Honor Wilton's 200th Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 4873 BY: Senator MARCHIONE COMMEMORATING the Bicentennial of the Town of Wilton 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 Wilton in Saratoga County, New York; and WHEREAS, The Town of Wilton celebrated its Bicentennial with three full days of activities held April 20-22, 2018, beginning with a re-enactment of the first town meeting at Wilton Mall's center court, followed by the premier showing of "Wilton 200," a documentary video, and the launch of Wilton 200 Kids' Quest, an event created by Boy Scout Troop 24 that encourages children to earn a patch by completing a history-oriented adventure trail from now through the end of summer; and WHEREAS, In addition, a self-guided Historic Site Tour, starting at Wilton Heritage Museum where maps directing people to various sites were available; tour stops included the former Gurn Springs Methodist Church, now home to Finishing Touches Home Decor & More; an 1830s barn; and the former South Wilton Methodist Church, the oldest (1854) existing church building in Wilton; and WHEREAS, The Historic Sites Tour also included six old cemeteries, some dating back to about 1800; Louden Road Cemetery is the final resting place of several Civil War veterans, and Revolutionary War veteran Edward Bevins, a 16-year-old drummer boy at the Battle of Bunker Hill; and WHEREAS, To conclude the tour, Stewart's Shops gave out samples of its Bicentennial ice cream called Karner blueberry at Camp Saratoga; and WHEREAS, The region, once called Palmertown was first settled around

1764; the Town of Wilton was created in 1818 from the Town of Northumberland; and WHEREAS, The Grant Cottage State Historic Site is located in Wilton, in an area known as Mount McGregor, which is the highest peak of the Palmertown Range, mostly north of Wilton; this site is the place where Ulysses S. Grant died of throat cancer in 1885, just after completing his memoirs; and WHEREAS, Remaining fruitful over the ebb and flow of decades of growth and change, the Town of Wilton 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 of the Town of Wilton, 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 Jeannine Woutersz, Town of Wilton Historian.