Local History
As long as 10,000 years ago Indian hunters following the path of a retreating glacier moved into this area to hunt mastodon and moose elk. The glaciers left the topography of the area to reflect their passing with drumlins, long ridges of hills running north and south; otherwise the land was level or slightly rolling. Artifacts found throughout Wayne County indicate that Indians, at one time, did have permanent or seasonal campsites in this area. As time progressed other visitors included French fur traders, Jesuit missionaries, Tories, renegade trap robbers and other criminals that visited or settled for awhile.
Settlement began in 1789 and progressed throughout Wayne County. Early settlers found land covered with thick forests thus providing them with a way to initiate a cash income. Asheries were some of the first enterprises mentioned in the history of almost every settlement. This endeavor cleared land for farming to begin. Early arrivals included veterans of the Revolution who came to take up claims in the Military Tract.
The construction of the Erie Canal provided the initial means for industrial growth and provided a driving force behind these areas early settlements. The Erie Canal was a major trade route for commerce. The railroad linking Rochester and Syracuse came later to initiate even more growth and provide transportation for goods and for people to travel to work. Some of the industries and inventions during that time include The Clyde Glass works, S. W. Wood Steam Engine and the creation of the first typewriter (Jones Typographer).
Progression through the Revolutionary and Civil Wars, Women’s Rights movement, the Underground Railroad, and the industrial revolution have given our community a heritage of enriched history.
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