City of Rochester City Map Poster

About City of Rochester

Rochester was named after Rochester, New York. In 1811, the year as its namesake's incorporation, Genesee County was created from a portion of Ontario County; in 1816 it became the seat of Monroe County. The name "Rochester" derives directly from the English city of Rochester in Kent (where many early settlers were originally born), and indirectly via French Rochesterville or Dutch Nieuw-Amsterdam (New Amsterdam).In addition to its post office designation ("ROC"), many locals refer to their city as "The City", or "The ROC". It is often used for brevity by those who live there: e.g., local radio personality Bob Lonsberry once referred to it simply as ""the City"" on his daily show; former Mayor William A. Johnson Jr., when giving directions would say ""...go west on Main Street through downtown and over the river..."" instead of saying "...go west on Main Street through all these little towns...