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Williamson is a town on the south shore of Lake Ontario in the northwest part of Wayne County, New York, United States. The population was 6,984 at the time of the 2010 census. The town is named after Charles Williamson, a land agent of the Pulteney Estate. Its primary ZIP code is 14589, and telephone exchanges 589 and 904 in area code 315. The town has a hamlet (and census-designated place), also called Williamson. Government offices for the town are located there. [edit] History
The area around Pultneyville — a hamlet on the town's Lake Ontario shore – was a frequent meeting ground for Iroquois people. In 1788, the area became part of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase, a tract of land sold to Oliver Phelps and Nathaniel Gorham by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The first white settler, Daniel Russell, built a log cabin in Pultneyville in 1794. This hamlet briefly enjoyed prominence as one of the few ports in the area until the opening of the Erie Canal in the southern part of the county in 1823. It did continue to be an important Great Lakes port, however, well into the 19th century. Williamson was created in 1802 from the Town of Sodus and originally was much larger than its present-day borders. Later, other towns were created from parts of Williamson, including: Ontario in 1807 and Marion in 1825. Until relatively recently, Williamson was a dry town. In 1814, during the War of 1812, British troops landed in Pultneyville, and an agreement was made with the villagers allowing the invaders to seize some stores without resistance, but a dispute broke out and weapons fire began on both sides. A few citizens were killed or wounded and two were taken prisoner as the British fled. In 2002, Williamson celebrated the bicentennial of its founding with celebrations and festivals throughout the year. [edit] Research Tips
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