Cobblestone Quest: Road Tours of New York's Historic Buildings Review

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(More customer reviews)Reviewed by Paige Lovitt for Reader Views (2/06)
"Cobblestone Quest" presents 17 self-guided tours, of cobblestone structures in upstate New York, that can be taken by car or bicycle. If you are unable to travel to this area, but enjoy learning about interesting architecture you will still enjoy this book. The authors, Rich and Sue Freeman, begin by presenting a background about the history of cobblestone structures.
In the United States, from 1825 to 1860, 90% of these structures were built within a 65-mile radius of Rochester, New York. The authors also discuss the geological makeup of the stones and the building techniques used to put the structures together. They mention that cobblestone is actually a construction method and not an architectural style. The most common architectural style of the cobblestone buildings is Greek Revival. The buildings are all unique unto themselves.
The book contains many photographs so that if you are unable to take the tour, you can see what some of these structures actually looked like. I really like how the book is set up. After reading the background information on cobblestones, the tours begin. Each tour lists the distance involved and the approximate time of the tour if taken by car. The authors give very detailed directions on where to start the tour and how to get to each location, much more descriptive than you would get from Mapquest.com!
Very interesting descriptive information is given about each address. At most stops, the original owner, the year built, the time period and the style are also listed. I really enjoyed reading background information that was given about the people living at these sites and how some of the buildings have evolved over time. Some of the homes have continued to be owned by the descendants of the families that built them. "Cobblestone Quest" is a book that I would highly recommend to readers who enjoy traveling to interesting places and learning about the places and people who have resided there. These tours can be taken by car, bicycle or by armchair as I did. I would also recommend it to people that live in the area of Rochester, New York. I think that they would find it fascinating to learn about these places that are in their own backyards.


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17 self-guided tours for observing the history and diversity of unique cobblestone buildings. Historical Secrets Revealed Learn why, during a mere 35-year span in the middle of the 19th century, approximately 700 cobblestone structures were erected within a 65-mile radius of Rochester, New York, and no where else. Many have endured the test of time and stand today as monuments to human ingenuity in using available resources. Learn about this creative building technique and about the lives of the early pioneers who developed it. Go See For Yourself On the tours youÂ'll view a diversity of cobblestone buildings, including homes, farmhouses, barns, stagecoach taverns, smokehouses, stores, churches, schools, factories, and more. Each cobblestone building is a unique work of folk art, created by local craftsmen. Enjoy the tours by car, motorcycle or bicycle.


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