Cobbs Hill Reservoir facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cobbs Hill Reservoir |
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 Cobbs Hill Reservoir
Location in New York
Cobbs Hill Reservoir
Location in the United States
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| Location | Rochester, Monroe County, New York |
| Coordinates | 43°08′19″N 77°34′18″W / 43.13861°N 77.57167°W |
| Type | Reservoir |
| Basin countries | United States |
| Surface area | 18 acres (73,000 m2) |
| Water volume | 144,000,000 U.S. gallons (550,000 m3) |
| Surface elevation | 633 ft (193 m) |
The Cobbs Hill Reservoir is a large reservoir found in Cobbs Hill Park in Rochester, New York, United States. This reservoir is super important because it provides clean drinking water for everyone in Rochester. The water actually comes from Hemlock Lake, which is about 30 miles south of Rochester and much higher up!
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Building the Reservoir
The Cobbs Hill Reservoir was finished in 1908. Before that, a smaller body of water called Lake Riley was nearby. Lake Riley was part of the old Erie Canal system. Today, the I-490 highway runs where the old canal bed used to be.
How Cobbs Hill Park Started
The land where Cobbs Hill Park is now used to belong to an early Rochester settler named Gideon Cobb. The city bought some of this land over time. They also received some parts as gifts. The biggest gift was 15 acres that covered the very top of Cobbs Hill.
The Gatehouse and Reservoir Design
The beautiful granite building on top of the hill is called the gatehouse. It was designed by an architect named J. Foster Warner. He made it in a style called Greek Revival. This style often uses big columns, like ancient Greek temples. The gatehouse even had a fancy drinking fountain.
The reservoir itself, with its iron fence and Parisian-style lamp posts, really added to the beauty of Cobbs Hill. It covers about 12.8 acres. People used to say that the reservoir could fill every bathtub in Rochester twice a day for two months!
A Park for Everyone
An amazing viewpoint was created at the park. This was done with help from the company of Frederick Law Olmsted. His company was famous for designing many parks, including Rochester's park system in the late 1880s. They wanted to make sure people could always enjoy great views of the city skyline from this spot.
The Old Refectory Building
There used to be a building called a refectory where a radio tower stands today. A refectory is like a cafeteria with an observation deck. It was built in 1933 with money from The New Deal, a program that helped create jobs during tough economic times. Thousands of people visited this refectory every year for decades. It even had a beacon light to help guide planes flying to the Greater Rochester International Airport.
Cobbs Hill Today
Cobbs Hill Park is still a very popular place in Rochester. People love to visit it for many reasons. You can see joggers running on the trail around the reservoir. In winter, kids enjoy sledding down the hill. Sports fans use the athletic fields. Many people also just come to enjoy the amazing views or take a peaceful walk in nature.
