Canandaigua’s unusually large township was designed to help fund Canandaigua Academy, according to a history account shared by the Town of Canandaigua.
The town described Canandaigua as a “double township,” slightly less than twice the size of most surrounding townships. Nathaniel Gorham and Oliver Phelps of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase company deliberately chose the larger size so proceeds from the southern portion could support the academy.
The hamlet that developed in that southern portion was called Academy, the town said.
Had Canandaigua been the usual size of nearby townships, its southern boundary would run east from roughly Fisher Hill Road until reaching the northern boundary of the township of Gorham, according to the account.
The town said the southern land was considered less desirable for farming because of poor soil and steep slopes. Its history post challenged that early assessment, saying the idea did not hold up well.
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