Step into Penfield’s Past: A Walking Tour around Penfield’s Four Corners
In 1795, Daniel Penfield embarked on a land acquisition journey in Township 13 Range IV. He initiated the construction of mills in 1800 near the falls area of Irondequoit Creek (now Penfield’s Channing H. Philbrick Park) to foster settlement. The population burgeoned rapidly, leading to the establishment of the Town of Penfield and the adjoining Township 14 to the north by the New York State Legislature in 1810. This marked the inception of Monroe County’s first east-side town. By 1814, the town boasted nearly 2,000 residents, and by 1820, it had grown to double the size of Rochester. In 1840, Township 14 was separated to become the Town of Webster. Penfield's population remained fairly steady at around 3,000 for nearly a century, until after World War II.
The decline of milling in the mid-1800s shifted the primary industry in our community towards agriculture. The glaciers that once covered this part of New York some 20,000 years ago left behind incredibly fertile soil. Penfield was primarily composed of family farms, focusing on crops, livestock, and, notably, nurseries. Suburban development experienced a significant surge during the 1950s and 1960s, with the population reaching 23,732 in 1970. As of 2020, the estimated population stands at approximately 39,500. Given the nation's economy's rapid growth, suburban communities are again witnessing substantial expansion and development.
Four Corners, the intersection of Five Mile Line Road and "the road to the mills" (Penfield Road), served as the town's central hub for business and residential activities. Although it never attained the status of an incorporated village, this area was home to numerous prominent citizens, tradesmen and their families, churches, stores, and schools. Many of the buildings in this area, now well over 200 years old, are listed according to their street numbers. You can locate them on the accompanying map, with properties arranged from west to east on Penfield Road and from north to south on Five Mile Line Road.
Step into Penfield’s Past