|
information provided by Landmark Society of Western New York
The Birch Crescent Historic District consists of thirty-seven residential properties located in Rochester's Northeast Quadrant in the East Main/University Neighborhood. The residences are situated on both sides of the one block street called Birch Crescent, which extends from Goodman Street North to Main street East.
Built between 1890 and 1910, properties being large scale two-and-one-half story residential structures of frame construction with clapboard and wood shingle siding. The structures exhibit characteristics associated with vernacular interpretations of popular late nineteenth or early twentieth century American architectural styles.
The district reflects Rochester's strongest period of residential growth between 1890 and 1920. The East Main/University Neighborhood was first settled densely during the mid-ninetieth century when the 100 acres farm of Azariah Boody was subdivided for residential and commercial development.
The area known today as the East Main/University Neighborhood was first settled in the early nineteenth century as part of the Town of Brighton. The area remained open land throughout most of the first half of the nineteenth century. Azariah Boody acquired 100 acres of land in 1842 and 1850 and established a farm. In 1850, the City of Rochester annexed most of the East Main/University area including Boody's farm.
Azariah Boody was best known as a major railroad investor and was involved with several Western New York Lines including the Genesee Valley Railroad and the Rochester Lockport and Niagara Falls railroad. He was responsible for the consolidation of many smaller lines into the New York Central Railroad system.
In 1851, Boody sold eight and one-third acres between New Main Street (East Main Street) and Goodman Street to James Vick; the Birch Crescent Subdivision was later established on this acreage.
The Prince-Alexander-Champeney-Kenilworth Historic District located in Rochester's Northeast Quadrant in the Marketview Heights Neighborhood along Alexander Street was built between 1888 and 1920. The properties are exclusively medium to large-scale, two-and-one-half-story residential structures of frame construction with clapboard and wood shingle siding. The properties exhibit qualities associated with vernacular interpretations of the Queen Anne and Colonial Revival styles with detailing associated with vernacular Shingle Style and Prairie Style architecture. The district reflects Rochester's strongest period of residential growth, which occurred between 1890 and 1920. The enclave represents the residential development ventures of the Estate of Hiram Sibley which were executed by the famous real estate mogul's son and son-in-law, Hiram W. Sibley and Hobart F. Atkinson.
The area known as Marketview Heights was first settled in the mid-nineteenth century by Irish immigrants who left Ireland during the potato famine. The streets of Marketview Heights became associated with working-class immigrant families. The neighborhood was also impacted with the New York Central Railroad which bisects the southern third of the neighborhood. However, it was from the Rochester Public Market, which moved to the former site of the Mopulson Nursery along Union Street North in 1907, that the Marketview Heights neighborhood got its name.
The Sibley & Atkinson Subdivision, along with the Birch Crescent Subdivision located between Main Street east and Goodman Street, were established as part of this residential growth. The construction of homes during this period was often preceded by the establishment of public services and private institutions. Horse-car trolley lines extended East on Main Street to Goodman Street North by the 1880's. In 1888, Corpus Christi Church was established on the north side of Main Street East.
|
|
|
|
|
|
