The Image Is Rochester (Urban Tapestry Series)

"To the uninitiated, Rochester is but a dot above the New York State Thruway, located somewhere between Syracuse and Buffalo. But you need only spend a few hours here to discover that the splendor of a river gorge and waterfalls, magnificent mansions and manicured gardens, the richness of history, and a feast of music all make Rochester much more than just a spot on a map."

So writes Gabe Dalmath in The Image Is Rochester. His hometown, although often overlooked, is a quiet leader among American cities. The metropolis has progressed from being "The Flour City," derived from its early 19th-century origins as a gristmill town, to "The World's Image Centre," renowned for such corporate visionaries as Eastman Kodak, Bausch & Lomb, and Xerox.

Through the transformation, Rochester has maintained its small-town ideals. It is a place where Susan B. Anthony and Frederick Douglass fought for their beliefs and were celebrated for doing so; where everyone finds time to play a few rounds of golf, listen to a symphony, or ski down a steep slope; and where volunteerism is so strong that the city was deemed America's kindest by Reader's Digest.

Dalmath's uncovering of these rich qualities is complemented by G.R. DeFranco's stunning collection of photos by the area's finest photographers, all of which show that Rochester is indeed more than just a spot on a map. As Dalmath reminds us, "Spend a lifetime here, and you will have lived well."