The quiet town of Honeoye, New York, focuses on peaceful family living. Honeoye -- pronounced "honey-oy" -- offers numerous lakeside attractions such as fishing, hiking and boating. In the winter season, Honeoye's hilly terrain accommodates skiing. According to the Honeoye Chamber of Commerce, this small village in central New York in the Finger Lakes region houses a balanced community of agricultural workers and creative individuals.


The name Honeoye derives from the Seneca Indian hanayaye, which means "finger lying there," a reference to the shape of the region's lakes. White settlers began to inhabit Honeoye as part of the Sullivan Expedition of 1779. Honeoye has remained a small town throughout its entire history, undergoing only a minor logging boom in the early 1900s. After World War II, new residents began to populate Honeoye's lakeside property after the City of Rochester unsuccessfully attempted to acquire Honeoye Lake.


Honeoye lies in the western portion of upstate New York. Its namesake, Honeoye Lake, rests between Canadice and Canandaigua lakes. Along with the Conesus and Hemlock lakes, these bodies of water are known collectively as the Finger Lakes. Honeoye lake, which is only 30 feet deep, is abundant with plant and animal life. Honeoye's southern end has a hilly topography, while its northern portion is generally flat.


According to data from the 2000 U.S. Census, Honeoye had an estimated population of 2,861. That same year, the average household income was $47,540 per year and the average home value was $109,000. The average number of persons per household was 2.42. The population was about 98 percent Caucasian and 49.5 percent male. The median age was 41.7 and 73.7 percent of households had children younger than 18. Honeoye's residents participates in numerous civic organizations, including Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, the American Legion, the Rotary Club, a junior baseball team, a Masonic lodge, a garden club and a historical society.


The tiny community of Honeoye remains relatively untouched by commercial chains. Honeoye Central School, Building Blocks Day Care and the Honeoye Cooperative Nursery Schools serve as centers of education and child care, while the Honeoye Public Library assists in educating the populous. Honeoye hosts six churches, including Methodist and Church of Christ denominations. Dining options include locally owned staples such as the Mill Creek Cafe ( and Ace's Restaurant (no website; 8730 Main St., Honeoye; 585-229-2433). The Greenwoods Bed and Breakfast Inn ( is the only lodging in town. A town gazebo hosts events such as live music during the warmer months of the year.

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  1. Attribution: Andy Arthur; License: Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license
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