Rochester in Beaver County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Industry Along the Banks
Riverfrontiers
| — | Stories of Beaver County & its Rivers | — |
Photographed by Dale K. Benington, July 14, 2011
1. Industry Along the Banks Marker
The businesses and factories set up between Water and Railroad Streets in Rochester manufactured a wide range of goods:
(1)Wm. Miller & Sons Lumber Yard & Planing Mill 1875 - 1912
Provided all types of lumber including fine woods used in interiors of many grand buildings and homes in the region.
(2)Olive Stove Works
this page online
Produced coal and gas stoves, ranges for cooking and heating. Also created castings for many area glass companies.
(3)Rochester Clay Pot Co. 1884 (closed by 1908)
Makers of fire bricks and bricks for paving and building. Originally built by Miller and Sons to produce crockery ware.
(4)Rochester Roller Flour Mill 1883 - 1914
Produced various baking flours and feed.
(5)Beaver Valley Brewing Co. 1903
(large building still standing) Produced Yale Export Ale
Photographed by Dale K. Benington, July 14, 2011
2. Industry Along the Banks Marker
View of the historic marker in the foreground and the intersection of Harrison Street and Water Street in the background.
(6)The Rochester Cut Glass Company 1896 - 1922
Produced cut glass items: tumblers, stemware and bowls.
Point Bottle Works Company 1879 - 1906
Located at the point where the Ohio and Beaver rivers meet. Manufactured glass items including medicine bottles, liquor bottles, flasks and fruit jars - up to 180,000 bottles per day.
Superior Coffin and Burial Casket Works c. 1876
Offered a variety of coffins and caskets. Their most
Photographed by Dale K. Benington, July 14, 2011
3. Industry Along the Banks Marker
View of the historic marker looking west along Water Street.
In the late 1800s, a variety of businesses were located along the rivers in Rochester - it was the main part of town in that time.
Images left to right, Top:
Advertisement for an Olive stove; the Olive Stove Works building; Middle: Beaver Valley Brewing sign; the Beaver Valley Brewing plant (note the tower section, now gone); Bottom: Riverside Carriage advertisement; Rochester Flour Mill promotional image; advertisement for Miller Lumber Yard. Right: Early view of Water Street in Rochester, in the background, the ferry landing in Monaca can be seen. (Notice the carriage in the foreground.)
Amidst the industry of Water Street stood the Speyerer Hotel. Built in 1891, the hotel offered guests views of the Ohio River and amenities such as steam heat and an elevator. Because of the hotel's proximity to the river and rail lines, a special room was retained here by H.C. Fry to conveniently showcase Fry Glassware (manufactured in north Rochester) to out-of-town buyers. After only 39 years of service, the hotel was demolished.
Another, smaller
Photographed by Dale K. Benington, July 14, 2011
4. Industry Along the Banks Marker
View of the historic marker looking east along Water Street.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Industry & Commerce • Waterways & Vessels. A significant historical year for this entry is 1875.
Location. 40° 41.897′ N, 80° 17.079′ W. Marker is in Rochester, Pennsylvania, in Beaver County. It is on Water Street west of Harrison Street, on the left when traveling west. This historic marker is located in a community park, along the Ohio River north shore line, near the east side of the mouth of the Beaver River. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Rochester PA 15074, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in Greater Pittsburgh. It is also in the American Northeast, in the Mid-Atlantic, and in the Ohio River Valley. Globally, it is in North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy and also one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Always A River 1991 (here, next to this marker); About River Transit ... (about 400 feet away, measured in a direct line); Lewis and Clark (about 700 feet away); Spanning the Waters (about 700 feet away); Logans Town (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rochester Lodge Number 229 (approx. 0.2 miles away); Rochester / Rochester - Monaca Bridge (approx. 0.2 miles away); H.C. Fry Glass Company (approx. ¼ mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Rochester.
Credits. This page was last revised on June 16, 2016. It was originally submitted on June 1, 2012, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio. This page has been viewed 1,404 times since then and 60 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on June 2, 2012, by Dale K. Benington of Toledo, Ohio.
