Charlotte, Rochester, New York

Coordinates: 43°15′30″N 77°36′31″W / 43.25833, -77.60861 Charlotte (pronounced shar-LOT) is a neighborhood in Rochester, New York located at the mouth of the Genesee River along Lake Ontario. It is the home of the Port of Rochester.

History

Charlotte was named for Charlotte Augusta, Princess of Wales. In 1788, the Mill Yard Tract, a parcel of land approximately 12 miles wide and 24 miles long, along bank of the Genesee River stretching from present day Charlotte at Lake Ontario to the City of Rochester was purchased from the Seneca Indians by Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham. ^{[1] [2]} Early settlements at Charlotte formed around 1782, ahead of later settlements at the village of Rochester. ^[3] The community once served as a port for international trade. Samuel Latta established a warehouse at the mouth of the Genesee river and in 1806 was appointed as customs collector of the Port of Genesee by President Thomas Jefferson. ^[1] Samuel Latta's brother, frontier merchant George Clinton Latta (1795-1871) ran a successful trading company from Charlotte, operating a fleet of schooners engaging in trade across the Greak Lakes. Trade was interupted during the War of 1812 and a less exposed port was established briefly upstream. After the end of the war, trade began to rapidly increase. ^[4] Some early settlers believed that Charlotte would become the major city along the Genesee River, until the use of the water falls to provide power to the mills and the arrival of the Erie Canal in 1823 later resulted in the dominance of the settlements at the City of Rochester. ^[3] In order to improve navigation, a stone light house was constructed in 1821 on the west bank, ^[1] replaced later in 1880 by an Octogonal light on the west pier.^[4] On August 25, 1852 ground was broken on the Rochester-Charlotte Railroad which made its first run on May 12, 1853 in about thirty minutes. The railroad provided a route for Canadian passages to reach New York City. ^[4] However, lake trade from Charlotte began to declined from increased competition from the Erie Canal in Rochester and the railroad lines. ^{[1] [4]} After the Civil War, Charlotte rebounded as a summer resort with the arrival of several excursion steamers and with organization of the Genesee Yacht Club in 1874. The Ontario Car Ferry company began operating a ferry service for passangers and cargo from the port in November 1907 with the launch of the "Ontario I" later joined by the "Ontario II" as well as the "Torronto" and the "Kingston". These large ferries prompted a need to deepen the channel and make harbour improvements.^[4] In 1884, the Ontario Beach Improvement Company was formed to establish lake front resort area and by 1889 electric trolleys were connecting vacationers to the City of Rochester. ^[3] Charlotte was annexed by the city of Rochester in 1916. ^[3] The port's activity again declined during the Great Depression. Ferry traffic eventual came to an end around 1949. ^[4] Another attempt to establish ferry traffic between Rochester and Toronto was made with the launch of a fast ferry the Spirit of Ontario I which ran from 2004-2005. The fast ferry again spurred a round of investment in Charlotte and the port.

Parks and Attractions

• Ontario Beach Park

Miscellenea

• Charlotte is located at 272 feet above sea level.
• Charlotte Cemetery is the resting place of the daredevil Sam Patch who first jumped Niagara Falls. ^{[5] [6]}

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d} Sullivan, Joan (July & October 1983). "Entrepreneurship in the Genesee Country: George C. Latta". Rochester History XLV (3&4). Rochester Public Library. ISSN 0035-7413. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
2. ^ McKeveley, Blake (January 1939). "Historic Aspects of the Phelps and Gorham Treaty of July 4-8, 1788". Rochester History 1 (1). Rochester Public Library. ISSN 0035-7413. Retrieved on 2008-01-05.
3. ^ ^{a b c d} Barnes, Joseph W. (January 1975). "The Annexation of Charlotte". Rochester History XXXVII (1). Rochester Public Library. ISSN 0035-7413. Retrieved on 2008-01-01.
4. ^ ^{a b c d e f} McKelvey, Blake (October 1954). "The Port of Rochester: a History of Lake Trade". Rochester History XVI (4). Rochester Public Library. ISSN 0035-7413. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
5. ^ "Find a Grave: Sam Patch". Retrieved on 2007-12-31.
6. ^ Thomas, W. Stehpen; Ruth Rosenberg-Naparsteck (October 1988). "Sleep City The Sesquicentenneial History of Mt. Hope Cemetery". Rochester History L (4): 4. Rochester Public Library. ISSN 0035-7413. Retrieved on 2007-12-31.

• Charlotte Community Profile at ePodunk.com Accessed July 5, 2006.