McKean's Rock City Connection
A ledge of primeval, conglomerate rock, forming the edge of a table land
on the summit of the highest of the Cattaraugus hills, marks the spot midway between
Bradford and Olean, known as Rock City, one of the most charming and picturesque summer
resorts in America. The locality is all that the name implies. Great, grim cliffs project
their gray heads through the forest green, and their scraggy walls jutting out over the mountainside, gleam
and glisten like gold in the sun. Through them narrow passageways
cleft by nature wind tortuous courses to deep gorges where the ice never
melts and on to silent caverns which the sun seeks vainly to pierce. The table land overhead, covered with a forest growth
of beech and birch and maple, overlooks a splendid picture of scenic beauty, a picture composed of majestic
hills and beautiful valleys, a picture which only the hand of nature can paint.
Rock City is a place with a past. Once the oil men invaded this region with their drills
and derricks and a village sprung into sudden but temporary life.
The Olean, Bradford and Warren narrow gauge railroad was built opening an avenue of approach from Olean on the one side and
Bradford on the other. This was about 1880. While the road was in operation thousands of
visitors from Rochester, Buffalo and surrounding cities made excursions to this spot
and were profoundly impressed by the rugged grandeur of the surroundings.
The oil excitement died out. The village disappeared. The road with its wooden trestles, serpentine curves and dizzy grades
was abandon. Rock City for a time was forgotten. Then came another whirl of fortune's wheel.
In 1897 the old railroad was purchased by a new corporation-the Bradford and
Olean railroad Company. Some of the capitalists interested
in this enterprise were W. B. Furgeson, Chas. E. Barnes, Frank E. Low, George E. Rogers,
Chas. A. Richadson, H. L. Pierce and C. E. Hudson. The road was rebuilt, the route being changed in many places to avoid the trestles.
Substantial sixty pound rails replaced the slim steel straps that did duty for the narrow gauges. Electricity was substituted for steam
as a motive power.
New commodious, modern double truck trolley cars took the place of the old hen coop coaches of the
steam road. An elegantly appointed 835,000 hotel was built on the summit and Rock City was again prepared to bid for public consideration.
Much may be said in favor of this resort. The high altitude furnished the golden mean between the lofty mountains and the sea side combining
the advantages of both and without the disadvantages of either.
This hotel, which by the way is called (The Hotel Bob Air) is a roomy building, equipped
with all the modern conveniences. The grounds embrace thirty-five acres,
Much of this territory is covered with standing timber, although there is about an acre of beautiful mountain laurel. The view afforded from the verandas
of the Bon Air cannot be surpassed this side of the Rockies. Add tot his a pure, bracing, health giving atmosphere and a delightfully cool temperature and all the desirable features
of a summer resort are obtained.
 
Toy and Hitchcock family at Rock City circa 1880-90
A ride from Bradford to Olean over the trolley line is one that will never be forgotten. Leaving Bradford, the car skirts the mountain side
for some miles and then begins to climb the hill, winding in and out strips of forest, past clearings and villages and derricks and ever up and up and up. As it slowly
climbs the toilsome pathway the passenger has abundant leisure to view the
surrounding scenery.
Here the forest growth shuts out the sight of the valley below. A little further and a bit of clearing spreads before your delighted gaze miles upon miles of frowning hills and smiling
valleys. Further yet and a graceful curve in the road brings in view the distant summit with its mighty
boulders looming up like giant sentinels guarding the grand old hills. Still on and up and at last you pass the (city) and soon
begin the decent into the Four Mile valley. The view from here is a restful contrast to the wild mountain scenery. In an instant you are transported from the forest fastnesses to fertile farms. Before you lies a broad plain, level as a floor.
In the distance is the city of Olean, and the long rows of tanks owned by the Standard Oil Company. A river runs through the center of the picture and green grass grows to the waters edge. Far away in the distance a chain of smaller hills dots the landscape.
The whole completing view that cannot be adequately described on paper and must be seen to be appreciated.
The Olean, Rock City and Bradford Railway Company, which has opened this region to the public has as complete an equipment as can be found
in the country. The huge brick power station in Bradford contains three engines, aggregating 1250 H. P., a battery of five large boilers and four large generators. Natural gas is used for fuel.
The cars are equipped with Westinghouse motors and have airbrakes. The company owns ten cars and a fine snow plow.
The officers of the company are:
- President - H. L. Pierce
- treasurer and general manager - C.E. Hudson
- secretary - F.A. Gallagher
These officers, together with the following gentlemen, constitute the board of directors:
- W. E. Burdick
- George Fobes
- C. K. Thompson
- H. J. Pierce
- C. A. Richardson
Trips are made every hour.
The fare one way is forty cents to Olean,
twenty-five cents to Rock City
Illustrated History of Bradford
Vernelle A. Hatch - editor
Burk Brothers 1901
Book contributed by Thomas Prenatt Newton
[email protected]
Transcription and Family Pictures provided by Sheila Barr Helser
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