Past Travels: The Eastman Kodak House

The Eastman Kodak House is the mansion of George Eastman, founder of the Eastman Kodak Company, known today as simply Kodak. He was a multi-millionaire and a genius, who revolutionized the way the world produced images, and eventually committed suicide in an ultimate act of controlling his own destiny.

The house, located in Rochester New York, serves as a monument to photographic achievements. Half of the house resembles a museum, complete with rotating exhibitions and a section on the history of the camera. The other half of the mansion remains intact in all of its grandeur and beauty.

The museum exhibition during our visit was a retrospect on photography in the 60’s, complete with iconic black-and-white photos and even a guestbook to write memories about the decade.

 The camera museum gave a full perspective on the evolution of the camera. While all of the pieces proved intriguing, the most amusing ones came in the form of ‘disguised’ cameras—hidden in everything from binoculars and bow ties, to books and guns (pictured above)!

 Additionally, some of the museum’s showcased ‘artifacts’ were similar to pieces of equipment used by my school that very semester! For example, I used a view camera (left) for an entire photography course this past fall. And on the right, the exact film canisters with which my fellow cinema students shoot their films.

The portion of the Eastman Kodak House preserved as George Eastman’s residence radiated grandeur and class. Just a simple stroll through an ornate mansion such as this makes one’s own house feel a bit… inadequate.

In between the two halves of the house sat a bookstore and café. I didn’t capture pictures of either, but they made for a nice break during the day. The bookstore offered great gift ideas for any camera geek (I myself purchased a t-shirt). As for the café, my mother and I ordered “tiger brownies” (half brownie, half cookie in stripes) and my father ordered gelato. Thoroughly delicious!

Due to bitter winter temperatures and the lack of foliage, my family and I opted not to tour the outdoor grounds. I did, however, take this picture from an upstairs window that captures the intricate landscaping and sense of scale.

 And last but not least, George Eastman himself. (Look closely... this portrait is made up of photos!)