A New Sign Dots the Stony Creek Landscape
On Saturday, September 5, 2020, a new historical marker was unveiled in the Town of Stony Creek. The sign was made available with a grant by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation in Syracuse, New York.
The bright blue and yellow sign was erected on the Warrensburg Road near Lottie Road, just to the east of the sign that welcomes people to Stony Creek.
Town of Stony Creek Historian Cynthia Cameron and Stan Cianfarano, Warren County Historian worked on an application for a sign grant which was accepted. The finished sign arrived at the Stony Creek Town Office in mid-May, with the hopes of unveiling it at the start of the 2nd annual “The Other Side of the Creek” event. Unfortunately, the event was cancelled and the unveiling was moved to this day in September.
Cynthia addressed the group of about fifteen. Below are her comments:
“Good morning and welcome!
I am Cindy Cameron, Stony Creek Town Historian, a position that I have held since 1991.
Joining me today is Dr. Stan Cianfarano Warren County Historian, whose help on this project was invaluable, and Supervisor Frank Thomas. Thomas’ support, along with the town board, was another valuable piece to this project becoming a reality.
We would like to thank you for joining us today as we unveil our new historical marker made available by the William G. Pomeroy Foundation. This historical marker will inform visitors and residents how a beech tree marked a corner where the ‘“Small Tract,’ ‘Great Tract’ and ‘Hyde Township’ land patents joined to form the Stony Creek town line.
In applying for a sign grant, documentation of primary sources is needed to prove that a sign is historically correct. You have to provide proof that the owner of the property (Town of Stony Creek) approves and send in a letter of intent.
There are specific time frames to follow, the documentation, a five-line description and title (which is not as easy as it sounds) and then the review from the foundation and the waiting for acceptance or not. It can be a difficult time!
For this sign, some of the documentation included a deed citing the original line, an abstract of an Indian deed dated 1772, The First Hundred Years, 1771-1860, David and Edythe Haskell’s book, (This book stated, ‘…at or near the northeast corner of 1000 Acres Golf Course,’ which we are standing across from now), maps and a letter from the Town of Stony Creek giving us permission to put the sign on this spot.
Before we unveil the sign, Supervisor Thomas will say a few words.”
Cynthia’s comments ended here.
Frank Thomas spoke briefly and the sign was unveiled.
Cynthia continued by pointing out the displays she had prepared (a map and a copy of the Indian abstract).
Stony Creek Town Historian Cynthia Cameron points out her displays
She also told the group about applying for another sign with hopes for unveiling it at ‘The Other Side of the Creek’ event in June of 2021.
The sign would be located farther down on Warrensburg Road and mark the location of the David M. Cameron cemetery. The graves were exhumed in that cemetery and moved to Warrensburg circa 1928 when a plan to build a dam in Hadley was proposed that would flood the valley. Of course, the dam was never built.
The Town of Stony Creek, and Historians Cynthia Cameron and Stan Cianfarano wish to thank the William G. Pomeroy Foundation for their generous gift.
