Nunda: History, Canal Heritage and Greenway

Nunda invites you to discover local history from different perspectives: in the historic district, on a self-guided walking tour, at the museum and along the Genesee Valley Greenway. The Rose M Shave Gallery is also a destination for culture enthusiasts. If you’re looking for a vacation rental or vacation home in Nunda for your stay, you can consider whether you’d like to focus on history, art or activities on the multi-use trail.

Local History from the Historic District to the Union Block

The Nunda Village Historic District reflects Nunda’s history from 1831 to 1955. In February 2025, it was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places. This designation provides a specific timeframe for a visit focused on the town’s development: the district spans a long period of history, while the recognition itself is an event from 2025.

The Union Block has its own chapter in the story of historic recognition. It was added to both the state and national registers of historic places in 1999, and was the first building in the Town of Nunda to receive this recognition. The two dates refer to different listings: 1999 for the Union Block, and February 2025 for the Nunda Village Historic District. If you’re interested in local history, you can view these landmarks as different ways to explore Nunda’s past.

Walking Tour, Canal History and Art

The Nunda Historical Society’s historic walking tour includes the DePuy Mansion. Today, the building serves as Nunda’s administrative center for the Town and Village. On this tour, you’ll encounter both a historic site and its present-day function. The tour also mentions Genesee Valley Canal Lock 42 and points out several canal locks and canal bridges within the village. This makes canal history one of the topics you can explore as you discover Nunda.

The Nunda Historical Society offers guides for a self-guided historic walking tour, available at its pavilion. This option is ideal for a visit where you’d like to explore the tour’s landmarks and themes independently. Group tours are a separate option: by arrangement, the Historical Society offers groups tours of the Nunda Museum and the Rose Shave Gallery.

The Nunda Museum presents the region’s history from the “Old Ones” to the present day. The Rose M Shave Gallery displays paintings by Rose Shave as well as works by other local artists. The museum and gallery have different focuses: the museum centers on the region’s history, while the gallery features paintings by Rose Shave and other artists from the area. You can tailor your trip to your interests, whether you’re especially interested in historical development or local art.

The Genesee Valley Greenway

The Genesee Valley Greenway is a 90-mile-long multi-use trail. Greenway visitors pass through the center of Nunda; the branch from Nunda Junction also gives hikers, cyclists, skiers, horseback riders and snowmobilers access to the Village of Nunda. These activities give you different ways to include the trail in your travel plans. Which one you choose depends on whether you’d like to explore Nunda on foot, by bike or through one of the other activities listed.

The Greenway corridor has a long history of transportation: the Genesee Valley Canal once ran through it, followed later by the Pennsylvania Railroad. New York State is transforming this historic transportation corridor into the Genesee Valley Greenway. Here, past uses meet a modern multi-use trail. When choosing a place to stay in Nunda, this focus may matter as much as your interest in the museum, gallery or local history: what matters is which of these aspects of the town will shape your trip.

If you’d like to explore other places featured on this page, you can also find Geneseo here.

For the broader travel overview: Livingston County.