Adapted: Encyclopedia of New York State Project

 

GENESEE COUNTY (501 sq. mi.; population 60,370; 2000 census) -- The County, named from the Seneca word meaning "Beautiful Valley," was formed March 30, 1802 and comprised all of Western New York. As populations grew, eight neighboring counties were established between 1806 and 1841. Genesee County is divided into thirteen towns, six villages and the City of Batavia, the county seat. Genesee County is located midway between the major urban areas of Rochester and Buffalo. Except for Batavia, the County is quite rural. The landscape includes rolling hills and level farmland.

The Holland Land Company (1798-1835), composed of bankers from Amsterdam Holland, embraced the greater portion of Western New York. The name Batavia was chosen to honor these Dutch landowners and was taken from the Republic of Batavia which was an area in the Netherlands before 1806.

Genesee County has New York State's highest percentage of classified farmland, three of the top 100 vegetable farms nationwide and is first in agriculture sales state-wide. More that two-thirds of Genesee County's acreage is used for agriculture and employs more than 1,500 workers. The county also has rich mineral deposits of gypsum, limestone, natural gas and salt. Industrial growth provided local labor with a variety of opportunities. Hundreds of small business are scattered throughout Genesee County; the top eleven manufactures employ between 200 to 400 workers each.

The four major roads through Genesee County were constructed over ancient Native American foot trails and settlements grew around the early taverns. As the county did not have a canal system and the creeks were not navigable, railroad was the major developmental factor for manufacturing and improving the economy for farms. Train service began in 1836 and Dean Richmond, from Batavia, is credited with forming the New York Central Railroad. The famous NYC engine "999" broke the world's speed record on its run between Batavia and Buffalo in 1893. The ticket office closed in 1962. In 1965 the NYC locked the depot; in 1983 Conrail closed its freight office. The New York State Thruway crosses Genesee County with exits at LeRoy, Batavia and Pembroke. This has drawn the eastern county residents to seek employment, entertainment and shopping in Rochester NY while the western towns favor Buffalo NY.

The Episcopal Church in LeRoy conducted the first church service held west of the Genesee River in 1802. Protestant congregations, predominately Baptist, Methodist and Presbyterian are still the leading faiths in Genesee County with 54 various churches. The Catholic Churches expanded to a total of nine with the increase in Italian and Polish immigrants during the early 1900s. There were only two Quaker meeting houses, which provided services for 100 years. An Orthodox Jewish Temple was organized in 1912. The Rochester Zen Center built a Buddhist retreat facility in Stafford NY.

Although newspapers have been printed throughout Genesee County, The Daily News is the only one published continually since 1878. Two movie theaters opened in 1913 in Batavia and in the mid-1920s, a LeRoy theater began showing films. In 2001 the oldest Batavia movie theater closed its doors. Batavia's Dwyer Stadium is home to the oldest New York-Pennsylvania League baseball franchise. Started in 1937 as the Clippers, the name was changed in 1998 to the Muckdogs and is a Philadelphia Phillies affiliate. Batavia Downs Racetrack opened in 1940 and pioneered nighttime harness horse racing. The track was closed in 1998; Western Regional Off-track Betting Corporation is waiting on state license to resume racing. The only radio station in Genesee County is WBTA. Genesee County Cablevision offers cable television to Genesee, Livingston and Wyoming Counties.

The first school house was constructed in 1801, one year before Genesee County was formed. By the 1830s, seminaries were established throughout the county. Ingham University, charted in LeRoy in 1857, is credited as the first university for women in the U.S. The New York State School of the Blind is located in Batavia NY. Genesee County's educational system includes the Batavia City School District and seven area central schools. Genesee Community College was chartered in 1966 and offers liberal arts and professional skills programs.

Genesee County government began in 1803 with the first courthouse west of the Genesee River and the election of County officers. The wooden facility was replaced in 1843 and a stone courthouse was placed on the National Register of Historic Landmarks in 1973. In 1980 the nine-member Genesee County Legislature created the position of County Manager to oversee and coordinate 28 County Departments. Genesee County also operates Genesee County Airport, Genesee County Nursing Home, Genesee County Forest and Park, and supports the Holland Land Museum.

Genesee County's natural resources and recreational opportunities have encouraged growth in tourism. Genesee County Forest and Park, located in Bethany and designated as the first New York State County Forest in 1935, comprise more than 400 acres. The 2,000 acre Bergen Swamp, of special interest to students of zoology and botany and bird watchers, were dedicated as a National Natural History Landmark in 1965. Darien Lake Fun Country, started in 1976 as a camping facility, has grown into New York's largest combination theme park and entertainment resort. Six Flags Darien Lake now features more than 100 rides, including one of the tallest and fastest roller coasters in North America.

Contributor: Susan L. Conklin, Genesee County Historian
Assistance provided by: Patrick Weissend, Director of the Holland Land Office Museum

Genesee County Bibliography & References

Beers, FW ed. Gazetteer and Biographical Record of Genesee County, N.Y. 1788-1890 (Syracuse NY: Vose, 1890).
Digest of the Proceedings of Genesee County Supervisors 1802-1948 (Gazette-News Company, LeRoy NY, 1949)
Landmark Society of Genesee County, Inc. in cooperation with the Officially Appointed Historians of Genesee County, New York, The Architectural Heritage of Genesee County, New York (Artcraft-Burrow Printers, 1988).
McEvoy, Ruth M., History of the City of Batavia (Hodgins Printing Co., Inc., Batavia NY, 1993).
McCulley, Mary, ed. History of Genesee County, New York 1890-1982 (Heart of the Lakes Publishing, Interlaken, NY 1985).
Swanson, Holly Sarah, Documenting the Evaluation of a Rural Landscape: Genesee County New York - (A Thesis presented to the Graduate School of Cornell University faculty, 1998)

Reference Sources:

Genesee County Chamber of Commerce
Genesee County History Department Research Files
Genesee County Planning Board

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