Welcome to Wellsville, NY
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WELLSVILLE, NY
Nestled in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, with the Genesee River flowing through it, Wellsville has much natural beauty. Forested hillsides are interspersed with picturesque farms. From North Hill, Norton Summit, Niles Hill, Alma Hill and other peaks, it is possible to see sweeping vistas of the surrounding countryside. Entering Wellsville from the north, a visitor sees stately homes, many of them built during the area's oil boom in the early 20th century, and the Wellsville Country Club, with one of the finest 18-hole courses in Western New York. The Genesee River and Dyke Creek converge in the village; at their confluence is Island Park and an adjoining recreational area that contains several ball fields. Throughout the community are several fine examples of architecture, including The Pink House, an outstanding example of Italianate Victorian, and the David A. Howe public library, a beautiful example of Georgian style. There are also many fine churches, including the classic Gothic Immaculate Conception Church on Maple Avenue, built of Warsaw Blue Stone, quarried from nearby Wyoming County. Stone for the church's foundation and interior walls come from nearby farms. Downtown Wellsville retains much of its early 20th century charm, with most of its buildings in fair to good condition. Economically, it continues to thrive with only a 4 percent vacancy rate for Main Street storefronts. The Village of Wellsville, through a low-interest revolving loan program, has been able to assist several of the new businesses as they start up. For more information about the loan program, which is tied to job creation, contact the Alfred Housing Committee at (585) 593-6353.
Settled in the early 1800s, Wellsville's economy was first based on the lumber industry, and, from that, the leather tanning industry. Some vestiges of those industries remain in the form of railroad right-of-ways. The former Wellsville-Addison & Galeton right-of-way is now a recreational trail extending south into Pennsylvania. As the lumber industry waned, the oil industry boomed; its legacy seen in the many beautiful public buildings and private residences that remain, as well as in the oil pumps that dot some of the hillsides outside Wellsville. The Sinclair Refinery, once one of the largest refineries in the Pennsylvania crude oil fields, operated in Wellsville until the 1950s. Many of the buildings still stand, and today are used by the School of Vocational Studies, Alfred State College.
Wellsville prides itself on being a safe, family-oriented community. There are several very active cultural groups, including the Genesee Valley Chorus, founded in 1976; the Wellsville Performing Arts Orchestra, a legacy of Wellsville Central School's fine string music program; the Players, an amateur theatrical group that has entertained with a strong repertoire of drama, comedy and musicals for more than five decades. Wellsville High School showcases its students' talents with an annual musical that involves dozens of area performers, including those who play in the pit orchestra. Many of the cultural groups use the 360-seat Nancy Howe Auditorium, located in the David A. Howe Public Library, or the 800-seat auditorium at the Wellsville High School. The Exhibition Room at the Library is a focal point for other community events, including the Seven-County Art Show and the Wellsville Performing Arts Association's Member Show. The Monday Club room is frequently used for community meetings and small lectures, and the local history room offers references for historical and genealogical research. The library has in excess of 60,000 volumes for adults, augmented by audio and videotapes including books on tape for the visually impaired. The Children's Suite, located in one wing of the library, has more than 20,000 volumes. The library has more than 10,000 cardholders and circulates some 150,000 items annually. |
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