Genesee

Formed March 1, 1803 (32^nd county)

Genesee County (58,394), Batavia (15,597)

The antique look was added to the 1997 red brick Modern courthouse.  An 1840 facility preceded the current one and still stands in Batavia.  The facility is on Main Street at Court Street.  New York State Highway 33 is Main Street in the town.  MRB Group are the courthouse architects.  An Administrative Building supporting the courthouse was constructed on the site of the 1902 courthouse in 1927.  The county was established on March 1, 1803 from Ontario County as the 32^nd county with Batavia as the only county seat.  Genesee County is a Native American word meaning “beautiful valley.”  It is the same source as the county seat of Livingston County.  The county seat is named for Batavia, The Netherlands. 

Genesee County government consists of a sheriff and 9 Legislators.  One County Court Judge and One Family Court Judge serve Genesee County.  The county is in western New York.  Buffalo, New York is directly west and Albany, New York is east of the county.  The county center is 2.3 miles Southeast of Batavia.  The county is surrounded clockwise by Orleans, Monroe, Livingston, Wyoming, Erie, and Niagara counties. 

The area of the county is 495 square miles.  It is 47 out of 62 in the state.  It ranks 44 out of 62 in population in the state.  It has a density of 118.0 persons per square mile making it 28 out of 62 in the state.  Genesee County has 42.8% of its population in its incorporated areas.  Interstate Highway 90 crosses the county east to west from Monroe County to Erie County.  United States Highway 20 parallels Interstate Highway 90 from Livingston County to Erie County.  The county is an overall rectangle.  Batavia is located near the center of the county.  Batavia is the county seat and the largest city.  It is 26.7% of the county population.  The county is pronounced GE-NEE-SEE.  This county is in the Batavia Micropolitan Statistical Area.