Geneseo in Livingston County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

History of Mining in the Genesee Valley

Photographed By Lugnuts, October 17, 2020

1. History of Mining in the Genesee Valley Marker

Inscription. History of Mining In The Genesee Valley Rock Salt mining began in 1884, in Retsof NY, with the building of Empire Salt Company, which changed to Retsof Mining Company in 1885. The Sterling Mining Co, in Cuylerville, NY was built in 1890. The Gray Mining Company was built in 1895 in Greigsville, NY. The International Salt Company was built between 1920 and 1923, in Retsof, NY. At that time, it was the most modern Salt Company in the world.
The Retsof Mining Company, Gray Mining Company, Sterling Mining Company, LeRoy Mining Company, and the Livonia Mining Company were all purchased by International Salt Company in 1901. Eventually, they were all shut down in 1923, when International Salt Company's Fuller Shaft was in full operation at Retsof.
The International Salt Company connected the Gray Mining Company, the Retsof Mining Company, and the Sterling Mining Company underground - comprising an area larger than Manhattan Island.
The mine in Retsof closed in 1995 after a water leak claimed it. The mine was the largest salt mine in the United States, and over the years produced 134 million tons of salt.
The mine proudly produced and benefited from 5 generations of miners in its talented workforce. The miners listed on this stone sacrificed their lives over a period of 110 years.
In January

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1997, Joseph Bucci Sr., Gunther Buerman, Neil Cohen, and Charles VanArsdale entered into an asset purchase agreement with Akzo Nobel Salt Inc to replace the Retsof mine.
Construction of the American Rock Salt Co Mine at Hamptons Corners began on Nov 1, 1998 and was completed on Dec 14, 2001.
The American Rock Salt mine is the largest producing Salt Mine in the United States.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Industry & Commerce. A significant historical month for this entry is January 1997.

Location. 42° 47.719′ N, 77° 48.799′ W. Marker is in Geneseo, New York, in Livingston County. Marker is on Center Street east of 2nd Street, on the right when traveling east. Located in front of the Livingston County Historical Museum. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 30 Center St, Geneseo NY 14454, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Cobblestone School (within shouting distance of this marker); Site of First Church (approx. 0.2 miles away); Geneseo Historic District (approx. 0.2 miles away); Big Tree Lodge (approx. 0.2 miles away); Village Square (approx. 0.2 miles away); First Bank (approx. 0.2 miles away); Shaw Sisters (approx. ¼ mile away); Temple Hill (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Geneseo.

More about this marker. Below the marker

Marker and Miners Memorial image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Lugnuts, October 17, 2020

2. Marker and Miners Memorial

is a memorial tablet listing the names of the miners who perished in the mines from 1889 to 1990.

Also see . . . Livingston County Historical Museum. (Submitted on October 26, 2020, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Livingston County Historical Museum image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Lugnuts, October 17, 2020

3. Livingston County Historical Museum

The marker and memorial are in front of the building.

Credits. This page was last revised on October 26, 2020. It was originally submitted on October 22, 2020, by Lugnuts of Germantown, Wisconsin. This page has been viewed 641 times since then and 128 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on October 22, 2020, by Lugnuts of Germantown, Wisconsin. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.