Senate Resolution No. 833

BY: Senator GRIFFO

CONGRATULATING the Hamlet of South Otselic, New
York, upon the occasion of being placed on the
National Register of Historic Places

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and
commemorate 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
congratulate the Hamlet of South Otselic, New York, upon the occasion of
being placed on the National Register of Historic Places; and

WHEREAS, This auspicious occasion will be celebrated at a Dedication
Ceremony unveiling the historic marker on Saturday, July 8, 2023; and

WHEREAS, The marker's inscription will read: the South Otselic
Historic District has been placed on the National Register of Historic
Places in 1983 by the United States Department of the Interior, William
G. Pomeroy Foundation 2022; and

WHEREAS, Located in Chenango County, the South Otselic Historic
District is a cohesive grouping of historically and architecturally
significant buildings which includes representative examples of both the
modest vernacular housing of the early settlement period and the
ostentatious commercial blocks and residences of the late Nineteenth
Century; and

WHEREAS, The South Otselic Historic District includes 60 commercial,
residential, ecclesiastical, and industrial buildings; among the notable
buildings are the Methodist Church (ca. 1867), Gladding Corporation
factory and office (1895), J. Brown Grist Mill (ca. 1810), Noonan's
Blacksmith Shop (1870), Cox Block (1890, destroyed by fire on December
14, 2014), and Dew Drop Building (now post office, 1896), and prominent
residences such as the Octagon House (ca. 1860) and the Queen Anne style
Former Gladding Mansion (ca. 1880); and

WHEREAS, Today, the Gladding Corporation continues to provide
stability to the hamlet's economy despite a general decline in
population during the Twentieth Century; and

WHEREAS, Located on the banks of the Otselic River in the southwest
corner of the town, South Otselic was the leading population center by
the mid-1800s; in 1850, it boasted a millrace with grist and sawmills
and a ropewalk and many business establishments, two hotels, three
blacksmith shops, wagon makers, an ashery, a large tannery, and assorted
shops; and

WHEREAS, As local industries and agriculture developed,
transportation routes were improved, and a 20-mile plank road was built
to Norwich, the county seat, in 1840; and

WHEREAS, In the 1870s, the Auburn Branch of the Oswego-Midland
Railroad stopped at Otselic Center, four miles north; locally known as
the "Butter and Cheese Express", the railroad provided an outlet for the
town's dairy farms and local industries; and

WHEREAS, Historically, South Otselic has been a rural center,
serving the commercial, social, and religious needs of a remote area; as
the agricultural economy prospered, trips to South Otselic by farmers
and their families for supplies and entertainment sustained a diversity
of small business enterprises in the hamlet as well as a district school
and two churches; and

WHEREAS, Reflecting the increasing prosperity of South Otselic, a
building boom ensued in the late 1870s, lasting until the turn of the
century; large commercial blocks were built in the center of the hamlet,
the grandest of which was the Cox Block, built as a department store
featuring groceries, household goods, a drug store, and an ice cream
parlor with apartments and Masonic rooms above; in 1905, the Otselic
Valley National Bank was also installed in the building; and

WHEREAS, The Perkins Block, (a two-story section survives) relocated
in the 1930s, was another three-story mercantile structure with stores
and a large ballroom for public gatherings, and the Dewdrop Block housed
a theatre and offices; and

WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of
growth and change, the Hamlet of South Otselic continues its commitment
to enhancing the quality of life of its citizens, ensuring a positive
business, institutional and educational climate, and providing all
essential services; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
congratulate the Hamlet of South Otselic, New York, upon the occasion of
being placed on the National Register of Historic Places, 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
transmitted to the Hamlet of South Otselic, New York.