Business View Civil and Municipal | Volume 2, Issue 6

71 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 2, ISSUE 6 F ounded in 1788, the Town of Farmington, New York was part of the Phelps and Gorham purchase, which included six million acres of land in what is now Western New York State, for the staggering cost (at the time) of one million dollars. Many of the town’s earliest settlers were Quakers, arriving from Berkshire County, Massachusetts. Today, Farmington’s 15,000 residents enjoy life in this friendly community in the scenic Finger Lakes region, with convenient access to downtown Rochester just 15 minutes down the highway. A gem of Ontario County, Farmington was historically known as a quiet rural farming town. That has changed over the last two decades due to growth in the residential, commercial, and industrial sectors, and a 25 percent increase in population. “When I first came to Farmington 20 some years ago, it was really a pass-through community,” says Ron Brand Director of Planning and Development. “It wasn’t considered a destination. Over the past 23 years, a lot has changed.” An old community with a rich and diverse history, Farmington is home to several historic buildings, including an 1816 Quaker meetinghouse, currently undergoing a restoration which began in 2006. The meetinghouse has a long history of leadership in the social reform movements of the 19th century, including participation in the Underground Railroad system. The site Farmingto All part of the plan