Whether you’re a Rochester native or came in from overseas there is always
something interesting and new to learn about Rochester. Rochester
is full of history, both local and national, and there are some really
interesting ways to learn about this brand new city you’re in. Even students
who have been in the area for years are often shocked to learn that they can go
see where Frederick Douglass is buried, or ride a boat along our waterways to
see the seasons while enjoying a beer. When you’re sick of homework and want to
keep your nose out of a book for the afternoon, why not head out on the town
and take one of the many tours in Rochester? You’ll learn a lot and see some really neat things
that are often hidden out of sight.
Tour the historic George Eastman House,
once home to the founder of Kodak, a local entrepreneur who had a beautiful
mansion, garden and gallery exhibit. These tours are especially of interest to
film or photo majors, but anyone who loves a little art, technology, and historical
dirt will enjoy these tours. Learn about Eastman himself, a loner in the world
with some dark sides to his life. Visit his mansion,
complete with an elephant head and other early 20th century hunted creatures,
or play with some hands-on film exhibits. Tour the EastmanGarden, where immaculate blossoms are cared for and grown, a sure place to
relax in any season. Most of all you will witness the history of film unfold
within these walls and view some interesting exhibits, from the first cameras
ever to famous photographs. There are daily tours of the house, garden and
galleries; and admission is only $6 for students.
Rochester was born shortly after the independence of the United States, and was home to dozens of significant advances in
our history, especially the civil rights movement starting in the late 1800’s.
Most of the buildings we use and see each day are hundreds of years old, and
many have been occupied by some interesting folks throughout time. This may
sound boring at first but when you get there you really start to appreciate the
beauty of the city, or learn about haunted cites in Rochester while exploring them in the night. See historic
sites in Rochester, like the original inner city home to RIT and U of
R, learn about architecture, and see some gorgeous houses, parks, and
properties. The Landmark Society of Western New York maintains and preserves nearly all of these
buildings, as well as the river and canal. The group organizes dozens of guided
tours, self guided tours, and driving tours.Seasonal and holiday tours are a special treat, but
check landmarksociety.org for specific tour themes and for a listing of self
guided tours.
When was the last time you took a ride on a
boat? Take a ride on either Sam Patch or Mary Jemison to tour the GeneseeRiver
and the Erie Canal. Here you will learn about their historic and
current significances, as well as hundreds of interesting facts about waterways
in this region. But don’t worry, it’s not just a tour where you sit on a boat
and get bored, these tours can be entertaining, educational, romantic, or just
plain fun if you go with friends. Not to mention there is a fully licensed bar
on each boat. So sit back, have a few beers and a few laughs while you take a
gander at the world from the water. Tours are daily and only $10 for students.
The bar is open on all public tours, meals, snacks, and other beverages are
available on each cruise.
What isn’t cool about cemeteries that
are old as dirt? Some neat tombstones and statues, plus they are fun to explore
in the night. In addition to all of the normal cemetery fare, Mt. Hope
Cemetery is the resting place for many historic and famous figures such as
Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, or Frederick Douglass and is one of
the oldest cemeteries in the country. There are free tours, tours of popular
sites, stories of lore and murder, the gardens of the cemetery, or learn about
burial and mourning in the 19th century. Tours range in topics from the
revolutionary war and even ice cream tours. Some of the best tours are the
Mischief, Murder & Mayhem tour, learn about cemetery residents who broke
the law or had something gruesome happen to end their mortal lives. General
tours are free and special tours are $4 per person, visitfomh.org for tour dates and times.
If you’re looking for something more
colorful, wiggly, and silly then you and your friends might want to go out to
Le Roy’s Jell-o Gallery and Museum (Main St. in Le Roy). It’s a 30 minute drive from Rochester, but if you’re out of ideas for the day it’s an
interesting stop in the area, and has a fun gift shop. Plus, after the museum
tour you can educate all of your friends about their Jell-o shots and where
they really came from. Jell-o isn’t meant to be serious business, so have some
fun with the colorful American dessert that had an interesting impact on our
pop culture. The gallery and museum is open weekdays and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Sundays. Admission is $4
This article appears in Aug 19-19, 2009.
