LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the
Village of Cambridge, New York

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to honor and commem-
orate 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 commem-
orate the 150th Anniversary of the Village of Cambridge in Saratoga
County, New York; and
WHEREAS, In 1866, the tiny hamlets of Cambridge and North White Creek
joined together and the Village of Cambridge, New York, was incorpo-
rated; about one-third of the Village is located in the Town of
Cambridge, and two-thirds in the Town of White Creek; and
WHEREAS, Prior to 1855, the Village of Cambridge was a quiet rural
community; the Village's major employer, and second-largest seed company
in the Nation, was the Jerome B. Rice Seed Company, developed by Civil
War veteran, Jerome B. Rice, Sr.; and
WHEREAS, Times changed when the Albany and Rutland Railroad connected
the Village of Cambridge to Rutland, Vermont, to the north, and New
York's Capital District to the South; special excursion trains trans-
ported thousands of people annually to the Cambridge Fair which was held
from the late 19th Century until World War II; and
WHEREAS, Since the Village's founding in 1866, its Main Street has
represented the resilience of historic upstate New York communities by
surviving years of population ebbs and flows, and economic upturns and
downturns; and
WHEREAS, While time has taken its toll on some of Cambridge's brick
and mortar, the key centerpieces to its Main Street which include Memo-
rial Park, the historic Cambridge Hotel, Hubbard Hall, and Varak Park,
still remain as anchors which help guide architectural development, and
are a source of pride; and
WHEREAS, With a conscious effort to avoid sprawl, there has been no
migration of residential and commercial activity away from the Village's
historic Main Street, but rather Main Street and its surrounding neigh-
borhood, remain the focal point of economic, civil, social, and cultural
activity for the local area; and
WHEREAS, A true gem, the impeccably groomed Memorial Park maintains an
honor roll of all locals who have served in wartime back to the Revolu-
tionary War; its centerpiece flagpole is located by a memorial to a
local Medal of Honor veteran killed during the Korean War; and
WHEREAS, The Cambridge Hotel was a social center of the Village
through most of the 20th Century, and although it fell on hard times
during the past 25 years, it was recently purchased and rehabilitated,
opening last year as The Cambridge, a world-class assisted living facil-
ity; and
WHEREAS, Hubbard Hall which opened in the 1870s as the local opera
house, closed in the 1920s and was reopened in the 1970s as a center for
the arts; it now maintains a year-round schedule of classes and perform-
ances, also gaining recognition as the last surviving opera house in
Washington County, New York; and
WHEREAS, In addition, Varak Park which began as the home for a major
nationally-known seed company in 1895, has since been re-purposed as a
home for artisans and small commercial entities; the Village of
Cambridge has a growing arts community to feed the imagination and a
remarkably rich collective of civic improvement organizations in which
citizen volunteers keep the Village moving ahead; and

WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and
flow of decades of growth and change, the Village of Cambridge continues
to provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents; and
WHEREAS, The residents of the Village of Cambridge have a bright
outlook for the future of their community, which remains a beautiful
place in which to live, work and raise a family; and
WHEREAS, In recognition of the Village'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 150th Anni-
versary; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 150th Anniversary of the Village of Cambridge, 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 tran-
smitted to the Village of Cambridge.