[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 2] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages 2363-2365] [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]COMMEMORATING THE 200TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE TOWN OF HADLEY ______ HON. JOHN E. SWEENEY of new york in the house of representatives Tuesday, February 27, 2001 Mr. SWEENEY. Mr. Speaker, I wish today to commemorate the 200th anniversary of the town of Hadley, New York, February 27, 2001. I have always been proud of the heritage and physical beauty of the 22nd Congressional district of New York which I have the privilege to represent. To savor the history and character of the picturesque towns in the Hudson Valley and Adirondack Mountains is the reason that I return home every weekend. We often forget that the real America is the small towns and villages that are rich in pride and culture, and not the bustle of Washington. It is these small towns and villages where the great traditions of this country were founded. I would like to talk about one of these great towns today. Mr. Speaker, the town of Hadley, New York in Saratoga County will be commemorating 200 years of existence since they separated from the nearby towns of Greenfield and Northumberland back in 1801. Hadley is one of the many beautiful river towns that we have in New York State. Located at the southern gateway to the Adirondacks and where the Sacandaga River meets the Hudson River, Hadley has endured many transformations. [[Page 2364]] Like so many of the small river towns, Hadley has seen the rise and fall of the mills. Hadley has been transformed from a mill town to a power source with two dams located inside of the township providing electricity for many New York State residents. Even though many things have changed there, like everywhere else, there is something that still remains an unmistakable part of the town's character. That is the distinct small town charm and the good citizens of Hadley. This can be seen throughout all areas of the town, including the churches, the fire department, and the fields where children play and farmers work. Yes, Mr. Speaker, the neighborly hospitality is one thing that thankfully hasn't changed in Hadley. The pride and values of the citizenry is one of the most admired traits of small towns, not only in New York's 22nd district, but throughout America. Mr. Speaker, I commend the 1628 citizens of Hadley for their commitment to their values and their hard work in organizing a celebration of their heritage. I offer a full written history of the Town of Hadley that I am submitting into the Record. Therefore, Mr. Speaker, it is with great pride to ask all members of the House of Representatives to join me in paying tribute to the citizens of Hadley on the towns' 200th birthday and also in wishing them many more years of good fortune. Hadley The town of Hadley originated February 27, 1801 from the Town of Greenfield and Northumberland. Corinth was removed in 1818 and a section of the Town of Day in 1819. This town is located in the far northeastern corner of Saratoga County and is nestled in the Kayaderossera Mountains at the southern gateway to the Adirondack Mountains where the Sacandaga River meets the Hudson River. Hadley is surrounded by the Warren County Towns of Stony Creek to the north and Lake Luzerne to the east. Corinth, in Saratoga County is to the south and Day is to the west. We have no record on how Hadley got its name. EARLY SETTLERS First settlement was about 1788. A man by the name of Richard Hilton is credited with being the first settler. The first Supervisor of the Town of Hadley was Benjamin Cowles in 1801. A man named Wilson taught the first school from 1791 to 1820. There was a log schoolhouse in the Ellis neighborhood-- John Johnson and Walter Knott were the teachers. 1826--First organization of Baptist Church--Reverend Chandler was Pastor, John Lovelass and John Jenkins were deacons. Lynwood Cemetery is located next to the church. 1844--Wesleyan Methodist Church--Ministers in charge were the Reverends S.H. Foster, James Dayton and William Hawkins. Walter Sutliff was class leader. The first saw mill was built in 1791 by Delane and Hazard. The first grist mill was built in 1803 by Jeremy Rockwell. In 1807 the first store was also built by Rockwell. December 1, 1865 the Hadley Railroad Station was constructed, and at the time the railroad was named the Adirondack Railway. In 1902 the Delaware and Hudson acquired the railways. This railroad station saw large amounts of vacationers on their way to local resorts for the summer season, until it was closed on August 5, 1958. Railroad spurs served the paper mill, grist mill and wooden until it was closed on August 5, 1958. Railroad spurs served the paper mill, grist mill and wooden ware factory in the Town of Hadley. November 17, 1989 the last freight train carrying iron ore from Tahawus passed through Hadley. There are plans for possible future use of the tracks for a tourist attraction train ride. The wooden ware factory and saw mill were located near the railroad station. The factory made wood items of white birch from the adjacent saw mill, later the factory became a shirt factory. In the early 1920s Delbert Pasco opened a feed and grain business. Joseph White purchased the buildings in 1967, replacing the saw mill with a garage. Both the garage and former factory burned on February 3, 1969. Mr. White then built the logging truck garage which now occupies the site as Biondi Rigging. The Railroad House, built in 1866 by John Kathan of Conklingville, was located on land next to the former Post Office on Rockwell Street. The Railroad House, then run by the Taylor family, burned in 1899. Paul King purchased the property in 1900 and erected the Arlington Hotel. The hotel was 3 stories high and had 30 rooms. An Arlington stage met passengers at the D&H Stanton, just down the street. The King family continuously operated the hotel until its destruction by fire February 12, 1954. The Jeremy Rockwell Homestead was built in 1812. The 12 room home of federal style architecture had Corinthian pillars topped with Grecian Urns and a central, second story Palladian window. The timbers of the home were lumbered from the property. Jeremy Rockwell settled on the Hudson River due to the availability of water power. A grist mill and a saw mill were built but washed out in 1830. Burned July 4, 1986. The Rockwells became prosperous and influential in the Hadley-Luzerne area, being successful in several business ventures. The large front portion of their home burned July 4, 1986 and the back portion burned several years later. The River Rock Hotel was located between the Jeremy Rockwell home and the bridge to Luzerne. It was operated by Mr. Toomey and his partner Guy Phelteplace. The hotel accommodated 28 guests. Foundation ruins, which remain from the hotel or a store, also in this vicinity, can be seen to the left approaching the bridge. The Cascade House--Harmon Rockwell one of Jeremy Rockwell's 13 children, built the Cascade House in 1843. The hotel stood on the high bank of the Hudson River below the bridge over the gorge and offered a scenic view of the river and mountains. In 1878 Rockwell's grandson Charles built the Rockwell Falls Fiber Company beyond the Cascade House, which later was used as an office for the paper mill. Paper Mill--Looking from the bridge to the confluence of the Hudson and Sacandaga Rivers, retaining wall ruins of the former George West Paper Mill may be seen on the Hadley side of the river. In times of melting snow and unusually heavy rainfalls, river water flows into the wall ruins. The paper mill began operation in 1878 and closed about 1923. The buildings were demolished in 1936 after the New York Power Company purchased the property, now owned by Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation. Jeremy Rockwell was Justice of the Peace as early as 1808 and continued to act as such until 1830. From 1816 to 1819 he was Town Clerk, and in the spring of 1819 was elected Supervisor of the town, he continued until his death in 1835. Jeremy Rockwell also held offices of Associate Judge, member of the Assembly and was a member of the Convention that framed the Constitution of 1821 for the State. He died August 14, 1835 at the age of 70. Since October 21, 1826 there was a Hadley Post Office where Jeremy Rockwell was Post-Master. The Post Office was a small booth building at the entrance to the wooden plank bridge to Lake Luzerne. In 1877 a new Post Office building was located on the south side of Rockwell Street adjacent to the bridge. The building was moved close to the four corners when the new concrete bridge was built in 1932 and continued until 1991 when a new building was erected on Old Corinth Road, to house the post office. Currently a Laundromat and dog groomer occupy that building. Saratoga Rose--The private residence, Hill Top was built in the 1880's by the Myers Van Zandt family. Myers, a New York City businessman, married Catherine Rockwell, granddaughter of Jeremy Rockwell. Through the years the home has been the Upper Hudson Sanitarium, residence of the paper mill superintendent, Rozelle's Funeral Home in the 1930's and apartments in the 1940's. In 1984 it was restored and opened as Highclere Inn and Restaurant by Margaret and James Mandigo. Further renovations were made by Nancy and Anthony Merlino and reopened as Saratoga Rose on May 31, 1988. The VanZandt Cottage--The Jeremy Rockwell Family lived in the cottage, built in 1792 until the larger Rockwell family home was completed in 1812. Jeremy Rockwell's granddaughter Catherine and her husband Myers VanZandt occupied the cottage until the completion of their home, Hilltop, in the 1880's. The cottage was moved to the opposite side of the street when Niagara Mohawk purchased the property in 1926. The cottage is presently the residence of the Garofalo family. The Bow Bridge--The Parabolic Bridge, better known as the Bow Bridge, was built in 1885 to replace an 1813 wooden covered bridge, which burned. The Bow Bridge is one of the 3 iron lenticular truss bridges built in New York State and is the only one yet standing. The Bow Bridge was placed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 25, 1977. Henry Rockwell Home--Better known locally as the Fowler Home, was built in 1817 by Jeremy Rockwell for his first born son Henry. Many design elements were copied from Jeremy's own home. The soil in the Town of Hadley is sandy and light with many large boulders. In the southeastern part of the town stands the iron mountain, Mount Anthony, which rises to a considerable height. It is the highest peak in the Kayadarossera Range. The ore is not rich enough to be mined for a profitable business. In 1930 the Sacandaga River was made into a dam 27 miles long, by flooding the river valley from Hadley to Broadalbin. This is known as the Conklingville Dam. In 1953 the river below the dam was flooded for a mile and a half becoming Stewart Dam. There is just a short distance left of the Sacandaga River until it meets the Hudson River, flowing in from the north. Therefore, today we have 2 dams in the Town of Hadley. 1. The Town of Hadley installed the lighting district on October 4, 1930. 2. January 3, 1928 the Van R. Rhodes Fire Department was formed and the Ladies Auxiliary was organized June of 1939. 3. The Hadley Fire Tower, erected of wood in 1916, was replaced by New York State with a steel tower in 1920. [[Page 2365]] 4. A High School was located on the Stony Creek Road, opposite the present Town Hall. It was a 2 story wooden building, which was destroyed by fire in 1910. On July 30, 1909, in the Town of Lake Luzerne, a replacement school was accepted. The Town of Hadley has, in the past, had 3 doctors. Dr. Thompson, Dr. Rodgers, and Dr. Leo Giordano. At present, there are no doctors in town. Politics in the Town of Hadley. The Town Board is predominantly Republican. Population of the Town is 1,628, according to the 1990 census. Schools--Hadley-Luzerne Central School currently serves the population. Public Housing--Today there are several apartment buildings in the town. Sports--We have a Park Committee that maintains and improves the Sam Smead Memorial Park. There are several softball teams that have league play throughout the summer, and the park is also used by the school, churches, and individuals for planned activities. Highest point of elevation is Hadley Mountain at 2,653 feet. The entrance is on Tower Road. Industrial Enterprises--Lynwood Tannery was built in 1848 by Gordon Conkling. The paper collar/box factory, owned by James Libby, began its operations 1872. ____________________