Geneva dates to 1793, and 57% of its homes were built before 1940
More historic than 98% of U.S. towns · #65 of 758 in New York. What drives it
16 places in town are on the National Register, among them five historic districts with 245 buildings between them. Below: 11 old photos and papers, maps from 1884 on, and the census since 1870.
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1794.The full story ↓
History grade
What drives Geneva’s History grade
On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Geneva is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #65 of 758 in New York. All 3 inputs are above most U.S. towns; its share of homes from before 1940 ranks highest and its age lowest.
A+
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Geneva’s overall grade.
New York towns list more on the Register than most of the country (a typical New York town has 12.3 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Geneva’s 205 sits above most of its state (82% of New York towns have fewer) while its 257 historic buildings outnumber those of 95% of U.S. towns.
NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1793.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from A to A+. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±6.1 points).
Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →
What stands out about Geneva’s past
Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.
National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.
Every building
Geneva, building by building, 1884–1915
Fire insurance maps drew every building, what it was made of and what it was used for, so insurers could price the risk of fire. Pick a year, then a sheet.
The area was long occupied by the Seneca tribe, which had established a major village of Kanadaseaga here by 1687. The British helped fortify the village against the French of Canada during the Seven Years' War (locally known as the French and Indian War); later they added defensive fortifications against the Americans during the Revolutionary War. During the latter warfare, the punitive Sullivan Expedition of 1779 mounted by rebel forces destroyed many of the dwellings, as well as the winter stores of the people, and they abandoned the ruins. Following the war and the forced removal of the Seneca from their native land, European-Americans settled here about 1793. They developed a town encouraged by the Pulteney Association, which owned the land and was selling plots.
Passages that mention Geneva, cut from the printed page as they were published.
Ancestry of Albert Gallatin, born Geneva, Switzerland, January 29, 17611916Read the page →
Read the text
In 1 5 10 he quitted his seigniories and service in Savoy and enrolled himself as a citizen of Geneva. This step was taken by him immediately preceding the time when Geneva had inaugurated the revolution that led to the separation of Savoy and the church of Rome. In Geneva, he at once established himself as a man of consequence and his superior ability was recognized by the citizens of the new republic. He became devoted to the interests of Geneva and was a member of the council of two hundred during the greater part of his life after this date. In 1535 he
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Ancestry of Albert Gallatin, born Geneva, Switzerland, January 29, 17611916Read the page →
Read the text
He was a burgess of Geneva in 15 10. He was the source of four branches of the family that spread and muUipHed, nearly all of whom became influential in Genevan affairs. From him was descended Albert Gallatin of Geneva and the United States. All male lines from this Pierre Gallatin have become extinct, except those descending from Albert Gallatin, the American immigrant. Another descendant was the distinguished Count Gallatin, who was minister of foreign affairs of the Duke of Brunswick, and in 1819 was minister of Wurtemberg
Text read by machine from the scan; it may contain errors.
Scans and text from the Internet Archive. Books published in 1930 or earlier, which are in the public domain.
Timeline
Geneva, 1793 to 1981
Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
In 1793, according to Wikidata. Geneva’s post office opened in 1794, and the census of 1870 counted 5,521 people here.
How does Geneva rank for history?
Geneva is more historic than 98% of U.S. towns, #65 of 758 in New York. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.
What is on the National Register in Geneva?
16 listings: 10 buildings, among them the Parrott Hall (listed 1971, the first), 5 historic districts with 245 contributing buildings, and 1 site. 257 historic buildings in all.
How old are the homes in Geneva?
57% of Geneva’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±6.1 points), against a typical 27% for a New York town; the median home was built in 1938.
Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).
From Wikimedia Commons (7), the Library of Congress (4), Wikidata (1), the National Register of Historic Places (16), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock), the USGS Geographic Names Information System, Sanborn fire insurance maps (Library of Congress) and old county and town histories (Internet Archive). Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.
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