmen stopped in their tracks. Before they could think, puffs of smoke popped from the thicket before them. Instantly, speeding musket balls whizzed through the ranks.

In an instant, two soldiers lay dead. Stunned by the ambush, the remaining staggered. But Continue Reading “European Rivals and the Seneca Frontier”

Posted in History, The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Bloomfield, Champlain, Denonville, France, Irondequoit Bay, Lima, Mendon, Seneca, Victor

The Story of Abraham Parrish, Mendon’s First Tavern Keeper (Part III)

By Chris Carosa on April 20, 2021

1838 - Rochester in 1812 (showing first 'hotel') - Sketches of Rochester

Rochester in 1812 (showing first ‘hotel’). Source: Sketches of Rochester, 1838

Abraham Parrish had front row seats to watch his older brother Jasper become a success. And what a role model Jasper was. As a boy, Jasper had been captured by Indians in the immediate aftermath of the Wyoming Massacre in 1778, sold as a slave among various tribes, beaten mercilessly, nearly killed for a guinea when the British put a bounty on Yankee scalps, until he was finally bought by a Mohawk named “Captain Hill” for $20.³⁰

Captain Hill so admired Jasper and Jasper so admired Captain Hill that in 1780 the Captain formally adopted Jasper in a traditional Iroquois ceremony. In turn, Jasper came to Continue Reading “The Story of Abraham Parrish, Mendon’s First Tavern Keeper (Part III)”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Abraham Parrish, Battle of Black Rock, Buffalo, Buffalo Creek, Canandaigua, Captain Hill, Falls Hotel, Farmer's Brother, George Washington, Harry Allen, Honeoye Falls, Horatio Jones, Iroquois, Jasper Parrish, Lima, Lucia Allen, Norton's Mills, Red Jacket, Rochester, Seneca, Six Nations, Treaty of Canandaigua, West Mendon, Wilcox Hotel, Wyoming Massacre

A Look Back (Part I): An Early (1841) View Of A New Village

By Chris Carosa on November 10, 2020

Here’s an annoying problem I discovered while researching for the book Hamburger Dreams: there’s a lot of people and places that come up when you search the words “hamburger” or “hamburg” that have nothing to do with the delicious sandwich that spawned a trillion-dollar industry.

This required me to be both creative and patient as I sifted through hundreds of century old newspaper articles. It eventually worked, but it took a lot of time. In the end, it proved worthy.

The same thing is happening now as I complete my research on the Masonic Temple/Wilcox Hotel/Wilcox House/Falls Hotel (yes, that one building has gone by several names during its nearly 200-year existence). It turns out Continue Reading “A Look Back (Part I): An Early (1841) View Of A New Village”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries, Western New York State of Mind Tagged Avon Springs, Geneseo, Honeoye Falls, Irondequoit, Lima, Mendon, Naples, Neapolitan, North Bloomfield, Norton's Mills, Pittsford, Rochester, West Mendon

More Lasting Than Bronze

By Chris Carosa on March 22, 2011

Exegi monumentum aere perennius.

Horace begins a sarcastic ode on his own immortality with the above phrase, which translates to “I have erected a monument more lasting than bronze.” Ironically, in our continuing study of this poem, Horace has, indeed, achieved a form of immortality, one invulnerable to the physical ravages of time.

Last week I wrote a fanciful speech I never intended to deliver (“Et tu, Espagnol?”). This week, however, fate guided me to the School Board meeting where, with no preparation I delivered the following remarks (perhaps slightly embellished for the purposes of this page):

“I am reminded of a time some twenty or so years ago when a different Continue Reading “More Lasting Than Bronze”

Posted in Gray Matter Musings, Memoir of a Real Life Tagged HFL, Honeoye Falls, Latin, Lima, Mendon, orchestra, string

Lemonade, Minimum Wage and Daddy’s Tough Decision

By Chris Carosa on May 6, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the May 4, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Many people in the Mendon, Honeoye Falls and Lima area have been reading in the national news about the minimum wage. Like most of the people in our country, they are sympathetic with increasing the minimum wage, but remain anxious about the impact the boost will have. The threat of an increasing wage-price spiral worries everyday folks the most. Unfortunately, we see Democrats saying one thing and Republicans saying another, with no one trying to take the time to explain what the real effect will be.

Being trained as a scientist, I never took economists seriously. Still, the issue of minimum wage and inflation provided too much confusion to go unanswered. “Sure,” I said to myself, “it seems fair to up the level given the increased cost of living over the past eight years. If it appears so fair, then why do so many people say it will actually Continue Reading “Lemonade, Minimum Wage and Daddy’s Tough Decision”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged economics, Honeoye Falls, Lima, Mendon, politics

An Open Letter to Governor Cuomo

By Chris Carosa on April 29, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the April 27, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Governor Mario Cuomo
c/o New York State Executive Chamber
State Capitol
Albany, New York 12224

Dear Governor Cuomo:

HONEOYE FALLS – Wednesday, April 18, 1989 (5:30am). Despite accidentally erasing the final two pages from the computer an hour earlier, a couple of exhausted devotees put the April 20^th edition of the Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima SENTINEL to bed. Once again, the desire to serve the public call causes another sleepless night, but knowing the importance a Continue Reading “An Open Letter to Governor Cuomo”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged HFL, Honeoye Falls, Lima, Mendon, politics

Paper Airplanes: Pure Americana

By Chris Carosa on April 22, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the April 20, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

I made a paper airplane today. It felt good. The act satisfied me even before I lofted the plane into the air. I made it at work while I waited for a printout. This is not the sort of thing I am normally paid to do. It felt good.

I used no ordinary paper. I used a confidential memo. Upon completing the folding, I flung the flyer purposefully towards members of the operations staff. Of course, I first requested “clearance” (i.e., asked somebody if the Boss was around). It felt good.

The flight lasted all of one second. The papyrus plane gently rolled over after leaving my fingertips, then nosed speedily down into the floor. It travelled all of six feet. The Boss’s Continue Reading “Paper Airplanes: Pure Americana”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Growing Up, Honeoye Falls, Lima, Mendon

Mr. Spock’s IDIC

By Chris Carosa on April 15, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the April 13, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

IDIC, to paraphrase the Star Trek Concordance (Bjo Trimble, 1976), represents the fundamental Vulcan philosophy of nurturing diversity to produce synergistic good. IDIC – short for Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations – sets Vulcans apart from other species by elevating their demeanor. Essentially, these green blooded people, by the very way they live their lives, demonstrate a courage unique to their race – they not only tolerate diversity, they recognize its advantages and readily seek it out. Spock, in the episode “In Truth There is No Beauty,” explains “diverse things come together to create truth and beauty” and “the glory of creation lies in its infinite diversity and meanings.”

Fine, so what does this mean to the average person, i.e., one who can’t tell the Science Officer of the USS Enterprise from a baby doctor?

Continue Reading “Mr. Spock’s IDIC”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Honeoye Falls, Lima, Local, Mendon, philosophy, Popular Culture, Star Trek

What’s With The Duke of Earl?

By Chris Carosa on April 8, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the April 6, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Like any typical driver, I listen to the radio a lot. In fact, I generally listen to only one type of station – the one that plays the most Beatles songs in an hour. (Every once in a while, though, I switch to the one which plays the most Frank Sinatra songs in an hour.) In either case, I limit my listening to “oldies” or “classic hits.”

I’ve begun to notice a disturbing tendency – people younger than me are requesting songs just slightly before my time! It’s acceptable, I guess, for kids born after Paul McCartney’s last number one hit (and well after the break-up of the Beatles) to request Beatles songs. I figure they like the Beatles for the same reason I like Sinatra. Even though I wasn’t around at the peak of his popularity, I know of his historical impact and, besides, I really like his music. Yet, I have trouble with these kids who think Apple is a computer, not a recording company (and apparently so does the recording company).

I am really irked, though, by obvious prepubescents calling in to request such songs as Continue Reading “What’s With The Duke of Earl?”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Honeoye Falls, Lima, Mendon, Popular Culture

Rumors Resolved

By Chris Carosa on April 1, 2010

[This Commentary originally appeared in the March 30, 1989 issue of The Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel.]

Why did we pick Easter week as our first week of publishing the Sentinel? Rumor has it we chose last week, which also happened to fall on the first week of Spring, because of the symbolism of rebirth and resurrection. Sure, the Sentinel represents both – a revitalization in the tradition of local hometown newspapers. This explanation makes a great story, but, unfortunately, it fails the truth test. Perhaps the best way to describe how we came up with our starting date is by showing why we didn’t choose other dates.

The week of March 16^th would have been an ideal starting date with the Village elections coming up and all. As luck would have it, I found myself away on business that week, and, besides, we saw no reason to place undue pressure on ourselves. We selected March 23^rd primarily for this reason, and because we definitely did not want to Continue Reading “Rumors Resolved”

Posted in The Compleat Carosa Commentaries Tagged Honeoye Falls, humor, Lima, Mendon, Monroe County, Rochester