The Historical Society was formed in 1985 by 3 Canisteo women, Virginia Dickey, Betty Dennis and Marjorie VanHyning, who wished to gather and preserve information about the history of Canisteo. The Society met in several locations over their first few years but as membership and the collection of donated items expanded they soon outgrew rooms that were loaned or rented to them. The members had a dream of their own building and started a drive for a permanent home. In 1995 our current building at 23 Main Street opened. . The Society is organized by a constitution and by-laws with a slate of yearly elected officers plus a 5 member Board of Directors.

Our building is open  Thursday and Friday afternoons from 1-3 PM staffed by volunteers. Volunteers greet visitors and act as guides, set up window and internal displays, sort and catalog donations and enjoy the time to explore our collections. The public is invited to all our programs and to enjoy the building at no charge. As a member you have a voice and vote in the future of our Society and can help us grow and expand our organization. Members receive a quarterly newsletter to keep updated on Society news.

We welcome new members and encourage participation in any way that you can. Thank you for your interest and support!

To Become a Member – Please print the following application:

Kanestio Historical Society Application for Membership

Make check payable to: Kanestio Historical Society
Mail to:
P.O. Box 35
Canisteo, NY 14823

Cash Accepted at 23 Main Street, Canisteo, NY 14823

The Kanestio Historical Society now accepts Membership Dues securely online with PayPal. If you do not have a PayPal account, it also offers the option to pay securely with a credit or debit card.