Seneca County

Seneca County sits between Seneca Lake and Cayuga Lake in the Finger Lakes region. The terrain features rolling farmland dotted with small towns and villages that serve as local centers.

The area was established in 1804 and quickly developed as an administrative region. Waterloo became the county seat in 1822 and remains the administrative center today.

The county's name honors the Seneca people, one of the main nations of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy. Local institutions today keep this heritage visible through exhibits and events that tell the region's interconnected stories.

The area is easily accessible by car and can be explored over a few days. Local information centers and online resources help with planning visits to individual towns and nearby attractions.

Waterloo is considered the birthplace of Memorial Day, when residents began holding ceremonies in the 1860s to honor fallen soldiers. This local practice eventually became a national holiday.

Location: New York

Inception: 1804

Capital city: Waterloo

Shares border with: Wayne County, Schuyler County, Tompkins County, Cayuga County, Yates County, Ontario County

Website: http://co.seneca.ny.us

GPS coordinates: 42.79000,-76.83000

Latest update: December 20, 2025 13:15