🏛️ Rochester

🏛️ Rochester is Far More Than Just a Toy Museum Came to Rochester, New York for the Strong Museum of Play, and as soon as I entered the city, I could feel—this place was once rich! 💰✨ Did some research online and drove around, and it’s clear this was truly a city of “past glory.” The famous headquarters of Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch + Lomb were all here. Though these companies aren’t what they once were, their investments made Rochester a hub for American optics and imaging research. Its university medical schools and research centers remain world-class🔬; Now with a population of about 200k—only slightly more than our “Slip Village”—but this place actually once had a subway! 🚇 Back when New York State built the Erie Canal running through downtown, a grand all-stone aqueduct was constructed where it met a natural river (impressive +1). Later, when the downtown canal section couldn’t handle shipping needs, it was rerouted outside the city, and the aqueduct was abandoned; Years later, as the city’s population boomed, the city government decided: build a subway! The abandoned aqueduct was ready-made, no land acquisition needed—just convert it into a subway (ambition +1). But then cars became popular, no one rode the subway, and it eventually shut down. A road was paved over it, and the underground part was left abandoned, now a graffiti-covered spot with quite a few homeless people—I didn’t dare go in😅; Strong Museum—we stayed at the Hampton Inn right across the street and walked over; University of Rochester Library; Downtown Genesee River scenery, with a sculpture commemorating a meeting between a local Black leader and Lincoln; Downtown High Falls Terrace Park is a must-visit! The city’s 200+ years of history started with these falls, where people settled and built water-powered mills. The tower-like building in the background is the former Kodak office🏢; Former department stores, the Trust Company building with wings on its roof… you can tell this place was once packed with people and money; Downtown Liberty Pole, where a burned-down church left only its bell tower, now a historic landmark. A truly fascinating city—a faded aristocracy, but with education and talent, it can gradually regain its vitality 📚💪. Food: White Swan, not far from the museum, is pretty good 🍽️. #Rochesterny#NewYorkState#UrbanExploration#HistoricalTraces#StrongMuseum#Rochester