Can You Tell Me How To Find Adelaide Street?
Reprinted from the January, 2026 UMNA e-newsletter.
By all accounts the City of Rochester grew at a rapid pace over the fifty years from 1825 to 1875. Looking back, Rochester is considered by many historians of the period to be the fastest growing city in the country during those years. The newly completed Erie Canal played a significant role in driving Rochester’s economic and urban development.
The circa 1825 map above strongly suggests a remarkable rate of growth when compared to the map next to it on the right from the early 1870s. Note the cluster of dots in the upper left corner of the 1825 map. That’s the spot where Rochester was seeded at the end of the 18th century, chartered as “Rochesterville” in the early 19th century, and then re-charted as a city in 1835. The center of the 1825 map (and the entirety of the all the other maps shown on this post) is about where Upper Monroe is located today.
Land surrounding the early city’s early borders was annexed in all directions more than once during those first fifty years of Rochester’s existence. Land annexation continued into the early 20th century, pushing the city boundaries several more times; notably in our area, along Monroe Avenue from South Goodman Street to Culver Road and eventually to Highland Avenue.
Between 1870 and 1920, as the Upper Monroe neighborhood was emerging as a residential neighborhood, many new streets were developed and a trolley line added midway through this period. Over the same timeframe some of the older streets were renamed. “Cornelia Street”, for example, appears to have been attached to two different streets before disappearing from maps. As you will see on the 1888 and the 1900 maps (below) Cornelia Street is renamed Newport St. Then Cornelia St appears in a new location just south of Newport off of Field Street. Interesting, right?
Based on the 1888 map no homes had yet been built on Crosman Terrace, Shepard Street or Cornelia Street at that time. Crosman doesn’t appear at all on the 1900 map but homes popped had up on Shepard Street by then. Crosman appears on the 1910 map with a new descriptor, "Terrace". Newport Street replaces Cornelia Street on the 1900 map but it hasn’t been completed yet. Cornelia Street shows up as a stub connected to Field Street (formerly known as Paddly Lane).
It wasn’t clear to the Upper Monroe “Local History Nerds” (the group of UM neighbors who contributed to this article) why the name Cornelia was reassigned. An ardent developer wanting to memorialize a family member (the Crosmans, probably) is one theory explaining the change. Another theory suggests the maps are either misleading or downright incorrect. For example, some early maps identify Culver “Street” while others (both before and after) show Culver “Road”. Huh? There’s a good chance these particular maps are merely noting proposed streets rather than actual streets.
In any case, while Cornelia apparently became a physical street by the turn of the 20th century, the name didn’t stick. Shortly after the name changed to Pinnacle Road. More on this below.
What about Adelaide Street?
Let’s have some fun employing historical fiction to paint a picture of what it might have been like looking for Adelaide Street during this period…
Imagine it’s January 1, 1900 and you live on Bowen Street off of Pacific Street north of the Erie Canal in what would eventually become the Park Avenue neighborhood. You’re walking towards Monroe Avenue (formerly known as the Rochester and Pittsford Plank Road) on your way to meet a friend who lives about a quarter of a mile away in the Mt. Hor neighborhood on the other side of the canal. (Can you guess where the Mt. Hor neighborhood was then relative to where the Upper Monroe neighborhood is today? Hint: Take another look at the 1825 map above to orient yourself.)
Before long you pass the Kondolf Ice House (an important supplier of ice for many residential and commercial ice boxes in Rochester and one of only a few suppliers using water piped in from Hemlock Lake) on Pacific, your left shoulder nearly brushing against the Erie Canal twopath. Beasts of burden tethered to canal boats and led by canal workers are in evidence. A deep breath invites unpleasant odors from a variety of sources associated with the canal. Neither the sights nor smells bother you one whit, however. This is a normal state of affairs in your neighborhood. Besides, your thoughts are elsewhere…
Specifically, you’re uncertain where exactly Adelaide Street is located in Mt. Hor. You know it’s off (or near) Monroe Avenue. Is there a shortcut? Some advice would be helpful. So, you approach an elderly woman as she is about to pass you walking in the opposite direction down Pacific with Monroe Avenue to her back.
“Pardon me,” you begin. “Can you tell me how to find Adelaide Street near Mt. Hor? I’m visiting a new friend who lives there and I’m not quite sure where the street is located.”
The woman hesitates before responding, “It’s over there,” she says, pointing to her right past Kondolf’s and over the canal. “I’m very familiar with the other side of the canal. Crosman’s is my favorite source for seeds and plantings. Adelaide isn’t far after you cross the canal bridge.”
“I see. Thank you very much,” you reply. “Do you happen to know the shortest route?”
In response she turns her body around in the direction of Monroe Avenue as though she might somehow divine the route to Adelaide Street from a new perspective. Her back is facing you as she speaks. “Adelaide is past Keeler Street and near Culver. It's a catty-corner to Klinck,” she announces confidently.
Then, turning only her head and shoulders towards you, she adds, “You can also see Adelaide from the top of Mt. Hor, but I don’t think they’ve connected Newport Street or Cornelia yet.”
She completes her rotation and faces you again. “So, don’t try to get there from Field Street unless you have your boots on! It rained last night, you know,” she explained, her head cocked and her index finger now wagging in your direction.
“Adelaide is off the far end of Newport Street and runs down the side of Mt. Hor to Monroe. So, it’s probably best to get there from the main road. Adelaide is next to the old Klinck property and before School #8 on the same side of the street. No short cuts, I’m afraid.”
You thank her again and continue on your way towards Monroe Avenue before walking up and over the canal bridge towards Adelaide Street and Mt. Hor.
The Klinck-Keeler home was built well before the Civil War when the neighborhood was still located in the Town of Brighton. It is notable for this story because both the owners of this home had streets in Upper Monroe named after them at one time. This home was demolished sometime in the early 20th century. We hope to learn more and share details about this property and it's owners in a future article.
Adelaide Street was renamed “Pinnacle Road” at the dawn of the 20th century. The name “Pinnacle Road” was then extended all the way to Field Street replacing Newport Street sometime before 1918. To recap, what we now know as Pinnacle Road had two prior names: Cornelia Street AND Newport Street.
From what we can tell the two ends of Newport Street weren’t joined until after the south end of Laburnam Crescent, Crosman Terrace, Shepard Street and Rosedale Street were all in place. Cornelia Street disappeared from maps after Crosman Terrace was extended beyond Newport Street (now Pinnacle Road).
One further note on Pinnacle Road and Pinnacle Hill: South Clinton Avenue was known as Pinnacle Avenue at least until 1872. The moniker “Mt. Hor” was dropped in favor of Pinnacle Hill and, more generally, the "Pinnacle" neighborhood not too long after the turn of the century. “Upper Monroe” came into common use much, much later. More on this is a future post.
If you have a story to share or if you are curious about the Local History Nerds, write to [email protected].
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