 
Senate Resolution No. 607
 
BY: Senator WEBB
 
        COMMEMORATING the 200th Anniversary of the Town of
        Vestal
 
  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 Vestal in Broome
County, New York, on January 22, 2023; and
 
  WHEREAS, Three Native American sites existed along the south bank of
the Susquehanna, the most prominent of which was Chugnut at the mouth of
the Big Choconut Creek, and was  sadly  destroyed  in  August  of  1779,
during the Sullivan-Clinton Campaign; and
 
  WHEREAS, Vestal was established by the New York State Legislature on
January  22,  1823,  having previously been a part of the Town of Union;
and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  Town  encompasses  52  square   miles   between   the
Susquehanna  River  and  the  Pennsylvania  border; the City and Town of
Binghamton from the eastern border, with Tioga County to the west; and
 
  WHEREAS, Two major creeks, the Big Choconut and  Tracy  Creek,  feed
the Susquehanna River, which the Town borders on its northern side; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Samuel Murdock was the first ever elected Town Supervisor;
he was born in Connecticut in 1787, and was an early pioneer who  became
a prosperous farmer; and
 
  WHEREAS,  The  Town  of  Vestal  began  as  a  logging  and  farming
community, later adding light industry in the first quarter of the  20th
Century; and
 
  WHEREAS, The D. L. & W. Railroad was constructed through the Town in
1881,  increasing  the  connectivity  between other municipalities while
subsequently boosting the Town's economy; and
 
  WHEREAS, A network of one-room school districts centralized in 1936,
and in 1973, becoming the Vestal Central School District; and
 
  WHEREAS,"The  Million  Dollar  Main  Street,"  the  Vestal  Parkway,
brought diverse business and retail to the Town; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Numerous  subdivisions  to  house  International  Business
Machines (IBM) and Endicott Johnson Corporation  (E-J)  employees  later
replaced former farmland; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Rapid growth ensued as Harpur College established a campus
in 1960 on the former Hazard Lewis Farm; and
 
  WHEREAS, The nearby State  University  of  New  York  at  Binghamton
became  Binghamton University, one of the premier public universities in
the Northeast, with an enrollment of over 18,000 students; and
 
  WHEREAS,  Census  records  indicate that Vestal is the only Southern
Tier municipality that continues to increase in population, a  testament
to the beauty and prosperity of the Town; and
 
  WHEREAS, Of historic origin, and remaining fruitful over the ebb and
flow  of  decades  of growth and change, the Town of Vestal continues to
provide a high quality of life for its residents; and
 
  WHEREAS, The residents of the Town of Vestal have a  bright  outlook
for  the  future  of their community, which remains a beautiful place in
which to live and raise a family; and
 
  WHEREAS, The Town of Vestal has been richly served by the  dedicated
service of Margaret Hadsell, Town Historian; and
 
  WHEREAS,  In  recognition  of  the Town of Vestal's rich history and
enduring contribution to the State of New York, this Legislative Body is
proud to pay tribute to this spirited Town  upon  the  occasion  of  its
200th Anniversary; now, therefore, be it
 
  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Town of  Vestal,  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  Town  Supervisor,  John  Schaffer,  and  Board Members,
Patricia  Fitzgerald,  Suzanne  Messina,  Stephen  Donnelly,  and   John
Fletcher.
Commemorating the 200th Anniversary of the Town of Vestal

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