LEGISLATIVE RESOLUTION commemorating the 200th Anniversary of Hamilton
County, New York, on April 12, 2016

WHEREAS, It is the intent of this Legislative Body to honor and recog-
nize the distinguished histories of communities across this great Empire
State, and to celebrate the people and places that make these communi-
ties strong; 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 Hamilton County, New York, to be cele-
brated with a myriad of public Bicentennial events on Tuesday, April 12,
2016; and
WHEREAS, For the past 200 years, Hamilton County has proudly stood as
a close-knit, safe and vibrant community in the Adirondack Park region
of northern New York State, the largest park in the contiguous United
States; and
WHEREAS, Hamilton County remained a wilderness long after New York
State had divided into counties; it was formed from part of Montgomery
County on April 12, 1816, as a provisional county and remained under the
legislative control of Montgomery County until the late 1830s, since
there were too few residents to form a government according to State law
until that time; and
WHEREAS, In approximately 1840, Hamilton County became an independent
entity with the county seat at Sageville, the present Lake Pleasant;
however, even after it attained autonomy, the county was threatened with
dissolution through annexation to neighboring counties several times
until as late as 1930; and
WHEREAS, For over a century after its initial founding, it was not
certain that Hamilton County would continue as a self-governing poli-
tical unit; however, despite the challenges of a perpetually sparse
population, difficult climate, economic reliance on the unpredictable
tourism industry, and general remoteness from more urban areas of the
State, the county endured, making it and its steadfast residents a prov-
en example of fortitude and determination; and
WHEREAS, The county's borders were adjusted on a couple of occasions;
on April 6, 1860, Fulton County was partitioned, with 10 square miles of
land in Sacandaga Park transferred to Hamilton County, and on May 24,
1915, land was swapped between Hamilton and Essex counties, with Hamil-
ton County ceding Fishing Brook Mountain for Indian Lake; in the
exchange, Hamilton County gained an additional 20 square miles; and
WHEREAS, The county is named after Alexander Hamilton, the only member
of the New York State delegation who signed the United States Constitu-
tion in 1787; he later served as the first United States Secretary of
the Treasury; and
WHEREAS, With a 2010 Census population of 4,836, Hamilton County is
the least populous county in the State of New York; however, it has a
total area of approximately 1,808 square miles, of which 1,717 square
miles is land and 90 square miles (5.0%) is water, making it the State's
third-largest county by land area; and
WHEREAS, Hamilton County is one of only two counties in the State that
lie entirely within the Adirondack Park and consists mostly of publicly
owned "forever wild" Forest Preserve land; and
WHEREAS, The county is made up of nine towns: Arietta, Benson, Hope,
Indian Lake, Inlet, Lake Pleasant, Long Lake, Morehouse, and Wells, and
one incorporated village, Speculator, which was established in 1925, and
is situated within the Town of Lake Pleasant; and

WHEREAS, Hamilton County is governed by a Board of Supervisors, one
representing each of the county's nine townships; each supervisor has a
weighted vote based on the population of the town he or she represents;
the weighted vote is recalculated every ten years based on census data;
and
WHEREAS, In December of 1941, days after the attack on Pearl Harbor,
the United States entered WWII and Hamilton County residents quickly
mobilized for the war effort; with a population of less than 4,200 at
that time, 432 Hamilton County residents left their homes to serve in
the Armed Forces; and
WHEREAS, During this time, the Hamilton County Red Cross Chapter
provided food packages, nursing staff and assistance in countless ways;
women were left with the monumental task of keeping the home front while
also supporting the war effort; today, approximately 626 veterans reside
in Hamilton County; and
WHEREAS, With beautiful mountains, trails, rivers, streams, and an
estimated 77 lakes, Hamilton County's largest private employers are
tourism-related facilities, including lodging properties, resorts, muse-
ums, historic sites, float planes, boat tours, and Nordic and Alpine ski
areas; and
WHEREAS, In the summer months, the population of the county quadru-
ples, from 4,836 to almost 20,000; seasonal residents out-number perma-
nent residents 3:1; and
WHEREAS, Tourists admire the area's immense beauty, and are surprised
to discover there is no permanent traffic light anywhere in the county;
and
WHEREAS, Hamilton County has continued its steadfast commitment to
enhancing the quality of life for all of its residents, ensuring a safe,
peaceful and educational climate for individuals and families to thrive;
now, therefore, be it
RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorate the 200th Anniversary of Hamilton County to be celebrated on
April 12, 2016, in order to recognize the significant role the county
plays in the life of the community of the State of New York; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be tran-
smitted to William G. Farber, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors,
Hamilton County, and to Dr. Eliza Jane Darling, Hamilton County Histori-
an.