Holy Cross started in 1862 as a satellite church of Our Mother of Sorrows and served the Village of Charlotte. In celebrating the anniversary of its founding, a committee uncovered treasured items such as official documents, deeds and scrapbooks, that had been in storage for years. Come hear about the stories of early parishioners, who included fruit farmers, blast furnace workers and Ontario Beach Park concession owners. This program is offered by the Greece Historical Society in cooperation with the Greece Public Library. Marie Poinan is an active member of the Greece Historical Society whose main interests are preserving local history. She has authored several books and brochures on local history and is the co-author of Pioneer Families of Greece New York.
Program Archives
Joan of Arc – the Warrior Saint
Mr. Richey’s presentation will explore how Joan of Arc, an illiterate teenage peasant farm girl, a nobody from nowhere, achieved the seemingly impossible. In the space of a single year, 1429, she rose up from total obscurity to take command of the defeated and demoralized French army and led that army in a series of astounding battlefield victories to free her French homeland from the English invaders.
Stephen Richey was raised in Greece, graduating from Olympia High School in 1976. He graduated from the United States Military academy at West Point in 1984. He served out his military career in various places around the world, to include four tours of duty in wartime Iraq, until his retirement in 2010. He is the author of the scholarly book Joan of Arc: The Warrior Saint. He also appeared as an expert authority in the television documentary “Saint Joan of Arc: Maid for God.”
Crossing the Main Street Bridge
Join Geoffrey Zeiner, creator of the award-winning Gonechester blog, on a captivating journey across Rochester’s Main Street Bridge—a structure that once housed buildings along its span, concealing the Genesee River from view until 1965 . In this immersive exploration, Zeiner delves into the bridge’s unique history, revealing how it transformed from a bustling thoroughfare lined with storefronts to the open crossing we see today.
Through a rich tapestry of archival photographs, historical maps, and personal narratives, Zeiner brings to life the stories embedded in the bridge’s stones and the river’s flow beneath. Discover how this iconic structure served not just as a physical connector but as a vibrant hub of commerce and community, reflecting the evolving identity of Rochester itself.
Before Jackie, The Negro Leagues, Civil Rights and the American Dream
Join us as Mary E Corey examines the era Before Jackie. She explores the Negro Leagues, Civil Rights, and the American Dream. This is a grounded overview of the Reconstruction Era. It is seen and experienced by the pioneers of this strand of the civil rights struggle. It’s a history of struggles and defeats, but it’s also a history of bravery and persistence, yes, even glory! Everyone knows Jackie Robinson’s story. Now it’s time to hear about the players, managers, and fans who built the Negro Leagues. They laid out the playing field that would become Jackie’s own.
This program was offered by the Greece Historical Society in cooperation with the Greece Public Library.
Mary Corey is Assoc. Prof emerita American History & Social Studies at SUNY Brockport.
Audio and Video included in this Video are used for Educational references only in this Historical Talk
A Brief History of Wegmans
Gary is the Historical Asset Coordinator for Wegmans. Our discussion will cover Wegmans Food Markets’ origins in Rochester, New York. We will also discuss its growth through the early 20th century. Additionally, we’ll cover its expansion beyond Rochester, the greater Rochester area, and beyond Upstate New York. Garry Harris worked as a trainer and was an employee at Chase-Pikten. He participated in the Chase-Pikten Home Show With Mike Horne when Chase-Pikten was the sponsor.
A Brief History of Wegmans by Gary Harris
On January 14th at 7 p.m., the Greece Historical Society will host its Second Tuesday of the Month History Talks at the Greece Arcadia Auditorium. This one will cover Wegmans Food Markets’ origins in Rochester, New York. It will also discuss its growth through the early 20th century. Additionally, it will cover its expansion beyond Rochester, the greater Rochester area, and Upstate New York. The Speaker will be Gary Harris, the Historical Asset Coordinator for Wegmans. Due to the possibility of this program’s large turnout, we ask that you reserve your seats early. The cut-off for reserving your tickets to the event will be at noon on January 14th.
This is the map of where to park, enter, and attend the program. A Section V game is set to tip off at 7:15 pm in the gym at the school. Please plan on arriving early to get a parking spot closest to the building. Note the Green Box is the Auditorium. Red Arrows indicate the two doors you will be able to enter. The Blue Information symbol marks where our registration table will be for the event.
Please reserve your tickets. The ticket reservation is live. Click the Read More button on the embedded post to reserve your tickets via the ticket engine. You can also call 585-225-7221 or email greecehistoricalsociety@yahoo.com
Elsa Von Blumen, Rochester’s First Female Cyclist
Elsa Von Blumen was a Rochesterian who, in the 1880s, raced high-wheeled bikes against horses, skaters, and male cyclists. She overcame challenges in a sport dominated by men. She helped inspire other women to find the courage to break social taboos. Her first professional bike race was against a horse in Rochester’s Driving Park. From Rochester, she went on to race throughout the entire Eastern United States for a decade. She was a force to be reckoned with in the cycling world. This presentation will introduce you to an Upstate New York athlete who should not be forgotten. Karen Lankeshofer is a long-time Henrietta, NY resident. She is an avid bike rider and advocates for safe cycling infrastructure. She enjoys studying history, especially if it pertains to Upstate New York. Her presentation is a tribute to a pioneering female professional athlete.
The Late Great Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co. by Donovan Shilling
Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Co. may have started as a simple dry goods store in 1868 at 73 Main Street. Still, following a devastating fire in 1904, it was rebuilt and eventually became the largest department store between New York City and Chicago. Join us as we learn the history of this iconic store and the legacy and memories it left behind. Please share your memories of Sibley’s on either our Facebook page from the event or on the YouTube video for a sense of engagement it helps out a lot to get people to engage with us this will be one of the pages that will allow commenting on.
Sibley, Lindsay & Curr Company, known informally as Sibley’s, was a Rochester, New York–based department store chain with stores located exclusively in the state of New York. Its flagship store, at 228 East Main Street in downtown Rochester, also housed its headquarters and featured an elegant executive dining room on the top floor.
Donovan Shilling, a native of Fairport, has written more than a dozen books about the history of Rochester. He is a retired middle school science teacher and administrator, has taught classes on local history to adults at the Rochester Museum and Science Center for more than 20 years, and is a long-time member of the Greece Historical Society.
The Kannewischer Family: From Berlin to Rochester to Arlidge Drive
An illustrated talk on four generations of a remarkable local family, whose lives, work, recreation, and experiences are chronicled by an extensive archive of historic photographs and documents that span 150 years and have never before been seen outside their family. Historian Cynthia Howk’s talk is in honor of Greece resident, Betty Fetter, now 102 years old, whose care of this unique archive, preserves an important American story.
The Kannewischer Family Live Stream
Historian Cynthia Howk presents an illustrated talk about the remarkable local Fetter family, covering 150 years of their life, work, and experiences through an extensive archive of historical photographs and documents previously unseen outside the family. This tribute honors 102-year-old Betty Fetter, custodian of this unique American story.
The Stream Will Go Live at this link here https://www.youtube.com/live/scsHuvT0nz4?si=VPrQMBjQO19kdgjM at 6:45 pm to ensure the video and audio settings are working and then the program will start at 7 pm broadcasted from the Greece Central School District Transportation and Student Services building on Latta Road at Mount Read Blvd.
Join Us for M & M Sunday! April 21, 2024
On April 21, 2024, from 2 pm to 4 pm, we will be hosting two of our top researchers and presenters Maureen Whalen and Marie Poinan are often the face of Local History in our town and the broader community. They both have given many informative talks at the Greece Museum, the Charlotte Branch Library, and several other sites around town. Their subjects have covered a wide range of topics from “A to Z” (ancestors to zoo!) Each has published and assisted others in numerous books and articles. Their audiences are always eager to hear their well-researched presentations.
M & M Sunday will honor them, along with other leaders of the Greece Historical Society. Come to thank Maureen and Marie along with other “behind the scenes” folks who make our historical society one of the best in New York State.
While there, enjoy M & M Sundaes, prepared by Jane Grant.
ROC 2024 Solar Eclipse: Preparing for Totality
BY Dan Schneiderman
Greece Central School District’s Transportation & Support Service Facility, 1790 Latta Road
On Monday, April 8, 2024, The Rochester area will be in the direct path of a total solar eclipse for the first time in almost a century. A total solar eclipse occurs when a portion of Earth is engulfed in a shadow cast by the moon which fully blocks sunlight.
Check out more about the total eclipse in Rochester at https://rochestereclipse2024.org/
Join us as Dan Schneiderman, the Eclipse Partnership Coordinator at the Rochester Museum & Science Center, discusses the science and history of solar eclipses, the impact the eclipse will have on our region, and how to prepare for this extraordinary astronomical opportunity.
Celebrating 50 years of WDKX (103.9)
Join Us on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 7 PM, at the Greece Central School District’s Transportation & Support Services Building, 1790 Latta Road, for a program on the History of WDKX the first and only African-American-owned station in Rochester, New York. The station was founded by Andrew Langston. Andre Langston & Andria B. Langston are the current owners of the radio station. The reason they chose the call sign WDKX is an acronym for and keeping with its urban contemporary format used the call letters to honor African-American Heros and one of them was a Rochesterian at the time of their death;
- W stands for radio stations located east of the Mississippi River
- D stands for Frederick Douglass
- K stands for Martin Luther King, Jr.
- X stands for Malcolm X
WDKX uses an 800-watt transmitter to broadcast its radio station. The station went live on April 6, 1974, at 5:30 AM and has been broadcasting 24/7 ever since. WDKX is one of only two remaining Urban stations in New York State.
The Station received the first-ever Pioneer Award from the Rochester Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Andrew A. Langston, founder, owner, and general manager of 103.9 WDKX FM, was among the inaugural inductees into the New York State Broadcasters Associations Hall of Fame in June 2014.
Andrew Langston died in 2010 at the age of 82. His son, Andre Langston, continues to operate the station as the current general manager and is our scheduled speaker.
Other Locations WDKX was featured or mentioned in:
- mentioned on “Super Hoe” Boogie Down Productions Criminal Minded 1987
- VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2005
- Hart of the City in 2019 (Season 3, Episode 5) which was produced by Kevin Hart and Joey Wells in Episode 5 of Season 3 featured three African-American comedians from Rochester, New York, Joel Jones, Travis Blunt, and Zack Johnson, and was filmed at Photo City Improv & Comedy Club / Photo City Music Hall on the corner of Atlantic Ave and Culver Road.
The station has a wide-ranging playlist, from classic soul to current hip hop/R&B.
You can learn more about WDKX History at https://wdkx.com/about
Celebrating 50 years of WDKX (103.9)
Join Us on Tuesday, February 13, 2024, at 7 PM, at the Greece Central School District’s Transportation & Support Services Building, 1790 Latta Road, for a program on the History of WDKX the first and only African-American-owned station in Rochester, New York. The station was founded by Andrew Langston. Andre Langston & Andria B. Langston are the current owners of the radio station. The reason they chose the call sign WDKX is an acronym for and keeping with its urban contemporary format used the call letters to honor African-American Heros and one of them was a Rochesterian at the time of their death;
- W stands for radio stations located east of the Mississippi River
- D stands for Frederick Douglass
- K stands for Martin Luther King, Jr.
- X stands for Malcolm X
WDKX uses an 800-watt transmitter to broadcast its radio station. The station went live on April 6, 1974, at 5:30 AM and has been broadcasting 24/7 ever since. WDKX is one of only two remaining Urban stations in New York State.
The Station received the first-ever Pioneer Award from the Rochester Radio Broadcasters Hall of Fame, Andrew A. Langston, founder, owner, and general manager of 103.9 WDKX FM, was among the inaugural inductees into the New York State Broadcasters Associations Hall of Fame in June 2014.
Andrew Langston died in 2010 at the age of 82. His son, Andre Langston, continues to operate the station as the current general manager and is our scheduled speaker.
Other Locations WDKX was featured or mentioned in:
- mentioned on “Super Hoe” Boogie Down Productions Criminal Minded 1987
- VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2005
- Hart of the City in 2019 (Season 3, Episode 5) which was produced by Kevin Hart and Joey Wells in Episode 5 of Season 3 featured three African-American comedians from Rochester, New York, Joel Jones, Travis Blunt, and Zack Johnson, and was filmed at Photo City Improv & Comedy Club / Photo City Music Hall on the corner of Atlantic Ave and Culver Road.
The station has a wide-ranging playlist, from classic soul to current hip hop/R&B.
You can learn more about WDKX History at https://wdkx.com/about
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in Western NY
Professor Oberg will discuss Indigenous land rights in western New York, and how state and federal governments, and legal systems, have underappreciated enduring and powerful Native American claims to the land in our part of the state.
Michael Leroy Oberg, the author of Native America, is a Distinguished Professor of History at SUNY-Geneseo and founder of the Geneseo Center for Local and Municipal History, which he directed from 2019 until 2022.
Learn More about Michael Leroy Oberg from his website https://michaelleroyoberg.com/
New Date for Our January Educational Program
Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in Western NY by Professor Michael Oberg
New Date: Tuesday, January 23, 2024, 7:00 p.m.
Greece Central School District Building 1790 Latta Road
Quick update there will be a live stream as well as a way to interact with the program with chat features powered by YouTube Our Program on Indigenous Peoples’ Rights in Western NY Talk – Live Stream. This feed will go live around 6:45 pm to get the settings and cameras ready to run the stream.
Professor Oberg will discuss Indigenous land rights in western New York, and how state and federal governments, and legal systems, have underappreciated enduring and powerful Native American claims to the land in our part of the state.
Michael Leroy Oberg, the author of Native America, is a Distinguished Professor of History at SUNY-Geneseo and founder of the Geneseo Center for Local and Municipal History, which he directed from 2019 until 2022.
Learn More about Michael Leroy Oberg from his website https://michaelleroyoberg.com/
