Senate Resolution No. 5755

BY: Senator SEWARD

COMMEMORATING the 200th Anniversary of the Village
of Esperance to be celebrated on July 14, 2018

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and
commemorate the proud and distinguished histories of the towns and
villages 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 Esperance to be
celebrated on Saturday, July 14, 2018; and

WHEREAS, The Village of Esperance was originally part of the Ten
Eyck Patent granted in 1769 to Jacob H. Ten Eyck; the future village
bordered the Schoharie Creek, the importance of which was realized by
the State of New York when the laws of 1792 directed a bridge be built
across it; and

WHEREAS, William North, an Assemblyman from Duanesburg, was
appointed Road Commissioner for the Western District of New York and was
instrumental in the completion of the state highway and bridge in 1793;
however, the bridge was destroyed by the flood of 1798, which also
impacted the early homes along the creek; and

WHEREAS, In 1799, the Great Western Turnpike Company was formed and
the state road and bridge site became a toll road; a temporary bridge
was built to replace the state bridge, and the Village was known as
State Bridge and later Schoharie Bridge when the first post office was
established in 1805; and

WHEREAS, William North purchased the Village lots from Harmonous Ten
Eyck, heir of Jacob Ten Eyck, one year later; he was active in managing
his father-in-law's land in Duanesburg, but viewed the location along
the Schoharie Creek as a much better location for a village; and

WHEREAS, Furthermore, he advertised the rising Village of Esperance
in Albany and New York newspapers, and it is said his daughter Mary
chose the name Esperance, the French word for Hope; and

WHEREAS, A native of New England, William North drew a large number
of New England Yankees to his new village; during this time, a large
paper mill was erected as well as a Congregational Church, saw mills,
grist mills and cloth dressing mills; and

WHEREAS, Theodore Burr, under contract with the Great Western
Turnpike Company, constructed a two lane three hundred foot long wooden
covered toll bridge in 1812; more than 700 teams a day crossed the
covered bridge which remained until it was dismantled by the State of
New York in 1930; and

WHEREAS, The immense traffic created a great business climate for
those serving the traveling public and eventually five stores and five
hotels were built; and


WHEREAS, On April 21, 1818, the Village of Esperance was officially
incorporated, making it the first incorporated village in Schoharie
County; and

WHEREAS, The growth of the Village slowed when the Erie Canal took
heavy traffic off the Turnpike and the Albany and Susquehanna Railroad
completion removed more freight from the road; in 1926, the highway
became part of US Route 20, the longest highway in the United States;
and

WHEREAS, Tourism increased for a time as the nearby George Landis
Arboretum, as well as antique and specialty shops such as Eastman's
Cheese House made Esperance a destination; and

WHEREAS, The first schoolhouse was located west of the Village and
the second was erected around 1814; a new schoolhouse was built in 1878,
and served for 90 years before opening as the Esperance Historical
Museum; and

WHEREAS, Today, the Village of Esperance has two active churches,
the Old Stone Presbyterian Church and the United Methodist Church; there
is also an active Elks Lodge No. 2507 known as the Farmer's Lodge; and

WHEREAS, Under the able leadership of Mayor Charles Johnston, the
Village of Esperance completed the renovation of the Village Offices in
2018, along with erecting a new firehouse on Church Street; and

WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and
flow of decades of growth and change, the Village of Esperance continues
to provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents; and

WHEREAS, In recognition of the Village of Esperance's rich history
and enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative
Body is proud to pay tribute to this spirited village 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 Esperance to be
celebrated on July 14, 2018; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to Charles Johnston, Mayor of the Village of Esperance.