The cover of the Smiths’ new book. Photo provided by Deb and Tim Smith
In their last book Tim and Deb Smith took us around the world and, in a fitting follow-up, their latest endeavor welcomes us all back home. To explain that fanciful take, the Smiths’ 6th book, Crowning the Animal Kingdom, included literary contributions from all 50 states, as well as 107 countries. In their latest effort, Royally Regaling Greater Rochester ~ Taking Stock of the ROC, Tim and Deb have employed their powers of research and storytelling with a focus fixed on our community.
That Smith style, which Sentinel readers have come to expect, permeates this project of passion. The learning and loving of local lore is enhanced with their irreverent sense of humor and empowered by their poetical prowess.
This article will be taking a look at both the content of Tim and Deb’s treatise and the comments of a variety of notable reviewers who participated in early assessments of this Smith project.
Regarding the content, this book features some input from all the 19 Towns and 10 Villages that comprise Monroe County, along with the best stories Tim & Deb’s research turned up from the five counties that surround Monroe. There are entire chapters devoted to the communities which appear on the Sentinel’s masthead which would include, in order, Mendon, Honeoye Falls, Lima, Rush, Wheatland, Scottsville, North and West Bloomfield, and Henrietta.
The impressive panel of reviewers presents as an eclectic group. There are politicians, athletes, entertainers, business people, museum curators, athletic directors, park directors, holy men who wore clerical collars, and beautiful women who wore pageant sashes. Yep, there’s even a former Miss USA on the roster.
Well, now with that lovely honoree specified, let’s lead with her spirited support of the Smiths and the Sentinel… Tim and Deb Smith are keeping the flame of community reporting burning in print, with their weekly columns and inspiring features. Add that to this super couple’s ability to educate, inform, inspire, motivate and captivate us all, with their incredible wit and whimsy, knowledge and thoughtful subjects; I just don’t know how this Dynamic Duo does it all. When they are not streaking across our local sky, capes blowing in the wind behind them… reporting, reliving, revealing, rejuvenating and absolutely stunning us with their wisdom; this down to earth, very special and loving couple, grace our town with welcome arms and pens in hands, sharing their warm and sincere company. They truly are one, (make that two), in a million!
Mary Therese Friel, former Miss USA
Now that we’ve covered our beautiful woman in a pageant sash, let’s head to the pulpit of our contributing cleric… What fond memories I have of our conversations in the Rush Library and in front of Industry School. I have followed you ever since with your marvelous writing adventures. Blessings to you both in your important contributions to our community. You are on our radar! Keep up your outstanding journalism work!
Chaplain Charles Grimm, St. Andrew Chapel
From the perspective of a local paper, few tributes resonated louder than this one from a big city newspaper… At a time when local newspapers are falling faster than the leaves in October, the work that Tim and Deb are doing with their publications is vital to the preservation of local news. And taking that a step further, their devotion to the history of Rochester and its surrounding area is equally as important and passionate and it shines through in this wonderful compilation of priceless stories that, woven together, tell the rich history of Monroe County. As someone who has been fighting the good fight at the Democrat and Chronicle for nearly 40 years, I highly recommend this latest of the Smiths’ collection of books.
Sal Maiorana, senior columnist, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle.
Certainly one of the more ironic developments of this literary endeavor was the bringing together of long-lost family members. Check out this contribution from one of the original heroes of reality television… Included herein is a treasure trove of information about Rochester and many of the surrounding towns and villages that make the ROC so unique. Even though I’ve lived in Los Angeles for 27 years, the Rochester area will always be home and I visit often! Most importantly for me, the research involved in this book and my inclusion as Wheatland-Chili’s most famous grad led to an unexpected reunion with a never-met-before cousin; author Tim Smith. How cool is that?
Brennan Swain, Winner of The Amazing Race (Season 1)
Terry Diehl, Rochester’s first golfer to earn “Lifetime Member” status on the PGA Tour, got so excited reading his preview copy, he wanted to join the writing team! He wrote… Tim & Deb – In reading the crime component, don’t you think it would be appropriate to include [serial killer Hillside Strangler] Ken Bianchi? He was in my sophomore home room at Aquinas and our mothers were on the same bowling team!
How’s that for some insider info?! We just can’t stop thinking about how much we would have liked to be a fly on the wall in the Brighton Bowl when Mrs. Diehl and Mrs. Bianchi had that conversation initiated by the motherly question of, “What do you think your boy will do when he grows up?”
(Terry’s comment on the book…) I am very flattered to be included in this very positive and uplifting history of Rochester. My goal starting out was to be the best player in town. The great golf history and stout competition here gave me a strong foundation to play on the PGA Tour for over 10 years.
Terry Diehl, PGA Tour Lifetime Member
In covering the history of Greater Rochester amusement parks, the following comment was received… What a joy to read the Smiths’ outline of the Seabreeze story! With a tongue-in-cheek writing style and a fanciful flair for fun, Tim and Deb really captured the essence of the landmark park’s amazing past. Thanks so much for keeping Rochester history alive with your publication. We at Seabreeze work hard every day to keep this classic amusement park a viable, fun-filled place for generations of families from across Upstate NY. Here’s to the next 150 years of summertime fun!”
John Norris, Seabreeze Vice President
As they connected with the athletic directors at all the local colleges to confirm details of the sports component, this came in from the U of R…As fellow history-buffs, I truly love that Smitty and Deb have compiled this wonderfully interesting collection of local stories. Their unique style in digging up and researching the rich history of Western NY makes for a compelling read. Some stories may be well known peripherally – others from “behind the headlines” but their thorough “deep dive” into their subjects assures that anyone interested in what made Rochester into Rochester will enjoy this book.
Terry Gurnett, Associate Athletic Director, University of Rochester
As a high school social studies teacher and administrator at Gananda I’ve appreciated the Smiths’ work as they’ve been authoring local stories for a decade now, as feature writers for the Mendon-Honeoye Falls-Lima Sentinel. Because of that background, the Smiths were already locked and loaded when they decided to make Greater Rochester the theme of this newest book. This collection includes the best of their archived material, along with a plethora of exciting never-before-published pieces.
Bob Caulkins, Gananda educator and administrator
The Sentinel would like to close this article out by acknowledging the contributions from officials in the towns and villages for which we serve as the official newspaper. Comments will follow from Mendon-Honeoye Falls, Lima, Rush, Wheatland-Scottsville, and Henrietta.
Why don’t we kick things off by heading to One Harry Allen Park for a visit to the Honeoye Falls-Mendon Historical Society Museum. There we can enjoy a book review exuding… Tim and Deb are true champions of Mendon’s history, bringing our town’s past to life with their dedication and meticulous research. Their passion for local stories shines through in every page they write, preserving our heritage for future generations. As they embark on another book covering the greater Rochester area, we’re lucky to have them capturing the rich history of our community with such care and enthusiasm!
Charles Woolever, Honeoye Falls-Mendon Historical Society Vice-President
Next, we’ll swing by the Village Hall where the Mayor’s office will issue the following statement… Storytelling can certainly come in many forms which various people may or may not be able to attach themselves to. Good Storytellers with the ability to keep the reader’s attention about local history can be hard to find and is sometimes a lost art. Putting together verse that may retell old stories that may have been heard prior yet keeping the readers interest and maybe making them chuckle just a bit is as important as ever!
Tim and Deb Smith are not only telling stories, but they are keeping local history alive and well. To recount the stories of the Iron Fireman and to be able to remember some of the (perceived threats) to this iconic symbol of Honeoye Falls in some of our recent history certainly brings a smile to my face. These are stories that deserve to be read and these are often stories that those who have only recently moved to our community will love to learn about!
Rick Milne, Mayor – Honeoye Falls (2005-present), Monroe County Legislature (2021-present)
Without leaving this building at 5 East Street we can garner from the historian’s office the thought that the book is… An excellent addition to the “Around Mendon and Honeoye Falls” photo book I wrote 20 years ago. Brings the photos back to life!
Diane Ham, Town or Mendon and Honeoye Falls Historian
Our final stop in HF will be at the library where we’ll hear that… Tim and Deb Smith’s books are always highly informative AND entertaining! They are experts on local lore and the people, places, and events that make the Rochester area so unique and fascinating. I can’t wait to read this new book!
Lyla Grills, Director, Mendon Public Library
Next let’s retrace our path through the 4 corners of HF and head to Lima where we’ll share back-to-back librarian takes… Tim and Deb have the knack of always finding the humor in stories they hear and then tell to the reader. They are thorough in their research, leaving nothing out. It is always a joy to have them visit Lima Public Library when their investigating brings them in this direction. This book is a must for any Local History Section.
Leslie Reyman, Director, Lima Public Library
From the Tennie Burton Museum home of the Lima Historical Society on Rochester St. we hear the following… Your piece on Lima is a fast moving, spirited account, written in an engaging style that enlivens some unusual stories of Lima’s past.
Lima Historical Society
In our final stop at the Crossroads of Western New York we enjoy the exuberance emanating from the leader’s office at the Town Hall where we hear… An entertaining read for the ages! The Smiths have pumped the bellows and forged a homerun with major league tales of O’Dea baseball, Lima’s own Brigadoon of Idaho, NY, virgin burglars stealing highland oranges at Christmas (or something like that) and more. Thank you for revealing a portion of our rich history to the world!
Mike Falk, Lima Town Supervisor.
Next our Sentinel masthead directs us to head out of town on Rt. 15A/Rush Lima Rd. where we’ll swing into the library upon entering the hamlet of Rush and hear the following… Special thanks to Tim and Deb Smith for keeping Town of Rush history alive in a fun and meaningful way for future generations!
Kirsten Flass, Director, Rush Public Library
As opposed to Lima and Honeoye Falls, the Rush library and town offices are in the same building so we won’t have to go far to get to the historian’s office where we hear… Tim and Deb Smith present our local history in unique ways that grab a reader’s attention. History comes alive with their story-telling skills!
Sue Mee, Town of Rush Historian
Thank you, Rush, and on that note we’ll head out of town on Rt. 251/Rush Scottsville Rd. and swing by the Wheatland Municipal Building on Main Street in Scottsville where we’ll check in with the historian who’ll note that… I’m very pleased that the (Word)Smiths have chosen to write a book about the Greater Rochester area that promotes interest in our rich local history. I know that they have done their homework and have a wealth of knowledge on the subject. They have a unique, tongue-in-cheek writing style that brings new life to our old, somewhat familiar stories and makes them more appealing to contemporary audiences. I think that the new book will be a fascinating read!
Barb Chapman, Town of Wheatland Historian
The Village of Scottsville is within the Town of Wheatland, so we don’t even have to leave the building to visit the mayor’s office who wishes… Best of luck to you! This is a great thing you’re doing.
Maggie Ridge, Mayor, Village of Scottsville
The final stop on this Sentinel tour of towns will be in Henrietta where at the leader’s office at the Town Hall on Calkins Road, we are informed that… A lot of Henrietta residents, who love strolls down memory lane, will relate to Tim and Deb’s tales of trips to some iconic spots in Henrietta, some of which still exist and some of which only exist in our memories.
Stephen L Schultz, Henrietta Town Supervisor
Finally, on the way back to Mendon, we’ll stop by the Tinker Nature Center, also on Calkins Road, which houses Henrietta’s historian and it’s here we’ll hear her take which is… Deb and Tim Smith are providing a factual and fun way to learn about our communities. These tidbits of information provide an enjoyable and enlightening trip down memory lane.
Tina Thompson, Town of Henrietta Historian
Tim and Deb would like to thank all the local folks and officials who took the time to review their work and offer their commentary regarding Royally Regaling Greater Rochester ~ Taking Stock of the ROC. Their book is available on Amazon with a retail price of $24.95, or feel free to stop by their headquarters at 3907 Rush Mendon Road near the 4 corners of beautiful downtown Mendon where you can pick up an autographed copy for $19.95. Email them at tsmith40@rochester.rr.com to arrange a time.
NOTE: Signed copies of Tim and Deb’s new book Royally Regaling Greater Rochester are also available at the Honeoye Falls Village Hall and the Mendon Town Hall.
