Secret Rochester: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure is a reference book like no other, offering a rare, sharply detailed glimpse into what makes this city so intriguing.
Meet a shy, 21-year-old hotel maid who secured the right to vote for all Puerto Rican Americans. Learn
how a book written by Frederick Law Olmsted—designer of Highland, Maplewood, Seneca, and
Genesee Valley Parks—opened Malcolm X’s eyes to the horrors of slavery. Discover why inspiration for
the design of the famed Mushroom House is tied to an empty Coke bottle.

With short narratives, callouts, and pro tips, this book takes you on a kaleidoscopic journey through
the past and present. Did you know the cut-out bicycle saddle and reclining shampoo chair were both
invented here? Or that you can nab a front-row seat to watch animal exams and surgeries at the Seneca
Park Zoo? Whether you’re a lifelong resident or lucky transplant, may the stories within these pages told
by journalist Robin L. Flanigan invite you to become more curious about—and excited to be part of—this
place we call home.

About the Author
Robin L. Flanigan is a national award-winning freelance journalist. She is the author of the premier guidebook 100 Things to Do in Rochester Before You Die, the celebrity-endorsed children’s book M is for Mindful, and the book club pick Climbing Out: An Adventure in Rediscovering Life After Loss. She was a beat reporter for 11 years in newsrooms, including Rochester’s Democrat and Chronicle. Her essays have appeared in The Sun and other literary magazines and anthologies, and in 2009 she authored a coffee-table book titled Rochester: High Performance for 175 Years.

This event is free to the public