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Julie Oldfield | profile | all galleries >> Galleries >> Rochester in Decay tree view | thumbnails | slideshow

Rochester in Decay

This is a series of photos documenting the decline of Rochester, NY. In the 1980's Kodak employed over 60,000 people in Rochester and now employs about 2,000. At its peak in 1950, Rochester's population was 332,488. The current population of Rochester is 210,555. The decline of Rochester and other rust belt cities have turned them into ghosts of their former selves.
Atkinson St.
Atkinson St.		 Barons St.
Barons St.		 Buffalo Rd.
Buffalo Rd.		 Byron St.
Byron St.
Canal St.
Canal St.		 Central Park
Central Park		 Central Park
Central Park		 Central Park
Central Park
Child St.
Child St.		 Chili Ave.
Chili Ave.		 Chili Ave.
Chili Ave.		 Chili Ave.
Chili Ave.
Cleveland St.
Cleveland St.		 Cliff St.
Cliff St.		 Clifford Ave.
Clifford Ave.		 Colvin St.
Colvin St.
Conkey Ave.
Conkey Ave.		 Conkey Ave
Conkey Ave		 Dental Dispensary, East Main St.
Dental Dispensary, East Main St.		 Dewey Ave.
Dewey Ave.
Dewey Ave.
Dewey Ave.		 Driving Park
Driving Park		 Driving Park
Driving Park		 Durgin St.
Durgin St.
East Main St.
East Main St.		 E. Main St.
E. Main St.		 E. Main St.
E. Main St.		 Emerson St.
Emerson St.
Exchange St.
Exchange St.		 Falls St.
Falls St.		 Falls St.
Falls St.		 Falls St.
Falls St.
Falls St.
Falls St.		 Falls St.
Falls St.		 Flint St.
Flint St.		 Flint St.
Flint St.
Flower St.
Flower St.		 Flower St.
Flower St.		 Frost Ave.
Frost Ave.		 Frost Ave.
Frost Ave.
490 Overpass
490 Overpass		 Galusha St.
Galusha St.		 Gilmore St.
Gilmore St.		 Gilmore St.
Gilmore St.
Grape St.
Grape St.		 Grape St.
Grape St.		 Genesee St.
Genesee St.		 Hart St.
Hart St.
Harris St.
Harris St.		 High Falls
High Falls		 High Falls
High Falls		 Hudson Ave.
Hudson Ave.
Hudson Ave.
Hudson Ave.		 Hudson Ave.
Hudson Ave.		 Huntington Park
Huntington Park		 Implosion at Kodak Park as seen from Ridge Rd. West
Implosion at Kodak Park as seen from Ridge Rd. West
Iola Campus, East Henrietta Rd.
Iola Campus, East Henrietta Rd.		 Irondequoit Bay near Empire Blvd.
Irondequoit Bay near Empire Blvd.		 Lake Ave.
Lake Ave.		 Lake Ave.
Lake Ave.
Lexington Ave.
Lexington Ave.		 Lime St.
Lime St.		 Litchfield St.
Litchfield St.		 Lowell St.
Lowell St.
Lowell St.
Lowell St.		 Lowell St.
Lowell St.		 Lowell St.
Lowell St.		 Lyell Ave.
Lyell Ave.
Lyell Ave.
Lyell Ave.		 Lyell Ave.
Lyell Ave.		 Lyell Ave.
Lyell Ave.		 Lyell Ave.
Lyell Ave.
Jay St.
Jay St.		 Jay St.
Jay St.		 Jay St.
Jay St.		 Jay St.
Jay St.
Jay St.
Jay St. 		Joseph Ave.
Joseph Ave. 		Jefferson Ave.
Jefferson Ave.		 Maple St.
Maple St.
Maplewood
Maplewood		 Maria and Clifford
Maria and Clifford		 Martin St.
Martin St.		 Martin St.
Martin St.
Martin St.
Martin St.		 Martin St.
Martin St.		 Martin St.
Martin St.		 Martin St.
Martin St.
Martin St.
Martin St.		 Martin St.
Martin St.		 Martin St.
Martin St.		 Martin St.
Martin St.
Martin St. with Galusha St. in the background
Martin St. with Galusha St. in the background		 Mead St.
Mead St.		 Merrimac St.
Merrimac St.		 Merrimac St.
Merrimac St.
Merrimac St.
Merrimac St.		 Mt. Hope Ave.
Mt. Hope Ave.		 Murray St.
Murray St.		 North St.
North St.
North St.
North St.		 North St.
North St.		 North St.
North St.		 North St.
North St.
N. Clinton Ave.
N. Clinton Ave.		 N. Clinton Ave.
N. Clinton Ave.		 N. Clinton Ave.
N. Clinton Ave.		 N. Clinton Ave.
N. Clinton Ave.
North Goodman St.
North Goodman St.		 Orange St.
Orange St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.
Orchard St.		 Parkway
Parkway		 Palm St.
Palm St.		 Portland Ave.
Portland Ave.
Portland Ave.
Portland Ave.		 Portland Ave.
Portland Ave.		 Portland Ave.
Portland Ave.		 Putnam St.
Putnam St.
Reynolds St.
Reynolds St.		 Reynolds St.
Reynolds St.		 Reynolds St.
Reynolds St.		 Ries St.
Ries St.
Riley Park
Riley Park		 Riley Park
Riley Park		 Rauber St.
Rauber St.		 St. Paul St.
St. Paul St.
St. Paul St.
St. Paul St.		 St. Paul St.
St. Paul St.		 Selye Terrace
Selye Terrace		 Sixth St.
Sixth St.
Smith St.
Smith St.		 Smith St.
Smith St.		 Smith St.
Smith St.		 Smith St.
Smith St.
Smith St.
Smith St.		 State St.
State St.		 Subway
Subway		 Subway
Subway
Subway
Subway		 Subway
Subway		 Abandoned Subway Tunnel
Abandoned Subway Tunnel		 View of Lake Ave. from St. Paul St.
View of Lake Ave. from St. Paul St.
Tracks near St. Paul St.
Tracks near St. Paul St.		 Train Station
Train Station		 Train Station
Train Station		 Upper Falls Blvd.
Upper Falls Blvd.
Upton Cold Storage Cliff St.
Upton Cold Storage Cliff St.		 Upton Cold Storage Cliff St.
Upton Cold Storage Cliff St.		 Vetter St.
Vetter St.		 Walnut St.
Walnut St.
West Ave.
West Ave.		 West Ave.
West Ave.		 West Main St.
West Main St.		 West Main St.
West Main St.
Vacant Used Car Lot, West Ridge Rd.
Vacant Used Car Lot, West Ridge Rd.		 Whitney St.
Whitney St.		 Whitney St.
Whitney St.		 Whitney St.
Whitney St.
Whitney St.
Whitney St.		 Widman Street
Widman Street		 Wiley St.
Wiley St.		 Wiley St.
Wiley St.
Woodward St.
Woodward St.		 Iola Tuberculosis Sanitarium
:: Iola Tuberculosis Sanitarium :: 		414-418 Genesee St.
:: 414-418 Genesee St. :: 		Rochester Subway
:: Rochester Subway ::
Rochester Subway 12.28.13
:: Rochester Subway 12.28.13 :: 		Rochester Subway 5.16.15
:: Rochester Subway 5.16.15 :: 		Rochester Incinerator
:: Rochester Incinerator  :: 		Canal St. Area
:: Canal St. Area ::
Former Rochester Gas and Electric Facility
:: Former Rochester Gas and Electric Facility ::

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Dan Greenberg25-Feb-2018 15:10
This is a tremendous body of work and an important one. Very comprehensive and very well and effectively photographed. ~BV~
exzim29-Mar-2017 00:09
a great coverage of a city in decay. It's hard to believe that one industry, Kodak, could fail and there goes the city.
David Markham 04-Jul-2016 03:04
Very basic, workmanlike photographs. A pity you can't focus on the good things in the world, but somehow feel there is value in focusing on the negative. (All too common these days, I am sorry to say.)

Also odd that you feel necessary to mention the decline of Kodak, as if that was the only reason for the decline in population. (Taxes, poor schools, years of stagnant leadership, etc. Lots of reasons to leave the city, as I hope to do after 47 years.)

And, of course, doesn't speak to the greater Rochester area, which is doing just fine, thank you.

Good luck with your downer of a project, though. Pessimistic enough to be a winner in this day and age.
Guest 02-Jul-2016 13:34
Probably the best photo document depicting fall of the city, once potent and happy.
Excellent photography.
Gervan24-Mar-2016 18:21
Great photo work although it shows a sad story of your home town. V.
William Barletta29-Feb-2016 04:01
What an impressive gallery. A marvelous piece of photo-journalism ~V~
Alexander Kazakov05-Sep-2015 07:24
Excellent gallery! V
Dave Petersen Photography23-Aug-2015 22:56
This gallery really displays the decay in a direct but tasteful manner. It also shows the beauty that was once there which is important. You have taken a subject with a sense of purpose and explored it's many facets well Julie. Voted++
Markus Grompe20-Aug-2015 22:49
this really is one of the major themes of your photography. have you have had any nasty phone calls from the chamber of commerce?
Jeff Real16-Aug-2015 12:58
Very important and compelling work ~V~
Ken Zaret05-Mar-2015 19:54
Well documented but sad gallery. I hope Rochester picks it back up!
Buz Kiefer30-Dec-2014 22:27
Remarkable gallery of photojournalism. Hard to believe this once fair city is in decline but perhaps it will turn around shortly. Vote.
Ian Dalgliesh20-Nov-2014 20:05
My daughters both went to Rochester,NY, as part of a marching band.They said it was awesome.They really enjoyed the experience.
Geoff 05-Nov-2014 18:25
I feel every city has it's share of run-down light industrial buildings, bad streets with boarded up windows, etc. You can really make this photo essay in any city of the world. Rochester is looking up these days, the population downtown has doubled since the year 2000, there are plenty of projects converting old buildings into useful residential and commercial spaces. Luckily the city is small enough to bounce back fast unlike other cities in the rust belt. Tons of progress going on downtown, don't sleep on it.
Guest 02-Nov-2014 11:57
a really fine documentary. lots of foot work. you're an ace photograher
Courtney 19-Oct-2014 21:19
As a kid i always was curious about all those abandon factories u see all around the city...its crazy cuz those were all once jobs for ppl...always wondered why they closed down
Helen Betts05-Oct-2014 06:31
I have seen some of these images individually, but they now mean more in context. Excellent gallery documenting the sad decline of Rochester. V.
Guest 09-Sep-2014 04:31
I lived in the city in the mid 70's having moved from Baltimore. The decline had started on the Black side of town back then however no one really cared as they paid more attention to what the "Big Yellow Father" wanted and now look where that thinking took Rochester> Such a waste, yet so typical of American society today.
Guest 30-Jul-2014 20:39
So, so sad. I grew up in the 19th Ward and my beloved hometown is in bad shape.
Guest 30-Jul-2014 14:20
Similar scenes exist on Buffalo's once-thriving East Side.
Sandy Wimett 30-Jul-2014 09:04
Very nicely done. I sell real estate and am in the city most days. It saddens me to see the decay. I grew up in the city and love our city. Throwing government money (welfare, free housing etc) is NOT the answer. People need to have skin in the game to care. This has happened in cities all across the country. We need to work on bringing communities back, stop the big box stores and create jobs in each community.
Barry McCartney30-Jul-2014 04:03
Very nicely documented Julie! But sad to see this happen to a city.
I guess much of this decline can be blamed on corporate greed and outsourcing.
Guest 10-Jun-2014 02:51
This is an excellent study, but I'd like to challenge the view that Rochester is not "thriving" and that it's a "ghost of it's former self". Considering what it's gone through, Rochester feels really great to live in lately.
Guest 25-May-2014 13:20
Please take all typos for love. I was so excited I was typing from my mobile phone and was should have been were:)
Guest 25-May-2014 13:17
I am a 45 year old African American female born and raised in Rochester, New York and these photos was very sad for me to look at. I remember all these buildings and houses from the east side to the west side, south and north. We are hosting what we call a Family Reunion of 150 people vwho all lived in Rovhester in the same area. And have seen the decline in what once was a beautiful thriving city.
Adalberto Tiburzi14-May-2014 21:12
No words, only a letter... V!
Per Forsström13-May-2014 18:19
Very interesting documentary! V
Jude Sargent 12-May-2014 09:53
Is this a current list of abandoned? I will be in the Rochester area in august.
JacoDub11-May-2014 04:57
Great series! V.
clickA SF06-May-2014 02:10
American dream... Heartbreaking document. BV
Ted :(
Michael J. Parkinson17-Apr-2014 03:01
This is truly awesome Julie, in the true sense of the word. I have not been to Rochester since 1971. Then things were humming and something like this was just not thinkable.
Jakob Ehrensvärd04-Feb-2014 12:34
You have quite a few epic pictures here... Even in my home town, Kodak has passed to the history books their premises are demolished. I managed to pass by before it was leveled -http://pbase.com/jakobe/kodak_hill
Will Hoskins18-Jan-2014 21:49
This is outstanding documentation of such a sad situation. This is very poignant for those of us who once referred to Rochester as the home of the Great Yellow Father. V
Zeeby14-Dec-2013 16:27
A great gallery, well done! V
Dirck Harris14-Dec-2013 00:51
Interesting (and sad) gallery. And we document it with our digital cameras, which helped kill off Rochester when Kodak couldn't keep up.
Mangles Photography21-Nov-2013 08:58
A great documentary many fine images
Gary Hebert20-Nov-2013 21:44
Excellent documentary Julie... also enjoyed reading the other comments... :-))
DeMorcan17-Nov-2013 02:00
I think of these places as forgotten memories. Once they were active and life flourished. As life moved on, the memories went with them. But now the memories are gone and the ghosts that used to speak to those who returned silenced.
Roland16-Nov-2013 20:49
A telling and sad series of images. Your effort to photograph what once was is outstanding. Last time I was there was late 1970's and it sure looked different. V
Brian Karl Werner16-Nov-2013 20:43
Wonderful Documentary of the Times!
Long Bach Nguyen30-Oct-2013 01:54
excellent documentary
Alain Boussac30-Sep-2013 15:44
Poignant and excellent imagery. Great work. Vote.
Yves Dubois28-Sep-2013 22:46
not depressing to me love the stuff....nice gallery (v)
Guest 26-Sep-2013 01:51
Great pictures although they are depressing. This has happened all over our country as we sell out for items mad cheaper in other parts of the world.
bill friedlander31-Aug-2013 18:38
A stark view of the decline but a gold mine for the photographer who likes that sort of thing! V
GeneWard08-May-2013 00:04
Grimly fascinating.
Walter Otto Koenig22-Feb-2013 01:54
Strong documentary work. This gallery has grown quite a bit since I voted for it in 2008. Well done!
Mangles Photography17-Feb-2013 16:52
Fantastic chronicle!!!
great images
Guest 12-Feb-2013 03:30
A wonderful collection of images from a sad story. I lived in Rochester for 18 months
and it is sad to see some of the places I knew go to ruin.
Marc Demoulin08-Feb-2013 06:43
This is a poignant body of work and document! vVv
Marc
Robert Roaldi 07-Feb-2013 19:39
Another city bites the dust. Must be that creative destruction again.
Brian Collins Art07-Feb-2013 05:31
A sad and captivating gallery. V
Michel Fleury06-Feb-2013 03:06
Rochester seems to be an abandoned building lover's paradise. Thanks for sharing.
SRW05-Feb-2013 23:11
A gallery I keep coming back to again and again... -- captivating; and yet sad....
Rob Misanchuk05-Feb-2013 01:28
Great gallery. Sad to see grand old buildings die. V
jacklouis21-Jan-2013 17:27
Great series of photos - you have an excellent photographic eye!
Rick Bricker31-Oct-2012 05:21
Very powerful pictorial essay Julie.BV
Patrick Goossens19-Oct-2012 06:58
Love this gallery! Nicely documented decay of a town. Important photo collection.
Guest 16-Oct-2012 00:44
Your photos are quite interesting and lovely, although the population facts don't tell the full story.The population of the city proper has decreased, but the population of the greater Rochester area has grown significantly and continues to grow as of the most recent census. It's a wonderfull place to live and to hunt for abandoned relics.
Guest 25-Jan-2012 01:03
I was Toronto Ontario and in my teens we always saw Rochester as a lower level but my past few trips to Toronto , I ran into many people who were once employed at Kodak at gas stations............. The stories that they told me are very sad, yet a fixture among many american states...............
Marijka25-Jan-2012 00:57
This could anywhere USA.... a well done visual commentary!!
Guest 12-May-2011 01:42
A wonderful documentary!~V
Jean-Claude Liehn20-Jan-2011 18:13
What I wrote on july 2009 is more and more true.
Ali Majdfar08-Feb-2010 04:43
Fantastic gallery, great shots. ~V
Dan Chusid07-Feb-2010 05:40
No shortage of subjects in that area.
Terrific!
Guest 31-Dec-2009 03:55
Boy, these blue states are really going downhill.
John Ting17-Dec-2009 20:29
Excellent collection of images with a clear purpose.
Antonio Ruggiero09-Dec-2009 17:31
Ottima Gallery....Bravo...V
Buba Jafarli05-Oct-2009 06:53
Very interesting, though depressing at times! Good work, Julie, my vote!
John Potter08-Sep-2009 00:06
Now this gallery is irresistible!! Big Vote
Timothy Guenther07-Aug-2009 02:40
Awesome gallery! V
Jean-Claude Liehn11-Jul-2009 04:20
The only subject of photography is time. So, this is an excellent gallery. I love this kind of artistic documents.
Guest 03-Jul-2009 17:18
A very interesting gallery, sad to see the decay.
Your photography is great, evocative, very well presented! V!
bill dixon06-Dec-2008 03:07
What a powerfull gallery. Well documented excellent images. Makes me think of Pontiac or Flint Michigan. My heart is heavy. Voted!
Tad 14-Aug-2008 04:06
Julie, Your shots show life as it was & as such are very interesting. Thanks for showing us scenes from this great city.
Guest 03-Aug-2008 21:37
Julie. Again, I really like these. I'm so glad to see that you have continued with this series.
Walter Otto Koenig03-Apr-2008 03:40
Fascinating gallery. I looked at every image with great interest. Excellent documentation with well taken and composed photographs. "V"
Guest 24-Feb-2008 03:47
Julie, I love this! I enjoy the compositions as well as the content. Rochester is one of my favorite topics!
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