Timeline of town creation in Central New York

The towns and cities of Central New York were created by the U.S. state of New York as municipalities in order to give residents more direct say over local government.[1] Central New York (consisting of the Syracuse Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Utica-Rome Metropolitan Statistical Area) is a six county area–Cayuga, Herkimer, Madison, Oneida, Onondaga, and Oswego.

Skyline of Downtown Syracuse

The entire area was nominally under the jurisdiction of Albany County from 1686 until the Royal Proclamation of 1763 but truly under the Iroquois Confederacy until 1777. The area was then nominally Tryon County from 1781 and effectively in 1784 when the county was renamed Montgomery, and then the area was part of Herkimer County from 1791.[2][3]

The Military Tract of Central New York (1792).

In 1794 the western section of Herkimer County was split off as Onondaga County, and then in 1798 the northwestern section of Herkimer was removed as Oneida County and the southwestern section as Chenango County. Cayuga County was removed from Onondaga in 1799, Madison County from Chenango in 1806, and Oswego from Onondaga and Oneida in 1816.[2]

The current towns of Herkimer, Oneida, and Madison counties are descended from the original districts and towns of Montgomery County; whereas the towns of Onondaga and Cayuga counties are descended from the towns erected by the state when Onondaga County was formed from the Military Tract in western Herkimer County which had previously been divided into townships for the purpose of surveying of lands to be sold to veterans of the US Revolutionary War.

New York experimented with different types of municipalities before settling upon the current format of towns and cities occupying all the land in a county,[4] and all previous forms were transformed into towns (or divided into multiple towns) in 1788 when all of the state of New York was divided into towns.[1] Some early forms of government in earlier years included land patents with some municipal rights, districts,[5] precincts,[6] and boroughs.[7] Though originally intended to be mere “…involuntary subdivisions of the state, constituted for the purpose of the more convenient exercise of governmental functions by the state for the benefit of all its citizens” as defined by the courts in 1916 (Short v. Town of Orange), towns gained home rule powers from the state in 1964, at which time towns became "a municipal corporation comprising the inhabitants within its boundaries, and formed with the purpose of exercising such powers and discharging such duties of local government and administration of public affairs as have been, or, maybe [sic] conferred or imposed upon it by law.”[8]

The following is a timeline showing the creation of the current towns from their predecessors stretching back to the earliest municipal entity over the area. The timelines only represent from which town(s) a particular town was created from and does not represent annexations of territory to and from towns that already existed. All municipalities are towns unless otherwise noted as patent, township, borough, district, or city.

Cayuga County

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A map of the towns and villages in Cayuga County
Aurelius
1794[9]
Auburn
1823-1848[10]
Auburn
City 1848[10]
Brutus
1802[10]
Sennett
1827[10]
Throop
1859[10]
Cato
1802[10]
Sterling
1812[10]
Conquest
1821[10]
Ira
1821[10]
Victory
1821[10]
Jefferson 1802
(Mentz from 1808)[10]
Montezuma
1859[10]
Owasco
1802[10]
Fleming
1823[10]
Springport
1823[10]
Scipio
1794[10]
Venice
1823[10]
Ledyard
1823[10]
Sempronius
1799[10]
Moravia
1833[10]
Niles
1833[10]
Milton 1789[9]
(Genoa from 1808)[10]
Locke
1802[10]
Plato 1831
(Summer Hill
from 1832)[10]
Notes
[A] = A part of Montgomery County until 1791, then Herkimer County from 1791-1794,
Onondaga County from 1794-1799, and Cayuga County from 1799 and thereafter.
[B] = A part of Onondaga County until 1799 thereafter Cayuga County.
[C] = A part of Cayuga County.
  • Prior to the creation of Onondaga County the western section of Herkimer County was the Military Tract. This tract included present-day Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca counties, and parts of Oswego, Tompkins, and Wayne; and was divided into 25 townships for surveying purposes to provide land for veterans of the US Revolutionary War. Three more townships were created in order to settle all claims.[10] Originally simply numbered, they latter received names, mostly classical Greek and Roman names. In creating Onondaga County in 1794 the state of New York combined the townships into 11 towns.[9] Milton (17), Locke (18), Scipio (12), Sempronius (13), Cato (3), Brutus (4), and Aurelius (8) were the townships in present-day Cayuga County, which were combined in 1794 into the towns of Milton (Milton and Locke townships), Scipio (Scipio and Sempronius townships), and Aurelius (Cato, Brutus, and Aurelius townships).

Herkimer County

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German Flatts
District 1772-1788
(Kingsland
from 1773)[10]
German Flatts
1788[10]
Frankfort
1796[10]
Warren
1796[10]
Columbia
1812[10]
Litchfield
1796[10]
Winfield
1816[10]
Richfield 1792[10]Plainfield
1799[10]
Otsego
1788[10]
For further
descendants see
Otsego County.
For further
descendants see
Otsego County
Little Falls
1829[10]
Little Falls
City 1895
For further
descendants see
Oneida County
Schuyler
1792[10]
Newport
1806[10]
Kingsland Precinct
1772-1788
(German Flatts
from 1773)[10]
Herkimer
1788[10]
Norway
1792[10]
Fairfield
1796[10]
West Brunswick
1823
(Ohio from 1836)[10]
For further
descendants see
Oneida County
Union 1806
(Russia from 1808)[10]
Wilmurt
1836[10]-1896
Webb
1896
Stone Arabia
Precinct 1772-1788
(Palatine from 1773)[10]
Palatine
1788[10]
Salisbury
1797[10]
Manheim
1817[10]
Canajoharie
Precinct 1772-1788[10]
Canajoharie
1788[10]
Minden
1798[10]
Danube
1817[10]
Stark
1828[10]
Notes
[A] = A part of Montgomery (Named Tryon County prior to 1784).
[B] = A part of Montgomery County until 1791, thereafter Herkimer County.
[C] = A part of Montgomery County until 1791, thereafter Otsego County.
[D] = A part of Otsego County.
[E] = A part of Montgomery County until annexed to Herkimer County in 1817.
[F] = A part of Herkimer County.
[G] = A part of Oneida County.

Madison County

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Oneida
1896–1901
Oneida
City 1901
Lincoln
1896[10]
Sullivan
1803[10]
Lenox
1809[10]
DeRuyter
1798[10]
Georgetown
1815[10]
For further
descendants see
Oneida County
Stockbridge
1836[10]
Whitestown
1788[10]
Cazenovia
1795[10]
Nelson
1807[10]
Smithfield
1807[10]
Fenner
1823[10]
Paris
1792[10]
Brookfield
1795[10]
Hamilton
1795[10]
Eaton
1807[10]
For further
descendants see
Oneida County
Lebanon
1807[10]
Madison
1807[10]
Augusta
1798[10]
Westmoreland
1792[10]
Vernon
1802[10]
For further
descendants see
Oneida County
Notes
[A] = A part of Montgomery County until 1791, Herkimer County from 1791 to 1798, then Oneida County from 1798.
[B] = A part of Herkimer County until 1798, Oneida County thereafter.
[C] = A part of Herkimer County until 1798, then Chenango until 1806, thereafter Madison County.
[D] = A part of Chenango County until 1806, then Madison County thereafter Oswego County.
[E] = A part of Oneida County.
[F] = A part of Madison County.

Oneida County

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Utica, New York
For further
descendants see
Oswego County
Whitestown
1788[10]
Utica
1817-1832[10]
Utica
City 1832[10]
For further
descendants
see North Country
Steuben
1792[10]
Leyden
1797[10]
Boonville
1805[10]
Ava
1846[10]
Western
1797[10]
Lee
1811[10]
New Hartford
1827[10]
Floyd
1796[10]
Rome
1796[10]-1870
Rome
City 1870
Paris
1792[10]
Sangerfield
1795[10]
Bridgewater
1797[10]
Kirkland
1827[10]
Marshall
1829[10]
For further
descendants see
Madison County
For further
descendants see
Madison County
For further
descendants see
Oswego County
Mexico
1792[10]
Camden
1799[10]
Orange 1807
(Bengal from 1808-1816,
Vienna from 1816)[10]
Annsville
1823[10]
For further
descendants
see North Country
Augusta
1798[10]
For further
descendants see
Madison County
Florence
1805[10]
Verona
1802[10]
Westmoreland
1792[10]
Vernon
1802[10]
Sherrill
City 1916
For further
descendants see
Madison County
Kingsland 1772-1788
(German Flatts from 1773)[10]
Herkimer
1788[10]
Schuyler
1792[10]
Trenton
1797[10]
Deerfield
1798[10]
Marcy
1832[10]
For further descendants
see Herkimer County
Norway
1792[10]
Remsen
1798[10]
Forestport
1869
For further descendants
see Herkimer County
For further descendants
see Herkimer County
Notes
[A] = A part of Montgomery County (known as Tryon County prior to 1784).
[B] = A part of Montomgery County until 1791, thereafter Herkimer County.
[C] = A part of Montgomery County until 1791, Herkimer County from 1791 to 1798, then Oneida County from 1798.
[D] = A part of Herkimer County until 1798, Oneida County thereafter.
[E] = A part of Herkimer County.
[F] = A part of Oneida County.
[G] = A part of Madison County.
[H] = A part of Herkimer County until 1798, then Oneida County until 1805, thereafter Lewis County.
[I] = A part of Herkimer County until 1798, then Oneida County until 1816, thereafter Oswego County.
[J] = A part of Oswego County.
  • The city of Sherrill is considered in some circumstances of law to be a village under the jurisdiction of the town of Vernon.

Onondaga County

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A map of the towns, villages, city, and Native American reservations in Onondaga County
Otisco
1806[10]
Fabius
1798[10]
Tully
1803[10]
Spafford
1811[10]
Pompey
1794[9]
LaFayette
1825[10]
Marcellus
1794[10]
Onondaga
1798[10]
Salina
1809[10]
Geddes
1848[10]
Manlius
1794[10]
DeWitt
1835[10]
Syracuse
City 1847[10]
Skaneateles
1830[10]
Camillus
1799[10]
Van Buren
1829[10]
Elbridge
1829[10]
Notes
  • Prior to the creation of Onondaga County the western section of Herkimer County was the Military Tract. This tract included present-day Onondaga, Cayuga, and Seneca counties, and parts of Oswego, Tompkins, and Wayne; and was divided into 25 townships for surveying purposes to provide land for veterans of the US Revolutionary War. Three more townships were created in order to settle all claims.[10] Originally simply numbered, they latter received names, mostly classical Greek and Roman names. In creating Onondaga County in 1794 the state of New York combined the townships into 11 towns.[9] Pompey (10), Tully (14), Fabius (15), Manlius (7), Camillus (5), and Marcellus (9) occupied present-day Onondaga, and were combined as the towns of Pompey (Pompey, Tully, and Fabius townships), Marcellus (Camillus and Marcellus townships), and Manlius.[10]

Oswego County

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A map of towns and cities located in Oswego County
Minetto
1916[11]
Oswego
1818[10]
Lysander
1794[10]
Hannibal
1806[10]
Granby
1818[10]
Fulton
City 1902[12]
Oswego
City 1848[10]
Whitestown
1788[10]
Mexico
1792[10]
Fredericksburgh 1806
(Volney
from 1811)[10]
Scriba
1811[10]
New Haven
1813[10]
Schroeppel
1832[10]
For further
descendants see
Oneida County
Parish
1828[10]
Palermo
1832[10]
Williamstown
1804[10]
Amboy
1830[10]
Richland
1807[10]
Albion
1825[10]
Redfield
1800[10]
Greenboro
1843-1848[10]
Sandy Creek
1825[10]
Constantia
1808[10]
Hastings
1825[10]
Orwell
1817[10]
Boylston
1828[10]
West Monroe
1839[10]
Notes
[A] = A part of Montgomery County until 1791, Herkimer County from 1791 to 1798, then Oneida County from 1798.
[B] = A part of Herkimer County until 1798, then Oneida County until 1816, thereafter Oswego County.
[C] = A part of Oneida County.
[D] = A part of Oneida County until 1816, Oswego County thereafter.
[E] = A part of Oswego County.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Laws of the State of New York Passed at the Sessions of the Legislature Held in the Years 1785, 1786, 1787 and 1788, inclusive, Being the Eight, Ninth, Tenth and Eleventh, sessions. Vol. II. Weed, Parsons and Company/State of New York. 1886. p. 748. Retrieved September 13, 2010.
  2. ^ a b "New York County Maps and Atlases". Genealogy, Inc. Archived from the original on September 1, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  3. ^ Smith, Anita (1979). "Three Rivers, Hudson~Mohawk~Schoharie, History From America's Most Famous Valleys: Montgomery County". Berry Enterprises. Retrieved October 4, 2010.
  4. ^ "Governmental Units". John B. Deitz. Retrieved May 18, 2009.
  5. ^ The Colonial Laws of the State of New York From 1664 to the Revolution, Including the Charters to the Duke of York, the Commissions and Instructions to the Colonial Governors, the Duke's Laws, the Laws of Dongan and Leisler Assemblies, the Charters of Albany and New York and the Acts of the Colonial Legislatures from 1691 to 1775 Inclusive. Vol. V. James B. Lyon (State of New York). 1894. p. 383 and 395. Retrieved September 1, 2009.
  6. ^ The Colonial Laws of the State of New York From 1664 to the Revolution, Including the Charters to the Duke of York, the Commissions and Instructions to the Colonial Governors, the Duke's Laws, the Laws of Dongan and Leisler Assemblies, the Charters of Albany and New York and the Acts of the Colonial Legislatures from 1691 to 1775 Inclusive. Vol. II. John B. Lyon. 1894. p. 956.
  7. ^ Howell, George Rogers and John H. Munsell (1886). History of the County of Schenectady, N.Y., from 1662 to 1886. W.W. Munsell & Company.
  8. ^ "Local Government Handbook" (PDF) (6th ed.). New York State Department of State. 2009. pp. 59–66 (PDF 71–78). Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2010. Retrieved October 2, 2010.
  9. ^ a b c d e Laws of the State of New York, Comprising the Constitution, and the Acts of the Legislature, Since the Revolution, From the First to the Twentieth Session, Inclusive. Vol. III. State of New York. 1797. p. 110.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc bd be bf bg bh bi bj bk bl bm bn bo bp bq br bs bt bu bv bw bx by bz ca cb cc cd ce cf cg ch ci cj ck cl cm cn co cp cq cr cs ct cu cv cw cx cy cz da db dc dd de df dg dh di dj dk dl dm dn do dp dq dr ds dt du dv dw dx dy dz ea eb ec ed ee ef eg eh ei ej ek el em en eo ep eq er es et eu French, John H. (1860). Gazetteer of the State of New York. R. Pearsall Smith. new york gazetteer 1860.
  11. ^ Laws of the State of New York, Passed at the One Hundred and Thirty-Ninth Session of the Legislature, Begun January Fifth, 1916, and Ended April Twentieth, 1916, at the City of Albany. Vol. III. J.B. Lyon Company. 1916. p. 2503.
  12. ^ Laws of the State of New York, Passed at the One Hundred and Twenty-Fifth Session of the Legislature, Begun January First, 1902, and Ended April Twenty-Seventh, 1902, at the City of Albany. Vol. I. J.B. Lyon Company. 1902. p. 127.