As I sat at my computer a week ago, looking out the window I watched a light snow fall - "snow showers" are what they call them in WNY. We had a good 6-8" fall with much more expected. As I wondered if I could get out of my driveway, I mused on winter travel during Elbert Hubbard’s day. In this photo dated winter 1910, Elbert is on his mare, Garnet, and holding the reins of her colt, Asbestos. The photo is courtesy of Kitty Turgeon from the book Images of America, The Roycroft Campus by Robert Rust & Kitty Turgeon, Arcadia Publishing. Elbert's daughter, Miriam, recalled in an interview with Ellen Taussig for the Buffalo Evening News (Nov. 8, 1969) that "every day from 4:00 to 4:30 he rode horseback; if it was slippery he'd walk." She went on to say that Elbert "thought that an association with, and establishing a rapport with animals was probably as civilizing an influence as we have."
Knowing how severe winters can be in WNY I would guess early automobiles were put away for the winter and riding horseback, or in sleighs and trains were the preferred winter modes of travel. My mother remembers taking the sleigh to school in town from her family farm. During the winter, the girls would stay in town doing house chores for their room and board during the week and only go home on weekends. The boys would stable the horse and sleigh near school and go home every night to help with barn chores.
I know from my own experience that horses can handle blizzard deep snow. One February in New York City a friend and I had made arrangements to go on a horseback tour of Prospect Park in Brooklyn with a Park Ranger. The day before the ride, there was a blizzard that blanketed the entire city in several feet of snow. No streets were plowed and cars weren’t even visible - just giant mounds of snow parked along the streets. Snow was up to my waist but it was light and dry so it was fairly easy to get through. We called the Ranger Station and they said the tour was still on. It was beautiful. In some places the snow was up to the horses’ bellies and we were gliding along on their backs above it all. It was so quiet everywhere with the city entirely silenced by the absence of traffic. It was perfectly magical.
Nowdays I go out and walk the drive to see if it needs plowing or if my new snow tires will be able to handle it. Not quite so magical, but I don’t have to muck out a stall for my car. Travel safely out there as you go over the river and through the woods this winter.
- Sue
Looking for somewhere to go for your summer vacation? East Aurora, NY is the place to be! Whether it's in your own backyard or across the country, The Roycroft Campus is bustling with activities to keep everyone busy this summer. 
