City history
Tracing the journey of Rochester from a strategic Genesee River settlement to a global center of photographic innovation and industrial excellence.
Chapter one
Earliest documented name
"Great River"
Before European settlement, the region was part of the ancestral territory of the Seneca people, who utilized the river for travel and sustenance.
Named after Nathaniel Rochester
The settlement was established by Nathaniel Rochester, who recognized the potential of the Genesee River's water power.
Chapter two
Rochester transitioned from local solar time to the standardized Eastern Time zone following the national adoption of railroad standard time.
Following the Uniform Daylight Saving Time Act, the city stabilized its annual transitions between standard and daylight saving time.
Chapter three
Nathaniel Rochester arrived at the Genesee River, establishing the foundation for what would become a major American industrial center.
Rochester was officially incorporated as a city, marking its transition from a village to a significant regional economic hub.
George Eastman founded the Eastman Kodak Company, transforming Rochester into the global capital of photographic technology.