Rochester: a City of Quality, copyright 1963. “Sponsored by the Rochester Gas and Electric Corporation As a Public Service To The Community.”
May 262010
May 212010
Before I begin posting more photographs of family, I thought it would be nice to give a little background history of who you will be looking at. First my father’s side…
My paternal grandfather immigrated to the United States from Germany in 1926. He was sponsored by Zweigle Brothers and worked for them for several years. In 1940 he bought a home on Garfield Street in the city of Rochester. Our family lived 3 generations in that house.
My paternal grandmother is descended from Palatine Germans who immigrated to America in the early 18th Century. They settled on the Robert Livingston Manor near present day Albany, New York and later moved to Rensselaerwyck, New York. Eventually they settled in the Penn Yan area and then Rochester in the early 20th century.
Any more detail than that and I suspect your eyes will glaze over, so I will just tell the rest of the story a little at a time with photographs.
butchers, zweigel bros., c.1930
Butchers, Zweigel Bros., c.1930
Zwigel Brothers was located at 214 Joseph Avenue. This photo was most likely taken at 212 Joseph Avenue. My grandfather is standing second from left.
May 122010
These photographs show the installation of a pool at a house on Council Rock Avenue in Brighton, New York. According to the 1954 city directory the family was named Kroll. The house is believed to have been designed by architect Don Hershey.
whiting collection, no.219
whiting collection, no.221
whiting collection, no.224
whiting collection, no.226
whiting collection, no.228
whiting collection, no.230
whiting collection, no.235
whiting collection, no.239
May 122010
Taken from Bausch Park looking towards the intersection of Martin Street and Sheridan Street (now Upper Falls Boulevard). Coca-Cola Bottling of Rochester is now on that site. This photograph shows my father, his sister and older brother and was most likely taken on a visit to his grandparents who lived on St. Paul Street near Clifford Avenue. He says he remembers when this photo was taken and wishes it was in color because the tulips are in full bloom. He recalls the camera was a twin lens reflex that shot 127 film, but is not sure who shot the photograph. We do not think it was his mother because it’s in focus and the subject is composed properly! Perhaps it was his grandfather…
My father has a life long love of photography, so even though he is young in this photo I do not doubt the memory. I guess this acorn didn’t fall far from that tree!
henry lomb memorial, c.1949
Captain Henry Lomb (1828-1908) was an investor in John Jacob Bausch’s optical shop and eventually a founder of Bausch & Lomb. In 1885 he founded the Mechanics Institute, which eventually became RIT. The art deco monument was designed by Lewis J. Brew and Walter Cassebeer. Erected in 1930, it is made of black granite and stands 48 feet tall.
May 112010
I cannot begin to express how sick I feel when negatives and photographs get thrown away. I kind of understand why they do…storage, anonymity, or just a plain lack of interest. But if you are anything like me you feel a need to save every last one. That is how I came upon these incredible photographs. And after considerable organizing, research and the at the request of many people, especially Cynthia at the The Landmark Society, I am now sharing them with the entire community.
whiting collection, no.235
To learn more about this collection, go to the Whiting Collection page. To see a sample of the incredible photographs in this collection go to the Council Rock Avenue gallery.
