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Scarce early map of Rochester, New York, published and lithographed in Rochester.

The map is colored by wards and captures the breadth of the city at a highpoint in the City's history.

After the Civil War,  Rochester grow from a city of 48,000 to a city of 162,800 by 10--. During this period the city expanded dramatically in area on both sides of the Genesee River, as well as annexing parts of the towns of Brighton, Gates, Greece and Irondequoit.

Also founded during this period were Bausch & Lomb by John Jacob Bausch and Henry Lomb, Eastman Kodak by George Eastman, Western Union Telegraph by Hiram Sibley and Don Alonzo Watson, Gleason Works by William Gleason, and R.T. French Company by Robert French.  In 1875, Rochester's first city hall opened at Fitzhugh and the Erie Canal.

In 1882, the tolls on the Erie Canal ended, with New York State enjoying a profit of $51,000,000 over the 57 years. In September 1885, a group of Rochester businessmen founded the Mechanics Institute to establish "free evening schools in the city for instruction in drawing and such other branches of studies as are most important for industrial pursuits of great advantage to our people." Henry Lomb of Bausch & Lomb was the Mechanics Institute's first president.

 During this period many of Rochester's great public parks were laid out, with Ellwanger & Barry and others donating land in 1871 for Maplewood Park and in 1889 for Highland Park. In 1895, George Eastman and James P. B. Duffy donated an additional 120 acres for Highland Park.  

By the middle of the 1890s no less than five freight and passenger railroads were servicing the city and each had a separate station. This provided Rochester with ample transportation but services continued to expand with the arrival of inter-urban electric railroads such as the Rochester, Lockport and Buffalo Railroad and the Rochester, Syracuse and Eastern Rapid Railroad which began to service Rochester during the early 20th century. The Lehigh Valley Railroad's station and the former Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburgh Railway terminal are the only surviving stations built by these railroads.