(Kodak Park, 1982)
What started as the Eastman Dry Plate Company in 1881 would grow to transform the world of photography as we know it. In 1892, the Eastman Kodak Company was established on State Street in Rochester, NY. Rochester and Kodak have been joined at the hip ever since. The company has changed so much since then, and for better or worse, change for Kodak has meant change for Rochester. According to the Democrat and Chronicle, at Kodak's height in 1982, the company employed over 60,000 people in Rochester. But so much has changed in the past 25 years. Film, once the backbone of and the reason for its success, has been replaced with digital. Jobs have been replaced by machines, have moved to other countries, or have just disappeared altogether. In January, 2008, it was announced that Kodak's Rochester employment has fallen beneath 10,000. But nothing represents the dramatic decline of Kodak's presence in Rochester more than the changes at Kodak Park. First established in 1891, the manufacturing facility has long served as Kodak's largest production site worldwide. Its buildings have seen every major development in photography in over a century - including the invention of digital photography. It is estimated that over 200,000 people have worked there throughout its history. But the "city within a city" has seen its glory days. As a part of corporate restructuring and efforts to reduce costs, over 20 buildings have been demolished, and many others sold or leased. Last year alone, 5 major buildings were imploded (see below). But despite all of the changes, the people of Rochester will always think fondly of Kodak. They will always have the many memories filled with "Kodak Moments", along with a deep pride in helping to shape imaging and photography around the world. Below are clips of last year's implosions, as well as an audio podcast that further looks at the permanent bond shared between Kodak and its hometown.
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