Pittsford is an officially established town in Monroe County, New York, United States. It is a suburb of Rochester, and its population was 30,617 according to the 2020 census. Pittsford was once part of the town of Northfield. It was first settled in 1789 and officially established as a town in 1796. The village of Pittsford was officially established in 1827. The town was named after Pittsford, Vermont, by Colonel Caleb Hopkins, a hero from the War of 1812 who later became the town's supervisor. The Erie Canal runs through the town.

History

The town is located in an area where the Marquis de Denonville led an expedition in 1687. This group included 1,600 French soldiers, 400 Canadian colonists, and 983 Native American allies. Their goal was to punish the Seneca tribe, the leading group of the Iroquois Indian Confederacy, for their alliance with the English and their involvement in the profitable French fur trade.

In 1788, Massachusetts gave up its claim to this area in favor of New York. Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham of Connecticut received a land title in western New York from Massachusetts. On July 8, 1788, Oliver and Nathaniel met with the Senecas and signed the Treaty of Buffalo Creek in Geneseo, Livingston County. This agreement allowed the Senecas to surrender their land rights. The District of Northfield was created in Ontario County in 1792. It became the town of Northfield in 1796. The village of Pittsford was settled the same year. Northfield was later renamed Boyle in 1808 and Smallwood in 1813. Over time, the area was divided, and the towns of Pittsford and Brighton were formed in 1814.

The completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 brought more development to towns in western New York along its path. Pittsford benefited from its location near Rochester, connected by the canal and the Genesee River.

The Auburn and Rochester Railroad arrived in 1840, offering faster travel than the canal. This line later became part of the New York Central Railroad and remained in use until 1960. The expanded Erie Canal continued to support cheap transportation for Rochester’s mills. By 1918, the modern barge canal was operating along the same route as older canals but was wider and deeper.

The Adsit Cobblestone Farmhouse, Cole Cobblestone Farmhouse, Gates-Livermore Cobblestone Farmhouse, Mendon Cobblestone Academy, Mendon Presbyterian Church, Miller–Horton–Barben Farm, Sheldon Cobblestone House, Stewart Cobblestone Farmhouse, and Whitcomb Cobblestone Farmhouse are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Geography

Pittsford is located in the southeast part of Monroe County, about 7 miles (11 km) southeast of Rochester. To the south is the town of Mendon, to the east is Perinton, and to the west are the towns of Henrietta and Brighton. To the north are Brighton and Penfield. The town of East Rochester borders the northeast corner of Pittsford.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, Pittsford has a total area of 23.4 square miles (61 km), of which 23.2 square miles (60 km) are land and 0.2 square miles (0.5 km), or 0.96%, are water.

Demographics

In 2000, according to the census, the town had 27,219 people, 9,448 households, and 7,341 families. The population density was 1,173.7 people per square mile (453.2 per square kilometer). There were 9,709 housing units, with an average density of 418.6 units per square mile (161.6 per square kilometer). The racial makeup of the town included 92.61% White, 1.60% Black or African American, 0.08% Native American, 4.57% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.34% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino individuals of any race made up 1.30% of the population.

Of the 9,448 households, 37.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 70.4% were married couples living together, 5.5% had a female householder without a husband present, and 22.3% were non-families. Nineteen point one percent of households consisted of individuals, and 9.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65, and the average family size was 3.05.

The town’s population was divided into age groups: 25.4% were under 18, 9.4% were 18 to 24, 22.1% were 25 to 44, 27.3% were 45 to 64, and 15.9% were 65 or older. The median age was 41 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.6 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 84.0 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $109,344, and the median income for a family was $119,509. Males had a median income of $70,780, while females had a median income of $39,336. The per capita income for the town was $42,723. Approximately 1.5% of families and 2.9% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 2.8% of those under 18 and 6.2% of those aged 65 or older.

Greenprint

In 1996, the "Greenprint Plan" was created to protect open space from growing development that had taken over much of the town's countryside since the 1960s. The Greenprint involved the town buying the rights to prevent development on what was then two-thirds of Pittsford's remaining farmland. Started and completed by Supervisor William A. Carpenter, the Greenprint made Pittsford the first town in the State of New York to save open space by purchasing development rights. Since then, Pittsford's Greenprint has been recognized nationally and is still often mentioned as an example of successful open space preservation.

Education

Public schools in Pittsford are managed by the Pittsford Central School District. The district has received the New York State Governor's Excelsior Award for quality education. It costs $13,900 each year to educate a student in Pittsford. Barker Road Middle School and Calkins Road Middle School were recognized as one of the national "Schools to Watch" in 2006 and 2009.

The district has two high schools: Pittsford Sutherland and Pittsford Mendon. Sutherland High School's athletic teams are called the Knights, while Mendon High School's teams are called the Vikings. For sports like football and lacrosse, where the two schools combine into one team, they are known as the Panthers. The two schools have a long history of competition in basketball, with their annual Rainbow Classic game held at the University of Rochester. The Rainbow Classic is a yearly event that raises money to support Golisano Children's Hospital. It was created in memory of Katelyn Pasley, who received treatment at the hospital before passing away. After Ryan McCluski died in 2004 following treatment at the hospital, the Pasley and McCluski families worked together to create the event as a positive way to honor their children and help the community. The event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Golisano Children's Hospital.

The Pittsford Mendon Vikings soccer team has a strong tradition, holding the New York State record for seven state championships. Pittsford's swimming program is ranked 22nd in the nation overall, with girls ranked 12th and having won 14 consecutive sectional championships, and boys ranked 22nd with 13 consecutive titles. Pittsford Mendon has had many strong cross country teams over the past 15 years.

The district has updated many of its schools and built new buildings. In 2006, the district completed renovations at Calkins Road Middle School, a school for students who will attend Sutherland High School. The other middle school is Barker Road.

The Pittsford Central School District also operates five elementary schools: Jefferson, Park, Thornell, Mendon Center, and Allen Creek. These schools are named after the roads where they are located.

Pittsford is home to Allendale Columbia School, an independent, co-educational college preparatory school for students from nursery through 12th grade. Allendale Columbia works with The Harley School, another independent school in Brighton, to offer combined sports programs for students in grades 7 through 12. These teams are part of the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, Section V, and the Finger Lakes Athletic Association.

Pittsford is also home to St. Louis School, a Roman Catholic school that provides education for students from preschool through sixth grade. The school is run by the St. Louis Parish in Pittsford.

Two colleges are located in Pittsford: St. John Fisher College and Nazareth College.

The Rochester Japanese School (RJS; ロチェスター日本語補習校 Rochesutā Nihongo Hoshūkō), a weekend Japanese program, is held at the Christ Clarion Presbyterian Church in Pittsford.

Media

The Brighton-Pittsford Post was the local weekly newspaper for Pittsford and was printed starting in 1942. As of 2021, it apparently has stopped publishing.

Industry and commerce

Pittsford's connection to the Erie Canal was the main reason for business growth in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Some old buildings and barns near the canal have been changed into restaurants, cafes, and shops. Concerts, boat tours, and other events make this area special during the warmer months.

Two large malls, Eastview Mall in Victor and The Marketplace Mall in Henrietta, and Pittsford Plaza, a big shopping center on NY 31 on the west side of the town, are important commercial areas. Pittsford is home to one of the largest Wegmans stores in the state. The Pittsford store is both the main store for the company and a major test center, where new ideas like mini-restaurants and small pet stores attached to the main building are tried out.

Pittsford has five country clubs: Oak Hill Country Club, Irondequoit Country Club, Monroe Golf Club, Country Club of Rochester, and Locust Hill Country Club.

The Pittsford Chamber of Commerce works with businesses in the Town and Village of Pittsford.

Parks

Pittsford has 11 town parks located within its area. Great Embankment and Thornell Farm Park have several athletic fields. Lock 32 and the Erie Canal trail show the historic double lock. The Isaac Gordon Nature Park has hiking trails and cross-country skiing. Two parks from Monroe County are also in Pittsford: Powder Mills Park and Mendon Ponds Park. Powder Mills Park has a ski lift and a creek that is popular with trout fishermen. Mendon Ponds Park includes a large trail system and unique geology.

Sports

Professional golf events often take place in Pittsford. From 1977 to 2014, the LPGA Championship was held in the town. It was played at Locust Hill Country Club for all years except 2014, when the tournament moved to Monroe Golf Club. Oak Hill Country Club, which is located in Pittsford, hosted the 1995 Ryder Cup, the 1956, 1968, and 1989 United States Opens, and the 1980, 2003, 2013, and 2023 PGA Championships. The Xerox Classic was a golf tournament on the Nationwide Tour from 2005 to 2008. It was played in August at Irondequoit Country Club, also in Pittsford.

The NFL Buffalo Bills hold their summer training camp every August at St. John Fisher College.

The University Athletic Association is based in Pittsford. Sports teams from the two high schools in Pittsford and the Harley-Allendale Columbia teams are often shown in the weekly Brighton-Pittsford Post.

Agriculture

Before the quick growth of suburbs in the 1950s, Pittsford was mostly an agricultural area with a clearly rural feel, where many family-owned farms operated. Today, some farms that are still working include the Knickerbocker farm on Knickerbocker Road in the southeast part of town, where the family has grown corn, wheat, and other crops for more than 150 years. Other important family farms that continue to operate are the Hopkins Farm on Clover Street, the Powers Farm behind the Village, the Willard Farm, and the Sweeney Farm. In 1996, Pittsford's Greenprint plan saved two-thirds of the remaining farmland in the town for future generations. The Town government continues to use planning methods to keep open spaces for the future.

Government

The town is led by an elected town supervisor and four elected board members. The current town supervisor is William A. Smith, Jr., who was first elected in November 2013.

As of 2025, the current board members are Naveen Havannavar, Cathy Koshykar, Kim Taylor, and Stephanie Townsend.

Appointed officers include the town clerk, Renee McQuillan, and the commissioner of public works, Paul Schenkel.

Town justices are John Bernacki, who was reelected in 2021, and Maroun Ajaka.

Emergency response

To contact emergency services, people in Rochester should call 911. This number links the caller to the city's emergency communications department, also known as the 911 center. The Monroe County sheriff's department is responsible for main police services in the town.

The Pittsford Volunteer Fire Department has around 75 members. These members help with about 800 calls each year. They provide fire protection, rescue services, and medical help that does not require transportation. There are two fire stations in the area. One of these stations is located in the village.

Pittsford Volunteer Ambulance offers basic and advanced medical care during emergencies. This service is staffed by trained emergency medical technicians and paramedics.

Notable people

• Johnny Antonelli, Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher who won the 1954 World Series with the New York Giants
• Charles August, businessman and founder of Monro Muffler Brake
• Tyson Beckford, model and actor
• Paige Conners (born 2000), Israeli-American pairs figure skater who competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics
• Pete Correale, stand-up comedian, broadcaster, and writer
• Mary Therese Friel, Miss New York USA 1979 and Miss USA 1979
• John Curran, film director
• Nicole Fiscella, played "Isabel Coates" on Gossip Girl
• Steve Gadd, jazz drummer who attended high school in Pittsford
• Teddy Geiger, pop musician and songwriter
• Ephraim Goss (1806–1877), lawyer and state senator
• C. R. Hagen, noted professor of particle physics at the University of Rochester
• Mike Jones, Major League Baseball player
• David Lanz, Grammy-nominated New Age pianist
• Christopher Lasch, historian, moralist, and social critic
• Chris Lillis, Olympic athlete who won a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics
• Henry Lomb, co-founder of Bausch & Lomb Company
• Pamela Melroy, astronaut
• Danny Mendick, professional baseball player
• Kaitlin Monte, USO Show Troupe member and Miss New York 2011
• Cathy Morse, professional golfer
• Adam Podlesh, professional football player
• Henrik Rummel, Olympic athlete who won a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games
• Magnus Sheffield, professional cyclist
• Pam Sherman, Gannett columnist known as "The Suburban Outlaw"
• Joy Tanner, portrayed Nora MacDonald on Disney's Life With Derek
• Abby Wambach, soccer player
• Leehom Wang, Mando-pop singer-songwriter
• Gerald B. Zornow (1916–1984), chairman of Eastman Kodak

Communities and locations

• Cartersville is a place along the Erie Canal on New York State Route 96 and is the site of the Cartersville Guard Gate.
• Pittsford village is located in the center of the town on New York State Routes 96 (Main Street) and 31 (State Street).