Maplewood Park and Rose Garden

 Maplewood Rose Festival at the fountain.

Maplewood Drive and Seneca Parkway 14613  map

Use the Rochester-Genesee Regional Transportation Authority's Google Trip Planner to get a bus to the Park

Features and Amenities 

  • A nationally accredited Rose Garden, a popular spot for wedding ceremonies and photographs
  • Scenic views of two waterfalls in the Genesee River Gorge
  • The Genesee Riverway Trail, a National Recreation Trail, winds through the park
  • A pond for fishing
  • Tennis courts
  • Lower Falls Overlook Park: take a walk across Driving Park Ave where a gated road will lead you down a hill to one of the most scenic spots to view Middle and Lower Falls. "The Seat of Remembering and Forgetting" is a sculpture that depicts the faces and hands of the community's youth.
  • Middle Maplewood, located in the Seneca Parkway area, features tennis courts, open play space and beautiful views of the river along the Riverway Trail.
  • Lower Maplewood, north of Route 104 off Maplewood Ave, features a relaxing picnic area and playground and is the future site to the City's Nature Center.  
  • History

    Located in the northwest quadrant of the city, Maplewood Park is one of two original parks laid out by Frederick Law Olmsted to highlight the Genesee River.

    Bike riders at Middle Falls overlook.Breathtaking scenic views make this park a must-see spot in Rochester. The diverse park stretches alongside two miles of Lake Avenue. Over the years, the spirit of involvement by the Maplewood Community Association has enhanced the beauty and enjoyment of the park.

    On June 15, 1958 the Stecher Memorial Fountain honoring the late Frank A. Stecher was dedicated in Maplewood Park at 2:30 p.m. during the Rose Garden ceremonies. The fountain, made of Etowah pink Georgia marble, was presented to the city by Mrs. George C. Schlegel of 1132 East Ave., daughter of Mr. Stecher, founder of the Stecher Lithograph Company. Mayor Peter Barry accepted the $2,000 structure on behalf of the city.

    The marble used in the fountain came from one of the first marble quarries of North Georgia. Etowah is a Cherokee Indian word meaning "red sunset". The choice of marble was thus quite appropriate, relating both the theme of roses and the fact that the Maplewood Park area was an important Indian site.

    Mr. Stecher, a native of Germany, came to Rochester in 1870, and was the first American to organize a lithograph company in Japan. He was the first lithographer to use a two-color offset press. Stecher was thus an early pioneer of imaging technology, a Rochester tradition. Mr. Stecher was a director of several banks and a director of the Rochester Dental Dispensary. In 1906 he organized the National Association of Employing Lithographers, and was its president for three terms. He died in 1916.  

    Rose Garden

    Located off Driving Park Ave., the Rose Garden showcases a large collection of the most disease resistant and cold hardy roses available today. There are over 250 different cultivars on display, featuring everything from Abraham Darby to Zephirine Drouhin. The roses infuse an acre of land with their fragrant scent and bold colors from early June until nearly Thanksgiving. Outside the rose season, the garden grows bulbs, annuals, perennials, and evergreens.

    Garden Tours

    Private garden tours are available upon request by contacting the City Rosarian at: shane.bates@cityofrochester.gov.


    Weddings and Other Ceremonies in the Rose Garden

    The Maplewood Rose Garden is a local ideal location for outdoor weddings or formal pictures. To make sure this special day goes as smoothly as possible, please obtain a Facility Use Permit (Find the  Facility Use Permit Application here) for two hours of use. Permits payments must be made with: check, money order or credit card (Cash payments are not accepted).

     See the different locations available for ceremonies in the park below.  

      Stechner Memorial Fountain 


      Permit Fee: $10

    fountain  

      Small Gazebo


      Permit Fee: $30 for 2 hours or $50 for 2 hours with electricity

    smallgazebo

      Large Gazebo(most popular site for weddings and picnics)

                                                                                               
      Permit Fee: $30 for 2 hours or $50 for 2 hours with electricity

    . largegazebo