LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the City
of Mechanicville

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to honor and commem-
orate the proud and 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 100th Anniversary of the City of Mechanicville; and
WHEREAS, Tradition holds that four families settled on the south shore
of the Tenedehowa Creek in 1764, a quarter mile upstream from where it
empties into the Hudson River from the west; such humble beginnings as
these would lay the basis for the emergence of a classic "milltown" in
the early 20th century; and
WHEREAS, In the early 19th century, Mechanicville seemed destined to
become the center of a budding, dynamic industry; the creation of the
Champlain Canal spurred further settlement in the early 1800s, as did
the creation of the Saratoga and Rensselaer Railway in 1835; and
WHEREAS, Economic developments in the last quarter of the 19th century
laid the basis for Mechanicville to become a thriving industrial mill-
town; in 1873, the Hudson River Water Power and Paper Company began
construction in Mechanicville on what was then the largest dam on the
Hudson River; and
WHEREAS, The expanded rail connections and papermaking operations
became the basis of the community's growth and development for the
better part of the next 100 years; by the time the United States entered
World War I, the Mechanicville yards had become the third largest
freight transfer hub in the nation; and
WHEREAS, Following the purchase of the local paper mill by the West
Virginia Pulp and Paper Company in 1904, the Mechanicville facility
would develop into the largest book-paper mill in the world; and
WHEREAS, In addition, a thriving textile industry, extensive brickyard
operations, and the continued expansion of local sash and blind manufac-
turing helped Mechanicville become a thriving community of nearly 10,000
residents by the 1920s; and
WHEREAS, Occupying only eight-tenths of a square mile, this rapid
growth spurred efforts by local officials to incorporate Mechanicville
as a city; the State Legislature approved a new city charter which went
into effect in 1915, thus making Mechanicville the smallest City in New
York State; and
WHEREAS, Originally settled by Dutch farmers and migrants from New
England, industrial expansion in the late 19th century attracted large
numbers of migrants from Lithuania, Ireland, and Italy to the community;
and
WHEREAS, Furthermore, each of these ethnic groups established close-
knit enclaves in Mechanicville, and long after restrictive legislation
cut off the flow of emigrants to America, the offspring of the original
migrants continue to honor their origins by adhering to a close-knit,
family-centered way of life which gives this city a unique character of
intimacy that is immediately apparent to visitors; and
WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and
flow of decades of growth and change, the City of Mechanicville contin-
ues to provide the quintessential quality of life for its residents; and
WHEREAS, The residents of Mechanicville, New York 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 Mechanicville'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 100th Anni-
versary; now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the City of Mechanicville, recog-
nizing 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 City of Mechanicville.