National Register of Historic Places

Powers Building

Rochester, Monroe County, New York
Listed
April 2, 1973
Type
Building
Period
Industrial
Ref No.
73001204

About this property

The Powers Building is a historic office building located at the Four Corners in Rochester, Monroe County, New York. Built in stages beginning in 1865, the building was designed by prominent local architect Andrew Jackson Warner in the Second Empire style and was dedicated on January 18, 1871. It was the first large fireproof building in Rochester and the first in the city to have elevators. Named for its owner, banker Daniel Powers, the building is notable for its distinctive layered triple mansard roof and observation tower, the result of repeated upward expansions over two decades driven by Powers's determination to own the tallest building in the city. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1973. In 2019, the adjacent Powers Hotel was also added to the listing.

Location

Rochester, Monroe County, New York
43.15598, -77.61306

Categories

COMMERCEARTENGINEERINGARCHITECTURE
Sources

Property data from the National Register of Historic Places, National Park Service (public domain).

Description adapted from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.

Unlimited access

Everything a full report reveals about Powers Building

This page lists Powers Building. A full Aubrey report for an address near it pulls together this listing alongside battlefield records, land patents, and every other historical record within a chosen radius:

Overview
An interactive map of the location with historic sites, battles and Native heritage plotted, and its full story era by era.
The Land
The historic sites and place names around the location, and how this land was settled and used.
Geology
The bedrock beneath the site, its age and rock type, reaching back millions of years.
LiDAR Terrain
Laser-scanned terrain that reveals earthworks and old features hidden in the landscape.
Conflict & War
The battles, raids and skirmishes fought near here, across every era of American conflict.
The Civil War
The Civil War on this ground, 1861 to 1865: who held it, and the battles, camps and regiments nearby.
The Soldiers
The men who marched from here in the Civil War, named and traced where the record allows.
Native Heritage
The Native nations who held this land, mapped across time from before European contact to today.
Settlement
Who claimed and held this ground, from Indigenous homelands through the colonial powers to the United States.
The Community
How the town grew, who came, and what kind of place it became, traced through the census record.
Rivers & Rail
The rivers, canals and railroads that connected this place between 1830 and 1911.
Notable People
The people born, buried or genuinely tied to this exact place, with their stories.
Historical Maps
Historic maps of the location layered over how it looks today.
Finds & Access
Museum objects tied to the area, and the laws on searching, collecting and access here.
Literature
The old books, county histories and archives that mention this place, quoted with their sources.
Spotlight
A deep dive into the most remarkable, lesser-known history of the place, traced back to the record.
Points of Interest
The most significant historic sites and landmarks near the location, and why they matter.
Timeline
The whole story of the location told era by era, from first peoples to the present day.
First month just $5.99, then $11.99 a month. Unlimited locations, cancel anytime.

Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.

Start your Powers Building report
Or see a real report first

Nearby Historic Sites

First National Bank of Rochester-Old Monroe County Savings Bank Building
Industrial
0 mi
Ellwanger and Barry Building
Industrial
0 mi
Reynolds Arcade
Industrial
0 mi
Wilder Building
Industrial
0.1 mi
City Hall Historic District
Listed
0.1 mi

Questions about this property

When was Powers Building listed on the National Register?

Powers Building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on April 2, 1973.

What type of historic resource is Powers Building?

Powers Building is classified as a building in the National Register of Historic Places.

What is the period of significance for Powers Building?

The period of significance for Powers Building is recorded as the industrial era.

Can I research the history near Powers Building?

Yes. Aubrey Research reports search National Register listings, battlefield records, land patents, and other primary historical sources within any radius of a US address. A report for an address near Powers Building will include this listing and all other historical records in the area.

More in Monroe County

Historic places, battles, and census history across Monroe County.

Explore MonroeCounty ›

More historic places in New York

Browse all historic places in New York.

View New Yorkhistoric sites ›

Conflict records

Explore 19,000+ military engagements across American history.

Browse US conflicts ›

New York history

Colonial settlement, territorial period, and statehood narrative.

New Yorkhistory ›

Research the history near this site

An Aubrey US report for an address near Powers Building will include this listing alongside battlefield records and other historical sources within your chosen radius.

Research your locationView a free sample report