So much to see and learn at the home of inventor, industrialist and philanthropist George Eastman. Did you know that he left school at age 13 to take care of his mother and siblings after his father died? That he came up with several chemical processes to make the camera affordable for the average citizen? That he supported Hampton Institute and Tuskegee Institute and created the organization that eventually became United Way? That a young woman turned down his marriage proposal saying she was going to Juilliard in NY because Rochester had no music, so he promoted music education in the schools and a symphony orchestra for the city? That he died at age 77 by committing suicide, leaving a note saying he had finished his work and why wait? No, I didn’t either. His 50 room home now also contains extensive film and photography archives as well as a museum of changing exhibits related to photography. It was a fascinating introduction to the life of an incredible cultural force whose influence is still felt in his home city and the world beyond.
