Westernville, New York

New York

New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...

 is a hamlet located west of Adirondack Park and north of Utica

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....

.

History

The Town of Western was formed from the Town of Steuben

Steuben, New York

Steuben is a town in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 1,172 at the 2000 census. The town is named after Baron von Steuben....

 on March 10, 1797. Its 40,000 acres (160 km²) contain fertile soil and an abundant supply of water, including the Mohawk River

Mohawk River

The Mohawk River is a river in the U.S. state of New York. It is the largest tributary of the Hudson River. The Mohawk flows into the Hudson in the Capital District, a few miles north of the city of Albany. The river is named for the Mohawk Nation of the Iroquois Confederacy...

, Lansing Kill, Big Brook, Stringer Brook, and other small streams. Westernville is the birthplace of Gen. Henry Halleck

Henry Wager Halleck

Henry Wager Halleck was a United States Army officer, scholar, and lawyer. A noted expert in military studies, he was known by a nickname that became derogatory, "Old Brains." He was an important participant in the admission of California as a state and became a successful lawyer and land developer...

, one time Commander-in-Chief of the Union Armies.

Gustavus Swan, a supporter of Samuel F. B. Morse

Samuel F. B. Morse

Samuel Finley Breese Morse was an American contributor to the invention of a single-wire telegraph system based on European telegraphs, co-inventor of the Morse code, and an accomplished painter.-Birth and education:...

, the inventor of the first Telegraph System, worked closely with Morse to built and extend the telegraph lines across New York State. Swan constructed and resided in the Swan Homestead still located on Main Street in the upper village. The Swan home is on the walking tour of roughly 18 historic homes along Main Street in the village. A handout of the Tour is available from the Westerville Historical Society, from the Swan Home B&B or the Town Hall.

The list is also available during the Annual "Heritage Days", a special 3 day celebration on Main Street to honor past residents of historical note. The weekend consists of historical re-enactments and encampments. Also included are period craftsmen, cooking, military, costuming, a quilt show, musical events, fireworks, and refreshments. The weekend kicks off with fireworks on Friday evening and the event closes on Sunday afternoon.

Buried here are Gen. William Floyd

William Floyd

William Floyd was a signer of the United States Declaration of Independence as a U.S. Representative from New York.-Biography:...

, a famous Revolutionary War soldier and a signer of the Declaration of Independence

United States Declaration of Independence

The Declaration of Independence was a statement adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776, which announced that the thirteen American colonies then at war with Great Britain regarded themselves as independent states, and no longer a part of the British Empire. John Adams put forth a...

, Admiral Montgomery Sicard

Montgomery Sicard

Rear Admiral Montgomery Sicard was an officer in the United States Navy during the American Civil War.-Biography:...

 of Civil War fame, and Gustavus Swan.

Westernville today

There is an active senior citizens group that meets monthly for activities. The Western Town Library offers programs for children and adults, and the historical society provides lectures and events for the entire community. There are currently two churches in Westernville, the United Methodist Church on Main Street and the First Presybterian Church on Stokes-Westernville Road. North Western has one church, the United Methodist Church, located on Route 46. The town has various local businesses including The Swan Home Bed and Breakfast.

This is the location of Gen. William Floyd's second home, and is also where he is buried. Every year, Dr. Russell Marriot, in current residence of this home, helps hold a town ceremony in Gen. William Floyd's honor. Veronica Murphy can be contacted if anyone would like historical information on Westernville.

The Gen. William Floyd House

Gen. William Floyd House

Gen. William Floyd House in Westernville, New York is a National Historic Landmark. It was the home of William Floyd, 1734–1821, a signer of the Declaration of Independence...

 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 1971. The Western Town Hall

Western Town Hall

Western Town Hall, also known as Liberty Hall, is a historic town hall building located at Westernville in Oneida County, New York. It was built in 1911 and is a two story, gable roofed timber frame structure. It was constructed from dismantled components of the ca. 1850 Empire Hotel in Delta...

was listed in 1995.