Rochester is Far More Than Just a Toy Museum 🏛️🔍

I came to Rochester, NY for the Strong Museum of Play 🧸 — but as soon as I entered the city, I could tell: this place was once rich! A quick search and a drive around confirmed it—Rochester was once blooming with prosperity. 🌆✨ Home to giants like Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch + Lomb 📸🖨️👁️, whose legacies, though faded, turned Rochester into a hub for optics, imaging, and world-class medical and university research. With a population of just 200,000 (not much larger than my hometown!), Rochester surprisingly once had a subway! 🚇 Here’s how: The Erie Canal 🏞️ originally ran through downtown. A stunning all-stone aqueduct was built where it met the Genessee River. When the canal was rerouted, the aqueduct was abandoned. Later, the city turned it into a subway—no land acquisition needed! (Ambitious? Absolutely ✅) But as cars took over 🚗, the subway declined. Eventually, a road was built on top, and the tunnels below were left abandoned—now a graffiti-covered site (and honestly, a bit too sketchy to explore 🚷). We stayed at Hampton Inn right across from the Strong Museum—super walkable 🚶‍♀️✅ Also visited: The beautiful University of Rochester Library 📚 Downtown Genessee Riverfront with its sculpture of a local Black leader meeting Lincoln 🗿 High Falls Terrace Park 🌊 — where the city began 200+ years ago, powered by water mills. The Kodak Tower stands tall in the skyline. Historic buildings like the former department store and the winged-trust company building 🕊️🏦 — signs of a wealthy past. The Liberty Pole and the clock tower of a burned-down church ⛪🔥 — now a historic landmark. Rochester feels like faded nobility—but with strong education and talent, it’s slowly reviving 🌱🧠. Food tip: Don’t miss White Swan 🍜—a delicious Chinese restaurant near the museum! #RochesterNY #NewYorkState #HiddenGems #UrbanHistory #TravelUSA #IndustrialLegacy #Kodak