In January of 1939, Assistant City Historian Dr. Blake McKelvey published
the first quarterly Rochester History, focusing on Rochester and western New York.
Subjects researched and written by him and other scholars were edited, published and
distributed by Dr. McKelvey to expand the knowledge of our local history. Studying local
history as a microcosm of our nation's history has brought insight and understanding to
scholars and researchers around the globe.
On the 50th anniversary of the publication, a decade-long project to index
Rochester History was launched through the City Historian and the Rochester Regional
Library Council. With funding from the Frances Kenyon Publication Fund, the City
Historian's Office completed the index and will keep it updated. Making Rochester History
available online was made possible by a Library Services and Technology Act federal grant.
The goal of this grant was to share unique local resources electronically, thereby
increasing awareness and access to local history for educational and research purposes.
