History of Geneseo — Visit Geneseo New York

Our History

Native Land

Legend has it that Seneca Indians, the original inhabitants of our favorite piece of the planet, called this place jo-nis-hi-yuh, meaning the pleasant or beautiful valley. This phonetic spelling evolved into Genesee which is the name of the river whose centuries of meandering carved out our beautiful valley. Our community name evolved from the name for the valley. It has always seemed odd that the river is named for its valley-view, but clearly upon their arrival the Senecas saw the valley long before they discovered its river.

The Wadsworths

As our nation was in its infancy, two brothers from Connecticut, James and William Wadsworth, recognizing that the people of this fledgling nation would require food to keep the engines of progress running, purchased tens of thousands of acres from the Seneca. Geneseo was thus settled in 1790 on the edge of a lush and beautiful valley. James, a land agent, and William, a farmer, worked together to establish the agricultural industry which still dominates the region.

The Wadsworths built large homes at either end of Main Street, serving as bookends for the development of commercial and residential areas alike. They recognized the need for tradesmen and merchants to constitute a Hartford House community, recruited many to the town and assisted them in building homes of their own. Both of their estates still stand, indeed occupied by their descendants, and most of those original houses of more modest stature also still grace our streets.

The Wadsworths had great love and appreciation for the wondrous oak trees standing on our land. They left many standing as they cleared the wilderness, and when leasing land, required that tenants maintain the great oaks. Most are still standing in even greater grandeur than when they were first encountered. It was one particularly large specimen of oak that gave the original Indian village here its name of Big Tree. The tree in question stood on the banks of the Genesee and was thought to be more than 300 years old when erosion of the river bank finally caused its downfall on November 8, 1857.

Settler James Wadsworth’s interest in public education planted the seeds of what would eventually become SUNY Geneseo. In 1867 the Wadsworth Normal School at Geneseo was chartered by the state legislature. When it opened its doors in 1871 with 91 students, its name was changed to Geneseo Normal School, one of nine name changes through the years. Today more than 5,000 students study at SUNY Geneseo, the latest incarnation of a school that has developed a reputation as one of the nation’s best public liberal arts colleges.

Preserving our History

It was in 1974 that fear of losing the historic Big Tree Inn led to the formation of the Association for the Preservation of Geneseo (APOG). The organization has spearheaded preservation efforts ever since, not only saving the Inn, but going on to do the groundwork that resulted in a unique distinction for Geneseo. Main Street was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971 because of its unique characteristics. In 1977 almost all of the central part of the Village was designated a Historic District and placed on the National Register of Historic Places. In 1991 the entire Historic District was designated a National Historic Landmark by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior, one of only twenty communities in the country. Even today there are only 24 Historic Districts that have been so honored.

The ingredients that make the magic of Geneseo include a yeasty mix of the vitality of thousands of young students and the scholarship of hundreds of professors, seasoned with a dash of the society of valley gentry and a generous portion of the salt of everyday people from farmers to county workers to actual salt miners. When all of this is served up in a park-like natural landscape, boasting an intact and still vital historic village, you have, indeed, the Jewel of the Genesee Valley!

You are most welcome here! Maps and tours of our jewel abound in other places on this website. We hope you will enjoy getting to know us.

History of the Village Park

1789

Fifteen acres fronting the future Wadsworth Homestead were designated as a Commons. This was part of the land purchased by James and William Wadsworth from Jeremiah Wadsworth.
1812

General Winfried Scott encamped on the land on his way to Buffalo, New York during the War of 1812; Army artifacts were discovered in the 1990’s.
1830s–1840s

Park area was threatened as a commercial site. There was a road from the Geneseo – Mt. Morris road extending to the Park’s western boundary.
1840s

Elizabeth Wadsworth’s father had died. In the Spring of 1845, Elizabeth went before the village Board (Commission of Highways) promising maintenance of the Park including planting and care of rare and choice trees, grading of the ground, gravel footpaths and enclosing with a fence. Original opposition included board members opposed to a woman suggesting such action.
Also, she wished for roadway improvements. Envisioned was the open commons as an environmental friendly New England Park. There would be a fence with a key to the gate. Those wishing to “promenade” needed permission from the Village and must lock the gate when leaving. She envisioned a permanent park open for sports, traveling circuses, drills and parades. Not one tree remained in 1845. Elizabeth pledged she would make all improvements as a wealthy unmarried woman.
1860s-1870s

The fence needed repair, cattle and swine grazed in the Park. There were weeds and common use as a washing-drying area.
Following a private trend, the fence was removed and sold. Businesses surrounded the Park such as a general store and an inn.
The County Historical society envisioned a log cabin in the Park to display pioneer artifacts.
1880s

The Village improvement Society built two walks diagonally across the Park.
1891

The county Log Cabin Society received approval from the Village to construct a cabin, logs from historic County farms.
1895

The log Cabin was completed and dedicated.
1953

About 35 feet of the Park was removed as space for the War Memorial.
1975

William Perkins Wadsworth hired a mason to repair the wall.
1976

A plaque was laid, dedicated as a memorial to Elizabeth Wadsworth who “saved the Park”.
1990

Major William Austin Wadsworth hired a Park landscape architect in exchange for Main Street macadam being extended to South Street. A stone wall, three feet high, was constructed along the east boundary.
Behind the Log Cabin, to the west boundary, would be a tennis court, bowling green and a croquet lawn. Old trees were removed and replaced by new ones. New diagonal walks were laid.
The fence needed repair, cattle and swine grazed in the Park. There were weeds and common use as a washing-drying area.
2018

The dedication of the Log Cabin restrooms. (Ribbon Cutting with a Twist).
2023

The memorial as it stands today.