One of the things I’ve most enjoyed about this bridge project is discovering new things–like who the Rundel Memorial Building of the Rochester Public Library is named after. But before getting to that, let’s talk about the Court Street Bridge….
I’ve almost certainly walked across the Court Street Bridge more times than any other bridge in Rochester. Not only is it relatively close to my job downtown at The Strong museum, but the views are always rewarding. To the north one sees downtown and the Broad Street Bridge.
To the south the water rushes over the Court Street Dam, the flow varying by the time of year. When I was there in February the water ran high from melt, though there was still plenty of snow on the ground. I actually went twice, first with Ursula and then with two of my sons, Jacob and Jonathan.
During the summer the river flows low, exposing some of the bedrock that is a favorite gathering place for birds, mostly gulls. Not in February, though. The water is high, fast, and loud.
There’s plenty of history in the area too. On the west side of the river I discovered that the eagle statue outside the War Memorial building (also known as the Blue Cross Arena) was dedicated in honor of veterans of the Spanish-American War.
One of the most problematic conflicts in United States history, the Spanish-American War was sparked by the explosion of the American warship Maine in Havana harbor in 1898 and marked America’s entry into the imperial race for overseas empire. The plaque on back of the statue’s base commemorates the conquest of Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines, where United States forces led a years-long campaign to suppress local opposition to American rule. It also celebrates U.S. involvement in the suppression of the Boxer Rebellion in China. Interestingly, the statue was not actually completed and dedicated until 1941 on the cusp of America’s entry into another war. Originally placed in Franklin Square, it was moved to this spot in 1960 in conjunction with the construction of the inner loop.
On the east side of the river perhaps the most well-trafficked landmark is the old Lehigh Valley Railroad Station, built in 1905 and better known today as Dinosaur Bar-B-Que.
Just behind it is the Nathaniel, a new apartment complex that has a wonderful promenade connected to the Court Street Bridge.
On the same side of the river as Dinosaur Bar-B-Que is the public library, which brings me back at last to the Rundell building….
I became curious about Rundel because when we parked on the second level of the Court Street Garage we were almost directly opposite the building’s edifice. The inscription piqued my interest, stating that it was erected in 1934 “for the use and enjoyment of all the people. Morton M. Rundel so cherished the fine things of life that he was inspired to share them by his gracious bequest to the city of Rochester where he long made his home. Knowledge and beauty illumine the world.” So now I knew who the library was named after, but who was Morton Rundel?
It turns out that he was a cousin of George Eastman’s who was an art dealer and picture framer but whose true wealth came from his investment in Kodak stock. When he died in 1911 he left $400,000 to build a public library, though because of legal disputes the library didn’t actually get built until the 1930s, by which time the money had grown to around a million dollars.
The Rundel Library is a beautiful building and it holds the local history archives, which have supplied much background information for these blogs. So it’s a delight now to have a face and a little background to put to the name of the institution that’s helped me on this journey of discovery.
Thanks, Morton Rundel!
Bridges of the Genesee River 
Nice to wake up to this delightful blog. These should appear in the D & C. Did the boys get to visit the nearby roller blade/skate board park. I’d love to visit there as my grandson uses it, but I doubt the group would welcome 86 year old gramma with a walker. Keep these coming. In May I start my river journeys again with various groups.
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Thanks, Doris! I’ll actually talk about the skate board park in my next blog — we did visit it on a day when they were clearing the snow off. I go by there somewhat often and I’ve been so impressed with the energy and engagement that’s there. I’ve seen hundreds of people there at a time. It’s a great example of how initiatives that emerge organically from the community (in this case the community of skaters) are almost always so much more successful than top-down initiatives (as I talked about in my blog on the Charles Carroll plaza and the Sister Cities bridge). Glad your grandson likes it! Enjoy the bridges when you get out there!
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