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Colonel Charles Williamson, land agent for the Pulteney Estate, arrived in Bath in 1792 and chose Pulteney Park as the first clearing in Steuben County.

On April 15, 1793, Charles Cameron and a party of pioneer woodsmen arrived by way of flat boats and made camp near where the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western R.R. station now stands in the village of Bath. The land was cleared and cabins were built. A log building was built on the south side of Pulteney Square to accommodate Colonel Williamson’s family and to transact land deals. The region was a dense forest populated by wild animals and a few Seneca Indians. The Senecas had signed over the land to the Phelps and Gorham some years before. Through a series of land transfers, it was now the property of Pulteney Associates. Williamson was instructed to develop and sell the estate.

Bath was named for the Lady Bath, only child heiress of Sir William Pulteney of London. This is disputed by some historians who believe that the village was named Bath because of the similarities of the land with that of Bath, England. The Indian name for the location was Tanighnaguanda. Bath was formed on March 18, 1796. The village was incorporated on April 12, 1816.

The first court of common pleas held in and for Steuben County, convened June 1, 1796. The first court of general session was held in 1796. The first clerk of the County was George C. Cooper, formerly of Rhinebeck on the Hudson River. Making Bath the "County Seat" alone was a sufficient inducement to attract settlers and professional men, merchants, mechanics, and agriculturists alike hastened to the village, hoping to be first in their class to become early established in general favor and popularity. The court house was completed in 1797.

In 1796, Colonel Williamson, in an attempt to attract settlers to the area, had a one-mile racetrack built about one-half mile from the village. The idea worked and many people traveled to Bath to participate in the races or to watch. The big event was advertised as the "World's Fair".

The population of Bath in 1855 was 2,012. The population today is over 6,000. Population in what is considered to be the greater Bath area is over 30,000.

Directions

From Rochester:
I-390 south which becomes NY-17/I-86 east to Exit 38. Approximately 75-80 miles.

From Geneva:
Route 14 south to Route 54. Route 54 south through Penn Yan along the west side of Keuka Lake. Approximately 45 miles.

From Elmira:
NY-17 west which eventually becomes I-86. Take Exit 38 for Bath. Approximately 45 miles.

Map - See Google Local