Western New York
A geographical sub-region of Upstate New York, Western New York region comprises an area of 15,107 square miles. The outlying rural areas of the Great Lakes lowlands, the Genesee Valley, the Southern Tier, and the cities and surrounding suburbs of Buffalo and Rochester are part of Western New York.
The Phelps-Gorham Purchase of 6,000,000 acres of land in the late 18th century falls under Western New York. The burned-over district where the formation of the Second Great Awakening took place is also in the region.
Further classification of Western New York:
- Chautauqua–Allegheny Region
- Greater Niagara Region
- Finger Lakes Region
All 17 counties in Western New York are:
- Allegany
- Cattaraugus
- Chautauqua
- Chemung
- Erie
- Genesee
- Livingston
- Monroe
- Niagara
- Ontario
- Orleans
- Schuyler
- Seneca
- Steuben
- Wayne
- Wyoming
- Yates
Settled by the French in 1758, Buffalo is located on the eastern shores of Lake Erie. It is the second most populous city in New York State. Rochester – the state’s third largest city – lies on the southern shore of Lake Ontario.
Major cities in Western New York are:
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- Niagara Falls
- Batavia
- Jamestown
- Elmira
- Lockport
- Canandaigua
- North Tonawanda
- Geneva
With pleasant temperatures and plenty of festivals, summer (June through August) is an ideal time to visit Western New York. The New York State Thruway (I-90) and Interstate 86 are primary highways in the region.
