Part One When the Genesee River Valley opened for settlement in the early 1800s, it was driven primarily by the Holland Land Company, a group of Dutch investors and banks. … Continue reading Ambition by Design: The Life of Elisha Johnson
Category: Genesee Valley HIstory
Moses Van Campen, Part III – Marriage, Family, & Public Service
Before Major Van Campen’s discharge from the army, he had one more significant encounter as an American soldier. In late summer of 1783, as he scouted the woodland trails in … Continue reading Moses Van Campen, Part III – Marriage, Family, & Public Service
Copperhead, The Last Seneca in Caneadea
A boulder on the Houghton University campus (formerly Houghton College) marks the final resting place of one of the Genesee’s legends, Copperhead. His identity was also disputed at one time, … Continue reading Copperhead, The Last Seneca in Caneadea
It’s the Cheesiest! A Brief History of Cuba Cheese
For those of us who grew up in the rolling hills of rural Western New York, locally sourced cheese and ice cream were staple treats. Cheese curds, extra-sharp cheddar, and … Continue reading It’s the Cheesiest! A Brief History of Cuba Cheese
Tally Ho! Along the Genesee
Saddle leather creaks as riders test stirrups and cinches on snorting, stamping horses, their nostrils streaming out white breath in the frosty morning. Foxhounds mill anxiously near the Master of … Continue reading Tally Ho! Along the Genesee
Caroline Bishop, Letchworth State Park’s First Superintendent
One of William P. Letchworth’s final requests was for his longtime secretary, librarian, and executive assistant, Caroline Bishop, to become the first superintendent of Letchworth State Park, which was honored … Continue reading Caroline Bishop, Letchworth State Park’s First Superintendent
Lemuel M. Wiles, Genesee Country Artist
One of the Genesee Country’s finest artists grew up just outside the Village of Perry on Suckerbrook Road. If you take a drive out that way, you’ll find a historical … Continue reading Lemuel M. Wiles, Genesee Country Artist
Brush Strokes from the Past
Tucked along the shady banks of Wolf Creek in the village of Castile were the homes of two pairs of sisters—Annie and Jennie Myers and Frances and Jane Judson. Extraordinarily, … Continue reading Brush Strokes from the Past
It’s Fair Time!
August in Western New York means it’s time for county fairs. They are a long-established tradition in New York State that began as early as 1793. Generations of Western New … Continue reading It’s Fair Time!
Our Independence Day
As Independence Day approaches, we’re stepping back into the turbulent time of the Revolution. We’re so far removed from those days that the Boston Tea Party, the ride of Paul … Continue reading Our Independence Day
