Important Events in the Development of the Town of Covert
July 25, 1782 Military Tract created to compensate Revolutionary War soldiers
March 5, 1794 Onondaga County established from the Military Tract
March 5, 1794 Town of Ovid created within Onondaga County
March 8, 1799 Cayuga County created from Onondaga County
February 16, 1803 Baptist Church of Covert established, known as Baptist Church of Ovid and Hector. Under Elder Thomas became the Mother Church spinning off 12 additional Baptist Churches
March 29, 1804 Seneca County created from Cayuga County
March 19, 1810 Ithaca & Geneva Turnpike Incorporated
1811 Corduroy road completed
1812 First schoolhouse in Farmerville in a log cabin and later, a frame building. Called Farmerville Academy
June 12, 1814 Captain Hathaway’s Company a unit of the New York Volunteers proceeded to the Niagara Frontier
January 31, 1815 Post Office established at Mc Call’s store- first in Seneca County
April 7, 1817 Town of Covert created from Town of Ovid and included in the establishment of Tompkins County
April 13, 1819 Town of Covert returned from Tompkins County to Seneca County
May 8, 1819 Name of Post Office changed from Mc Calls Store to Farmer
October 18, 1819 Union Baptist Church in Christ organized in Farmer
Early Summer 1820 First Steam Boat on Cayuga Lake (The Enterprise) Passengers avoided stage coach ride from Ithaca to Geneva
March 8, 1824 Post Office established at Covert
January 26, 1826 Town of Lodi established from Town of Covert
June 28, 1828 Bethel Chapel of Covert organized
November 28, 1830 Reformed Church of Farmerville organized. Formerly called the Reformed Protestant Dutch Church.
March 30, 1843 Military Lots No. 34, 40, 41, 42 in Township of Ovid annexed to Town of Covert
1847 The South and North Cemetery Associations were formed
February
10, 1850 Universalist Church formed
March 12, 1850 Annual Meeting of the Town of Covert held in new Covert Town Hall
May 5, 1856 Post Office established at Port Deposit
1860 The South and North Cemetery Associations were merged to form the Farmerville-Union Cemetery
1863 John M. Chadwick detailed to organize a band for the 3rd Brigade and was later appointed leader. Band mostly comprised of members of the 126th New York Volunteers
November 20, 1865 Name of Post Office changed from Farmer to Farmer Village
1866 Inception of taxing all landowners to support Common Schools grade 1 to 6
1867 Farmerville Institute, a select school operating in Farmer Village
October 28, 1869 Farmer Union Free School opened
June 4, 1870 Maiden voyage of largest and last steamboat (The Frontenac) on Cayuga Lake. Burned on July 27, 1907. Eight lives lost
September 13, 1873 Geneva & Ithaca Railroad completed
April 2, 1874 Farmer Grange No. 160 organized
June 4, 1874 Cornerstone laid for the St. Francis Solanus Catholic Church.
July
4, 1876 One thousand people gather at the Baptist Church
of Covert to hear the first ringing of the new bell to commemorate the
centennial of the Declaration of Independence
September 30, 1876 Geneva & Ithaca Railroad came under control of Lehigh Valley Railroad
December 30, 1880 The Big Fire started from hot ashes dumped in a wooden ash barrel
February 17, 1891 Cataract Engine and Hose Company No. 1 organized in Farmer Village
May 26, 1892 Name of Post Office changed from Farmer Village to Farmer
1895 Phone Service provided by Seneca Telephone Company
August 14, 1896 Universalist Church property sold and used as a bean elevator. Bell given to the Fire Company. Building burned on July 23, 1904.
1900 Secondary school approved in Farmer
1903 Ovid Electric Company organized
March 2, 1904 Village of Interlaken Incorporated
1904
Farmer Union
Free School and Farmer Academy became Interlaken High School
May 20, 1904 Name of Post Office changed from Farmer to Interlaken
April 1, 1911 Covert Grange No. 1227 organized
1921 Hinman family purchased, restored and gave to the Village of Interlaken the former Hinman home for a public library.
July 1927 Camp Barton established on the grounds of the Frontenac Hotel
July 1935 Severe summer thunderstorms devastated the area causing flooding and much damage to roads, railroads, buildings and crops
July
1, 1934 Interlaken Central School organized, the new
building opened for classes January 1936
October 31, 1951 Interlaken Historical Society formed to preserve the history of South Seneca County
Somedate 1963 New Post office opens on site of former Bergen Home, Main Street at West Avenue.
May 1, 1968
Voters approve merger of Interlaken and Ovid Central Schools, now know as
the South Seneca School District
April 25, 1970 Covert Grange disbanded. Members turned to Interlaken Grange
References:
Early History, &c. Town of Covert, Seneca Co., N.Y., Wayne E., Morrison Sr.,
1983
Between the Lakes, The History of South Seneca County 1976, Maurice L.
Patterson, 1976
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