1700s
- Algonkin Indian settlement along the river corridor at today's UR River Campus
- Native American travel and trade routes converge at today's Brooks Landing
- Colonial period: east side of the river under British and west side under French control
- 1776 Revolutionary War begins. At least one veteran buried at Rapids Cemetery
- 1790 James and William Wadsworth purchase vast land from Geneseo to Rochester
1800
- J.Wadsworth builds tavern and store near the Rapids under Isaac Castle's management. Area known initially as Castletown. Grain shipments begin from upper Genesee River
1810
- A tavern, school, church and a few residences at Castletown/Rapids settlement
- Wadsworths donate 1.2 acres for a cemetery (originally Wadsworth Cemetery)
1812
- Hamlet Scrantom family arrives at Rapids (first permanent residents at Rochesterville)
- War of 1812 includes a skirmish on Lake Ontario at the mouth of the Genesee River
1817
- Legislation to create Erie Canal favors downtown development hindering Castletown
1822
- Feeder Canal at Rapids diverts river boat traffic eastward and away from Castletown
1832
- Genesee Valley Canal follows west river corridor through Rapids to Pennsylvania (ends 1881)
1840-65
- Susan B. Anthony resides at her father's family farm on Rapids Road (Brooks Ave.)
- Frederick Douglass joins the family for tea on Sundays and they discuss Abolition issues
1845
- Pioneer settlement days dwindle. Area now referred to as Rapids neighborhood
1850s
- Underground Railroad activity along Brooks Avenue and Genesee Street 'stations'
1854
- Cemetery Road surveyed for Rapids Cemetery (later became Congress Avenue)
1861-65
- Civil War: Local recruits train at nearby Camp Fitz-John Porter (Flint & Cottage Streets)
- Some from the 140th and 108th Volunteer Infantry are buried at Rapids Cemetery
1870s
- The Town of Gates cedes "Rapids Village" to the City of Rochester in 1874
1880s
- Sale of farmland and nurseries create subdivisions for housing in southwest Rochester
- Elmwood Ave. Bridge pushes development of Genesee Valley Park (Olmsted design)
1890s
- Trolley service links Rapids neighborhood with urban core and jobs
- Reports of vandalism and roaming packs of dogs and truancy at Rapids Cemetery
- Spanish-American War 1898 (one purported veteran burial at Rapids Cemetery)
1900s
- Last payment of taxes to City on behalf of Rapids Cemetery
1910
- A century of neglect begins with cemetery used as a neighborhood baseball diamond
- Survey of graves conducted by Daughters of the American Revolution
1930s
- First World War (1914-1918): No known veteran burial at Rapids
- Newspaper accounts of two accidental deaths at Rapids Cemetery
- A toppled headstone killed a young child followed by intentional vandalism of other headstones
1940s
- Last burial at Rapids in 1941. Overgrown vegetation concealed cemetery's identity
1941-45
- World War II: There is no burial at Rapids Cemetery of a WWII veteran
- Decades of back taxes forgiven by City. No definable ownership of property
1950s
- Return to Rapids Cemetery of an infant's headstone found a mile distant
- Veterans Executive & Memorial Council advocates for improvements at cemetery
1960s
- Civil War Centennial commemorated with new headstones for Civil War veterans
- Cemetery continues to be used as a neighborhood sports field. Northern section overgrown
- Proposal to use site for Veterans housing runs into legal challenges and is dropped
1970s-2010
- Period of neglect continues. Grass cut three times per year. No sense of ownership
2015-present
- Local Veterans groups enlist support of 19th Ward residents to reclaim cemetery
- City of Rochester assumes responsibility for maintaining Rapids Cemetery
- Ground Penetrating Radar scans flat cemetery grounds in 2015. One headstone located
- Rapids Cemetery Restoration Committee (City, Veterans Groups, 19th Ward CA) begins historical research, clean-up and restoration with support from 19th Ward neighbors, veterans and diverse community service groups
- Vegetation clearing uncovered additional headstones
- Native plants restored, gardens planted and outdoor amphitheater landscaped