Being relatively young, historically speaking, most American towns still hold strong to the reputations and identities that were first forged for them over a century ago. For citizens of Rochester, which have seen many changes in a short period of time, there is a rich history for them to take pride in when it comes to manufacturing and production.
Like finely made fin keels, the city of Rochester was built upon solid planning and careful construction. Beginning in 1788, when the city lands were originally sold, and culminating in 1823, when the name Rochester was adopted, the city took its time finding an identity. When it did, however, the name Rochester became synonymous with prosperity. Thanks in part to the completion of the Erie Canal, Rochester became known as the first American boomtown, shortly earning it the nickname "the Young Lion of the West." This quickly gave way to "Flour City," of course, as the economic success the city earned was due chiefly to the flour mills operating along the new canal. In the first week and a half after the canal was opened, nearly 4,000 tons of flour were shipped out. By 1832, these Rochester mills were pumping as efficiently as Ccane deming equipment, manufacturing upwards of 500,000 barrels of flour annually between the 20 local mills.
Around the same time, another burgeoning business began to bloom. Spearheaded by two entrepreneurs named Ellwenger & Barry, seeding and nursery soon became as viable an economic undertaking as project management dashboard software production is today. Over the next few decades, as flour milling in Rochester began to decline, the number of nurseries increased in quantity and quality, causing the city's nickname to shift from Flour City to Flower City.
From 1860 to 1900, the Rochester population began to grow as quickly as its industrial areas. New companies like Bausch & Lomb, who specialize in eye care products, made the city their permanent base of operations. Other industries, such as brewing, clothing manufacturing, and machine tools, began to expand as well, fueling the Rochester economy as efficiently as a central heating boiler. The diversity and skill of the Rochester work force were a great asset to the war effort in the 40's. The city even housed POW's in Cobbs Hill Park for a time.
In the 1950's, Xerox brought its unique product to Rochester, manufacturing the machines that would one day become as vital to business as septic tank pump trucks are to city works. Eastman Kodak still had the edge as Rochester's leading employer, however, as it continued to dominate the burgeoning camera industry. Today, both Xerox and Eastman Kodak, along with Bausch & Lomb, continue to be the pillars that help prop up the ever prosperous Rochester economy. | 