My hometown of Rochester, New York has been given a variety of nicknames over the years. Before 1850, it was known as “Flour City” due to the more than 20 flour mills situated along the Genesee River. In fact, at the time, Rochester was the largest flour producer in the world. 

Later, it was dubbed “Flower City,” since the world’s largest seed company, Ellwanger & Barry Nursery, was located here. The name “Flower City” continued to be a good fit after the inception of Rochester’s Lilac Festival (an annual May event). For more about the Lilac Festival and wonderful Highland Park, where it’s held, be sure to read my post, Lucky To Live in the ROC (Part 2).

Another of Rochester’s monikers over the years has been “Image City.” That’s because, not only were Kodak, Xerox, and Bausch & Lomb founded here, but George Eastman’s estate at 900 East Avenue is the world’s oldest photography museum, housing over a million objects in its photography and cinematography collections. And, like its city, this site also has three names: the George Eastman Museum, the George Eastman House, and the International Museum of Photography and Film.

As you might have guessed, Rochester is teeming with photographers, professional and amateur alike. I’m sure that’s part of what’s behind my interest in photography today.

I recently visited some of Rochester’s parks with my camera, and I’ll be posting photos here and on my Photos page. Here’s a little sample:

So, whether you call it Flour City, Flower City, or Image City, this city of mine is a pretty good place to be in spring, especially if you’re a visual person like me.

Don’t forget: Please click on “Photos” in my menu to see more scenes from my hometown, and let me know if you have a burning desire to purchase a download or print.