Gonechester

Category: Genesee River

Ellwanger’s Æolian Harp

In the late 19th century, an old fascination was trending once again: the Æolian harp. Constructed of wood, metal, and strings of brass or gut, these musical instruments were designed specifically to be played by the wind. For those wealthy men whose large houses were often topped with turrets and ornamented with weathervanes and lightning…

July 1, 2026

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Buildings, Genesee River, Mt. Hope Cemetery, Musicians, Nurserymen
Snow Removal

If you’re a Rochesterian, there is one crucial aspect without which no picture of daily life is fully rendered; a familiar and frustrating piece of the Rochester experience that can’t be left aside. I’m speaking, naturally, of snow and its removal, which you may have gleaned from the title. Rochester has long been gifted with…

December 26, 2025

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Blizzards, Bridges, Downtown, Genesee River, Horses, People, Railroads, Snow Removal, Streetcars, Streets
Recesses of Rochester

Before restaurants were really called “restaurants”, there were still places to have a sit-down and some refreshments. During the early-to-mid 19th century, a type of establishment known as a “Recess” was prevalent throughout Rochester. Son of the old tavern, father of the saloon, the recess was a cozy nook of decorative hardwood and brass, easily…

July 3, 2025

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Buildings, Businesses, Disasters, Downtown, Erie Canal, Flood, Genesee River, Landmarks, People, Restaurants, Signs, Waterways
The Main Street Bridge

So I try to keep my topics a little more on the esoteric side; if it seems like something most people have already heard about, why bother going into it at length? But sometimes I stray towards a more well-known subject if it follows one rule: the Rule of Cool. One thing I find cool…

May 27, 2024

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Bridges, Buildings, Businesses, Disasters, Events, Fire, Genesee River, Landmarks, People, Signs, Streetcars, Streets, Waterways
From Weighlock to Skatepark

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…

June 27, 2023

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Bridges, Buildings, Crime, Erie Canal, Events, Genesee River, Highways, Landmarks, Museums, People, Railroads, Streets, Waterways
Patrick Welch, Diver

While I was researching another topic, I came across these photos of a diver in old-school diving gear working in the Genesee river. There were only two photos in the collection, but my curiosity was piqued! I wanted to know more! So I did a bit of a deep dive on this guy–pun intended! Haha!…

June 20, 2023

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Bridges, Disasters, Genesee River, People, Streets, Waterways