The nearby bridge over the Middle Falls of the Genesee River was built by a partnership between the city of Rochester and RG&E, the local utility. On the south side of the bridge is a rack house, where water enters the long tunnels which lead to hydroelectric turbines located at the base of the Lower Falls. This hydro generating station was modernized in 2012, at a cost over $100 million dollars.
This area was once a thriving manufacturing settlement, known as McCrackenville. In fact, Driving Park bridge was once called McCracken bridge. Starting in the 1820s, water was diverted from the Middle Falls, filling a mill race running through the center of the development. The water powered equipment used for many businesses, such as paper milling and furniture making. The site was razed in the mid-1960s, but you can still see some of the foundations of McCrackenville along the edge of the water and the cliffs to the west.
Download the free Tour Blend app, or tap the graphic below, for a free audio-narrated tour of the Middle and Lower Falls of the Genesee River and Maplewood Park. It guides you past a spectacular 110’ waterfall and includes Kelsey’s Landing, a National Underground Railroad Network site.
The Middle Falls of the Genesee River is located along the Genesee Riverway Trail, a scenic multi-use trail which runs through Rochester from Lake Ontario to the Erie Canal. It is a designated National Recreational Trail, and connects to both the statewide Erie Canal Heritage Trail and the Genesee Valley Greenway Trail, which continues south along the Genesee River.
There are many parks and historic districts along the Genesee Riverway Trail.Add block
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Genesee Riverway Trail 