Orleans County History
Orleans is a small Western New York county, situated on the southern shore of Lake Ontario. Its area is generally flat with elevations ranging from 247 to 737 feet above sea level. About two-thirds of the area is developed farmland but 200 years ago it was a swampy wilderness where “Indians came only for hunting and fishing.” To them, the area was known as “the sick country.” Archeologists have discovered numerous Indian campsites but only one permanent fortification destroyed around 1650. It was not until 1804 that the first permanent settler came here to purchase land from the Holland Land Company. After 1809, settlement along the Ridge Road (Route 104) was fairly rapid.
Visit the U.S. Census Website for an array of demographic information.
U.S. Census information
Your link for the official Orleans County Website.