LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 175th Anniversary of the City
of Rochester, New York

WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize events of
significance which exemplify the history and development of the State of
New York; and
WHEREAS, Each and every city, town, village and hamlet within its
borders proudly resonates with the rich and noble history of the State
of New York; and
WHEREAS, It is the sense of this Legislative Body to recognize and
commemorate the anniversaries of the founding of municipalities through-
out the State, noting in turn their contributions to the fabric and
progression of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its long-
standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to commem-
orate the 175th Anniversary of the chartering of the City of Rochester,
New York; and
WHEREAS, On November 8, 1803, a 100 acre tract in Western New York
along the Genesee River was purchased by Colonel Nathaniel Rochester,
Major Charles Carroll, and Colonel William Fitzhugh, all of Hagerstown,
Maryland; the site was chosen because of three cataracts on the Genesee,
offering great potential for water power; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in 1811, and with a population of 15, the three
founders of Rochester surveyed the land and laid out streets and tracts;
in 1817, the Brown brothers and other landowners joined their lands with
the Hundred Acre Tract to form the village of Rochesterville; and
WHEREAS, The War of 1812 halted trade with Canada but when peace
returned, the settlement that would become the City of Rochester had 331
residents; by 1817 Rochesterville encompassed 655 acres and obtained a
village charter by an act that passed on March 21, 1817; by 1821, it had
increased its area to 1,239 acres and its population to 2,700; and
WHEREAS, Construction of the Erie Canal began in the region in 1817
and, with its successful completion, Rochesterville became one of Ameri-
ca's first "boom towns"; by 1823, the Erie Canal aqueduct over the Gene-
see River was complete and the Canal east to the Hudson River was
opened; the Village of Rochesterville then became known as Rochester;
and
WHEREAS, First known as "The Young Lion of the West," and then the
"Flour City," by 1830 Rochester's population had increased to 9,200; and
WHEREAS, On April 28, 1834, Rochester's leaders secured passage of a
modified charter that safeguarded local autonomy and it assumed the
status of a city; Jonathan Child, son-in-law of original founder, Colo-
nel Nathaniel Rochester, became the city's first mayor; the population
at the time was 12,252; and
WHEREAS, By the 1840s, nurseries developed by George Ellwanger and
Patrick Barry, and other skilled nurserymen transformed Rochester from
the Flour City into the Flower City; and
WHEREAS, At the end of the 19th century, George Eastman perfected
dry-plate photography, produced a simple camera for amateur use, and
invented a flexible film -- the three basic ingredients for a new indus-
try that launched Rochester on a fresh era of expansion, culminating in
the phenomenal success of the Eastman Kodak Company; the city became
famously known as "The World's Image Centre"; and
WHEREAS, In the early 20th century, Rochester also became a center of
the garment industry; in addition, it was home to the pioneer automobile
company, Cunningham, whose "early cars" were produced by carriage maker,
James Cunningham and Sons; and

WHEREAS, The Rochester metropolitan area is the second largest economy
in New York State, behind the New York City metropolitan area; its popu-
lation is approximately 207,000, making it New York's third largest
city; and
WHEREAS, The motto of Rochester is "Made for Living"; it was ranked
sixth among 379 U.S. Metro areas in the 25th edition of the PLACES RATED
ALMANAC for Most Livable Cities; also in 2007, the city was ranked as
the top city in the country by EXPANSION MANAGEMENT MAGAZINE for quality
of life; EXPANSION MANAGEMENT has also rated the region's public schools
sixth best nationwide among metropolitan areas of a million people or
more; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of the rich history and enduring contribution
of the City of Rochester to the heritage of the State of New York, it is
the intent of this Legislative Body to join in the celebration of the
175th Anniversary of the incorporation of the city so that present and
future generations may come to appreciate the unique significance which
its history plays in the progression of our State and Nation's evolu-
tion; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 175th Anniversary of the chartering of the City of
Rochester, New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to Robert J. Duffy, Mayor of the City of Rochester, New York.