Charlotte and the Port of Rochester

This audio-guided walking tour takes you along the mouth of the Genesee River in the Charlotte neighborhood of Rochester, from Lake Ontario to the O’Rorke Lift Bridge. It then loops back along Lake avenue, with a final stop at Abbott’s Ice Cream near the starting point.

You can park your car or bike at Ontario Beach Park, the first stop on the tour, which has plenty of free parking. You can also take the RTS 22L Lake Avenue Bus.

The tour takes you through the park and then south along the west bank of the river. Along the way, you’ll see the oldest remaining lighthouse on Lake Ontario, a historic train station, a restored firehouse, and two large murals. You’ll also view historic photos, hear how the British landed here during the War of 1812, and see one of the buildings that they occupied.

The tour includes contributions and photos from Charlotte historian Marie Poinan and from Fred Amato, President of the Charlotte-Genesee Lighthouse Historical Society. It features historic photos from the Albert R. Stone Negative Collection, Rochester Museum & Science Center Rochester, N.Y.

For a Charlotte history timeline, tap: https://www.charlottecca.org/living-here/charlotte-history/

Several books describing Charlotte’s history, and some of the sites that you will be visiting on this tour, are available at the Lighthouse gift shop.