Category: Landmarks
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While meandering through archived issues of the Democrat & Chronicle searching for some bit of trivia or another, I happened upon this 1983 story regarding the Beechwood neighborhood. A minor jog in the path of Melville Street where it meets Berwyn Street is described therein as a sort of delineation between part of the street…
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Something has always fascinated me about buried waterways. Perhaps it’s the idea that the persistent flow of water over millennia–long enough to carve deep gorges in the landscape–could be stymied in such short order by human action. Perhaps it’s because even human action doesn’t seem like enough to stop the flow of even the most…
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At 5’ 2” tall and about 115 pounds, Frederick S. Smith may have been a small man, but he was brave, tough, and cocky. You had to be in his line of work, for Fred Smith was one of those adventuresome janitors of the heights: the steeplejack. Known as The Human Fly–especially to himself–it was…
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Few sights are more familiar to the Rochesterian than the Liberty Pole. A central spot of celebration and of protest, people have loved and hated this iconic structure since it was erected in 1965. However, this famous Liberty Pole was not the first liberty pole to stand on this spot. Apparently it’s the third, albeit…
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When Rochester was first a young settlement, its citizens relied on a number of springs for their fresh water needs. One of the most important early springs was located within the original 100-Acre tract, the area which was destined to become the bustling heart of Rochester. For many years, the spring was enjoyed by local…
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This is the story of one small area’s evolution. A busy riverfront of the Genesee, where river met canal met mill race. Eventually added to the mix subways, and railroads, and highways… It was a busy and ever-evolving area, suffice to say. The weighlock was located on the east side of the Genesee River, alongside…