The Glen House was built in 1870 by Ellwanger & Barry, Chauncey Woodworth, the perfumer, and James Whitney, who also promoted the adjacant picnic grounds, known variously as Maplewood, Maple Grove and Maplewood park.
For about 25 years the Glen House existed. People met here to eat and party, it became a favorite meeting place. Picnic cruises as well as romatic moon light excursions on side wheelers like the City of Rochester (which was later called the J.D. Scott) and screw steam ships like the Wilcox and Charlotte were common place.
In 1878 an elevator was built to raise people from the Glen House up to a covered run way that lead to the street. The elevator ran on water power from the falls and was referred to as "old calamity" because of problems associated with it.
On a night in 1894 the Glen House caught fire and the "mother-in-law" of owner Jacob Valley perished while sleeping in her bedroom.
Maplewood and the Lower Falls area has a lot of History associated to them. The indian village Casconchiagon at the Lower Falls was occupied by Senecas until 1819. * * * Buell Ave. ran along the embankment at Maplewood. Some of the road was cut into the gorge wall and for some a stone wall was built a short distance from the gorge wall and dirt filled in behind it. This road lead to Kelseys (Buell) Landing (remains of the road are in the area). Freedom was assured for slaves who boarded Canadian vessels at the Landing which was the end of the underground railroad. In 1863 Union volunteers even camped in the Maplewood park area. In around 1871 a beer garden was located here and the ruins of a 1914 hiking shelter are still present at Maplewood park.
credit: Sketch book by Arch Merrill pgs. 104,105. Also information from signs in the park. * * * Buell Ave. information provided by Geocache Historian Lower Falls.
Fishermen access the river area around the Glen House ruins. Even though the city has "no access to river" signs posted. The path has steep cliffs an is in a falling rock zone, with high drop off points along it. Its an "At Your Own Risk" approach that many people use.
In the middle of the summer "experienced" paddlers can almost paddle up to the Glen House ruins by ferrying their boats. But because of river current its best to land down stream a little ways and walk up. If you hear a loud siren head for high ground. It means a large volume of water is about to be discharged over the falls.
The cache is a 50 cal ammo can and is hidden near the foumdation on the inside. Near where a tree fell from inside the ruins over one of the walls toward the outside.
Remember this is a high traffic area with thousands of people visiting it in the course of the summer. Make sure the box is covered completly with rocks and leaves. Also be aware of those who may be watching you from across the river.
Huckle Buckle Beanstalk,
Rippie This is a Rochester History geocache.