May 30

May 30, 1892: The Soldiers' Monument commemorating civil war veterans is dedicated in Washington Park accompanied by a parade of 10,000 people. At the unveiling, speeches are made by U.S. President Benjamin Harrison, New York Governor Roswell Flower, and Frederick Douglas. The monument includes bronze statues of infantry, cavalry, marine, and artillery soldiers with a central figure of Abraham Lincoln.

References and Further Reading:

1. History of Rochester and Monroe County, New York (1908); Peck, William F.; page 108
2. American Presidency Project: Benjamin Harrison

Note: The date of this event has been corrected from March 30 to May 30, 1892.

March 26

March 26, 1830: Joseph Smith, at the age of 24, publishes the Book of Mormon in Palmyra NY, said to be a translation of the Golden Plates that he discovered near his home on Cumorah Hill in Manchester, NY., given to him by the Angel Moroni.

Information Sources and Further Reading
1. Wikipedia: Joseph Smith

March 25

March 25, 1814: The town of Smallwood (originally part of Northfield) is divided, by act of the state legislature, into the towns of Brighton and Pittsford.

Sources and Further Reading:

1. Town of Brighton New York Website: Town History

March 21

March 21, 1817: The village of "Rochesterville" on the west bank of the river is officially incorporated as part of Gates township by the state Legislature. The cumbersome and redundant "ville" was never commonly used, and the name was officially simplified five years later to the more popular Rochester.

Sources and Further Reading:

1. History of Rochester and Monroe county, New York (1908), William F. Peck, pg 51

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March 17

March 17, 1865: On Friday the 17th, the St. Patrick's day flood of the Genesee River destroys several buildings in the city of Rochester as the river flows through Main, Buffalo, Mill, Front, Exchange, and Arcade Streets to a depth in some places of 3 feet. Many residents were stranded until Saturday afternoon or Sunday morning.

March 17, 1936:  The funeral service of George Eastman is held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church.  The service was broadcast to thousands who attended and over WHAM radio station.  All Kodak factories around the world closed for the day in observance. 

Sources and Further Reading:

1. The Rochester Evening Express (March 20, 1865)
2. www.libraryweb.org: MANY ROADS TO FREEDOM: ROCHESTER IN APRIL, 1865
3. History of Rochester and Monroe County, New York (1908); Peck, William F.; page 89-95
4. "Eastman Rites are Broadcast", Mar 17, 1936, The Pomona Progress Bulletin, Pomona CA, page 15.

March 14

March 14, 1932: Kodak founder George Eastman committed suicide in his home on East Ave. leaving the following note: "To my Friends, My work is done. Why wait?"

Sources and Further Reading:

1. Wikipedia: George Eastman

March 3

March 3, 1991: .Over 135,000 homes are left without power as an ice storm hits Rochester and surrounding areas with 1.5 inches of freezing rain accumulating over 22 hours.  More than 10,000 trees were destroyed.

 See Also: Rochester's Worst Winter Storms

Sources and Further Reading:

• "An Ice Storm Paralyzes Western and Northern New York", New York Times (March 5, 1991)
• "Impacts from a Major Ice Storm: Street Tree Damage from Rochester, New York", Journal of Arboriculture, 21(3), May 1995