The history of Corn Hill
Corn Hill, long known as the Third Ward, is Rochester’s oldest residential neighborhood. Its modern name comes from the Corn Hill Tract, a farm Josiah Bissell bought in 1825, and the area became part of the Third Ward when Rochester became a city in 1834.
Large homes went up here in the decades after the Erie Canal opened in the 1820s and 1830s. The Campbell-Whittlesey House on South Fitzhugh Street, designed by Minard Lafever and finished around 1836, is considered one of the finest Greek Revival houses in the country.
In 1937 Helen Ellwanger bought the Campbell-Whittlesey House to save it, and the Landmark Society of Western New York was formed to protect it, ten years before the National Trust for Historic Preservation. The society still has its offices in Corn Hill.
In the 20th century many big houses were split into apartments, I-490 cut through the north part of the ward, and 1960s urban renewal cleared much of what remained. A 1964 Landmark Society survey helped carve out a conservation area, the Third Ward was listed on the National Register in 1974, and the City named the Corn Hill Preservation District in 1977. New townhouses and homes filled cleared land beside the restored 19th century houses.
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1825 | Josiah Bissell buys the farm known as the Corn Hill Tract |
| 1836 | Campbell-Whittlesey House is completed on South Fitzhugh Street |
| 1937 | Landmark Society of Western New York forms to save the Campbell-Whittlesey House |
| 1974 | Third Ward Historic District is listed on the National Register |
| 1977 | City designates the Corn Hill Preservation District |
Did you know?
The Landmark Society of Western New York started in 1937 to save a single Corn Hill house, the Campbell-Whittlesey House, a decade before the National Trust for Historic Preservation existed.
The homes in Corn Hill today
Corn Hill has restored 19th century houses ranging from Greek Revival to Victorian, alongside townhouses, condominiums and single-family homes built in the late 20th century on land cleared during urban renewal. Some of the larger historic houses are divided into apartments.
Historic designation
Third Ward Historic District, National Register of Historic Places (1974, boundary increase 2023); Corn Hill Preservation District, City of Rochester (1977). What that means for an older Rochester home.
Landmarks and parks
- Campbell-Whittlesey House - Greek Revival house (c. 1836) whose rescue started the Landmark Society; now a private residence
- Landmark Society of Western New York offices on South Fitzhugh Street
- Corn Hill Arts Festival - neighborhood arts fair started in the late 1960s by artists on Greenwood Street
- Genesee Riverway Trail along the Corn Hill riverfront
Buying a home in Corn Hill
Fall for the house, then do the homework. These are the first things we check here, on top of the usual inspection:
- Most of the neighborhood is in a City preservation district, so exterior work like windows, siding, porches and fences needs approval; ask what has been approved on the house before
- For a house split into apartments, confirm the legal unit count and the City Certificate of Occupancy
- Pre-1978 homes need a lead paint disclosure; ask about lead-safe work and any interim controls done
- 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 Corn Hill
Buyers who search for Corn Hill are often looking for exactly what makes it Corn Hill: the homes, the history and places like Campbell-Whittlesey House. 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 Corn Hill home worth?
Corn Hill FAQ
Where is Corn Hill?
Corn Hill is in the southwest 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 Corn Hill?
Corn Hill has restored 19th century houses ranging from Greek Revival to Victorian, alongside townhouses, condominiums and single-family homes built in the late 20th century on land cleared during urban renewal. Some of the larger historic houses are divided into apartments.
Is Corn Hill a historic district?
Yes. Third Ward Historic District, National Register of Historic Places (1974, boundary increase 2023); Corn Hill Preservation District, City of Rochester (1977).
How do I find homes for sale in Corn Hill?
Search current listings on our team site, or tell us what you’re looking for and we’ll set up a search for Corn Hill and the neighborhoods around it.
Sources
- Corn Hill Neighbors Association, Ralph Avery Mall / neighborhood history
- Corn Hill Neighbors Association, The Third Ward National Register District
- Landmark Society of Western New York, About
- National Park Service, Third Ward Historic District (NRIS 74001262)
- 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 Corn Hill?
Buying or selling, tell us the street and we’ll tell you what we’d look at first.
More Rochester neighborhoods: 19th Ward · Bull’s Head · Genesee-Jefferson · Lincoln Park · Mayor’s Heights · Plymouth-Exchange · Susan B. Anthony · Dutchtown · Edgerton · EMMA · All 35 Rochester neighborhoods