A Story of Upstate New YorkTold in 100 Buildings: How the Empire State Happened

By Doug Gelbert

If those walls could talk...this is what they would say. A story of Upstate New York.

What caused Rochester's nickname to change from Flour City to Flower City? (page 37). Where is the oldest fish hatchery in America (page 44). What Upstate New York building inspired Madison Square Garden (page 102). Where is the country's oldest miniature golf course? (page 94)

Cobblestone construction... octagon houses... strategic forts... iron horses... Chautauquas... kazoos... trout propagation... Dutch architecture... the CCC... steamboats... apples... kit houses...the golden age of motoring... transportation canals... early aviation... salt... cure cottages... carousels... castles... courthouses... Frank Lloyd Wright... Adirondack camps... trolley parks... the Borscht Belt... Carengie libraries... round barns... Shakers... dairy cows... This book will have you telling stories like a native in no time.

The photos and stories collected here are a fast and fun way to learn the explanations behind the quirks, the traditions and the secrets that make Upstate New York uniquely Upstate New York. Where was the birthplace of American viticulture? Solved. Where was the electric chair first deployed? A mystery no more. What New York airfield did flying legend Glenn Curtiss found? Identified. The ballfield where Babe Ruth walloped a home run before Yankee Stadium was ever built? Revealed.

Imagine a group of settlers arriving in an undeveloped location. First come shelters in which to live and then structures in which to work and shop. There are buildings for worship and education. As the community grows government buildings are required. With prosperity comes places in which to spend leisure time. And each step along the way builds a story only Upstate New York can call its own. A story told in 100 buildings.

Almost all of the selections within are open to the public, or at least visible from public spaces. So, if you haven't seen these landmarks in person, fire up your GPS and get out and see the story of the Empire State standing in plain sight on Upstate New York streets!

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0BFV28Y5Y
• ISBN13: 9798354049844
• Release Date: September 2022
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 108 Pages
• Weight: 0.44 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.2" x 7.0" x 10.0"