Honor Henrietta's 200th Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 4654 BY: Senator GALLIVAN COMMEMORATING the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Henrietta, New York 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 Henrietta, in Monroe County, New York; and WHEREAS, The first settlers of record, Major Ezekiel (sometimes listed as Isaac) and Catherine Scott purchased 900 acres of land near the Genesee River in Township XII, Range VII from the Phelps and Gorham Purchase in 1790 and moved to this area the following year; the land was then sold to Sir William Johnstone Pulteney and his partners, who in turn sold it to Dutch investors; and WHEREAS, In the late 1700s and early 1800s, the township was known as the West Woods of Pittsford; permanent settlement began in 1806 when the settlers contracted to purchase land from William Six of Holland through his agent James Wadsworth; these early pioneers faced several challenges, and many were forced to sell their property and move west; and WHEREAS, In 1817, a town meeting was held in the school house near the southwest corner of what is now East Henrietta and Lehigh Station Roads; at this time, the name of Henrietta was chosen for Township XII, Range VII, in honor of Henrietta Laura Pulteney, Countess of Bath, England, the only child of Sir William Johnstone Pulteney who at one time owned the land that included the township; and WHEREAS, The New York State legislature was petitioned, and on March

1821; and WHEREAS, Like the other towns surrounding the City of Rochester, Henrietta remained a predominately agricultural community until after World War II; in the early 1940s, the Genesee Airport and the Hylan School of Aeronautics provided training for individuals interested in becoming pilots; and WHEREAS, Established in 1945, the Gannett Experimental Farm showcased new agricultural methods and farm equipment, and was visited by local Future Farmers of America clubs, state, national and international agricultural dignitaries; two years later, the Monroe County Fairgrounds were opened; and WHEREAS, In 1951, the Rush Henrietta Central School opened its doors to students for the first time; it was the first school building in New York State to house all students from Kindergarten through grade 12 on one floor, including the cafeteria, auditorium, gymnasium and library; and WHEREAS, Through the next few decades, the Town continued to grow and prosper; in 1954, construction for the Suburban Heights housing subdivision began across from Suburban Plaza, now named Town Centre, and "the miracle mile" along Jefferson Road was developed; and WHEREAS, Suburban neighborhoods continued to be added in the town and the population growth was reflected by the school district; the Town grew from 3,400 to 11,600 between 1950 and 1960, and consequently, eight elementary and two junior high schools were added to the school district, with a new high school opening in 1966; and WHEREAS, In 1968, The Rochester Institute of Technology purchased over 1,000 acres of land and moved to Henrietta; the campus included The National Technological Institute for the Deaf; in 2018, the well-known college celebrated its 50th Anniversary in Henrietta; and WHEREAS, Under the leadership of Don Cook, the first town park, now Veterans Memorial Park, was opened on Calkins Road in 1962; the Wedgewood Bowl Bandstand was added to the park four years later and was the site for the summer theater program and a variety of band concerts; and WHEREAS, Elected in 1985, Jim Breese was the longest serving supervisor in the town's history; throughout his 11-term tenure, he was instrumental in expanding the parks system, opening the Don Cook Senior Center in 1991, and developing the Tinker Nature Park; and WHEREAS, Through the vision of Supervisor Jack Moore, a new town recreation center opened in January of 2016; under the current administration of Supervisor Steve Schultz, the ground breaking for a new library occurred in March of 2018, with the building scheduled to open in the spring of 2019; and WHEREAS, Supervisor Shultz also oversaw the opening of both the Rochester Regional Health Care Facility and OFD Foods, and an expansion to the SPS Medical Supply Corporation; the Veteran's Administration Outpatient Clinic will be opening soon, and Paychex and IDEX Health and Science and U of R Clinical Labs will be expanding its facilities; and WHEREAS, In addition, a new Wiregrass Office Park is being developed on Johns Street, the former Kodak Marketing Facility is being converted to the Riverwood Tech Campus, and a New York State Thruway entrance on West Henrietta Road was opened in 2018; and WHEREAS, Supervisor Schultz and other town leaders are also interested in preserving and protecting the more rural areas of the community; the Farmland Protection Plan should be completed within the year, a Multi-Family Zoning Plan will ensure multi-family projects are built where there is infrastructure in place to support the projects, and the number of bike paths, walking trails and sidewalks will be increased to improve bicycle and pedestrian safety for the residents and to provide easier access to the parks and recreational facilities within the town; and WHEREAS, Over the course of 200 years, the Town of Henrietta has changed from a rural agricultural community to a suburban community that is home to almost 43,000 residents; and WHEREAS, The Town of Henrietta's forefathers came to the area because they recognized the potential of the undeveloped land to become a place to build their farms and raise their families; today, the citizens of Henrietta acknowledge their foresight and hard work and strive to continue to develop the Town to be a place where future generations will want to live, work and play together; and WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of growth and change, the Town of Henrietta 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 Henrietta, New York, 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 L. Schultz, Supervisor, Town of Henrietta.