John S. Babbitt, Sue Babbitt Steuben County

Annotation

Located in the Finger Lakes region, Steuben County has seen industries like glass and brick-making factories, railroad shops, and clothing mills spring up over time. Early transportation grew when people with canal fever followed water routes to the Erie Canal, while railroads crisscrossed the county and improved travel. Grape growing flourished, and in the last 149 years, this industry has brought prosperity to the entire Finger Lakes region. In 1868, the Corning Flint Glass Works arrived in Corning and was the first of many glass-making shops established in the area. The railroad provided laborers as well as a means of bringing in supplies and shipping out finished products, allowing the glass industry to flourish in the Chemung River Valley.