The land that comprises Home Acres was owned by Gideon Cob (Cobb’s Hill) from 1850 – 1883. Nestled in the southeast corner of Monroe and Highland, the property extended to Elmwood Avenue on the south, and bordered Rochester Brick and Tile Mfg. Co on the east.

In 1911, Charles Garfield, a real estate developer, purchased 129 acres for $33,100. It was incorporated that year as “The Home Acres Company” and divided in lots for Brighton’s first subdivision. Advertised as “only 15 minutes from the Main Street Retail District on Rochester’s Best Car Line.”

The first house to be built was in 1911 at 29 Southern Parkway, the last house to be built was 105 Southern Pkwy in 1965. Today, Home Acres is still a desirable Brighton neighborhood, within walking distance to many popular retail and restaurant destinations. There is a long tradition of Memorial Day parades, summer picnics, Halloween parties and women’s clubs. Our residents have taken the lead in many Town issues to improve our community. It is to our credit that young people with a Home Acres connection often come back to raise their families here.

Many thanks to Kelly Dockery for her exhaustive research into our early history.

To Mary Jo Lanphere for information and encouragement.

And to Dorothy Dunlap, Mary Anna Geib and Ingeborg Orberdoerster for writing and recording our town history.