Living in Greece

These articles offer perspectives on what it was like to live in the Town of Greece in the past. Many are from the archives or newsletters of the Greece Historical Society. If you would be interested in learning more about the Town of Greece’s history, please feel free to contact us at (585) 225-7221.

(These stories, are the property of the Greece Historical Society, which retains all right thereto. The contributors to these stories provide them for non-commercial, personal, educational, and/or research use only. Prior written permission from the Greece Historical Society and the individual authors must be obtained for any other use; including but not limited to commercial or scholarly publications, or any reproductions or redistribution of any kind.)

Share Your Stories and Memories

We love to read stories and memories by YOU or your organization. Each of us has a story to tell. Submit a story about your group or a local history story or memory of growing up in the Town of Greece. Please email your story with photos as a zip file to: greecehistoricalsociety@yahoo.com and in the subject line put Share My Story of Local History or Memories Of Greece N.Y. and the title of your story along with a photo and brief bio so when we publish your story in the newsletter and on the web just like the stories below. Your story should be no more than 500 words. Don’t worry if you’re not an English scholar — we will edit as needed for continuity, grammar, punctuation, etc.

Ontario Beach Park – a series of articles written by Dick Halsey (also contains access to other historical content)

Our Interviews and Older Publications prior to the ones published in the Corinthian Newsletter

Some of the stories of living in Greece may bridge the years that the story is based on some may bridge all years and some may only bridge 2 or 3 of the 50 years spans per each 50-year span starting with 1800-1850, 1900-1950, 1950-2000, and 2000-Present.

Living in Greece Stories (84)Guest Stories (15)1800-1850 (15)1850-1900 (29)1900-1950 (60)1950-2000 (36)2000 – Present (12)From The Historian’s Files (24)Erie Canal (4)Ada Ridge (5)Churches (1)North Greece (3)Hamlets of Greece (8)Pioneer Families (23)Designated Landmark (6)Greece Central School District (2)Charlotte (4)Dewey-Stone Area (6)Dewey-Latta area (1)Supervisors (1)Memorials (1)
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Greece Historical Society’s Passport of South Greece on the Erie Canal Now Available

The Erie Canal is celebrating the bicentennial of its completion this year. Cities, towns and villages across the 360-mile route are planning activities to recognize this milestone. The Greece Historical Society is joining the celebration this summer with a few activities of its own. One activity that you can get started on right now is…

Murals Brought Awareness of Greece Erie Canal History

At Henpeck Park in Greece, NY, three murals beneath the Elmgrove Road bridge depict the Erie Canal’s evolution: its construction, expansion, and the Junction Lock era. Commissioned by the Greece Chamber of Commerce and painted by Stacey Kirby, they were unveiled in 2010 to highlight the canal’s local significance…

Richardson Family Connection to the Erie Canal

In 1880, George Richardson purchased 100 acres in Greece, NY. By 1918, the Erie Canal’s relocation split the farm, reducing its fields. Edward and Cora Richardson received compensation in 1907. The land was auctioned in 1939; today, it hosts Canal Ponds Business Park, townhomes, and a professional building…

The City of Rochester in the Town of Greece: A legacy of the Erie Canal

The distinctive shape of Rochester, New York, is largely the result of various annexations over the years. Notably, in 1926, the city annexed a narrow strip of land, approximately 2 miles long and 130 feet wide, running parallel to Ridgeway Avenue in the Town of Greece. This land was part of the original 1825 route of the Erie Canal, which was abandoned after the canal’s relocation in 1918. The city purchased this abandoned canal bed and, in 1922, began constructing the Rochester Subway within the city limits, utilizing the old canal right of way. The annexation of this strip was…

The Fight Against Polio

Between 1945 and 1955, polio was one of the most feared diseases in the United States, striking thousands of children each year. Often fatal to children under 10, it left many survivors with paralysis or lasting disabilities. Communities rallied to combat the disease, with local efforts like the March of Dimes and the Mothers March raising funds for research. A breakthrough came in 1955 when Jonas Salk’s vaccine was approved, marking the beginning of the end for polio in the U.S. In Greece, NY, schools, churches, and local organizations played a key role in supporting vaccination efforts and aiding those…

DANN HOUSE – from Hotel to Bowling

In 1885, Anthony Kleinhans purchased the Dann House, relocating it to the Long Pond outlet as a carriage house before constructing the Grand View Beach Hotel, which burned down in 1947. The Dann House later became a restaurant and bowling alley but faced competition and code violations, leading to its closure and eventual demolition by the Town of Greece in 1978. “Perfect for history and architecture enthusiasts!”…

Parma Greece United Church of Christ

“About the year 1830 a small number of persons, residing near the town line in Parma and Greece, feeling the necessity of religious services, met together at what was known as the old red schoolhouse, east of Parma Centre, and agreed to hold bi-weekly meetings for mutual prayers and for reading the Scriptures. The services…