Honor Fort Covington Bicentennial

Senate Resolution No. 1393 BY: Senator LITTLE COMMEMORATING the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Fort Covington on February 28, 2017 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 200th Anniversary of the Town of Fort Covington, in Franklin County, New York; and WHEREAS, On Tuesday, February 28, 2017, Supervisor, Patricia Manchester, friends and neighbors gathered at the Senior Center to eat a beef stew dinner together, and celebrate the Bicentennial Anniversary of their hometown; and WHEREAS, In addition, the Fort Covington Historical Society will be selling their own 2017 calendars which have marked certain days throughout the year with sponsored events the group will be hosting, including the museum's Open House in May, the Firemen's Field Day in August, and the Ghost Walk in October; and WHEREAS, This monumental celebration was coordinated by several groups including Moms of the Fort, North Franklin Sports, the Fort Covington Adult Center, the Fort Covington Fire Department, American Legion Post 1418, and the Fort Covington Town Board; and WHEREAS, The Town of Fort Covington was officially created on

February 28, 1817, after splitting off from the town of Constable; part of the initial town later split off to form the town of Bombay in 1833; and WHEREAS, Several years before, the area of Fort Covington was known as French Mills and served as the location for an American military outpost during the War of 1812; the outpost coordinated American soldiers facing British soldiers across the border in what became Canada, and often housed soldiers injured in the fighting; and WHEREAS, The outpost, and later the town, was named after Leonard Covington, a United States Congressman from Maryland, and later General in the War of 1812; he was mortally wounded in the Battle of Crysler's Farm, near Cornwall, Ontario, and subsequently, the Town was named after him; and WHEREAS, The residents of Fort Covington seem poised to revive their history; the Town has recently begun setting up their own Historical Society and have been sprucing up the old historical museum in the Town Hall building; and WHEREAS, Back in the 1970s, town residents renovated the old country schoolhouse near Salmon River; the schoolhouse is now used to host some local events and a tour destination for area children, who now attend the Salmon River Central School District; and WHEREAS, Under the luminous leadership of President, Anne Smith, the Historical Society hopes to see a similar revitalization with the town museum; members have been cleaning out the area and setting up displays, including several decades of newspapers printed by the old Fort Covington Sun from between 1887 to 1995; and WHEREAS, The Historical Society also plans on implementing an outreach and research project to find information about veterans who had lived or grown up in Fort Covington, and discover local families who have a long lineage in the Town; and WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of growth and change, the Town of Fort Covington 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 200th Anniversary of the Town of Fort Covington, 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 Patricia Manchester, Supervisor, Town of Fort Covington, and Anne Smith, President, Town of Fort Covington Historical Society.