In 1788 in 1788, The Mill Yard Tract, a parcel of land that was twelve miles (19 km) wide and 24 miles (39 km) long, located along the banks of the Genesee River stretching from present-day areas from Charlotte and Braddock Bay at Lake Ontario through the City of Rochester, New York was acquired by and the Seneca Indians by Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham. At the time, the area between the river and Braddock Bay was still utilized for hunting by those who hunted the Seneca Indians. The first hut along the shores of Lake Ontario on the west side of the Genesee River was constructed in 1791 by William Hincher and his son, who set up the land the following year with seven of his daughters and wife. Later permanent settlements in Rochester preceded the first settlements. In 1792, the Pulteney Association purchased rights to most of Phelps and Gorham’s property within New York. Col. Robert Troup, an agent of the Pulteney Association, arranged the initial layout of the town and divided the land into 1 acre (0.40 ha) parcels. The area was named “Charlottesburgh” in honor of his daughter.
The town was once an international trade port. Samuel Latta established a warehouse at the mouth of Genesee River and, in 1806, was appointed customs collector for the Port of Genesee by President Thomas Jefferson. Samuel Latta’s brother, a trader from the frontier, George Clinton Latta (1795-1871), operated a profitable trading firm out of Charlotte with several schooners engaged in commerce throughout the Great Lakes.
Trade was disrupted in the War of 1812, and a less vulnerable port was established for a short time three miles further upstream from Carthage Landing. During the conflict, British forces were encountered at Charlotte at various times. In June 1813, the British fleet led by Sir James Yeo landed at Charlotte and took possession of the supplies of flour, grain, pork, and other items, and the inhabitants surrendered without incident. In September of that year, this British fleet was spotted off the coast, but it was encircled and escorted off to the American fleet under Commodore Isaac Chauncey. A1 Bed Bug Exterminator Rochester
Then, in May 1814, The British tried to land again. But this time, the people who were conscious of the British, the Indian massacre in Lewiston, NY, and the recent assault on Oswego, NY, dispatched local militias to deny letting the fleet land. After an unintentional exchange of cannon firing, the entire fleet was evacuated. In 1816 Colonel Caleb Hopkins was commissioned as a brigadier general for his brave service in the war, which included the defense of the Port of Charlotte against the British. After the end of the war, trade started to expand quickly. Early settlers believed that Charlotte would eventually become the main town along the Genesee River until the use of the waterfalls to supply energy to mills and the construction of the Erie Canal in 1823 later led to the power of the settlements within Rochester.
A lighthouse made of stone was built in 1821 on the west bank to improve navigation. It was followed by an octagonal light on the pier’s west side. On the 25th of August, 1852, the ground was broken by the Rochester and Lake Ontario Railroad (later part of the New York Central Railroad), which made its first run on May 12th, 1853, in just thirty minutes. The railroad served as an easy route for Canadian routes to get to New York City. However, the lake trade from Charlotte declined due to increased rivalry between Erie Canal and railroad lines built in Rochester, NYC.
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