About the Feature
Periodically, the Historical Commission will feature a building, person, object, or event that illustrates Rochester's rich and varied history. If you have an idea for a feature, please contact a member of the Historical Commission at (248) 651-9061.

Rochester Era Building
114 W. Third St.

Built Circa 1873, this simple two-story Italianate-style building first housed the Rochester Era newspaper founded by Truman Buell Fox and his wife in 1873. The Fox family continued to publish the newspaper in this building until 1943 when Oliver Swords bought the Rochester Era, at which time the building was sold to Mrs. Elizabeth Casey Bults.

Although the building retains its original structure and style, it has housed many different businesses and the exterior has worn various coats of paint over the years. A new business, Lynne Claire's Truffle Shoppe, moved into the building in 2006. This building is one of Rochester's historical treasures, but, because it is small and plain, it must be considered an endangered structure.