Rochester's 19th Ward

Rochesteras 19th Ward portrays one of the cityas largest residential neighborhoods. The initial settlement, predating Rochester itself, was called Castle Town. It emerged around 1800 along the Genesee River, where boatmen poled flat-bottomed boats along a stretch of turbulence in the river known as the Rapids. Out of this desolate community developed a streetcar suburb, an elegant and vibrant neighborhood, designed for the modern 20th-century family. Fine homes, churches, shops, schools, and industries arose between 1900 and 1930, and the 19th Ward quickly became a prestigious address for doctors, professors, and skilled laborers.

Twin brothers Michael and Glenn Leavy, who grew up in the 19th Ward, delve deep into its rich history, capturing the glory of its heritage, its decline through social changes, and its reemergence through community activism. In this first comprehensive pictorial history of the neighborhood comes not only fascinating scholarship but also the clanging of the Thurston trolley, the aromas of Louie's Sweet Shop, the chiming from St. Augustine's soaring bell tower, and the thrill of carnivals at Genesee Valley Park. Using over 200 rare images, Rochester's 19th Ward weaves history and social struggles into a lush chronicle that speaks to the neighborhood's deep-rooted goodness--a goodness based foremost on love of family.