Batavia's origins can be traced back to 1801 when Joseph Ellicott, surveyor and land agent for the Holland Land Company, laid out the town's principal thoroughfares. As Batavia grew, it became incorporated as a village in 1823 and as a city in 1915. Over the years, the face of the community has undergone many changes. Mansions were built along Main Street and then largely disappeared. A number of major factories sprang up but later failed or the businesses...