Assembly Resolution No. 463
BY: M. of A. Palmesano
COMMEMORATING the 200th Anniversary of the Village
of Burdett, New York
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and
commemorate the distinguished histories of the communities which
comprise the noble body of this great Empire State; and
WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, this Legislative Body is justly proud to
commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Village of Burdett, New York,
to be recognized with a Bicentennial Celebration along Main Street on
Saturday, June 1, 2019; and
WHEREAS, This auspicious event will kick-off a year-long celebration
and will include more than a dozen arts and crafts vendors, a pie eating
contest, children's activities, Cornhole games, and live music by Jamie
Potter, Erich Asperschlager, Scott Adams, Brett Beardsley and Due South;
and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, there will be historic and artistic displays,
narrated bus tours, along with a presentation on the history of the
Burdett Volunteer Fire Department followed by its free community dinner
and fireworks; copies of the 140-page book, Historic Burdett Celebrates200 Years, will also be available for purchase; and
WHEREAS, The Village of Burdett is located in Schuyler County within
the Town of Hector on the east side of Seneca Lake along State Route 79,
and is currently home to approximately 350 residents and several
businesses; and
WHEREAS, Two hundred years ago, Burdett was a pioneer town of small
cabins and rudimentary homesteads; at the end of the Revolutionary War,
the Town of Hector, including what would become Burdett, was declared
Military Bounty Lands; and
WHEREAS, The first settlers found the mighty Hector Falls Creek and
used its power to generate a variety of mills; from woolen mills, to
grist mills, to sawmills and a shingle factory, this little town was a
mill town and at the very crossroads of commerce and industry in the
early part of the 19th Century; and
WHEREAS, In 1819, the U.S. Postal Service declared this area,
located on major New York State turnpikes and with deep waterway access
as its newest delivery stop; the new post office needed a name, and
local resident Richard Woodard suggested Burdett, after Sir Frances
Burdett, a member of Parliament in Great Britain; and
WHEREAS, Early residents farmed the fertile and beautiful land,
producing various fruit groups and grain, and bountiful grass for its
many sheep and cattle herds; and
WHEREAS, The advent of the Lehigh Railroad in the early 1890s
accelerated Burdett's growth; however, with progress, fires raged out of
control and threatened the community, prompting the establishment of the
first fire company in 1898; and
WHEREAS, After 120 years of service to its community, the fire
company will move into its brand-new facility in conjunction with the
celebration of the village's 200th Anniversary; and
WHEREAS, The residents of the Village of Burdett are proud of their
home and its storied history; it was the birthplace of a world-famous
mechanical engineer who founded the mechanical engineering department at
Georgia Tech, and the home to a famous artist who founded the art
department at Stanford University and an artist colony at Woodstock, and
a family which started road racing in the United States of America; and
WHEREAS, The people of this community also risked everything to help
escaped slaves find peace and freedom in their small village; and
WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and
flow of decades of growth and change, the Village of Burdett continues
to provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents; and
WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of Mayor Dale Walter, the
residents of the Village of Burdett have a bright outlook for the future
of their community, which remains a beautiful place in which to live and
raise a family; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of the Village of Burdett's rich history and
enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative Body is
proud to pay tribute to this spirited town upon the occasion of its
200th Anniversary; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Village of Burdett, New York,
recognizing the significance of the role it continues to play in the
life of the community of the State of New York; and be it further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Mayor Dale Walter, Village of Burdett, New York.
