Rochester, New York, is New York State's fourth largest city, with a population of about 211,000. It was the birthplace of a number of businesses known worldwide, including Eastman Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch and Lomb.
A number of famous people made Rochester their home, including social reformer, writer, newspaper publisher, and abolitionist Frederick Douglass (who started his life in slavery) and abolitionist, women's rights activist and suffragist (including an arrest for daring to vote in a Presidential election) Susan B. Anthony.
Yes, I've blogged about Rochester for Blogging from A to Z before, but this city deserves another mention.
Today, I want to take you to two parts of Rochester - the historic East End and one of the United States' first public arboretums, Highland Park.
The historic Little Theatre, which opened in October of 1921, and, today, shows indie and other movies.
I now have an ID on this East End building I featured in my "K" A to Z post, thanks to Tom at Tom the Backroads Traveler: "The Hiram Sibley Building was built in 1925 at the corner of East Avenue and Alexander Street in Rochester, New York. It was named in his honor by his son Hiram Watson Sibley, and designed by Shepley, Bulfinch and Abbott of Boston." (Hiram Sibley, among other things, was a founder of, and first president of, Western Union. Are any of my readers old enough to remember telegrams?)
Let's move to Highland Park. These pictures were taken April 9.
However, here is a picture I took inside in 2016.
The glacial terrain of Highland Park makes for beautiful hills and valleys. Rochester, like many other places, is ahead of what should be blooming at this time of year.
Weeping cherry.
Highland Park is known for its Lilac Festival each May. I wouldn't be surprised if they have lilacs in bloom before the end of the month. In fact, for April Fools Day, they posted on social media that their lilacs were in full bloom. I hope they didn't trick anyone out of the area!
Hopefully, I'll see their lilacs in bloom one day. I think I was last there for the lilacs nearly 30 years ago.
"R" day at the Blogging from A to Z Challenge. My theme Gardens, History, Art and The Unexpected.
...the ceramic mosaic murals on the East End garage are fabulous too.
ReplyDeleteI am old enough to remember the concept of telegrams, but never knew anyone who got or sent one. A lilac festival must smell wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIt's very different to the Rochester I grew up in, in Kent, England!
ReplyDeleteOh, the conservatory does look like a great visit. Looks like a fun day traipsing around. And some blue sky!
ReplyDeleteCute place.
ReplyDeleteHIghland Park looks gorgeous! I'll have to interest my sisters in taking a drive there next time I am in Syracuse.
ReplyDeleteA very interesting city.
ReplyDeleteRochester sounds like a nice city that deserves more than one A to Z post. Besides, as we get to the last letters it gets harder to come up with the post titles for some reason.
ReplyDeleteI love weeping cherries very much
ReplyDeletethecontemplativecat here. Lovely spots. Would love to visit the conservatory !
ReplyDeleteThanks for all the lovely info and pics about Rochester. I knew Frederick Douglas was from Rochester, but I had no idea that Susan B. Anthony was quartered there. Np, she couldn't have been quartered there she was on a dollar, not a quarter.
ReplyDeleteI haven't Bern to Rochester in years. The famous silent screen vixen, and lover of Proust, Louise Brooks lived in Rochester. This city is home to the best silent film archive and preservation places in the country and one of the best in the world!
ReplyDeleteI grew up in New England and moved to Florida for many years right out of high school. Fast forward to my mid 40s and a new marriage. My husband was from Irondequoit and we moved to W. Henrietta. I fell in love with the history of the city - so very different from everything I experienced in Florida.
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