Finger Lakes

Finger Lakes Region Counties

Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Ontario, Orleans, Seneca, Wayne, Wyoming, Yates

Before the American Revolution, much of the area now known as the Finger Lakes Region was the land of the Haudenosaunee people. The rich and fertile valleys that had sustained the indigenous peoples led most early settlers to make their trade in agriculture. A thriving mining and quarrying industry followed, and numerous towns and villages sprang up along with lumber and milling operations. The towns of Rochester, in Monroe County, and Penn Yan in Yates County, were early “boomtowns.” Pultneyville in Wayne County became an important trading port.

Canals, including the Genesee Valley Canal in Livingston County and the Seneca Canal in Seneca County, connected to the Erie Canal helped transform the small towns and hamlets into thriving centers of commerce. With the railroad’s arrival in the mid-1800s, New Yorkers could travel and ship their goods easily across the state and ultimately, across the globe.

Today’s Finger Lakes Region counties are as diverse as ever. New York’s fourth-largest city, Rochester, has reinvented itself as a hub of higher education. The extraordinary beauty of lakes, waterfalls, and idyllic quaint villages bring thousands of visitors to explore, hike, ski, and relax in resorts that dot the countryside. Over 130 wineries make the region a destination for world-renowned tastings.

Top image: Agritourism abounds throughout the Finger Lakes, with active vineyards and wineries located throughout the region.