[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 150 (2004), Part 9]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 12092-12093]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




              150TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE FOUNDING OF WAVERLY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. MAURICE D. HINCHEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                         Monday, June 14, 2004

  Mr. HINCHEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the Village of 
Waverly in Tioga County, New York, which is part of the 22nd 
Congressional District that I proudly serve. This year marks the 150th 
anniversary of the founding of Waverly. I am pleased to recognize the 
Village of Waverly and the important contributions it has made to Tioga 
County and to the State of New York on its sesquicentennial 
anniversary.
  Located along the majestic Susquehanna and Chemung Rivers, the 
Village of Waverly is nestled in the Town of Barton and the heart of 
Tioga County. The Cayuga and Onondaga tribes of the Iroquois 
Confederacy originally inhabited present day Waverly and its 
surrounding areas prior to European settlement. Incorporated in 1854, 
Waverly was named by businessman Joseph Hallet after Sir Walter

[[Page 12093]]

Scott's famous series of novels. Early inhabitants included settlers 
from Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and New York. The most prominent was 
John Shephard, who in 1796 purchased a one thousand acre plot upon 
which the whole of Waverly now stands.
  By the nineteenth century, Waverly had attracted a wide array of 
businesses, most notably the Novelty Furniture Works, the Butter and 
Oyster Pail Manufactory, and the Sayre Butter Package Company. Waverly 
was still deeply connected to agrarian life, which flourished in the 
form of grist and flouring mills, saw mills, creameries, and wagon and 
blacksmith shops.
  The early twentieth century saw the brief but historic appearance of 
the J.E. Rodeo. In 1938, Colonel Jim Eskew bought the Loomis Farm on 
Talmadge Hill that would soon be known as the ``Rodeo Capital of the 
East.'' The opening performance was a sign of the good fortune ahead, 
as traffic was backed up for a mile and half prior to the show. Over 
the years, it was not uncommon to see authentic cowboys around the 
Village of Waverly. Visitors came from hundreds of miles away to see 
the ``Rodeo Capital of the East.'' The annual Fourth of July 
celebration was highlighted by a special rodeo performance and was 
attended by young and old alike. However, with the advent of television 
and the onset of WWII, the rodeo eventually faded away and now is just 
a happy memory for the residents of Waverly.
  Waverly's vibrant history is evident today. The village boasts many 
beautifully restored structures, seemingly on every corner of Broad 
Street and beyond. Waverly continues to offer its visitors breathtaking 
scenery and views of the Susquehanna and Chemung Rivers. Small villages 
like Waverly are an essential component of our nation's past, present, 
and future, and deserve to be honored and recognized for their numerous 
contributions. Mr. Speaker, it gives me great pleasure to recognize the 
Village of Waverly, New York as it celebrates the 150th Anniversary of 
its founding.

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