This history of Western New York’s Medina explores its Erie Canal-driven growth and thriving industries. Life in this part of Western New York State began typically as wilderness owned by the Holland Land Company, based in Batavia. Joseph Ellicott was mandated to survey and plot the area. He established the counties of Genesee and Orleans. Soon, a major trail followed the Oak Orchard Creek, running from today's Shelby Center, passing through present day Medina, and onward to Lake Ontario. Settlers soon followed in the early 1800's, but the real impetus to the growth of the region was, of course, the construction of the Erie Canal. That waterway opened the entire area which led to the establish the three major industries in Medina: quarrying of the famous Medina Sandstone, used throughout the United States and even overseas, metal foundries, and the emergence of the furniture manufacture business. These factors led to real wealth within Medina by the turn of the Twentieth Century which is reflected in what has been left behind and preserved. Frederick G. Fierch is a lifelong resident Royalton and Ridgeway towns of Western New York. He has a B.A. Degree in History and Political Science and an M. A. Degree in History. He is a retired school teacher having taught Social Studies for twenty five years. A world traveler, he has been in more than eighty countries. This is his fourth book of non- fiction. The first was a survey of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland. The second and third dealt with the Eastern Niagara County area of New York. He and his wife also operated a restaurant in their hometown for twenty eight years. This is his fourth work of non- fiction.