City of Syracuse (New York) history

In 1804, the legislature authorized selling 250 acres of the salt reservation for revenue.

The latter opened a tavern in 1806 and the intersection took on the informal name of, Bogardus Corners.

Around 1815, Forman and a handful of partners formed a land company to buy out Walton’s remaining interests in the tract surrounding Clinton Square.

Construction of the Grand Canal began at Rome, NY in 1817 and the chosen route was headed for Cossitt’s Corners.

The land was sold in a Sherriff’s auction in October of 1818.

Additoinally, Forman was having a survey conducted, and streets laid out in 1819.

A post office, established at Webster’s Landing in 1820, was named Syracuse for the ancient Greek city in Sicily.

When the Erie Canal was completed in 1825, low shipping rates prompted a great increase in salt production, which peaked during the Civil War at eight million bushels annually.

Syracuse, city, city, seat (1827) of Onondaga county, central New York, United States It lies at the south end of Lake Onondaga, midway between Albany and Buffalo (147 miles [237 km] west).

The first New York State Fair was held in Syracuse in 1841.

In 1847, Syracuse annexed the adjoining village of Salina and received a charter as a city.

The Erie Canal Museum is housed in the 1850 Weighlock Building, where canal boats were weighed as they passed through the center of Syracuse during the canal's heyday.

Syracuse was the leading national salt supplier in the 19th century until the industry began to decline in 1870.

The first building on the 50-acre campus was built in 1873.

A new City Hall – originally proposed during the tenure of the first mayor, Harvey Baldwin – was deemed essential; and, in 1889, Mayor Will B. Kirk appointed a commission to oversee the project.

Colton was replaced before construction was completed, and the tower issue is believed to have contributed to Mayor Kirk’s defeat by William Cowie in 1891.

When City Hall opened in 1892, Syracusans were presented with a Richardson Romanesque fortress-like building of rough faced limestone, that covered a small city block.

The Rescue Mission Lifeboat in the Erie Canal Basin behind City Hall, circa 1895.Photo courtesy of the Onondaga Historical Association.

In 1919, the room was subdivided into two floors, thus providing space for the city engineers’ office on the fourth floor and mechanical equipment on the fifth floor.

Now known as the Everson Museum of Art, its present premises were built in 1968.

In 1977, a major renovation project was undertaken by local architects Quinlivan, Pierik & Krause.

In 1988, stained glass panels featuring the new Syracuse logo were donated by Nine Brothers Glass Company of Syracuse.

In September, 1989, the centennial of City Hall was observed with a day-long celebration, which also included the opening of a permanent exhibit in the main hallway of historic photos depicting downtown Syracuse, the Erie Canal and City Hall.