In the Rundel Auditorium on the 3rd floor of the Rundel Library Building is Rochester's Rich History with Michael Keene discussing Murder, Mayhem and Madness: 150 Years of Crime and Punishment in Western New York.

Come hear local author Michael Keene tell legends of Rochester's spiritual and occult past, such as the rise of the anti-Masonic movement and the story behind the execution of Rochester's first murderer. Born from the chilly water of Lake Ontario and the Genesee River, Rochester, New York, has been the cradle of the modern spiritualist and anti-Masonic movements and seven new religious sects and communes. This unusual history has given rise to strange legends and shrouded the city in mystery. Was the corner of Main and Elm Streets – McCurdy's Department Store – cursed? Who was Captain William Morgan, and why did he suddenly disappear? What stories lie behind Rochester's first murder and the execution of William Lyman's killer? Native American tales, the history of the infamous Fox sisters and the secrets of the Freemasons are woven into these and other legends of Rochester. Join local author Michael Keene for a fascinating look at the spiritual and the occult in Rochester.

[source: Monroe County Library website, 2016-Dec-12]