Deana Wood
Town of Johnsburg Historian 219 Main Street North Creek, NY 12853 518-251-2421 ext. 7 e-mail: [email protected] |
PAST HISTORIANS FOR THE TOWN OF JOHNSBURG
Parthenia Whitaker 1945 - 1955 Clara Montgomery 1955 - 1973 Lewis Waddell 1973 - 1987 Doris Patton 1988 - 2008 Jo A Smith 2009 - 2017 |
Where it all began.....
Johnsburg, in area the largest town in Warren County, was partitioned from the original Town of Thurman on April 6, 1805. It is located in the northwest corner of the county, and within its boundaries are six hamlets with post offices. They are: Bakers Mills, Johnsburg, North Creek, North River, Riparius and Wevertown. Other neigborhoods include Sodom, The Glen, and Garnet Lake.
In 1788 John Thurman, a wealthy New York City merchant, bought from the state government 25,200 acres of Township #12 of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase. Under the leadership of our founding father, the first clearing took place about 1790 on Elm Hill, located one mile south of today's hamlet of Johnsburg. This name was taken from Thurman's given name and was spelled Johnsburgh until 1893.
Land was cleared along Beaver Brook (now called Mill Creek), and a grist mill and saw mill were erected at the falls of the brook. A distillery was opened which produced a market for rye. In 1795 a woolen factory was built, but was converted to a cotton factory two years later. Thurman erected his Calico printing works, one of the first in America. He also built ash works and made large quantities of pot ash, for which farmers were paid one shilling per bushel for ashes.
Joseph Hopper kept the first tavern, one of the places chosen for annual town meetings and elections. John Richards was elected the first town supervisor, a position he held several times afterwards. Robert Waddell operated Thurman's store at Elm Hill and conducted business dealings for him, for John Thurman often traveled to the shipping ports of London and New York.
On Sep. 27, 1809 Thurman was run through and killed by an enraged bull in Bolton, N.Y. He was 79 years old. John Thurman, a man who contributed much to the town's evolution, is buried inside a cut stone enclosure within the Wevertown Cemetery on Rt. 28.
From 1832 until the 1890s there were tanneries that provided many jobs. Logging made the lumbering industry thrive between North River and Glens Falls by utilizing the Hudson River for river drives. Several streams were dammed by area men taking advantage of water power for operating saw mills and grist mills. With the arrival of the railroad in 1871, transportation was revolutionized, and North Creek developed into the hub of our town with its ever-growing businesses. Garnet mining continues today by the Barton Mines Corp., our longest operating family-owned industry.
By 1894 there were twenty-one rural school districts offering education through the eighth grade. The first high school was built in 1898 in North Creek. Today's Johnsburg Central School offers an excellent education to about 430 students in grades K-12.
The Town of Johnsburg proudly celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2005.
~ Courtesy of Doris H. Patton, Past Johnsburg Town Historian
Johnsburg, in area the largest town in Warren County, was partitioned from the original Town of Thurman on April 6, 1805. It is located in the northwest corner of the county, and within its boundaries are six hamlets with post offices. They are: Bakers Mills, Johnsburg, North Creek, North River, Riparius and Wevertown. Other neigborhoods include Sodom, The Glen, and Garnet Lake.
In 1788 John Thurman, a wealthy New York City merchant, bought from the state government 25,200 acres of Township #12 of the Totten and Crossfield Purchase. Under the leadership of our founding father, the first clearing took place about 1790 on Elm Hill, located one mile south of today's hamlet of Johnsburg. This name was taken from Thurman's given name and was spelled Johnsburgh until 1893.
Land was cleared along Beaver Brook (now called Mill Creek), and a grist mill and saw mill were erected at the falls of the brook. A distillery was opened which produced a market for rye. In 1795 a woolen factory was built, but was converted to a cotton factory two years later. Thurman erected his Calico printing works, one of the first in America. He also built ash works and made large quantities of pot ash, for which farmers were paid one shilling per bushel for ashes.
Joseph Hopper kept the first tavern, one of the places chosen for annual town meetings and elections. John Richards was elected the first town supervisor, a position he held several times afterwards. Robert Waddell operated Thurman's store at Elm Hill and conducted business dealings for him, for John Thurman often traveled to the shipping ports of London and New York.
On Sep. 27, 1809 Thurman was run through and killed by an enraged bull in Bolton, N.Y. He was 79 years old. John Thurman, a man who contributed much to the town's evolution, is buried inside a cut stone enclosure within the Wevertown Cemetery on Rt. 28.
From 1832 until the 1890s there were tanneries that provided many jobs. Logging made the lumbering industry thrive between North River and Glens Falls by utilizing the Hudson River for river drives. Several streams were dammed by area men taking advantage of water power for operating saw mills and grist mills. With the arrival of the railroad in 1871, transportation was revolutionized, and North Creek developed into the hub of our town with its ever-growing businesses. Garnet mining continues today by the Barton Mines Corp., our longest operating family-owned industry.
By 1894 there were twenty-one rural school districts offering education through the eighth grade. The first high school was built in 1898 in North Creek. Today's Johnsburg Central School offers an excellent education to about 430 students in grades K-12.
The Town of Johnsburg proudly celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2005.
~ Courtesy of Doris H. Patton, Past Johnsburg Town Historian
SETTLEMENT HISTORY
The Town of Johnsburg was founded in 1805 when it was split from the Town of Thurman to the south. Its name derives from the original land patentee, John Thurman.
The early economy of the town depended upon its natural resources: forests, tillable land, and minerals. Small general farms were common despite the relatively harsh climate. Crops included beans, corn, potatoes, squash, hay, oats and buckwheat. Cows, pigs, chickens and horses were kept. Some early farmers supplemented their income by logging and peeling hemlock bark for use in tanneries.
Logging has long been a mainstay of the local economy, and provided most of the work and income for people in the area during the 1800s and early 1900s. In its heyday logs were floated down the Hudson River to points south. In addition, there were local sawmills and wood product manufacturing businesses. For instance, construction of the railroad along the Hudson River facilitated the establishment of a “huge sawmill and woodworking plant in North Creek in the mid 1870s.” (p. 115) Tanneries were an important industry during the 19th century. In the 1870s there were 4 tanneries within the Town of Johnsburg. The Tannery at North Creek “turned out 30,000” hides per year.” (p.99)
Mining was a third source of livelihood. Garnet was found in 1878, and Henry Hudson Barton began a mining operation that has been a significant employer through the years. A garnet mine survives to this day, although at a location different from the earlier large mine located on Gore Mountain that was closed in 1984.
In the 20th century tourism, recreation, and second home development became important segments of the economy. Commercial skiing began during the 1930’s when the “first commercial ski area on the east coast” was established, bolstered by the “ski train” that transported passengers from points south to the railroad depot at North Creek. Hotels, rooming houses and other facilities sprang up in the hamlet to accommodate the ski trade.
Today “the recreation industry has become a primary generator of economic activity in North Creek and the Town of Johnsburg, with winter snow sports, fall and spring whitewater rafting, summer hiking, canoeing, fishing, hunting, and biking.” (p. 128)
1 Source of much of the information this section is “River, Rails and Ski Trails, The History of the Town of Johnsburg, and Adirondack Town Founded in 1805,” Town of Johnsburg Historical Society, 1994. Quotations are from this source.
The town’s hamlets historically served as small service and community centers, and contained some small industries. Typical community facilities found in the hamlets included a church (the most common facility), blacksmith, general store, school, and post office.
Sawmills and gristmills were also relatively common. Hotels and taverns were found at railroad stops and in other locations. Tanneries were important for a period of time in Wevertown and North Creek. Paint was manufactured in the hamlet of Johnsburg for a few years.
Beyond the hamlets, population tended to be spread across the land in small farms on the better soils and in the valleys. As can be surmised from the scattered building pattern characteristic of farming areas shown on the 1876 Beer Atlas maps, agriculture seemed to most common in the southern and eastern sections of town.
The character of the town’s landscape has changed considerably from the early years. The most dramatic change has undoubtedly been the transition from cleared land to forest.
Throughout the book “River, Roads and Ski Trails” that chronicles the town’s history there are numerous references to the farms, cleared land, and views that were once prevalent.2 The numerous small general farms of the horse power age have now all disappeared, and former fields have long since regenerated into forest. Where once there were scenic vistas and views along roadways, they are now tree lined corridors.
A second major change from the early years is in the character and function of the hamlets. Hamlets were once the focus of rural life when transportation was by means of horse or walking. People in the surrounding area needed basic services close by, and small hamlets contained the essentials. Today, however, small hamlets have been eclipsed by larger service centers that contain the much wider range of goods and services needed by modern society. Most of the small hamlets in rural America, as in the Town of Johnsburg, are now primarily residential neighborhoods, containing churches and perhaps a convenience store to serve local needs. They generally no longer serve as commercial centers, but for many people can be a desirable residential alternative to large lot rural development. Clusters of historic homes are found in most hamlets, providing an added attraction.
The Town of Johnsburg was founded in 1805 when it was split from the Town of Thurman to the south. Its name derives from the original land patentee, John Thurman.
The early economy of the town depended upon its natural resources: forests, tillable land, and minerals. Small general farms were common despite the relatively harsh climate. Crops included beans, corn, potatoes, squash, hay, oats and buckwheat. Cows, pigs, chickens and horses were kept. Some early farmers supplemented their income by logging and peeling hemlock bark for use in tanneries.
Logging has long been a mainstay of the local economy, and provided most of the work and income for people in the area during the 1800s and early 1900s. In its heyday logs were floated down the Hudson River to points south. In addition, there were local sawmills and wood product manufacturing businesses. For instance, construction of the railroad along the Hudson River facilitated the establishment of a “huge sawmill and woodworking plant in North Creek in the mid 1870s.” (p. 115) Tanneries were an important industry during the 19th century. In the 1870s there were 4 tanneries within the Town of Johnsburg. The Tannery at North Creek “turned out 30,000” hides per year.” (p.99)
Mining was a third source of livelihood. Garnet was found in 1878, and Henry Hudson Barton began a mining operation that has been a significant employer through the years. A garnet mine survives to this day, although at a location different from the earlier large mine located on Gore Mountain that was closed in 1984.
In the 20th century tourism, recreation, and second home development became important segments of the economy. Commercial skiing began during the 1930’s when the “first commercial ski area on the east coast” was established, bolstered by the “ski train” that transported passengers from points south to the railroad depot at North Creek. Hotels, rooming houses and other facilities sprang up in the hamlet to accommodate the ski trade.
Today “the recreation industry has become a primary generator of economic activity in North Creek and the Town of Johnsburg, with winter snow sports, fall and spring whitewater rafting, summer hiking, canoeing, fishing, hunting, and biking.” (p. 128)
1 Source of much of the information this section is “River, Rails and Ski Trails, The History of the Town of Johnsburg, and Adirondack Town Founded in 1805,” Town of Johnsburg Historical Society, 1994. Quotations are from this source.
The town’s hamlets historically served as small service and community centers, and contained some small industries. Typical community facilities found in the hamlets included a church (the most common facility), blacksmith, general store, school, and post office.
Sawmills and gristmills were also relatively common. Hotels and taverns were found at railroad stops and in other locations. Tanneries were important for a period of time in Wevertown and North Creek. Paint was manufactured in the hamlet of Johnsburg for a few years.
Beyond the hamlets, population tended to be spread across the land in small farms on the better soils and in the valleys. As can be surmised from the scattered building pattern characteristic of farming areas shown on the 1876 Beer Atlas maps, agriculture seemed to most common in the southern and eastern sections of town.
The character of the town’s landscape has changed considerably from the early years. The most dramatic change has undoubtedly been the transition from cleared land to forest.
Throughout the book “River, Roads and Ski Trails” that chronicles the town’s history there are numerous references to the farms, cleared land, and views that were once prevalent.2 The numerous small general farms of the horse power age have now all disappeared, and former fields have long since regenerated into forest. Where once there were scenic vistas and views along roadways, they are now tree lined corridors.
A second major change from the early years is in the character and function of the hamlets. Hamlets were once the focus of rural life when transportation was by means of horse or walking. People in the surrounding area needed basic services close by, and small hamlets contained the essentials. Today, however, small hamlets have been eclipsed by larger service centers that contain the much wider range of goods and services needed by modern society. Most of the small hamlets in rural America, as in the Town of Johnsburg, are now primarily residential neighborhoods, containing churches and perhaps a convenience store to serve local needs. They generally no longer serve as commercial centers, but for many people can be a desirable residential alternative to large lot rural development. Clusters of historic homes are found in most hamlets, providing an added attraction.