Canisteo is a town in Steuben County, New York, United States. The population was 3,391 at the 2010 census.[1] The name was taken from a former Indian village located here. The Senecas had a major village here called "Kah-ni-sti-oh." The first settlers arrived around 1788, making Canisteo one of the earliest locations occupied in the county. The town was formed in 1796 at the same time as the creation of the county.

The town was first settled in 1791 by Samuel Rice. Addison, originally a part of the old town of Painted Post, was organized as Middletown at the time of the organization of Steuben county in March 1796. The name was changed to Addison, in honor of Joseph Addison, the English author, on April 6, 1808. The early settlers called it also "Tuscarora". An Addison Academy opened in 1840. In 1890 the population of Addison was 2,884.