Today, 90 percent of the remaining cobblestone structures in the United States can be found within about a 75-mile radius of Rochester, New York. As families prospered thanks to the building of the Erie Canal, homeowners wanted to build more prestigious and permanent homes. Today, many of the structures still standing can be identified based on their appearance to determine when they were likely to be built. Therefore, by learning about the history of New York State’s Cobblestone Era, residents of the region can see how this roughly 40 year period played a vital role in shaping the material culture of antebellum New York.