Dansville has an unusually rich history . Seneca Indians farmed, hunted and fished here for centuries before the arrival of European settlers. It was in Dansville that Clara Barton founded the American Red Cross. In 1858 a water cure enterprise was established which rivaled the health resorts of Europe and attracted such luminaries as Frederick Douglass, Susan B. Anthony, and Horace Greeley. Dansville is a Main Street community, with stores, restaurants and a movie theater clustered among a few blocks of historic buildings.
Old maples shade the residential streets.
The local hills, streams and woods give Dansville access to great natural beauty . The gorge at near-by Stony Brook State Park features sheer cliffs, stone walkways and three waterfalls. Dansville has many active civic organizations . A theater group produces various offerings during the year. A weekly newspaper and two radio stations are located here.