About Us

The lands of Riga were part of the famous "Mill Seat Tract" deeded to Phelps and Gorham, proprietors by the Native Americans. The region, however soon passed into the hands of Robert Morris of Philadelphia, the great financier of the Revolution, and by him were sold to Pultney Estate, (in England) alias the Pultney's, the Pultney Associates, and Pultney heirs. The Agency for the sale and development of these lands was entrusted to James Wadsworth, and through his efforts they were peopled by a thrifty class of inhabitants.

The land making up present day Riga was originally part of Ontario County, which was set up by the State Legislature in 1789. It later became part of Genesee County, which was formed in 1802 from part of Ontario County located west of the Genesee River and west of Steuben County. The first town to be organized in the entire area lying between the Genesee River and Lake Erie was Northampton. The Town of Northampton was divided in 1802 into Leicester, Batavia, Southampton, Northampton and Riga. The part of Northampton which became Riga was first known as East and West Pultney - after Sir William Pultney, and in 1808 it became East and West Riga. Chili was formed from the part of the Town of Riga known as East Riga on February 22, 1822, a year after Monroe County was set up from Ontario and Genesee Counties.