Landscape – SUNY Geneseo Project Site

To give you a bit of context, the photos below depict the Genesee river at various points along its route at various times throughout history. The Genesee valley was a great place to settle because of the Genesee river, which flows North from Pennsylvania, through NYS, to Lake Ontario. The valley is home to Letchworth State Park, also known as, “The Grand Canyon of the East.” When the Senecas were settled here they lived in longhouses by the river for easy access to fresh water.

“Genesee River flowing through the Big Bend area of Letchworth Gorge.” New York Heritage digital collections. Image/jpeg, Houghton College, cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll91/id/114.

“View of Genesee River gorge from Inspiration Point.” New York Heritage digital collections. Image/jpeg, Houghton College, cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll91/id/118.

Houghton College Public Information Office. “Letchworth Park waterfall” New York Heritage digital collections. Image/jpeg, Houghton College, cdm16694.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16694coll91/id/110.

Keith Walters Photography https://www.instagram.com/p/BozfyvPnA7Y/

Keith Walters Photography https://www.instagram.com/p/BpsL7DqBdCJ/

As you can see in the photo below, SUNY Geneseo is very close to the Genesee river. Today the school sits on the top of a hill, and overlooks the valley. You can stand on campus, in Sturges Quad, and look down into the valley and see the river. Over time, the river has slowly moved away from the campus, down the hills and further into the valley.

We’ve established SUNY Geneseo’s location in relation to the Genesee river, but what area of New York are we really looking at?