Historical Markers in
Orleans County, New York

1732 1799 To Honor and Commemorate 1823 Canal Bed 1833 Servoss-Hagood House 1837 Church 1860 Home Of George Anthony/1872 Home of 1st Religious Society A Lasting Tribute At Left: Cobblestone House / At Right: Cobblestone House Balcom's Mills Bent's Opera House - 1864 Blacksmith Shop Boxwood Cemetery Braggs Corners Burial Ground Burial Ground Butterfield Cobblestone Calamity Sept. 28, 1859 Carl E. Akeley Charles Stielow Childhood Home Christ Episcopal Church Circus Pioneer Clarendon Honors its Veterans Cobblestone Historic District Cobblestone Wall Section Cobblestones Cook Cemetery Crossroads Cyrus Witheral D.A.A. Buck Home Dedicated to All Military Veterans Earliest Church Eastern Orleans Memorial Post 202 Elisha Wright Erie Canal 1825 Farmers Hall Farwell's Mill First Academy First Blacksmith First Church First Norwegian Immigrants Landed in Holley, 1825 First Settlers First United Methodist Church Fishing Camp Five Mile House For God and Country Fording Place Frances Folsom Frederick Douglass Gaines Basin Schoolhouse Gaines District No.5 1849 School House George M. Pullman, 1831-97 Grover Cleveland & Frances Folsom Gulf Street Park Harness Shop Herbert Taylor Hillside Cemetery Historic Downtown Albion Historic Ridge Road Hitching Posts Holley Railway Depot Home of John Proctor Home of Katherine Belle Rowley Home of Sanford E. Church House of Refuge In Honor of All Veterans In Honor of Our Departed Comrades In Memory of All the Men and Women From Kendall In Memory of All Those Servicemen In Memory of the Men Who Fell In Recognition In Sacred Memory Indian Trail Irish, English, Italian and Polish Immigrants J.H. Vagg Blacksmith Shop / The Vagg House John Cunneen 1848-1907 John Ryan 1801-96 / Medina Sandstone Johnson Creek Joseph Budd Josias Lamont Journalist, Terry Anderson July 1813 Kenyonville Kuckville Church erected in 1835 KUM BA YAH (Come By Here) Lemuel Cook Log Cabin Site Lyndonville Masonic Lodge Medina Armory Medina Fire Department Medina Sandstone Millville 1815 Millville Cemetery Mount Albion Cemetery Neuter Fort Niagara to Genesee Historic Ridge Road Norway Colony NY Central Depot On This Site Circa 1919 Alonzo L. Waters Original Site of the Wesleyan Methodist Church Orleans County Alms House Cemetery Orleans County Courthouse Our Honored Dead Peerson Home Pioneer Settler Print Shop Ridgeway - 1812 Robinson Cemetery Safe House / Brainard Home Second Lieutenant John E. Butts Sir William Johnson Six-Sided House State Street Swan Library The Culvert Road The First Free Methodist The Holley Loop The Lake Plain The Last Blacksmith Shop in Orleans County The Medina Culvert The Modern Age: Electric Trolley The Sloopers The Transit Line To the Memory of the Heroes Union Cemetery Unlock the Adventure V.F.W. Post 202 Memorial Valor, Honor, Virtue, Courage, Duty Vietnam Welcome to Historic Medina White's Hotel Yates Academy Yates Pier "Santa Claus" "The Brick Pond"
The first woman to vote in a United States presidential election was a resident of Rochester, New York named Susan B. Anthony. She cast her ballot in the 1872 election, for which she was arrested and fined.
New York random facts
Orleans County, New York, located in the western part of the state, has a rich history dating back to its establishment in 1824. Prior to European settlement, the area was home to the Seneca Nation, part of the larger Iroquois Confederacy. The first European settlers arrived in the late 18th century, and a significant influx occurred after the Holland Purchase of 1802, when the land was acquired from the Seneca Nation by the Holland Land Company.

The county's name, Orleans, pays tribute to the influential French General, Louis-Philippe d'Orléans. The early settlers faced challenges in establishing settlements due to the dense forests and swampy lands. However, by the early 19th century, the completion of the Erie Canal brought prosperity and growth to the region.

During the mid-19th century, Orleans County experienced rapid progress in agriculture, particularly in the cultivation of apples and wheat. The canal system also facilitated trade and transportation, leading to the development of towns and hamlets along its path. The county's first courthouse and jail were erected in 1825 in Albion, which became the county seat. The 19th century also saw the establishment of schools, churches, and other key institutions.

In the 20th century, Orleans County continued to thrive as an agricultural hub, specializing in the production of fruit, vegetables, and dairy products. The county also became known for its extensive apple orchards and fruit processing plants. Today, Orleans County maintains its agricultural heritage while embracing modern industry and tourism, offering attractions such as the Erie Canalway Trail, historical museums, and festivals celebrating its cultural past.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Orleans County, New York.

  • 1802: Orleans County is formed from parts of Genesee County.
  • 1813: The village of Gaines is established as the first settlement in the county.
  • 1818: The town of Albion is established as the county seat.
  • 1824: The Erie Canal is completed, bringing economic growth to the county.
  • 1825: The village of Medina is incorporated.
  • 1858: The Holley Manufacturing Company is founded in Holley village.
  • 1872: The town of Kendall is established.
  • 1911: The Cobblestone Museum is established in Childs village.
  • 1959: The Oak Orchard State Marine Park is created.
  • 2019: The apple industry remains an important part of the county's economy.