Rochester owes much
of its development and prosperity to the GeneseeRiver, which cuts a path right down
the center of the city. In the early days, many of the neighborhoods in the
city, as well as suburban villages, began as small settlements that depended on
the river to receive and sell goods. Certain types of businesses and residents
were attracted to either the east or west side of the river. Charlotte
and the area around the Maplewood
neighborhood on the west side were among the area’s first thriving communities.
In the early
1800s, the well-to-do lived in Corn Hill, another western community. It wasn’t
until the latter half of the 1800s that the city began to stretch into the
northeastern side of town. East Avenue
may have been Rochester’s first
prominent suburb, since it was considered away from downtown at the time. That
trend continued into the 1900s, with wealthier suburbs and professional jobs
forming on the eastside, and manufacturing and light industry work like Kodak
to the west.
To this day, an
eastside vs. westside vibe persists. As one westsider puts it:
“It’s a class
thing, plain and simple, like the Sharks and the Jets. Oh sure, the eastsiders will deny it to our faces, but as soon as we
leave the room, it’s ‘beer and chicken wings this’ and ‘NASCAR’ that. And for
our part, we tend to view them as upper class twits, insipid golf-obsessed
bores with overly botoxed wives sporting size 0
designer ensembles in safe pastel shades. I know several professional people
who relocated to Rochester,
and their realtors told them not to look at anything west of the Genesee.
One even took a map of the county and crossed out all the towns — all westside — that they were supposed to stay away from.”
To learn more
about what each of the suburbs in Monroe County (and a couple outside of it)
have to offer — all of it special in its own way — check the websites
provided below for information on town meetings, special events, recreation,
and local history.
Brighton
It is the suburb that
feels more like a neighborhood.
It has Twelve Corners,
great schools, MonroeCommunity
College, and all the bagels you’ll ever want.
Go to Corbett’s GlenNaturePark,
PersimmonPark,
tennis courts.
Municipal offices: 784-5250, www.townofbrighton.org.
Brockport/Sweden
They are a historic
village (Brockport) in the town of Sweden.
They have SUNY
Brockport and a college-town vibe on the historic Erie Canal.
Go to the new WelcomeCenter on the canal and the SUNY
Brockport Creative Writing Lecture Series.
Municipal offices: Brockport 637-5300, www.brockportny.org; Sweden
637-2144
Canandaigua
It is the gateway to
the Finger Lakes, hardly a summer day trip anymore.
It has art galleries,
tattoo parlors, and boat dealers all in one spot.
Go to a wide range of
parks and water activities, or take the “antique trail” along Routes 5 and 20.
Municipal offices: 394-1120, www.townofcanandaigua.org.
Churchville
It is in the township
of Riga.
It has plenty of open
space and working farmland.
Go to 27-hole golf
course, snowmobile trails, and sports courts
Municipal offices: Churchville 293-3720, www.churchville.net; Riga
293-3880, www.townofriga.org
Clarkson
It is a small pioneer
town on the northwest edge of MonroeCounty.
It has some wonderful
rustic architecture, including cobblestone homes.
Go to Sweden/Clarkson
Community Center and HaefnerPark.
Municipal offices: 637-1130, www.clarksonny.org.
East Rochester
It is not as posh as
its neighbors — Fairport and Pittsford — but looks pleasingly the same as
it did in the 1960s.
It has affordable
homes and small-town attitude.
Go toBelVedere Deli, the no-frills
Italian market on East Commercial.
Municipal offices: 586-3553; www.eastrochester.org.
Fairport/Perinton
They are a village
(Fairport) in a township (Perinton) situated on the Erie
Canal.
They have wonderful
historic homes, unique village shops, and pricey new developments along the Perinton hillsides.
Go to Lollypop Farm,
the PerintonAquaFitnessCenter,
and the Canal Days summer festival.
Municipal offices: Fairport 223-0313, www.village.fairport.ny.us;
Perinton 223-0770, www.perinton.org.
Gates/Chili
They are western
communities once dominated by Kodak’s Elmgrove plant.
Chili is home to RobertsWesleyanCollege.
They have a mix of
suburban development and light industry.
Go to eight different
parks and two boat launches.
Municipal offices: Gates 247-6100, www.townofgates.org; Chili
889-3550, www.townofchili.org.
Greece
It is the most densely
populated of the western suburbs.
It has ranch homes,
quiet neighborhoods with large lots, and Ridge Road
for a main street.
Go toBraddockBay Wildlife Preservation Area.
Municipal offices: 225-2000, www.greeceny.gov.
Hamlin
It is apple orchards
and west-side lake country.
It has summer fruit
stands and “pick-your-own” growers.
Go toHamlinBeachState Park.
Municipal offices: 964-2421, www. hamlinny.org.
Henrietta
It is the shopping
mall land south of the city.
It has Rochester
Institute of Technology and the National Technical Institute for the Deaf.
Go to Marketplace Mall
and SouthtownPlaza.
Municipal offices: 334-7700, www.townofhenrietta.org.
Hilton/Parma
They are a village
(Hilton) in a township (Parma).
They have fruit
orchards, farmland, and miles of Ontario
shoreline.
Go to the Hilton Apple
Festival, one of the area’s favorite fall festivals.
Municipal offices: Hilton 392-4144, www.hiltonny.org; Parma
392-9461, www.parmany.org.
Irondequoit
It is the city’s older
neighbor to the north.
It hasEast
Ridge Road shopping, two school districts, and
quaint lakeside neighborhoods like Summerville and WhiteCity. Think lighthouses.
Go toDurandEastmanPark,
SeabreezeAmusement
Park, Hot Dog Row, House of Guitars, and the
oldest miniature golf course in the country.
Municipal offices: 467-8840, www.irondequoit.org.
Mendon/Honeoye Falls
They are southeastern
rural communities known for their country chic, sprawling homes, and carefully
guarded green space.
They have the worry of
too many deer.
Go to Custom Brewcrafters, MendonPondsPark,
and the MillArtCenter.
Municipal offices: Mendon 624-6060, www.townofmendon.org; Honeoye
Falls 624-1711.
Penfield
It is comfortable, the
kind of upscale suburb seen in Spielberg movies.
It has moderate to
expensive homes and a re-imagined village center at the Four Corners.
Go toLinerPark, off Route 441 West.
Municipal offices: 340-8600, www.penfield.org.
Pittsford
It is the moneyed
metro-village done right with pricey real estate, fine dining, boutique
shopping, and Euro cars.
It has St. John Fisher
and NazarethColleges.
Go to the Wegmans in PittsfordPlaza; it’s grocery shopping for
the Benz class.
Municipal offices: Village of Pittsford 586-4332,
www.villageofpittsford.org; Town of Pittsford 248-6200,
www.townofpittsford.com.
Scottsville/Wheatland/Rush
They are the villages
and towns that rim the southern edges of MonroeCounty.
They have lovely
historic homes, the Lehigh Valley Trail, and the quiet life for commuters.
Go to the Genesee
Valley Greenway, a hiker’s paradise.
Municipal offices: Scottsville 889-4700; Wheatland 889-1553,
www.townofwheatland.org; Rush 533-1312, www.rushconnections.com.
Spencerport/Ogden
They are western
suburbs with a mix of light industry and farmland.
They have farm markets
and roadside produce stands.
Go to the new boat
docks on the Erie Canal.
Municipal offices: Spencerport 352-4771, www.vil.spencerport.ny.us;
Ogden 352-2100, www.ogdenny.com.
Victor
It is the
fastest-growing suburb not in MonroeCounty.
It has historic homes
mixed with upscale new developments.
Go to Eastview Mall;
where else?
Municipal offices: 742-5000, www.victorny.org.
Webster
It is the suburb Xerox
built.
It has multimillion-dollar lakefront homes and quiet bedroom neighborhoods.
Go to over 22 acres of
parks in the village alone. Try the Arboretum on Schlegel
Road.
Municipal offices: Village of Webster 265-3770,
www.villageofwebster.com; Town of Webster 872-1000, www.ci.webster.ny.us.
This article appears in Mar 21-27, 2007.
