Honor Rome's 150th Anniversary

Senate Resolution No. 2779 BY: Senator GRIFFO COMMEMORATING the 150th Anniversary of the City of Rome, 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 150th Anniversary of the City of Rome, New York; and WHEREAS, Known as "The City of American History," Rome, New York, is located in the Rust Belt of the United States, and is marked by a number of ups and downs similar to that of many Central New York cities; countless people have come, gone, and returned to find that while Rome's appearance may have changed with time, its spirit and rich history remains; and WHEREAS, The first inhabitants of the Oneida Carrying Place, presently Rome, were the Haudenosaunee Indians, who used this route through the woods for travel and trade; eventually, New York became a British colony and the Oneida Carrying Place was imperative to military efforts as it was used to transport supplies during the French and Indian War; and WHEREAS, On March 17, 1786, one of Rome's great pioneers, Dominick Lynch, placed the winning bid for the Expense Lot, a 69-acre tract of land taken from the Oriskany Patent; shortly after, he began purchasing land to the north and east of the Expense Lot with plans of developing the Village of Lynchville in what became known as the Town of Rome; and WHEREAS, A portion of the property owned by Lynch was utilized by the Western Inland Lock Navigation Company (WILNC), which was partially responsible for not only one of the most significant developments in Rome, but the nation's history; their efforts to improve water travel by building the Rome Canal along the Oneida Carrying Place laid the foundation for the construction of the Erie Canal; and WHEREAS, On Independence Day of 1817, the first shovelful of dirt turned for the Erie Canal groundbreaking ceremony was taken in Rome, one year prior to its incorporation as a Village; Rome's commercial growth as a result of the Erie Canal played a major role in the eventual granting of its city charter; and WHEREAS, Dedicated on July 19, 1853, Rome Cemetery is the resting place of some of the most prominent and accomplished citizens in Rome's history, including Francis Bellamy who is well known for writing the original version of the Pledge of Allegiance in 1891; and WHEREAS, After the establishment of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdensburgh Railroad, as well as multiple iron mills and other large companies, a town meeting was called by the Village President and a public debate was held to discuss Rome's potential incorporation as a city; and WHEREAS, At the meeting, Roman Henry O. Southworth proclaimed, "...in the opinion of this meeting, the time has arrived when the Village of Rome should be constituted the City of Rome"; on February 23,