34 Main Street

This large Queen Anne house was built in 1887 for Campbell Young, a son of Governor Young.  A rather massive structure with its many projections and rich ornamentation, it was sold to Mr. and Mrs. Albert North in 1889. The Norths were one of Geneseo’s early families. Henry and Rachel North, Albert’s parents, settled here in 1817 and Mr. North conducted a profitable merchandising business for many years. Miss Ellen North, daughter of Albert and Mary, started her famous Geneseo Jam Kitchen in part of this house.  By 1912, she was using an additional building as an annex.  During World War I, she purchased the Bonner Hotel which stood where University Drive is now.  She used it for offices and storage space.  In 1925, this house, by then owned by Miss North, was converted into apartments after plans by the well-known Rochester architect, J. Foster Warner.  Paul Mayo, author of Landmarks of Rochester and Monroe County, considers this an outstanding example of Victorian “Queen Anne” architecture…the elaborate chimneys, rather chunky proportions of the building itself, the gables, and sculptured details combine to make it a picturesque reminder of that era.

The original building on this site was moved to 9 Center Street where it remains today.