Rich history, bright future
Cairo was formed in 1803 and was known as Canton. In 1808, the name was changed to Cairo and unlike the City in Egypt, the residents of Cairo, NY prounounced its name "care-oh". There was a time when Cairo was a thriving tourist destination with every storefront on Main Street buzzing with activity, but with time comes change. Now, the Main Street area is in need of help. The majority of the buildings do not house a business and many of the old historic buildings are becoming dilapidated and have fallen into disrepair. The Cairo Development Foundation has been formed by a group of community minded forward thinkers who want to see Cairo thrive. The Cairo Development Foundation's goals are to improve the town one building and one project at a time.