the development of transportation, including several railroad routes, up through the mid-nineteenth century helped build a agricultural economy in orange county. the final adjustment of the county’s boundaries occurred in 1838, when greene county was created from the western portion of orange. the town of orange was legally established in 1834 (officially becoming a town in 1872) and had already served as the county seat for nearly a century. the town of gordonsville officially became a town in 1870.