Photoessay #795 - 198 Lyndhurst

Rochester, New York

A month or so ago, I posted a copy of a 1915 census record showing that my grandfather (Harold J. Ginsburgh) lived at this address at the time of the census with his father and mother. His age listed as 15.

I asked my coworkers in Rochester if somebody could go take a picture of it. I could see it on the map. The pictures of the landscape showed a vacant lot near this address. My boss said she would do it. It's now a 'bad neighborhood' ( I assume this means that people of color live there). In a central district near some freeway interchanges. She said that she would go there with her grown son.

So, here's the picture. The house still stands, the vacant lot is next door. She wanted to back up and take a picture of the house with it's neighbors but some men came out of the house brandishing beer bottles in a menacing way. So they decided to give that part up.

Wonder what it's like now and how it looked in 1915. I know very little of the Rochester part. My father refused to talk about visiting his grandparents. He probably couldn't remember. Or didn't want to remember. Or maybe they didn't go to visit?

My great grandfather was a printer, mayber for Eastman Kodak? Don't know. My grandfather attended the University of Rochester. Then, according to family lore, the Harvard Club of Rochester gave him a scholarship to Harvard.

I just wrote the Harvard Club of Rochester asking about that story.

He did graduate as part of the Class of 1920 and considered himself, first and foremost, a Harvard man for the rest of his life. He went on having a successful career as an actuary and insurance executive. A brilliant man, his children always feeling that they could never be as smart and accomplished as their father. As his oldest grandchild, I was his favorite.

The house really gives up no secrets, just as visiting my own childhood homes gave few insights.

Dog Park News---the other night Teddy got the better of Lobo a 9 month old very large German Shepherd. But today, Susanna reports that a one-eyed whippet named Maggie beat Teddy every time. Stay tuned