Ice Storm of 1991 Photograph Collection
Content Description
This collection consists of photographs of the aftemath of the 1991 ice storm taken in the Park Avenue neighborhood. The collection includes a mixture of 3x5 and 4x5 color prints, along with strip and disc negatives. While the negatives do corresspond to the positives, they were not associated with one another in the container in which they were received, and there has not been an attempt to match them with one another. Provenance of the collection is unknown, though characteristics of the content ranging from color balance to processing information to continued co-location over time all strongly suggest that this body of material comes from a single, unknown photographer.
Dates
- Creation: March 4-5, 1991
Conditions Governing Access
There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the collection.
Conditions Governing Use
Permission to publish, reproduce, distribute, or use in any current or future manifestations must be obtained in writing from the Rochester Public Library Local History and Genealogy Division.
Historical Note
On March 3, 1991, the Greater Rochester area and surrounding parts of Western and Central New York were struck by a massive ice storm. Starting at 10:30PM on the 3rd, freezing rain fell on the region for 17 hours, coating the area in ice. By the morning of March 4, trees were collapsing under the weight of the ice, while electrical infrastructure throughout the area was devastated. The storm left 750,000 people without power, many for a week or more. Over 10,000 trees were destroyed in the City of Rochester alone. Total cost of the damage was reported at $170 million, with insurance companies paying out $75 million in claims.
This collection of photographs depicts the Park Avenue area in the immediate aftermath of the storm, March 4-5, 1991. An area noted for its extensive urban tree cover, the neighborhood was particularly devastated by the heavy ice.
Extent
171 Photographic Prints (1 binder in a box, photos and negatives housed in sleeve pages.)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection consists of 1 box.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
This collection was found in stacks, 2025.
Separated Materials
Some photographs from this collection had been scanned for Rochester Images (denoted by Post-It notes with RPF numbers on their reverses). These photographs were sleeved and placed in RVF2 Weather - Ice Storm of 1991 for the sake of clarity, as it is normative for images from the original Rochester Images project to be stored in the photgrapho collection.
Bibliography
Drifill, Matt. “1991 ice storm: Rochester’s ‘storm of the century’ was exactly 34 years ago.” Accessed April 16, 2025 fromhttps://www.rochesterfirst.com/news/local-news/news-8-archives/1991-in-rochester-ice-storm-of-the-century-was-exactly-30-years-ago-today/
“Rare, stunning images from Rochester's historic 1991 Ice Storm. Take a look back.” Accessed April 16, 2025 from https://www.democratandchronicle.com/story/news/2024/03/04/rochester-ny-ice-storm-1991-what-happened-look-back-weather-history-worst-storms-photos-images/72829891007/
Condition Description
The photographs and negtives in this collection are all in good condition.
- Title
- Ice Storm of 1991 Photograph Collection
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Brandon Fess
- Date
- 2025-04-15
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Local History & Genealogy Division Repository
115 South Ave.
Rochester 14604 USA
585-428-8370
585-428-8353 (Fax)
lochistref@libraryweb.org