G is for Genesee

I am terribly late this week, but sometimes that is the way of things. They do say "better late than never". Hopefully that applies to ABC Wednesday.

So anyway, G is for Genesee, meaning "beautiful valley" in the Native American Iroquois language. The Genesee River which flows through this valley,  begins in northern Pennsylvania and flows north through New York State to Lake Ontario. It is the Genesee River that made Rochester, NY the "Flour City" when flour mills popped up along the falls in the 1800's. Years back, before the river's water flow was controlled, massive floods often caused widespread devastation in the Genesee River valley. The flooding following Hurricane Agnes is just one example of the devastating power of a flooded Genesee River.

Locally, there are plenty of places and businesses named for the Genesee River. I, along with my sisters and most of my children, was born at Genesee Hospital. Near the port of Ontario stands the Charlotte Genesee Lighthouse. There is the Genesee Center for the Arts on Monroe Avenue in Rochester. And of course there is that dear old Rochester brewery famous for Genesee Beer. In Batavia, NY, located in the center of Genesee County, is Genesee Community College, and of course, there are plenty of Genesee Streets scattered across the state.

And that is your lesson on local history for this week.

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