Buildings Alive - Historic Walking Tour

Downtown Corning has a rich history of architectural excellence that comes to life during our Buildings Alive Historic Walking tour! The town of Corning was initially developed as the hub of the region's huge lumbering industry. The Chemung River provided the necessary transportation, and in 1851, the rapidly growing community was incorporated as the city of Corning. Corning's Historic Market Street, a model for downtowns everywhere and the heart of America's Most Fun Small Town, was the lumber industry's central thoroughfare and enjoyed as much traffic then as it does today. And just so you know, it hasn't changed in appearance much either!