In 1801, the first settlers to the Pulaski and Richland area arrived on the eastern shores of Lake Ontario. These communities were shaped by notable personalities, including early residents Nathan Tuttle, Benjamin Winch, and the Mathewson family; tavern owner Pliny Jones; store owner Capt. John Meacham; businessman Charles Tollner; banker Robert Ingersoll; and philanthropist John Ben Snow. They built businesses and industries, shops and homes, and schools and churches that impacted and defined the town. Relying on the area's natural resources, the Salmon River was harnessed to power mills and later lured thousands of fishermen to its waters. The Selkirk Lighthouse became a prominent landmark at the mouth of that river.