Geneseo, New York
Encyclopedia
Geneseo is the name of a town and its village in Livingston County
in the Finger Lakes
region of New York
, USA, outside of Rochester, New York
. The town's population is approximately 9,600, of which about 7,600 live in the village. The English name "Geneseo" is an anglicization of the Iroquois name for the earlier Iroquois town there, Gen-nis-he-yo (which means "beautiful valley").
The village of Geneseo is the county seat
of Livingston County and is entirely contained within the western part of the town at the junction of Routes 39
, 63
, and U.S. 20A
A portion of the village — the Geneseo Historic District
— was designated a National Historic Landmark
by the United States Department of the Interior
in 1991.
nation. It was also the "bread basket" of the tribe, with orchards, vineyards, and fields of maize and vegetables.
During the American Revolution
, the Seneca joined the British
and the Tories
against the colonists who were fighting for independence. Raids by this alliance from the west was a major threat to the American cause, and General Washington
sent the Sullivan Expedition
to neutralize the Iroquois. As Sullivan's army approached Geneseo, with their "scorched earth" policy the Senecas repeatedly fell back. However, they did exact some damage, as a large Seneca party was successful in ambushing one of Sullivan's scouting parties, carrying them as prisoners to Geneseo and torturing them to death. When Sullivan's troops arrived and found the mutilated bodies, they were enraged, and became very thorough in their destruction of anything that could support the Iroquois. From Geneseo and environs about 5,000 Seneca refugees fled to British-held Fort Niagara
, where they spent one of the coldest winters of record, with much loss of life, in camps outside the fort with only the small amount of supplies that the British could spare.
and William Wadsworth in 1790. The brothers came to the Genesee Valley
from Connecticut
as agents of their uncle, Colonel Jeremiah Wadsworth
, to care for and sell the land he had purchased. The Wadsworths were participants in the negotiations of the Treaty of Big Tree
between Robert Morris
and the Senecas at the site of Geneseo in 1797.
Geneseo, as well as nearby Mount Morris
, were part of The Morris Reserve that Morris held back from his sale of much of western New York to the Holland Land Company
.
Geneseo was the birth place of Eliza Emily Chappell Porter
in 1807, that was a nurse, teacher, school builder, and underground railroad operative, during the Civil War.
The village of Geneseo became the county seat of Livingston County in 1821 and was incorporated
in 1832. The State Normal School, now SUNY Geneseo
, was opened in 1871. A portion of the village was designated a National Historic Landmark
by the United States Department of the Interior
in 1991.
By 1835 the village consisted of 83 families and the streets were Main, Second, North, South, Center and Temple Hill. The village grew steadily and in the 1850s Elm Street was opened. With the advent of the State Normal School in 1871, there was a new surge of development and Oak Street was opened in the late 1880s. The private Temple Hill Academy, part of which still stands on Temple Hill Road, educated Chester A. Arthur
among others.
During the Civil War
, Union
soldiers trained at Camp Union, located at what is now the corner of Lima Road and Rorbach Lane. During World War II, a prisoner-of-war camp
was built in Geneseo; it housed mostly Italian
soldiers.
In its addition of Geneseo to the National Register of Historic Places
in 1991, the National Park Service
said,
The valley of the Genesee is wide and fertile, with some of the best agricultural
land in New York, but it was very prone to flooding, and Geneseo suffered several bad floods until the United States Army Corps of Engineers
' construction of the Mount Morris Dam
upstream of the community in the 1950s. Agriculture is now a large contributor to Geneseo's economy. Geneseo is also used by many as a bedroom community for jobs in nearby Rochester
. The village of Geneseo is governed by a mayor
and four trustees.
The town can be roughly divided into three geographies: the village has a small-town atmosphere, much of Route 20A is heavily commercialized, and the majority of the town's area is farmland. One of the main issues faced by the community today is urban sprawl
. The increasing presence of big-box store
s on Route 20A has been welcomed by some residents, who appreciate the convenience of nearby retailers, and discouraged by others, who oppose the suburbanization
of the small town.
The Geneseo Airport (D52) is a general aviation airport west of the village, on the Wadsworth farm. It was established during July 1969, and is now used for approximately 20 aircraft operations each day. Since 1980, it has hosted groups restoring and operating historic military aircraft—originally the National Warplane Museum, and now the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group. An airshow
is held annually on the field, during the second weekend in July.
The Association for the Preservation of Geneseo (APOG) is a civic organization dedicated to preserving, improving, and restoring the places of civic, architectural, and historic interest to Geneseo, Livingston County, New York and to educate members of the community to their architectural and historical heritage. Additional aims and purposes are to encourage others to contribute their knowledge, advice, and financial assistance.
In July 2007, Money Magazine
ranked Geneseo 10th of 25 on its places with the highest percentage of singles, with 65.1% of the 7500 inhabitants reported to be single.
, and consists of Geneseo Central School, which graduates approximately 75 students each year.
The school mascot is the Blue Devils and wear blue and white, with a gray accent color. Past accent colors included red, and black.
The school was located on Temple Hill from about 1830 to 1871 when it moved to School Street in part of the Normal School. In 1933 it moved to its own building on School Street and in 1963 added a wing. In 1974 it moved into a new building at its present location on Avon Road.
The State University of New York at Geneseo http://www.geneseo.edu has approximately 5,000 undergraduate students.
, the town has a total area of 45.2 square miles (117.1 km²), of which, 44.0 square miles (113.9 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.2 km²) of it (2.74%) is water. The village has a total area of 2.79 square miles (7.22 km²), all of which is land.
The Genesee River
defines the western town line, and Conesus Lake
defines the eastern town line. Interstate 390
and U.S. Route 20A
pass through the town. New York State Route 39
and New York State Route 63
are two important north-south highways passing through the village, and New York State Route 256
is a north-south route along the shore of Conesus Lake.
Geneseo has a mild climate; summers typically bring temperatures between 60–80 °F (15.6–26.7 C), while winters average 15–35 °F (-9.4–1.7 C).
of 2000, there were 9,654 people, 2,523 households, and 1,303 families residing in the town. The population density
was 219.6 people per square mile (84.8/km²). There were 2,698 housing units at an average density of 23.7 persons/km² (61.4 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 93.91% White, 1.48% African American
, 0.11% Native American
, 2.61% Asia
n, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
of any race.
There were 2,523 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples
living together, 8.3% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 48.4% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 11.9% under the age of 18, 51.3% from 18 to 24, 15.2% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 72.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,660, and the median income for a family was $62,206. Males had a median income of $42,218 versus $25,969 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $15,303. 29.8% of the population and 8.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 12.2% are under the age of 18 and 5.5% are 65 or older.
of 2000, there were 7,579 people, 1,718 households, and 730 families residing in the village. The population density
was 2,718.3 people per square mile (1,049.5/km²). There were 1,780 housing units at an average density of 246.5 persons/km² (638.4 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the village was 92.7% White, 1.8% African American
, 0.1% Native American
, 3.3% Asia
n, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 2.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
of any race.
There were 1,718 households, out of which 19.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.8% were married couples
living together, 9.0% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 57.5% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the village the population was spread out with 8.6% under the age of 18, 63.5% from 18 to 24, 10.9% from 25 to 44, 9.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21.1 years. For every 100 females there were 65.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 62.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $30,438, and the median income for a family was $59,500. Males had a median income of $40,915 versus $26,382 for females. The per capita income
for the village was $12,239. 41.7% of the population and 14.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 19.4% are under the age of 18 and 7.0% are 65 or older.
Livingston County, New York
As of the census of 2000, there were 64,328 people, 22,150 households, and 15,349 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 24,023 housing units at an average density of 38 per square mile...
in the Finger Lakes
Finger Lakes
The Finger Lakes are a pattern of lakes in the west-central section of Upstate New York in the United States. They are a popular tourist destination. The lakes are long and thin , each oriented roughly on a north-south axis. The two longest, Cayuga Lake and Seneca Lake, are among the deepest in...
region of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, USA, outside of Rochester, New York
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. The town's population is approximately 9,600, of which about 7,600 live in the village. The English name "Geneseo" is an anglicization of the Iroquois name for the earlier Iroquois town there, Gen-nis-he-yo (which means "beautiful valley").
The village of Geneseo is the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Livingston County and is entirely contained within the western part of the town at the junction of Routes 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
, 63
New York State Route 63
New York State Route 63 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 15 and NY 21 in the village of Wayland in Steuben County. Its northern end is at a junction with NY 18 in the town...
, and U.S. 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
A portion of the village — the Geneseo Historic District
Geneseo Historic District
Geneseo Historic District, known also as Main Street Historic District, is a historic district in Geneseo, New York. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1991....
— was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
by the United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
in 1991.
Pre-revolution
The site of Geneseo was the largest Seneca village, and a center of power for the IroquoisIroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
nation. It was also the "bread basket" of the tribe, with orchards, vineyards, and fields of maize and vegetables.
During the American Revolution
American Revolution
The American Revolution was the political upheaval during the last half of the 18th century in which thirteen colonies in North America joined together to break free from the British Empire, combining to become the United States of America...
, the Seneca joined the British
Kingdom of Great Britain
The former Kingdom of Great Britain, sometimes described as the 'United Kingdom of Great Britain', That the Two Kingdoms of Scotland and England, shall upon the 1st May next ensuing the date hereof, and forever after, be United into One Kingdom by the Name of GREAT BRITAIN. was a sovereign...
and the Tories
Tory
Toryism is a traditionalist and conservative political philosophy which grew out of the Cavalier faction in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It is a prominent ideology in the politics of the United Kingdom, but also features in parts of The Commonwealth, particularly in Canada...
against the colonists who were fighting for independence. Raids by this alliance from the west was a major threat to the American cause, and General Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
sent the Sullivan Expedition
Sullivan Expedition
The Sullivan Expedition, also known as the Sullivan-Clinton Expedition, was an American campaign led by Major General John Sullivan and Brigadier General James Clinton against Loyalists and the four nations of the Iroquois who had sided with the British in the American Revolutionary War.The...
to neutralize the Iroquois. As Sullivan's army approached Geneseo, with their "scorched earth" policy the Senecas repeatedly fell back. However, they did exact some damage, as a large Seneca party was successful in ambushing one of Sullivan's scouting parties, carrying them as prisoners to Geneseo and torturing them to death. When Sullivan's troops arrived and found the mutilated bodies, they were enraged, and became very thorough in their destruction of anything that could support the Iroquois. From Geneseo and environs about 5,000 Seneca refugees fled to British-held Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara
Fort Niagara is a fortification originally built to protect the interests of New France in North America. It is located near Youngstown, New York, on the eastern bank of the Niagara River at its mouth, on Lake Ontario.-Origin:...
, where they spent one of the coldest winters of record, with much loss of life, in camps outside the fort with only the small amount of supplies that the British could spare.
Post-revolution
The town was established in 1789, prior to the formation of Livingston County. The settlement of Geneseo by the colonists began shortly after the arrival of JamesJames Wadsworth (of Geneseo)
James Wadsworth was an influential and prominent 18th and 19th century pioneer, educator, land speculator, agriculturalist, businessman, and community leader of the early Genesee Valley settlements in Western New York State...
and William Wadsworth in 1790. The brothers came to the Genesee Valley
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
from Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
as agents of their uncle, Colonel Jeremiah Wadsworth
Jeremiah Wadsworth
Jeremiah Wadsworth was an American sea captain, merchant, and statesman from Hartford, Connecticut who profited from his position as a government official charged with supplying the Continental Army...
, to care for and sell the land he had purchased. The Wadsworths were participants in the negotiations of the Treaty of Big Tree
Treaty of Big Tree
Treaty of Big Tree was a formal treaty, held from August 20, 1797 until September 16, 1797, between the Seneca nation and the United States of America. The delegates for both parties met at the residence of William Wadsworth, an early pioneer of the area and Captain of the local militia, in what is...
between Robert Morris
Robert Morris (merchant)
Robert Morris, Jr. was a British-born American merchant, and signer of the Declaration of Independence, the Articles of Confederation, and the United States Constitution...
and the Senecas at the site of Geneseo in 1797.
Geneseo, as well as nearby Mount Morris
Mount Morris (town), New York
Mount Morris is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. The population was 4,567 at the 2000 census. The town and village were named after Robert Morris, the financier of the American Revolution....
, were part of The Morris Reserve that Morris held back from his sale of much of western New York to the Holland Land Company
Holland Land Company
The Holland Land Company was a purchaser of the western two-thirds of the western New York land tract known as the Phelps and Gorham Purchase. This tract was known thereafter as The Holland Purchase...
.
Geneseo was the birth place of Eliza Emily Chappell Porter
Eliza Emily Chappell Porter
Eliza Emily Chappell Porter was the first public school teacher in Chicago, at Fort Dearborn. She established normal schools, educated settlers and American Indians at Mackinac Island, aided the wounded during the American Civil War as a member of the U.S...
in 1807, that was a nurse, teacher, school builder, and underground railroad operative, during the Civil War.
The village of Geneseo became the county seat of Livingston County in 1821 and was incorporated
Municipal corporation
A municipal corporation is the legal term for a local governing body, including cities, counties, towns, townships, charter townships, villages, and boroughs. Municipal incorporation occurs when such municipalities become self-governing entities under the laws of the state or province in which...
in 1832. The State Normal School, now SUNY Geneseo
State University of New York at Geneseo
The State University of New York at Geneseo—also known as SUNY Geneseo, Geneseo State, or, colloquially, Geneseo—is located in Geneseo, Livingston County, New York, United States. It is a University College of the State University of New York...
, was opened in 1871. A portion of the village was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
by the United States Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
in 1991.
By 1835 the village consisted of 83 families and the streets were Main, Second, North, South, Center and Temple Hill. The village grew steadily and in the 1850s Elm Street was opened. With the advent of the State Normal School in 1871, there was a new surge of development and Oak Street was opened in the late 1880s. The private Temple Hill Academy, part of which still stands on Temple Hill Road, educated Chester A. Arthur
Chester A. Arthur
Chester Alan Arthur was the 21st President of the United States . Becoming President after the assassination of President James A. Garfield, Arthur struggled to overcome suspicions of his beginnings as a politician from the New York City Republican machine, succeeding at that task by embracing...
among others.
During the Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, Union
Union (American Civil War)
During the American Civil War, the Union was a name used to refer to the federal government of the United States, which was supported by the twenty free states and five border slave states. It was opposed by 11 southern slave states that had declared a secession to join together to form the...
soldiers trained at Camp Union, located at what is now the corner of Lima Road and Rorbach Lane. During World War II, a prisoner-of-war camp
Prisoner-of-war camp
A prisoner-of-war camp is a site for the containment of combatants captured by their enemy in time of war, and is similar to an internment camp which is used for civilian populations. A prisoner of war is generally a soldier, sailor, or airman who is imprisoned by an enemy power during or...
was built in Geneseo; it housed mostly Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
soldiers.
Present day
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1991, the National Park Service
National Park Service
The National Park Service is the U.S. federal agency that manages all national parks, many national monuments, and other conservation and historical properties with various title designations...
said,
The valley of the Genesee is wide and fertile, with some of the best agricultural
Agriculture
Agriculture is the cultivation of animals, plants, fungi and other life forms for food, fiber, and other products used to sustain life. Agriculture was the key implement in the rise of sedentary human civilization, whereby farming of domesticated species created food surpluses that nurtured the...
land in New York, but it was very prone to flooding, and Geneseo suffered several bad floods until the United States Army Corps of Engineers
United States Army Corps of Engineers
The United States Army Corps of Engineers is a federal agency and a major Army command made up of some 38,000 civilian and military personnel, making it the world's largest public engineering, design and construction management agency...
' construction of the Mount Morris Dam
Mount Morris Dam
The Mount Morris Dam is a concrete dam on the Genesee River. It is located south of Rochester, New York in the towns of Leicester and Mount Morris in Livingston County, New York, next to Letchworth State Park.-History:...
upstream of the community in the 1950s. Agriculture is now a large contributor to Geneseo's economy. Geneseo is also used by many as a bedroom community for jobs in nearby Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
. The village of Geneseo is governed by a mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
and four trustees.
The town can be roughly divided into three geographies: the village has a small-town atmosphere, much of Route 20A is heavily commercialized, and the majority of the town's area is farmland. One of the main issues faced by the community today is urban sprawl
Urban sprawl
Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a multifaceted concept, which includes the spreading outwards of a city and its suburbs to its outskirts to low-density and auto-dependent development on rural land, high segregation of uses Urban sprawl, also known as suburban sprawl, is a...
. The increasing presence of big-box store
Big-box store
A big-box store is a physically large retail establishment, usually part of a chain. The term sometimes also refers, by extension, to the company that operates the store...
s on Route 20A has been welcomed by some residents, who appreciate the convenience of nearby retailers, and discouraged by others, who oppose the suburbanization
Suburbanization
Suburbanization a term used to describe the growth of areas on the fringes of major cities. It is one of the many causes of the increase in urban sprawl. Many residents of metropolitan regions work within the central urban area, choosing instead to live in satellite communities called suburbs...
of the small town.
The Geneseo Airport (D52) is a general aviation airport west of the village, on the Wadsworth farm. It was established during July 1969, and is now used for approximately 20 aircraft operations each day. Since 1980, it has hosted groups restoring and operating historic military aircraft—originally the National Warplane Museum, and now the 1941 Historical Aircraft Group. An airshow
Airshow
An air show is an event at which aviators display their flying skills and the capabilities of their aircraft to spectators in aerobatics. Air shows without aerobatic displays, having only aircraft displayed parked on the ground, are called "static air shows"....
is held annually on the field, during the second weekend in July.
The Association for the Preservation of Geneseo (APOG) is a civic organization dedicated to preserving, improving, and restoring the places of civic, architectural, and historic interest to Geneseo, Livingston County, New York and to educate members of the community to their architectural and historical heritage. Additional aims and purposes are to encourage others to contribute their knowledge, advice, and financial assistance.
In July 2007, Money Magazine
Money Magazine
Money Magazine is a business news and financial programme that is broadcast on Sundays at 7:00pm in Hong Kong by television channel TVB Pearl.-Producers and reporters:...
ranked Geneseo 10th of 25 on its places with the highest percentage of singles, with 65.1% of the 7500 inhabitants reported to be single.
Education
The Geneseo Central School District encompasses Geneseo and GrovelandGroveland, New York
Groveland is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. The population was 3,853 at the 2000 census.The Town of Groveland is centrally located in the county, south of Geneseo.- History :...
, and consists of Geneseo Central School, which graduates approximately 75 students each year.
The school mascot is the Blue Devils and wear blue and white, with a gray accent color. Past accent colors included red, and black.
The school was located on Temple Hill from about 1830 to 1871 when it moved to School Street in part of the Normal School. In 1933 it moved to its own building on School Street and in 1963 added a wing. In 1974 it moved into a new building at its present location on Avon Road.
The State University of New York at Geneseo http://www.geneseo.edu has approximately 5,000 undergraduate students.
Geography
According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 45.2 square miles (117.1 km²), of which, 44.0 square miles (113.9 km²) of it is land and 1.2 square miles (3.2 km²) of it (2.74%) is water. The village has a total area of 2.79 square miles (7.22 km²), all of which is land.
The Genesee River
Genesee River
The Genesee River is a North American river flowing northward through the Twin Tiers of Pennsylvania and New York. The river provided the original power for the Rochester area's 19th century mills and still provides hydroelectric power for downtown Rochester....
defines the western town line, and Conesus Lake
Conesus Lake
Conesus Lake is one of the minor Finger Lakes in western New York. It is western-most of eleven total Finger Lakes. The lake's outlet is in Lakeville, New York a hamlet in the Town of Livonia, New York in Livingston County, south of Rochester, New York. The lake's inlet is in the Town of Conesus,...
defines the eastern town line. Interstate 390
Interstate 390
Interstate 390 is a north–south auxiliary Interstate Highway located entirely within New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at the Southern Tier Expressway in the town of Avoca. Its northern terminus is at I-490 in Rochester...
and U.S. Route 20A
U.S. Route 20A (New York)
U.S. Route 20A is an east–west alternate route of US 20 that extends for across the western portion of New York in the United States. It leaves US 20 in Hamburg, a suburb of Buffalo, and rejoins it in East Bloomfield about five miles west of Canandaigua, the county seat of...
pass through the town. New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39
New York State Route 39 is an east–west state highway in the western portion of New York in the United States. It begins and ends at intersections with U.S. Route 20 apart...
and New York State Route 63
New York State Route 63
New York State Route 63 is a state highway in the western part of New York in the United States. The southern terminus of the route is at an intersection with NY 15 and NY 21 in the village of Wayland in Steuben County. Its northern end is at a junction with NY 18 in the town...
are two important north-south highways passing through the village, and New York State Route 256
New York State Route 256
New York State Route 256 is a north–south state highway located within Livingston County, New York, in the United States. It extends for across mostly rural terrain from an intersection with NY 63 in the village of Dansville to a junction with NY 15 on the Geneseo–Livonia town line...
is a north-south route along the shore of Conesus Lake.
Geneseo has a mild climate; summers typically bring temperatures between 60–80 °F (15.6–26.7 C), while winters average 15–35 °F (-9.4–1.7 C).
Communities
The town contains a number of hamlets on the western shore of Conesus Lake. From north to south along Route 256 (West Lake Road), they are:- Cottonwood Cove
- Eagle Point
- Long Point
- Long Point Cove
- Sacketts Harbor
- Sleggs Landing
- Wadsworth Cove
Demographics
Town
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 9,654 people, 2,523 households, and 1,303 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 219.6 people per square mile (84.8/km²). There were 2,698 housing units at an average density of 23.7 persons/km² (61.4 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the town was 93.91% White, 1.48% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.11% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 2.61% Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.69% from other races, and 1.15% from two or more races. 2.19% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 2,523 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 41.3% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 8.3% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 48.4% were non-families. 26.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 9.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the town the population was spread out with 11.9% under the age of 18, 51.3% from 18 to 24, 15.2% from 25 to 44, 13.2% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 22 years. For every 100 females there were 72.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 68.4 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $40,660, and the median income for a family was $62,206. Males had a median income of $42,218 versus $25,969 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $15,303. 29.8% of the population and 8.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 12.2% are under the age of 18 and 5.5% are 65 or older.
Village
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 7,579 people, 1,718 households, and 730 families residing in the village. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,718.3 people per square mile (1,049.5/km²). There were 1,780 housing units at an average density of 246.5 persons/km² (638.4 persons/sq mi). The racial makeup of the village was 92.7% White, 1.8% African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
, 0.1% Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
, 3.3% Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
n, 0.0% Pacific Islander, 0.9% from other races, and 1.2% from two or more races. 2.6% of the population were Hispanic or Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
of any race.
There were 1,718 households, out of which 19.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 31.8% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 9.0% have a woman whose husband does not live with her, and 57.5% were non-families. 28.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.52 and the average family size was 2.86.
In the village the population was spread out with 8.6% under the age of 18, 63.5% from 18 to 24, 10.9% from 25 to 44, 9.3% from 45 to 64, and 7.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21.1 years. For every 100 females there were 65.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 62.5 males.
The median income for a household in the village was $30,438, and the median income for a family was $59,500. Males had a median income of $40,915 versus $26,382 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the village was $12,239. 41.7% of the population and 14.1% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 19.4% are under the age of 18 and 7.0% are 65 or older.
External links
- Town and Village of Geneseo (official website)
- GeneseoNY.com
- Association for the Preservation of Geneseo
- State University of New York, College at Geneseo
- 1941 Historical Aircraft Group
- Wadsworth Library – Geneseo's public library
- Geneseo Central Schools – Geneseo's K-12 School
- Genesee Valley Conservancy – Working to conserve open space in the Village and Town of Geneseo.