 
Assembly Resolution No. 611
 
BY: M. of A. Stec
 
        COMMEMORATING  the Bicentennial Anniversary of the
        Town of Minerva
 
  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
commemorate the Bicentennial Anniversary of  the  Town  of  Minerva,  in
Essex County, New York; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Named for the Roman Goddess of Wisdom, Minerva was founded
by Ebenezer West, an American Revolutionary War soldier,  and  his  five
sons; and
 
  WHEREAS,  On  March 17, 1817, the Town of Minerva was established by
an Act of the New York State Legislature; previously it had been part of
the Town of Schroon, and prior to 1804, a part  of  the  Town  of  Crown
Point;  until 1800, the entire town was a wilderness area inhabited on a
seasonal basis by both the Algonquin and Iroquois nations; and
 
  WHEREAS, In early 1800, Minerva was  settled  by  many  people  from
Vermont, and immigrants from Ireland; the West, Jones and Morse families
were some of the first inhabitants of the Town; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Through  the  1800s,  most  of  the  early  settlers  were
self-sustaining farmers; the population remained stable at around  1,000
residents  until  1900,  when  it  began to steadily decline; farms were
abandoned and a population low of 505 was reached in 1940; and
 
  WHEREAS, The influx of mining at Tahawus, during and after World War
II, brought a growth spurt with the population reaching  nearly  700  by
1950; according to the 2010 Census, the Town of Minerva was inhabited by
809 citizens; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Minerva  is  primarily  mountainous  and  almost  entirely
forested; the Hudson River forms the southwesterly boundary of the Town,
with 15 miles of its course being in Minerva or  forming  its  boundary;
approximately  15  miles  of the Boreas River, the entire lower half, is
within the town; these 30  miles  of  river  are  essentially  wild  and
unsettled  being  surrounded  by  New  York  State  land, which makes up
approximately 75% of all the land in the Town; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Most  of  the  settled  portion  of  Minerva  is  in   the
southeasterly corner; this settled area is about 10% of the Town and was
at  one  time  entirely cleared; it has now mostly grown back to forest,
including any old cellar holes and abandoned roads; and
 
  WHEREAS, The cleared portion was once  about  10,000  acres;  today,
about  1,000  acres  are  now  occupied  or  cleared; the combination of
natural and wild forest land with the man-made beauty  of  Minerva  Lake
 
and  Donnelly  Beach  has  made  Minerva  a popular destination for many
tourists and locals; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  Town of Minerva has enjoyed some interesting history,
including  being  the  birthplace  of  Solomon  Northup,   an   American
abolitionist and the primary author of the memoir, Twelve Years a Slave;
each  year,  the  Town  commemorates  Theodore  Roosevelt's journey from
Newcomb through Minerva en route to the North Creek Train platform where
he became President; the artist Winslow Homer spent  much  time  at  the
Northwoods  Club  in  Minerva,  and  some  of his most famous works were
painted here; the young  Ruth  Bader,  later  to  become  Supreme  Court
Justice  Ruth Bader Ginsburg, spent her childhood and teenage summers at
Camp Che-Na-Wah in Minerva; the  internationally  known  educator,  Ella
Lynch,  made  her  home  in  a house that still stands on New York State
Route 28N; and Francis Donnelly, a descendent of one of the early  Irish
immigrants,  served as Town Supervisor for 46 years, the longest serving
Town Supervisor in the United States; and
 
  WHEREAS, Today, under the luminous leadership of Supervisor, Stephen
R.  McNally, Minerva is the home to an excellent school, many  churches,
a   community   center  and  fire  department,  and  numerous  excellent
restaurants and diners; and
 
  WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb  and  flow  of  decades  of
growth  and  change,  the  Town  of  Minerva 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
commemorate  the  Bicentennial  Anniversary  of  the  Town  of  Minerva,
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 Stephen R. McNally, Supervisor, Town of Minerva.
Commemorating the Bicentennial Anniversary of the Town of Minerva

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