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Rochester, NY has one of the most unique geographical locations of any major city. It sits astride a north flowing river, on the shores of a major lake. One of the largest canals ever built runs through it. The city and the region abounds with the geological leftovers from the last glacial period and the anthropological remains of the Iroquois Confederacy that lived in the area when the white man arrived.

The Genesee River flows from its origins in the northern tier of Pennsylvania north to its outlet into Lake Ontario. Rivers that flow north are rare in the United States. Even rarer are major cities that have grown on both banks of a large river.

The river is the reason for Rochester. In its northward flow, it loses altitude in the traditional manner, through waterfalls. South of the city, upstream, is Letchworth State Park which contains three large waterfalls and a gorge called "the Grand Canyon of the East". The city itself is host to three more waterfalls, and that change in altitude made mills and various water powered businesses successful in Rochester's early years. Even today, the local utility generates electricity from the river.

The river does more than generate electricity. The City has turned most of the river in its boundaries into a scenic and recreation treat. The river is lined with walking and biking trails for nearly that entire length. In the heart of downtown, parks line the banks and are filled with office workers in the summer taking in some sun with their lunch. Further north, there is a true geographic surprise. A gorge is hidden in the trees along the river bank. As you walk the trails, the sounds of a modern American city vanish and only the birds can be heard.

The Port of Rochester sits at the terminus of the Genesee River. Lake Ontario is one of the five Great Lakes of North America and the Genesee empties into it. Several marinas, a city park and a large beach provide a near perfect lakeside setting for recreation on and off the water.

The Erie Canal once ran through Rochester. The viaduct where it crossed the Genesee still exists as a city street. Over 360 miles in length, the canal originally connected the Great Lakes to the Hudson River and the Port of New York. Redirected and rebuilt over the years, the New York State Barge Canal now runs just south of the city, and is a major boating and recreation site.

South of the current Lake Ontario shore is the old shore, from just after the glaciers receded. It is marked by East Ridge Road and West Ridge Road. Intermixed throughout the area are the deposits of gravel, clay and other materials that mark various stages of glacial recession and the changes that created.

There are very few American cities with the diverse geography that Rochester, NY has. It is literally "right under foot".

Learn more about this author, Charles Simmins.
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