In the 1840s, the Erie Railroad construction, which runs along the floor of the Canisteo Valley, began. The first train traveled through the valley on May 14, 1851, opening the region to industry and shipping. The town grew rapidly, and several hamlets sprung up within the township. In the 1930s, an alfalfa farmer planted Scotch pines on the hillside overlooking the valley, spelling out the name Canisteo to the world; the sign...