About Pittsford
History - Est. 1789
In 1789 the Pittsford area became the first settlement of European descent, east of the Genesee River. After the area was opened for settlement by the Buffalo Creek Indian Treaty of 1788, Simon and Israel Stone left Washington County and headed to an area known as “Big Spring.” Once they arrived they built homes in the vicinity of the “Big Spring” in what is now South and State Streets in the Village. The name of this new settlement went through a few incarnations. Originally known as Northfield, it changed to Boyle in 1808 due to confusion with a different Northfield. That name lasted until 1813 when it was changed to Smallwood. That name lasted until 1814 when Colonel Caleb Hopkins split Smallwood into two towns, Brighton and our very own Pittsford.
Business and industry have always been successful in Pittsford. Simon Stone used the natural power of the Irondequoit Creek to build a grist mill in 1791 and a saw mill in 1793. Other natural resources also contributed to the success of the community, including abundant supplies of limestone, gravel, sand, and rich fertile soil. These assets helped farming, milling, distilling and gunpowder manufacturing flourish during the 19th century. The construction of the Erie Canal in 1825 continued the development of Pittsford.
Perhaps the biggest resource over the years has been the people of Pittsford. From the very beginning, Pittsford has been able to blend business, family, and community into one. The earliest settlers of Pittsford took great pride in their community and today that pride continues to thrive.
Summary
The town is anchored by a historic village and stretches out into tracts of suburban homes and farmland. The village of Pittsford straddles the Erie Canal and has shopping districts, including Shoen Place and Main and State Streets at the Four Corners.
The Buffalo Bills started holding their training camp in the summer of 2000 at St. John Fisher. And the Pittsford Central Shcool Distric is nationally recognized for excellence.
Pittsford’s unique Greenprint plan invested more than 9 million in buying the development rights of farmland, thus saving it from ever being developed. Pittsford was home to the county’s first phyisician (1792), schoolhouse (1794), library (1803), lawyer (1804), post office (1811) and newspaper (1815).
- Population: 27,521
- Median home price: $220,500
- Median household income: $113,045
- Supervisor: William A. Carpenter
- Town Information: (585) 248-6200
- Recreation: (585) 248-6280
- Web site: www.townofpittsford.com
Excerpt from Democrat & Chronicle (May 2002)
