Wellsville is located in the southern tier of New York State in Allegany County on the banks of the Genesee River and in the foothills of the Allegheny Mountains. It has long been rumored that Wellsville was named for it’s vast history in the petroleum industry. However, the real story is in 1832 a group of leaders met at Van Buren’s Tavern to choose a name for their community. They selected “Wellsville” after Gardiner Wells who was one of the first settlers and largest landowner. The Village of Wellsville was incorporated from the Town on October 12, 1857. In 1870 the Village of Wellsville had a population of 3,781 residents. On April 27, 1871 the Village Trustee’s formed the Wellsville Police Department which has been serving the residents of Village since.
Wellsville is the largest community in Allegany County. The Wellsville area is home to several manufacturing facilities including the Arvos Group/Ljungstrom Division, Northern Lights Candles, and PM Research. Other major employers in the area include University of Rochester Medical Center/Jones Memorial Hospital, Minnesota OTIS Services Inc., Alfred State College and Alfred University. The quaint village is host to many festivals and cultural activities throughout the year. The outdoor activities are endless to include kayaking, skiing and world class fishing and hunting.
