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Rochester, New York, circa 1905. "Powers Hotel." 8x10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company. View full size.
On Main St. Between State and Fitzhugh Streets, you had the Powers Hotel and the Powers Building. The Powers Building, which is to the right of the hotel, has an interesting history. When originally built, it was the tallest building in Rochester. However, for several years, when someone would build a taller building. Mr. Powers, not to be outdone, would add a Mansard roof, to keep the tallest building title. That is why you see those three additional stories atop the main building. Another thing, that is the Baker Theater behind the hotel on Fitzhugh St. The film advertised is "Under Two Flags." The earliest version of this film listed at IMDB is 1912. Two other versions were released in 1915 & 1916. That information dates this photo to that time span.
Does this mark the first, or earliest, Shorpy appearance of a bicycle rack, there to the left of the hotel entrance? We've become accustomed to seeing unoccupied bicycles balanced just-so curbside in previous photos.
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