Here is a neat view I came across while rummaging around in the Local History Department at the Rochester Public Library. The image is of State Street with downtown Rochester in the background, taken from one of the top floors of Kodak tower…
Posts Tagged ‘old photos of Rochester NY’...

View of Downtown Rochester from Kodak Tower
Tuesday, November 17th, 2015Tags: downtown Rochester, Granite Building, history of Rochester, Hotel Seneca, Kodak Tower, Lincoln Alliance Building, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester Chamber of Commerce, Rochester NY, Sibley Building, Sibley's, Sibley's Department Store, State Street
Posted in Architecture, Rochester History, Rochester Images | 10 Comments »

Remembering the Old Rochester Monroe County Airport and Murals
Sunday, August 23rd, 2015I received an email last week from George Conboy, Chairman of Brighton Securities. He asks, “Have you seen anywhere a photo of the transportation mural that was behind the long ticket counter at the old airport? I remember it as a vaguely Art Deco theme of general transportation with an emphasis, of course, on air transport.”
Mr. Conboy explained that he used to fly a lot during the “glory days” of air travel back in the 1960s when he was a kid. “I just liked that old mural. I used to see it all the time and it has always been in my mind.”
This is a great question. I had been told of this mural before but have never seen it myself. Photos of it online are practically non-existent, so this one will require some digging…
Tags: airport, art, Art Deco, Brighton Securities, George Conboy, Greater Rochester International Airport, history of Rochester, infrastructure, Monroe County Airport, mural, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, rochester photos, transportation
Posted in Architecture, Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure | 18 Comments »

2015 Swimsuit Edition
Thursday, June 25th, 2015School’s out, Sea Breeze is open, and summer is officially in full swing. But before you head out to the beaches this weekend, take note of the latest trends in swimwear. You don’t want to be caught looking silly wearing last year’s style.
For 2015, that vintage look is back, and we’ve dug up some real classics – from Rochester’s old natatoriums to the shores of Lake Ontario…
Tags: Charlotte Beach, Durand Beach, Durand Eastman Beach, Lake Ontario, natatorium, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Ontario Beach, Ontario Beach Park, Rochester, Rochester NY, South Avenue Natatorium, swimsuits, vintage bathing suits, vintage clothing, vintage fashion, vintage swimsuits, vintage swimwear
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Images | No Comments »

Powers Building, Main & State Streets, 1968
Friday, February 28th, 2014
Check out this great photo of the Powers Building from 1968. Notice the workmen up on the ledge of the Mansard roof. Down at street level a shiny new, streamlined façade as been awkwardly forced on top of this 1869 building…
Tags: Crossroads Building, downtown Rochester, Elwood Building, First National Bank, Four Corners, Fun Foto Friday, Main Street, Main Street Four Corners, Monroe County Savings Bank, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Powers Building, Powers Hotel, Rochester, Rochester NY, State Street
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Development | 8 Comments »

Historic Rochester in 3D Stereoscope
Monday, November 25th, 2013
From the 1850’s to the 1930’s stereograms were considered cutting edge home entertainment technology. Two photos taken at the same time from slightly different angles would be view together using a special set of lenses called a stereoscope. The result would be an ever so subtle (yet mind-tingling) simulated 3D view…
Tags: Academy Building, Athenaeum Library, Chapin's monument, CJ Hayden monument, High Falls, Lake Avenue, Lower Falls, Monroe County Court House, Mount Hope Cemetery, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Pitkin monument, Pitkin vault, Powers Building, Rochester, Rochester City Hall, Rochester Free Academy, Rochester NY, Sibley Building, Sibley's, Sibley's Department Store, Sibly Lindsay & Curr Co., stereogram, stereoscope, stereoscopic views, vintage views, West Main Street
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 5 Comments »

What Is This Strange Water Feature?
Friday, September 27th, 2013
Last week a reader, Michael Krauklis, sent me this picture and asked two perplexing questions. Michael said, “I’ve worked downtown just next to the Broad Street bridge for 11 years now, and the entire time there has been a strange feature in the river just south of the bridge . Upon first glance it appears to be a spring, in the middle of the river, but with further inspection one can see the carcass of an old abandoned structure surrounding it… What was the original purpose of this and where is the water is coming from?”
I have seen these strange concrete triangles in the river myself, and I know there are more than one of them. But I had never noticed the spring water bubbling up! In either case, I had no good answer for Michael. So, I started digging. Here’s what I found out…
Tags: artesian spring, artesian well, Bill Chaisson, Broad Street, cofferdam, Court Street dam, downtown Rochester, Genesee River, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Pat Welch, Rochester, Rochester NY, Tom Hack
Posted in Rochester History, Transit + Infrastructure, Urban Exploration, Video | 21 Comments »

Historic Brighton Village
Monday, February 25th, 2013
This weekend, Wegmans closed their current East Avenue store so they could transition into their new, larger building . The new store replaces a historic area that was once the center of Brighton in the 19th century. The old Village of Brighton was served by the Erie Canal (now I-490). The canal was rerouted in the early 20th century and the entire area was annexed to the City of Rochester in 1905…
Tags: Andy Olenick, architecture, Brighton Branch of the Rochester Public Library, Brighton School No. 2, Brighton Village, Cyrus Oriental Rugs, demolition, East Avenue, East Avenue Wegmans, Fountain Bleu Coiffures, history of Rochester, Kate Lays, Kate Lotz, Martin Brewer Anderson School No. 1, Old Brighton Antiques, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, rochester photos, Safelink Supply, Upstate New York Alarm, Wegman's, William Billinghurst, Winton Road
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images, Urban Development | 18 Comments »

Meet the Babcocks: A Typical American War Worker’s Family
Sunday, January 27th, 2013
Yesterday, the archival photo blog, Shorpy , shared a great photo of the Babcock family from Rochester NY. The image is one of a collection of 38 photographs
by Ralph Amdursky for the U.S. Office of War Information. The series shows how the Babcocks, a “typical American war worker’s family,” lived in 1943 during the height of WWII…
Tags: Babcock, Babcock family, history of Rochester, Library of Congress, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester history, Shorpy.com, U.S. Office of War Information, World War II, WWII
Posted in Art + Culture, Rochester History, Rochester Images | 12 Comments »

West Main Street. c1908?
Friday, January 11th, 2013
Here’s one heck of a photo – Rochester’s Main Street around the turn of the last century. It was snapped from a fire escape at 102 W. Main, near the corner of N. Plymouth Avenue, looking east. Make sure you click on the image and zoom all the way in for all the incredible detail. Across the street you’ll notice some pretty major landmarks. The most obvious one being Hotel Rochester on the far right…
Tags: C.B. Woodworth, Detroit Publishing Co., downtown Rochester, Henry Searle, history of Rochester, Hotel Rochester, Main Street, National Theater, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Plymouth Theatre, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rochester Savings Bank
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 17 Comments »

Proof, Santa Is Real
Wednesday, December 19th, 2012
It’s December 24, 1914, and two fashionably dressed little girls have Santa Claus cornered at the entrance to a downtown Rochester department store. And they are absolutely spellbound. Be sure to click on this image for a closer look. If this is not the definition of the holidays I don’t know what is. I like to imagine what the girls were saying at this moment; “Hey shouldn’t you be at the North Pole making our toys?! … Can we swing from your beard? … You know, you don’t look nearly as fat in real life, Santa.”
Yes, I am forever grateful to you, Mr. Photographer, for capturing this moment in time. A moment which would have otherwise been lost somewhere in the ether, has been wrapped up and handed to us with a great big bow. Yes, Virginia, Santa is real. Oh, and if you’re wondering where exactly this conversation with Santa took place…
Tags: downtown Rochester, Duffy-McInnerney Department Store, Duffy-Powers Department Store, Fitzhugh Street, Main Street, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), Rochester NY, Santa
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 6 Comments »

B. Forman Co.
Wednesday, December 5th, 2012
For the past few days we’ve been doing some holiday window shopping at the old Sibley’s and McCurdy’s department stores. “But, WAIT! What about B. Forman’s?…” you say? Well, I searched around a bit, and though I wasn’t able to find many photos of window displays from B. Forman Co., fear not… I’ve got something you might like. Newspaper ads from December 18 – December 25, 1929! Don’t say I never gave you anything…
Tags: ad, B. Foreman Co. Department Store, Christmas, Clinton Ave, Clinton Avenue, Democrat & Chronicle, Democrat and Chronicle, downtown Rochester, holidays, McCurdy & Co., old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Sibly Lindsay & Curr Co.
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 6 Comments »

Window Shopping at McCurdy & Co.
Tuesday, December 4th, 2012
Do you remember window shopping at the big downtown department stores? Freezing cold holiday shoppers all pressed up against the plate glass like moths to a porch light. Dreams of sugar plums and reindeer and presents under the tree were fueled by these sparkling menageries of the latest and greatest stuff. The displays themselves were an art form; and drawing people in off the street was the ultimate goal. In all but our largest metros, scenes like these have been lost as retailers gradually moved to suburban malls. Yesterday we went window shopping at the old Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co. department store. Today let’s browse a series of pictures (also from the Rochester Public Library) documenting some of the windows at McCurdy & Co. department store in downtown Rochester more than 70 years ago…
Tags: Christmas, downtown Rochester, Elm Street, Empire Theater, holiday windows, holidays, John Cooke McCurdy, Main Street, May Department Stores, McCurdy & Co., McCurdy & Co. Department Store, McCurdy and Robinson, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester history, Rochester NY, window shopping
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 3 Comments »

Window Shopping at Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co.
Saturday, December 1st, 2012
Do you remember window shopping at the big downtown department stores? Freezing cold holiday shoppers all pressed up against the plate glass like moths to a porch light. Dreams of sugar plums and reindeer and presents under the tree were fueled by these sparkling menageries of the latest and greatest stuff. The displays themselves were an art form; and pulling people in off the street was the ultimate goal. In all but our largest metros, scenes like these have been lost as retailers gradually moved to suburban malls. This series of pictures from the Rochester Public Library documents some of the windows at Sibley, Lindsay and Curr Co. department store in downtown Rochester more than 70 years ago…
Tags: Alexander M. Lindsay, Christmas, downtown Rochester, Empire Theater, holiday windows, holidays, John Curr, Main Street, May Department Stores, old photos, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Osburn House, Rochester history, Rochester NY, Rufus Sibley, Sibley Building, Sibley's, Sibley's Department Store, Sibly Lindsay & Curr Co., window shopping
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 13 Comments »

Rochester’s Rundel Library on Ghost Hunters: ‘Due Date with Death’
Monday, November 26th, 2012
This Wednesday night, SyFy Channel will air a new episode of Ghost Hunters featuring Rochester’s Rundel Library (and possibly the subway tunnel). Sally Snow, Assistant Director at Monroe County Library, says the show approached them initially about the abandoned Rochester subway. “As scary as the subway is, the library is where the real haunting action is,” Snow said. “All I can say is that they found stuff, for sure. I can’t say what until the show airs.”
The Ghost Hunters team spent two full nights investigating the tunnels and the Rundel building. Sally says she’s never experienced paranormal activity in the library first hand, but she has seen security camera footage of a door opening and closing by itself. “This is a door that usually requires a really good tug to get it open. It’s very strange.”
Now personally, I’m not saying I believe in this stuff, but here’s the story of one mysterious death which occurred on this very spot in 1902…
Tags: Court Street, Democrat & Chronicle, Democrat and Chronicle, Erie Canal, Erie Canal Aqueduct, Erie Canal Path, Erie Canal towpath, Ghost Hunters, ghost subway, haunted subway tunnel, Johnson Seymour Mill Race, Laura Young, Monroe Avenue, murder, mystery, O.W. Stanley Cafe, old photos of Rochester, old photos of Rochester NY, Rochester Public Library, Rundel Library, Sally Snow, spirits, SyFy Channel
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester News | 5 Comments »

Never Before Seen Photos of RKO Palace Theater
Sunday, October 7th, 2012
A few weeks after we discovered the RKO Palace Theater floor at the site of RGRTA’s future transit center, Russ Shaner, president of the Rochester Theater Organ Society contacted me. These were the guys who saved the old Wurlitzer pipe organ from the RKO Palace before the building was demolished. And as it turns out, one of their founding members, D.O. Schultz, captured a treasure trove of photographs and left them with the Organ Society before he moved to Florida years ago. Russ asked RochesterSubway.com for help, both archiving the photos, and sharing them with you, the public. Yesterday you saw part 1, and now, here is part 2 of this awesome collection…
Tags: Clinton Avenue, demolition, downtown Rochester, Mortimer Street, old photos, old photos of Rochester NY, RKO Palace Theater, Rochester, Rochester history, Rochester Theater Organ Society, Russ Shaner, Saint Paul Street
Posted in Rochester History, Rochester Images | 16 Comments »
