Canandaigua – Rich in History

One of Canandaigua’s strengths is its visible history: a drive around Canandaigua tells much of the story. The wide Main Street tells of a tradition of planning and preservation; the neighborhoods of Canandaigua speak of the affluence of its early merchants and professionals, and of the practicality of its hard workers; the verdant fields testify to a long history of agriculture as a key part of the local economy.

Settled first by the Native American Seneca tribe, who called the area “Ga Nunda-gai-kwa,” (now translated as “The Chosen Spot”), the Senecas had already developed a strong tradition as farmers. And as part of the Iroquois Confederacy, they participated in an advanced democracy whose structure was studied by the framers of the U.S. Constitution. When Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham purchased most of what is now New York State west of Geneva, settlement grew quickly. With high aspirations for the community, the Main Street was laid out long, straight, and wide. Although the building of the Erie Canal re-centered the area’s growth in Rochester, Canandaigua continued to thrive as an agricultural, commercial and transportation center. Produce from Canandaigua’s hills and fields was brought to the lakeshore, loaded onto steamboats, destined mostly for delivery by train to New York’s metropolitan areas.

The Town was founded in 1791, with the Village of Canandaigua incorporated in 1815, becoming a City in 1913. In addition to the visible history, local history is well documented and preserved in the Ontario County Historical Society and in Canandaigua’s Wood Library.

In the inevitable struggle between celebrating history and embracing progress, Canandaigua’s local governments and its citizens have ensured that the balance includes a strong respect for the history that is visible all around us.