Peterboro Land Office
Encyclopedia
The Peterboro Land Office is located in the hamlet of Peterboro
, in the Town of Smithfield
in Madison County, New York
. The small, Federal style building was built in 1804. It was constructed of locally produced brick laid in flemish bond on the facade and common bond elsewhere. The main room is 24 by. The interior has plaster walls and ceiling and a brick over plank floor. The entrance vestibule is in the center of the south wall between two windows. There is a window each on the east and west walls. The north walls has built in shelves and drawers on the east side and a 4 feet (1.2 m) iron vault door on the west side.
Peter Smith arrived in Utica, New York
, then called Fort Schuyler, in 1784, and over the next ten years formed close ties with the local Native American tribe, the Oneidas. In 1794, Peter Smith leased, and subsequently acquired full title to, 50000 acres (202.3 km²) of land from the Oneidas under Chief Skenadoah. The tract comprised the central portion of modern day Madison County
and parts of the current Oneida County
. Over 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of land in the northeastern part of the country were transferred in thousands of transactions at the land office, which was used for that purpose until the late 19th century.
Gerrit Smith, Peter's son, continued in the land business after his father. He also established the Peterboro Academy in 1853 and an orphanage in 1871. He was an active abolitionist. His grandson, Gerrit Smith Miller, was a noted philanthropist and active in the women's suffrage movement.
The land office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
in 1984, and is part of the larger Gerrit Smith Estate
which was designated a National Historic Landmark
in 2001.
Peterboro, New York
Peterboro, located about twenty-five miles southeast of Syracuse, New York, is a historic hamlet situated in the Town of Smithfield, Madison County, New York.-Founding:...
, in the Town of Smithfield
Smithfield, New York
Smithfield is a town in Madison County, New York, USA. The town is named after Peter Smith, an original land owner.The Town of Smithfield is located in the center of the county.- History :The region was first settled around 1797....
in Madison County, New York
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
. The small, Federal style building was built in 1804. It was constructed of locally produced brick laid in flemish bond on the facade and common bond elsewhere. The main room is 24 by. The interior has plaster walls and ceiling and a brick over plank floor. The entrance vestibule is in the center of the south wall between two windows. There is a window each on the east and west walls. The north walls has built in shelves and drawers on the east side and a 4 feet (1.2 m) iron vault door on the west side.
Peter Smith arrived in Utica, New York
Utica, New York
Utica is a city in and the county seat of Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 62,235 at the 2010 census, an increase of 2.6% from the 2000 census....
, then called Fort Schuyler, in 1784, and over the next ten years formed close ties with the local Native American tribe, the Oneidas. In 1794, Peter Smith leased, and subsequently acquired full title to, 50000 acres (202.3 km²) of land from the Oneidas under Chief Skenadoah. The tract comprised the central portion of modern day Madison County
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
and parts of the current Oneida County
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
. Over 100000 acres (404.7 km²) of land in the northeastern part of the country were transferred in thousands of transactions at the land office, which was used for that purpose until the late 19th century.
Gerrit Smith, Peter's son, continued in the land business after his father. He also established the Peterboro Academy in 1853 and an orphanage in 1871. He was an active abolitionist. His grandson, Gerrit Smith Miller, was a noted philanthropist and active in the women's suffrage movement.
The land office was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
in 1984, and is part of the larger Gerrit Smith Estate
Gerrit Smith Estate
Gerrit Smith Estate, in Peterboro, New York, was a home of Gerrit Smith, 19th-century social reformer, abolitionist, and presidential candidate...
which was designated a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
in 2001.