New York Real Estate & Relocation Guide

Waterloo, New York

Population: 7,765

Located in Seneca County

First established in 1792, this village was renamed Waterloo after the victory of General Wellington over Napoleon in the Battle of Waterloo. Now a busy town of 4,000, the town was a hotbed of religious and civil rights reform in the mid-1800's. In 1848 Waterloo provided the gathering place of the Women's Rights Convention. One other historic date is well known for it's inception here. On May 5, 1866, the first Memorial Day, or Decoration Day was held in Waterloo. In May, 1966, by Congressional Resolution and Presidential Proclamation, Waterloo was officially recognized as the birthplace of Memorial Day. There are numerous small and medium factories operating here and water sports and fishing in Cayuga Lake, the largest of the region's beautiful Finger Lakes.