The town of Webster, New York, is framed with a rugged, natural beauty that sets it apart from other local communities, and there is a spirit of independent thinking here that is valued. In 1840, the newly incorporated town was named after Daniel Webster, the outspoken statesman, who had never actually set foot in the town. Favorable soil conditions and climate tempered by Lake Ontario contributed to Webster�s growth as a prosperous agricultural center for growing fruit. The production of ...

The name "Luneburg" was coined for King George II of England, who was also the duke of Luneburg, Germany, in 1727. The final name, Lunenburg, was probably a result of misspelling in the early records of the town. On August 1, 1728, Lunenburg was officially granted township but, as early as 1726, a variety of industries had been started and twenty-six houses had been built. In the late nineteenth century, the town returned to predominately agriculture and, today, is a rural residential comm...

Attracted by the fertile soil, ample forests, and abundant water, the first pioneer arrived in the Orchard Park area in 1803, making this one of the earliest settlements in western New York. Prominent among the settlers were the Quakers, who built a picturesque meetinghouse that is still in use today. Orchard Park portrays the history of the community through its citizens and their homes and businesses, many of which were at Four Corners. Plank roads and then a railroad and finally a troll...

Over 200 never before published photographs are presented in this pictorial history, which spans the early 1800's through the early 1950's. As we approach the end of the century, this new book looks back at over one hundred years of Canandaigua's history, with photographs of the people, places, and events that have defined the proud and vibrant community we know so well today. Readers will be fascinated by the immense changes that have occurred since the early days, but will also draw conn...

Join author and historian Terry Ruscin as he reveals Henderson County's forgotten yet colorful history complete with its own cast of characters and historic landmarks. Who composed a blockbuster opera a few miles from downtown Hendersonville? Who were the record-setting McCrary twins, and why were they famous? These questions and many more are answered in this exciting volume of obscured history. From James Brown's 1950s performance on Hendersonville's Main Street to the rumors of illegal ...

Located at the confluence of three creeks, amid the rich agricultural soil of Eastern Washington�s Palouse region, Pullman seemed destined to flourish. From its founding in the 1880s, growth was spurred by the discovery of artesian wells, its selection as the location of the State Agricultural College, and the building of rail lines through the town. Pullman, named for railroad car manufacturer George Pullman, became a thriving center of commerce, agriculture, and education. Today Pullman ...

East Fishkill offers a fascinating glimpse of life in the town while it was still rural. In Revolutionary days, East Fishkill was on the route of an important highway from Boston to the Hudson River, traveled by Gen. George Washington, Gen. John Burgoyne, and John Jay. The town separated from Fishkill in 1849 and received its own charter. East Fishkill remained a mainly agricultural community until 1960, when IBM opened a chip-manufacturing plant in town. Then it changed dramatically: the ...

Settled in the early 1800s, Olmsted Falls was originally known as Kingston Township before being named Olmsted Falls, after Aaron Olmstead, first purchaser of the land from the Connecticut Land Company. It merged with the Village of Westview in 1971, and the City of Olmsted Falls was established in 1972. In 1989, longtime resident and realtor Clint Williams bought many buildings in the town center and restored and redeveloped them into an area known as Grand Pacific Junction, after the Gra...

The town of Ogden and the village of Spencerport were considered pioneer country when the first settlers arrived in 1801 from Connecticut, seeking more fertile farmland. The two communities witnessed the completion of the Erie Canal in 1825 and survived through the rise and fall of the importance of that waterway. Throughout much of the nineteenth century, many farms produced and sold vast amounts of produce, shipped via the canal. Since the time of their agrarian roots, Ogden and Spencerp...

This unforgettable journey through the Sauquoit Valley includes some history, some nostalgia, and some relevant facts and tales of local people and places. Situated south of Utica in central New York State, this unique rural valley is dotted with villages, beginning at the southern end with Cassville and ending with New Hartford. Of historical interest are the names of the villages: how Washington Mills came to be nicknamed "Checkerville"; how the naming of Clayville after Henry Clay resul...

Once scattered with frontier forts and Native American paths, Uniontown has changed considerably since Henry Beeson, a Virginia Quaker, offered fifty-four lots for sale on July 4, 1776. Around Uniontown captures this history with nearly two hundred vintage images culled from personal collections and the Uniontown Public Library's archives. In these pages, revisit 1896, when Uniontown had its greatest patriotic festivity. View beautiful tree-lined streets with the magnificent homes of coal ...

Branch County, home to the historic communities of Bronson, Union City, Quincy, Coldwater, and Sherwood, was named for John Branch, President Jackson�s Secretary of the Navy. The original county seat was Masonville, in 1830, followed by the Village of Branch in 1831, and finally, Coldwater, in 1842. By 1836 there were 30 inns between Sturgis and Quincy along the Sauk Trail. Railroads first traveled through Branch County in 1850, and the presence of trains facilitated further growth and set...