Editing Greenwood, New York (section)

== History ==
{{see also|Greenwood, New York, insurrection of 1882}}
A pioneer road was cut through the town in the 18th century, but no settlers remained in the town. The first permanent settlers arrived around 1820.  Salt production was an early industry. The main industry today is deer hunting, for which the town claims to be the top deer-take town in New York State.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

Greenwood was formed in 1827 from the towns of [[Canisteo (town), New York|Canisteo]] and [[Troupsburg, New York|Troupsburg]]. Part of Greenwood was used to form the [[West Union, New York|Town of West Union]] in 1845, but territory was regained from the [[Jasper, New York|Town of Jasper]] in 1848.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

From November 16, 1896, through June 1936, Greenwood was served by the [[New York & Pennsylvania Railway]] (and predecessors) as part of its Canisteo NY to Ceres NY (via Greenwood NY, Genesee PA, Oswayo and Shinglehouse PA) main line.  Following severe floods in July 1935 the railroad was partially out of service and its abandonment in June 1936 was readily approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission which from an early date approved railroad abandonment to promote highway truck use. The loss of railroad service did much to promote the economic withering of the Greenwood area.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

By the early 20th century, agriculture had established itself as the primary economic activity in the town.  Farming has since declined significantly, as in many parts of rural America, and forest cover has largely returned to many areas.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}}

Also contributing to Greenwood's decline was the decision, when the [[Southern Tier Expressway]] ([[New York Route 17]], now [[Interstate 86 (Pennsylvania–New York)|Interstate 86]]) was being planned in the 1960s, to route the road through the [[Hornell, New York|Hornell]]-[[Arkport, New York|Arkport]] area, as it was considered to have more potential for development than [[Jasper, New York|Jasper]]-Greenwood.  The former road is now [[New York Route 417]].<ref>
{{cite news
|title=Southern Tier Expressway Route Revealed by State
|newspaper=[[Rochester Democrat and Chronicle]]
|date=February 4, 1960
|page=8
|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31906848/routing-of-route-17-expressway/
}}</ref>

In 1967, Harold Mason, a librarian and antiquarian bookseller, founded (in Greenwood) the Greenwood Press, specializing in the reprinting of out-of-print books. The company was sold in 1969, and Mason left it in 1973. It is now the [[Greenwood Publishing Group]], part of [[ABC-CLIO]]/Greenwood. It has had no connection with the town of Greenwood since the 1970s.

In 2004, Greenwood's schools merged with the larger, adjacent [[Canisteo, New York|Canisteo]] school system.<ref>{{cite news
|title=School merger interest rising, fueled by higher taxes, standards 
|agency=Associated Press
|newspaper=[[Poughkeepsie Journal]]
|date=March 22, 2004
|page=5A
|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46555665/canisteo-greenwood-school-merger/}}</ref>