The history of Cobbs Hill
The hill takes its name from Gideon Cobb, an early landowner, tavern keeper and brickmaker. Into the early 1900s the land east of the hill was mostly farmland in the Town of Brighton.
In 1904 the City bought the hilltop, the site of a former quarry, and by 1908 finished the Cobbs Hill Reservoir, which still holds Hemlock Lake water for the city. George Eastman donated land on the hill for park use, and in 1912 the City bought the woods that became Washington Grove, which had been at risk of becoming a gravel pit.
Rochester annexed the area in 1914. Brothers James and Andrew Gleason, of the Gleason Works gear company, then subdivided Nunda Boulevard, followed by Castlebar Road and Cobbs Hill Drive, with a wide planted mall down the center of Nunda designed by landscape architect Alling DeForest.
Most houses went up in the 1920s and 1930s. In 1932 the grove was named Washington Grove for the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth, and in 2025 City Council made the whole park, grove included, a city preservation district.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1904 | City buys the Cobbs Hill hilltop for a reservoir |
| 1908 | Cobbs Hill Reservoir is completed |
| 1912 | City buys the woods that become Washington Grove |
| 1914 | Rochester annexes the area from the Town of Brighton |
| 1932 | Washington Grove is named for George Washington’s 200th birthday |
| 2025 | City Council creates the Cobbs Hill Park Preservation District |
Did you know?
Washington Grove got its name in 1932, the 200th anniversary of George Washington’s birth.
The homes in Cobbs Hill today
Mostly single-family houses from the 1920s and 1930s on gently sloping streets. Styles include American Foursquares, Colonial and Dutch Colonial Revivals, and Tudor Revivals in stucco with half-timbering, brick or stone.
Historic designation
Cobbs Hill Park, including Washington Grove, became a City of Rochester preservation district in 2025, so changes inside the park need Preservation Board review. The surrounding residential streets are not part of that district. What that means for an older Rochester home.
Landmarks and parks
- Cobbs Hill Reservoir - completed in 1908 and still part of the city water system, ringed by a popular walking loop
- Washington Grove - old-growth woods on the east side of the park, bought by the City in 1912
- Lake Riley - pond in the park that is a remnant of an Erie Canal basin
- Nunda Boulevard - the neighborhood’s central street with its landscaped mall by Alling DeForest
Buying a home in Cobbs Hill
Fall for the house, then do the homework. These are the first things we check here, on top of the usual inspection:
- Period details and updates: many 1920s and 1930s houses keep original slate or clay tile roofs, stucco and leaded windows. Have the inspector look closely at stucco condition and roof flashing.
- Older systems: ask about the age of the electrical service and any remaining knob-and-tube wiring, plus the main sewer line under mature street trees.
- Lead-safe condition and disclosure: nearly every house here predates 1978, so ask for the federal lead disclosure and consider a lead inspection, especially for painted porches, windows and trim.
- The full city, school and county tax bill for the exact parcel
- School assignment for the exact address, confirmed with the Rochester City School District
The bigger picture on city taxes, lead rules, two-family homes and the City’s homebuyer grant is in our City of Rochester guide.
Selling a home in Cobbs Hill
Buyers who search for Cobbs Hill are often looking for exactly what makes it Cobbs Hill: the homes, the history and places like Cobbs Hill Reservoir. We put that story in the marketing, price the home against true comparables, and launch it to draw a crowd. How we sell · What is my Cobbs Hill home worth?
Cobbs Hill FAQ
Where is Cobbs Hill?
Cobbs Hill is in the southeast part of the City of Rochester. Boundaries follow the City’s Celebrate City Living program and are approximate; confirm the municipality and parcel for any address.
What kinds of homes are in Cobbs Hill?
Mostly single-family houses from the 1920s and 1930s on gently sloping streets. Styles include American Foursquares, Colonial and Dutch Colonial Revivals, and Tudor Revivals in stucco with half-timbering, brick or stone.
Is Cobbs Hill a historic district?
Yes. Cobbs Hill Park, including Washington Grove, became a City of Rochester preservation district in 2025, so changes inside the park need Preservation Board review. The surrounding residential streets are not part of that district.
How do I find homes for sale in Cobbs Hill?
Search current listings on our team site, or tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll set up a search for Cobbs Hill and the neighborhoods around it.
Sources
- WXXI News: Cobb’s Hill and Washington Grove slated to become preservation district (2025)
- Daily Record: Neighborhood Focus, Cobbs Hill (2009)
- Historical Marker Database: Cobbs Hill markers
- Landmark Society: Preserving Cobb’s Hill Park
- Neighborhood names and boundaries: Celebrate City Living, a City of Rochester partnership
We describe neighborhoods by their history, homes and landmarks, never by who lives there. For school or safety questions, use the official sources so you can decide for yourself.
Thinking about Cobbs Hill?
Buying or selling, tell us the street and we’ll tell you what we’d look at first.
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