The Modern Age: Electric Trolley

The Modern Age: Electric Trolley (HM2GZS)

Location:
Buy flags at Flagstore.com!

N 43° 13.208', W 78° 23.207'

  • 0 likes
  • 0 check ins
  • 0 favorites
  • 306 views
Inscription

Area 8

In 1908, Medina saw a new and modern mode of transportation arrive - the electric trolley. Originally known as the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester Railway, the line paralleled the Railroad to Salt Works Road, crossed West Center Street along the canal. The influential residents of West Center Street protested the laying of track on their stately and quiet residential street. This resulted in a reroute to Commercial Street where actual riots broke out at the news. Alas, the working residents of that street lacked power and influence, and the reroute was set. The line ran on Commercial and Main Streets to the four corners, turning east on East Center Street. There were stops at 420 Main Street at what was then Callaghan & Sutter's Store, and at a depot on East Center Street. Passengers could travel east to Rochester or west to Buffalo and point beyond. Looking to capitalize on this new fascination, the Medina Village Trustees actually gave permission to have trolley service on several village streets in the early 1900's. How fashionable that would have been! That plan , however, did not materialize. The line provided service for many years but use began to dwindle by the late 1920's. With increasing competition from automobiles and trucks, the line ceased service at midnight on April 30, 1931. Laying track on North Main



Street for the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester Railway. Trolleys at four corners in downtown Medina. Above: laying track for the Buffalo, Lockport & Rochester Railway on Commercial Street. At right, the Trolley depot on East Center Street.
Albert L. Swett: Medina's Electricity Tycoon Albert Lewis Swett, was born in 1850, one of 14 children - 6 of which survived to adulthood. When the Civil War broke out his father and his older brother enlisted in the army, leaving his mother and four children to carry on the farm work. Albert was the eldest of the four at only age eleven. At age 15, Albert L. Sweet took a job as a grocery clerk. He went on to many successful ventures including the A.L. Sweet Iron Works and A. L. Sweet Electric Light & Power Company. Creating and harnessing the power of Medina's Glenwood Lake and Waterport's Lake Alice, Sweet's company provided electricity for not only Medina and his factories but the surrounding villages of Albion, Holley, Brockport, Lyndonville, Somerset and Barker. A.L. Sweet died in 1924.
Details
HM NumberHM2GZS
Tags
Marker ConditionNo reports yet
Date Added Tuesday, May 21st, 2019 at 5:01pm PDT -07:00
Pictures
Sorry, but we don't have a picture of this historical marker yet. If you have a picture, please share it with us. It's simple to do. 1) Become a member. 2) Adopt this historical marker listing. 3) Upload the picture.
Locationbig map
UTM (WGS84 Datum)17T E 712241 N 4788576
Decimal Degrees43.22013333, -78.38678333
Degrees and Decimal MinutesN 43° 13.208', W 78° 23.207'
Degrees, Minutes and Seconds43° 13' 12.48" N, 78° 23' 12.42" W
Driving DirectionsGoogle Maps
Which side of the road?Marker is on the right when traveling North
Closest Postal AddressAt or near , ,
Alternative Maps Google Maps, MapQuest, Bing Maps, Yahoo Maps, MSR Maps, OpenCycleMap, MyTopo Maps, OpenStreetMap

Is this marker missing? Are the coordinates wrong? Do you have additional information that you would like to share with us? If so, check in.

Check Ins  check in   |    all

Have you seen this marker? If so, check in and tell us about it.

Comments 0 comments

Maintenance Issues
  1. What country is the marker located in?
  2. Is this marker part of a series?
  3. What historical period does the marker represent?
  4. What historical place does the marker represent?
  5. What type of marker is it?
  6. What class is the marker?
  7. What style is the marker?
  8. Does the marker have a number?
  9. What year was the marker erected?
  10. Who or what organization placed the marker?
  11. This marker needs at least one picture.
  12. Can this marker be seen from the road?
  13. Is the marker in the median?