LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Town
of Hanover, New York

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and commem-
orate the proud and distinguished histories of the people and communi-
ties 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 commem-
orate the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Hanover, New York, to be
celebrated on Friday, June 1, 2012; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Hanover was formed from part of the Chautauqua
County Town of Pomfret on June 1, 1812; and
WHEREAS, Chautauqua County's first settler, Amos Sottle, arrived in
Cattaraugus Creek, a part of the Town of Hanover, in 1796; he worked for
the Holland Land Company during the time of the "Great Survey" of West-
ern New York in 1798; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Hanover has been home to several natural treas-
ures, including the famous Great Black Walnut Tree of Silver Creek,
blown to the ground in 1822, hollowed out and finished as a room,
complete with roof, windows, door and seating - the tree was displayed
in cities around the world before it was burned in a museum fire in
London around 1850; in addition, the town was home to the 425-year-old
Hanover Elm, with a circumference of 35 feet; and
WHEREAS, Irving native Everett Burmaster, Assistant State Archaeol-
ogist, discovered and preserved several Hanover treasures, including the
Amos Sottle Horse Skull Fiddle, crafted by the County's first settler
from a horse's skull and purportedly owned by President Abraham Lincoln;
he also discovered Coccosteus involutus, the first Devonian armor-plated
fish fossil of its kind, over 380 million years old, in Silver Creek in
1928; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Hanover has been home to many famous individuals
- among them were Mary Smith Lockwood, "Pen Founder" of the Daughters of
the American Revolution; United States Congressman Daniel Reed, who
served from 1919 until 1959; Daniel Sherman, New York State Agent to the
Indians; and professional baseball player Howard Ehmke, winning pitcher
for the Philadelphia Athletics in Game 1 of the 1929 World Series-Ehmke
also played for the Detroit Tigers and Boston Red Sox in his 15-season
pitching career; and
WHEREAS, An architectural treasure in Hanover is the Skew Arch Bridge
over Jackson Street in Silver Creek - built under railroad tracks in
1869, the bridge is one of only a few such arches in the world;
constructed at an odd angle, the bridge features a unique corkscrew
design; and
WHEREAS, Early industry in Hanover centered around the shipping and
lumber industries; later, the economy centered on grain-cleaning and
agriculture, particularly in grape farming; and
WHEREAS, The Town of Hanover holds within its borders the Villages of
Silver Creek and Forestville as well as numerous smaller communities and
hamlets; and
WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to publicly recog-
nize and honor milestones in the history of communities large and small
in this great Empire State; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Hanover; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to the Town of Hanover, New York.