April 11, 2023 – Wayne County

Wayne County is celebrating its bicentennial today! It was on April 11, 1823 that the county was formed, combining parts of Seneca and Ontario counties. It was named after General Anthony Wayne, a Revolutionary War hero, and statesman. The land was originally part of the Iroquois Confederacy, though it doesn’t appear there were any major or permanent Indian settlements there. Instead, the Indians would make hunting and fishing trips to the area, traveling from Cayuga Lake to the shores of Sodus Bay and Lake Ontario. During the War of 1812, there were 2 small skirmishes in the county. One in Sodus in 1813 and another in Pultneyville in 1814. Speaking of Pultneyville, the hamlet was Wayne County’s only port until the Erie Canal opened in 1823. Two world religious sprung from the county in the 19th Century – Spiritualism and Mormonism. Citizens of Wayne County were active in the Underground Railroad, thanks to it’s close proximity to Canada. Wayne County also is a huge agricultural center for the state. Farms in Wayne County sell more than $221 million in agricultural products each year. It’s New York State’s top apple-producing county and third in the nation. Learn more here.