Charlotte History Timeline

1612 – Etienne Brulée maps Genesee country for the first time

1669 – Explorer Robert de la Salle visits Irondequoit Bay

1792 – William & Mehitable Hincher settle on the west bank of the river

1800-1850:

1805 – MARCH 3, 1805 – President Jefferson establishes the “Customs District of the Genesee”

1811 – The name “Charlotte” first appears on a deed and a map

1812-1814 – The Port of the Genesee at Charlotte is visited four times during the War of 1812

1815 – The street along the waterfront is named “River Street”

1820 – 316 ships visit Charlotte, Port of the Genesee

1822 – Charlotte Genesee Lighthouse is built

1829 – The U.S. Government erects two parallel piers out into the lake

1849 – Plank road is built from Ridge Road to Charlotte

1850-1900:

1852 – 1st village church is built- Lakeside Presbyterian Church

1853 – Railroad arrives at Charlotte, Port of the Genesee

1853 – Methodist church built on Lake Avenue

1854 – First grain elevator is erected

1863 – Brick residence replaces the original two-room keeper’s house

1863– Holy Cross opens as a satellite church of Our Mother of Sorrows

1868 – The blast furnace begins operation

1869 – June 14, 1869 – Charlotte is incorporated as a village in the Town of Greece

1875 – 1st railroad Swing Bridge built for the “Hojack” line

1876 – Life Saving Service opens a station in the village (later merges with the Coast Guard)

1883 – Upton and Craig grain elevator is built at the foot of Petten Street

1884 – Ontario Beach Park opens

1889 – July 1, 1889 – 1st trolley run from the city to the village of Charlotte

1889 – Village firehouse is built on Stutson Street (later became the 1st Charlotte library; torn down in the 1950’s)

1891 – St. George’s Episcopal Church built- corner of Lake and Stutson

1900-2008:

1905 – 2nd swing bridge built by the King Bridge Company

1905 – The historic Dentzel carousel is installed at Ontario Beach Park

1908 – First high school is built at the triangle of River St. and Broadway

1914 – Brick Village jail is constructed on Stutson Street

1916–January 1, 1916 – Charlotte is annexed by the City of Rochester as its 23rd ward; the “Village of Charlotte” ceases to exists

1916 – Firehouse on Stutson Street built by the City of Rochester

1917 – Stutson Street Bridge opens

1919 – September 5, 1919 – Charlotte library opens in the old firehouse

1926 – The “Port of Charlotte” becomes the “Port of Rochester”

1933– Present Charlotte High School is built on Lake Avenue

2004 – June 17, 2004 – “Premier Passage” of the fast ferry

2004 – October 1, 2004 – Col. Patrick O’Rorke Memorial Bridge opens

2005 – The Bill Davis Overlook is installed at the site of the old Stutson Street Bridge and becomes part of the Genesee Riverway Trail

2006 – Genesee Riverway Trail-Turning Point Park to Petten Street opens