Prospect Street

Prospect Street was originally called “Academy Street,” and later, Plank Road. Before the 1880’s, the rectangle of land bordered by Temple, Academy Street, Center and South was jointly owned by Temple Hill Academy and the Wadsworth Library. The center portion was the property of the Academy and the north and south sections that of the Library. The entire area was used as garden and pasture by the Academy. The Academy closed in the 1870’s and during the 1880’s the Library sold their property for building lots. The center section remained part of the Academy and was sold with it to a private owner in 1883.

The west side of Prospect Street also belonged to the Library. This land was deeded to the Library by Wadsworth, with the understanding that it would be sold or otherwise used to raise funds for the Library. In an 1872 map of Geneseo, the street was called “Fourth Street.” At that time only the house at 10 Prospect and the Carriage House at 6 Prospect Street were standing. The remainder of the block was held in trust by Martin Brimmer and the other Library Trustees until lots were sold and houses were built in the 1880’s.