October 29

October 29, 1974: A break in the Barge Canal (present day Erie Canal) near Bushnells Basin floods the nearby neighborhood, destroying one home and damaging forty others. The break was a result of tunneling work under the canal for a sewer project.

Sources and Further Reading:

1. Town of Pittsford website: History
2. New York Times (Oct 30, 1974)

October 27

October 27, 1955
The Rochester Community War Memorial opens to the public.
Sources:

Rochester Amerks: The Blue Cross Arena at the Rochester War Memorial (pg 295)

Update: The new Blue Cross Arena website indicates that the War Memorial "Opens for Business" on October 18, 1955.  The total construction cost was $7.5 million. 

Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial: Arena History

October 24

October 24, 1884: Thousands of Millerites gather at Pinnacle Hill (near present day Cobbs Hill park) for a night of prayer and celebration in preparation for the second coming and the end of the world. In the the morning the group disbanded, disappointed.

Sources and Further Reading:

1. New York: A Guide to the Empire State (1940) New York State Historical Association, Oxford University Press, pg 289
2. "Editorial Notebook; 'Cults,' Deconstructed",Mayer, Karl E., New York Times, March 7, 1993
3. VintageViews.org: Parks/cobbs hill

October 16

October 16, 1909: As part of Rochester's second Industrial Exposition, local motarists hold an Automobile Gymkhana at Genesee Valley Park with races and various acrobatics.

Further Reading:

• Rochester History (1972), vol 34, no 4, pg 8

October 14

1956: The Rochester Amerks hockey team played their first home game, tying Cleveland 2-2.

Source:
Amerks.pdf (2008): Important Dates in the History of the Rochester War Memorial and the Blue Cross Arena; page 295

October 13

October 13, 1908: Rochester hosts its first Industrial Exposition, attracting 150,000 visitors. The week-long event was launched with a parade of marchers and 200 floats. The expo's slogan was "Rochester Means Quality".

Further Reading
 
Rochester History (1972) vol 34, issue 4, pg 7

October 8

October 8

1961: The first match of the Rochester Curling Club is held.

Further Reading

RochesterCurling.org: History


1815: The first wedding in Rochester was celebrated between Delia Scantom and Jehiel Barnard, owner of the first tailor shop.

Further Reading

History of Rochester and Monroe County, New York (1908); Peck, William F.; page 40

October 6

October 6, 1823: The stone aqueduct over the Genesee River is opened. Travel along the Erie Canal becomes possible between the Genesee River to Albany and Lake Champlain.

Further Reading:

• University of Rochester: Erie Canal Chronology and Bibliography

October 3

October 3, 1920: The Rochester Jeffersons played their first match after joining the newly formed American Professional Football Association (which in 1922 would be renamed the National Football League or NFL) at the Rochester Baseball Park, defeating the All-Buffalo team. The Jeffersons lasted until the 1925 season before finally folding following four seasons without a win.

See Also:

1. NFLHistory.net
2. Wikipedia: Rochester Jefferons
3. RochesterJeffersons.com