This run wasn't in Rochester, but I included it here for a bit of family history. The building above was the home of my great grandfather's suit factory. He was an immigrant from Italy, a tailor who eventually started his own custom made clothing company. His custom made suits were considered the best in the Utica NY area in the early to mid 20th century.
This picture is of the original sign on the first floor of the building which advertised the clothing factory on the floors above. My brother Paul, the official family historian, was able enough to acquire the actual original sign on a lucky tip. A friend of his who works for the local power company was working in the building and saw the sign in an unused storage area. It is now proudly displayed in my brother's house.
My run started on Culver Ave, and then took me down through the old factories of Broad Street. Some are still in use, but some are completely shuttered. One that is particularly interesting is the former Beaunit Fibres rayon factory (left). From his teen years, my dad remembers the smell coming from the smokestacks as particularly acrid. It now stands deserted, with all of it's machinery and structures still inside becoming artifacts of the era when Utica NY was a thriving textile manufacturing center. Some great pictures of this site can be found here:
http://bit.ly/bvn1yB
My run started on Culver Ave, and then took me down through the old factories of Broad Street. Some are still in use, but some are completely shuttered. One that is particularly interesting is the former Beaunit Fibres rayon factory (left). From his teen years, my dad remembers the smell coming from the smokestacks as particularly acrid. It now stands deserted, with all of it's machinery and structures still inside becoming artifacts of the era when Utica NY was a thriving textile manufacturing center. Some great pictures of this site can be found here: http://bit.ly/bvn1yB
