Murder & Mayhem in Mendon and Honeoye Falls

The notorious history of two nineteenth-century hamlets in western New York, famous for an era of bustling commerce—and criminality.

The Town of Mendon and the Village of Honeoye Falls are today quiet western New York suburbs, but they weren't always so idyllic. In years past, the village was a center of commerce, manufacturing and railroads, and by the mid-nineteenth century, this prosperity brought with it an element of mayhem. Horse stealing was commonplace. Saloons and taverns were abundant. Street scuffles and barroom brawls were regular, especially on Saturday nights, after the laborers were paid. By Sunday morning, numerous drunks—like Manley Locke, who would eventually go on to kill another man in a fight—were confined to the lockup in the village hall. It was at this time that the Village of Honeoye Falls earned the name “Murderville.” As the town and village turn two hundred, join local historians Diane Ham and Lynne Menz as they explore the peaceful region’s vicious history.

Includes photos!