The Seneca tribe of First nations lived the farthest west of all tribes within the league and dominated the Rochester land until 1797, when they were forced to leave their settlements after the Europeans arrived.
In November of 1803, Colonel Nathaniel Rochester, along with Major Charles Carroll and Colonel William Fitzhugh, Jr., bought a tract of land that extended an entire 100 acres along the Genesee River and built streets there in 1811. This eventually attracted many landowners, who brokered a deal to join their lands with the this Hundred Acre Tract on the west river bank at the falls of the Genesee and formed the village of Rochesterville.
Rochesterville became such a well-known village that by 1821, it had become the county seat. In 1823, the name of the city was changed to simply Rochester, whose population grew to a whopping 9,200, prompting officials to re-charter the area into a city.
Known as “The Flour City” due to its impressive production of flour on a large scale, Rochester easily dominated any other city in output. As the century wore on, Rochester also began to be known for their numerous nurseries, prompting its other name: the “Flower City.”
Rochester was home to many prominent historical figures, including Frederick Douglass, who was a former slave, social reformer, orator, writer, and statesman; Susan B. Anthony, a civil rights leader; and Emma Goldman, who was known for her political activism, writing, and speeches.
After the Civil War, many migrants of the city founded and expanded new and important industries, including companies such as Eastman Kodak and Bausch & Lomb.
Modern Rochester
Lying just below Lake Ontario in Monroe County, the city of Rochester currently has a population of over 200,000 residents, making it the third largest city of the state. Surrounded by a larger metropolitan community, Rochester is also known as the second largest regional economy in New York State.
From the beginning, Rochester proved its ability to be a bustling industrial city and was among the first towns of the nation that grew so extraordinarily, having doubled its population in only a short decade.
Today, the city is home to many acclaimed universities that are nationally renowned for their research programs. With schools such as the Rochester Institute of Technology and the University of Rochester, the city has also gained much acclaim internationally as a prominent site of higher education.
It is also the center of medical and technological advancements, as well as the location of numerous world-changing inventions.
Cunningham Cars Started in Rochester
In 1884, with about 550 employees, Joe Cunningham’s car manufacturing business was considered the largest industry in Rochester. In 1882 the company became known as James Cunningham, Son & Co. They began making carriages, and in 1908, they started to manufacture automobiles, though they built only the chassis and bodies.
The first all-Cunningham automobile, known as Model H, was produced in 1910. These cars had a four-cylinder, 40 horsepower engine.
The company continued to build carriages and automobiles until 1915, when Cunningham built their last carriage. Cunningham’s V-8 engine was introduced in 1916. By 1924, Cunningham was a leading producer of luxury cars, ambulances and hearses. Their respected stature continued until Cunningham stopped the production of automobiles in 1931.
Statistics for Rochester Motorists
According to the city’s crime statistics, Rochester has an average annual total of almost 16,000 crimes. Of these crimes, about 83% are property crimes, which include burglary, larceny, theft, motor vehicle theft, arson, shoplifting, and vandalism. Of these property crimes, about 19% are motor vehicle thefts. This means that in a population of 200,000, almost 2,500 car owners experience vehicle thefts annually.
On average, Rochester experiences the following number of certain vehicular collisions on a yearly basis:
- Fatal accidents: 7
- Vehicles involved in accidents that result in fatality: 8
- People involved in accidents that result in fatality: 13
- Pedestrians involved in accidents that result in fatality: 4
The state of New York already requires that all drivers purchase and maintain adequate New York car insurance, but these statistics alone should be enough to indicate that it would not be wise to drive in Rochester without auto insurance. Get the best and affordable coverage so that you can protect yourself in the event that you are involved in a car accident or other unpleasant vehicle-related incident. By using our form at the top of the page, you can get cheap Rochester car insurance quotes today.