by James P. Hughes
An anonymous author once observed, “Of all the paths you take in life, make some lead to a lake.” This is a given in the Finger Lakes Region. It is almost impossible to drive through the countryside without encountering one or more of those 11 classic bodies of water – and a host of smaller lakes as well. Throw into the mix wooded hillsides, plunging waterfalls, quaint villages, flowing vineyards and … well, you get the idea.
The region’s history has been enriched over the years with the residency of a wide range of notable folks. Actor/singer Gordan MacRay, famed author F. Scott Fitzgerald and even “Buffalo Bill” Cody and family called the territory “home” at one time in their lives. Film legend Humphrey Bogart spent each summer of his youth at his family’s summer residence on Canandaigua Lake.
Names, perhaps not as recognizable, left distinct marks on history as well. John Hubbard Forsyth trekked from his farm and home in Avon to Texas and died defending the Alamo on March 6, 1836. In 1901, at age 63, Auburn native Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to survive a plunge over Niagara Falls in a barrel. The list goes on.
Quiz Time
Etched in the pages of late 19th and early 20th century history are the names of many men and women connected to the region. In print and legend, their achievements remain honored to this day. Eleven of these significant folks are pictured on the following pages, each matched with a personal dwelling, historical image or notable site and marker that exists today.
How many can you name?
Answers
- Mark Twain (1835-1910): Perhaps the most legendary writer and humorist in American literature, Mark Twain (Samual Langhorne Clemens) spent more than 20 summers in Elmira at Quarry Farm, a family summer residence. It was there that many of his most famous tales were created. In Elmira, Twain is widely honored, and he and his family are interred in Woodlawn Cemetery.
2. Frederick Douglass (1818-1895): Known for his eloquent anti-slavery speeches and writing, Douglas was among the most prominent abolitionists of his day. He resided in the Rochester area for almost three decades, including at the home shown on Alexander Street, now replaced with historical signs and markers.
3. Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902): A writer and activist, in 1848 Stanton was a driving force for the first convention held to advance the women’s rights movement, including the right to vote. Her home in Seneca Falls is now a National Historic Landmark.
4. Glenn Curtiss (1878-1930): Curtiss was an avid aviation and motorcycle pioneer, and an innovative founder of the U.S. aircraft industry in the early 20th century. Located in his hometown of Hammondsport, the Glenn H. Curtiss Museum of early aviation honors his many accomplishments.
5. Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906): An American social reformer and women’s rights activist, Anthony played a pivotal role in the women’s suffrage movement. The Susan B. Anthony Museum and Home is located at 17 Madison Street in Rochester.
6. Harriet Tubman (1822-1913): After escaping slavery herself, Tubman rescued others from bondage, leading more than a dozen missions through rough terrain to safe houses and the Underground Railroad. Tubman lived her final decades in Auburn, where her home is now designated as a National Historic Landmark.
7. John D. Rockefeller (1839-1937): A famed businessman, industrialist and philanthropist, Rockefeller rose from modest beginnings to become one of the wealthiest Americans of all time. Pictured is the last of three regional homes where Rockefeller spent his youthful years, this one located near Owego.
8. Grover Cleveland (1837-1908): As 22nd and 24th President of the United States, Cleveland was the first to serve two non-consecutive terms in the office. Today, his boyhood home in Fayetteville is a private residence noted with a historical marker.
9. William H. Seward (1801-1872): Seward served as a NY governor and a U.S senator. As Secretary of State under presidents Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson, he negotiated the purchase of the Alaska Territory. Seward lived his entire adult life in Auburn where his legacy is honored at the Seward House Museum.
10. George Eastman (1854-1932): An innovator, entrepreneur and founder of the Eastman Kodak Company, Eastman brought photographic use into the American mainstem. His former home and the George Eastman Museum are located along East Avenue in Rochester.
11. Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910): A pioneer in women’s medical education, Blackwell is notable as the first woman to earn a medical degree in the United States. Accepted at Geneva Medical College in 1847, she was an outstanding student, finishing at the top of her class.
