Wyoming County SOI 



Letchworth Park ties in the town of Genesee Palls. It is a tract 

 of 1,000 acres, which became ;i state park in 1!J0" as a gift from 

 Son. Wdl P. Letchworth of Buffalo. Through the management 



of Mr. Letchworth. who planted about 10,000 trees for ornamental 

 purposes, the park was developed into one of unusual beauty, 

 enhanced by the three falls of the Upper Genesee. Undoubtedly 

 few people realize that there is in this state a spot so picturesque 

 outside of the Adirondack region. 



To Mr. Letchworth we are indebted for the preservation of the 

 home of Mary Jemison, together with about 5,000 exhibits of 

 Indian relics. The original Indian Council House, to which is 

 attached much of historic interest, was removed from its site at 

 Caneadea, Allegany County, to the park, where it was recon- 

 structed in its original form. Since the death of Mr. Letchworth 

 the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society has estab- 

 lished within the park the first forest arboretum in the world. 



DEVELOPMENT OF INDUSTRY 



The earliest farmers in Wyoming County sold from their 

 farms, wheat, corn, rye, hay, hemp and cattle, Albany and markets 

 on the Susquehanna River receiving a large part of the produce. 



The Erie Canal, which was then reached by way of the Genesee 

 Valley Canal, was of great benefit to the early settlers, as it 

 enabled them to obtain cash for their products at home. Pre- 

 viously the transportation of grain had been so costly as to. render 

 the crop unprofitable for marketing, and it had largely been dis- 

 posed of in exchange for other goods. 



Xurseries were started as soon as clearings were made, and at 

 about 1850 the market demand for apples induced the planting 

 of large orchards. Fruit raising has since become very promi- 

 nent, especially in Castile, Perry, and Covington, where hundreds 

 of carloads of choice apples are sold annually. 



Wyoming County is engaged in general agriculture throughout, 

 cereals and forage crops being accompanied by an active interest 

 in dairying, and in the growing of sheep, beef cattle, swine, and 

 poultry. Tn the production of field beans Wyoming County rank? 

 second in the state. The eastern part of the county is devoted 

 more extensively to the growing of cereal grains, and the western 

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