Year |
Event |
1761 |
the first settlers came to Ash Grove |
1772 |
the Cambridge District was formed. It consisted of
the territories of Cambridge, Jackson and White Creek, as well as part
of Vermont, including what is now Bennington |
1788 |
the Town of Cambridge became part of Albany County.
It was the 200th anniversary of this date that prompted
the creation of the “Will Moses” Cambridge History book |
1791 |
the Town was annexed to Washington County.
|
1799 |
Northern Turnpike (Turnpike Road) built from
Lansingburgh to Granville |
1799 |
first schoolhouse opened, located on east side of
Academy Street |
1815 |
Cambridge Washington Academy built, located at
corner of Academy Street and Pleasant Street |
1816 |
the Town of Cambridge was subdivided into what we
know today as the Towns of Cambridge, White Creek, and Jackson. The
edict was filed in 1815, effective 1-Apr-1816. The “Welcome to Town of
White Creek” sign uses the 1815 date |
1844 |
addition added to Cambridge Washington Academy |
1852 |
Rutland and Washington Railroad was built |
1853 |
NYS created the Union School Act to give money to
communities to improve their schools. Cambridge declined the funds |
1866 |
North White Creek (East End), Cambridge Corners
(West End), and Dorr's Corners (Rt 313 and East main) merged to form
Village of Cambridge |
1866 |
JJ Gray Fire Engine Co No 1 formed |
1872 |
Cambridge Washington Academy closed, a probable
result of the recession of 1872-1873 |
1873 |
Cambridge Washington Academy reopened as Cambridge
Union School of the West District |
1873 |
Putnam Institute opened as Cambridge Union School
of the East District |
1879 |
Rice Seed House and foot bridge built |
1883 |
JB Rice built a stone wall along Blair’s brook
|
1885 |
Cambridge Hotel built |
1885 |
Union House hotel built |
1885 |
Cambridge Water Works created |
1887 |
Tile sewer laid on First Street through Pearl
Street, across Main Street into Blair’s brook |
1888 |
The blizzard on March 12-14 was the worst in
history. Snow drifts exceeded 40 feet. Temperatures dropped from the
50’s to minus 30’s in a day. The SuperStorm of 1993 was called Storm
of the Century since it was the worst in the 20th century
but nothing like the Blizzard of 1888. In January of 1888 the MidWest
experienced a similar storm, again called the worst in history. Books
have been written about these two storms of 1888. |
1891 |
Tile sewer extended to include Main Street |
1891 |
Cambridge Union School opened on land reclaimed
from the Cambridge Swamp |
1891 |
Electric street lights installed on Main Street |
1891 |
JB Rice bought Lauderdale Fair, moved it to
Cambridge, where it was known as the Great Cambridge fair until 1947 |
1895 |
Tile sewer extended to Broad Street and Spring
Street |
1900 |
Telephone service in the village |
1902 |
Voted to construct a trolley line; work was never
started |
1905 |
Rice Mansion completed (party on 31-Oct) |
1906 |
Movement to put electric and telephone lines
underground was defeated |
1910 |
Cambridge jail closed. Prisoners now taken to Salem
jail |
1912 |
First village dump |
1914 |
Village speed limit set at 15 MPH |
1914 |
Hubbard Annex (old bus garage) added to Cambridge
High School |
1914 |
Main Street paved, became the Yellow Brick Road |
1916 |
Silent Policemen were placed at Park Street, Union
Street, and Tannery intersections |
1917 |
July 4th laying of the cornerstone at
Mary McClellan Hospital |
1919 |
Free mail delivery established |
1921 |
Houses were numbered for the first time |
1922 |
Cambridge Washington Academy demolished |
1922 |
Cannon placed on grounds of Cambridge High School
and Public Library |
1923 |
Florence Nightingale School of Nursing opened at
Mary McClellan Hospital |
1926 |
First permanent police officer hired |
1927 |
The “President of the Village” became known as the
“Mayor” |
1928 |
Decided to blow fire siren every day at noon for
test purposes |
1929 |
Traffic light erected at Main and Park |
1923 |
Village speed limit increased to 20 MPH |
1927 |
NYS created Central School Act to give money to
communities to consolidate the rural one-room schools into central
schools. 276 schools in Washington county were to be consolidated into
11 central school districts. Transportation funds were included.
Cambridge declined |
1932 |
Village defeats motion to purchase Cambridge Water
Works |
1933 |
Vote allowed motion pictures to be shown on Sunday
nights |
1939 |
Village speed limit increased to 25 MPH |
1945 |
Park Place became one-way street |
1946 |
Hitchcock farm on South Park Street purchased as
location of new central school |
1947 |
Cambridge High School burns |
1947 |
First street dances on Broad Street |
1949 |
Village purchased Newcomb property at south end of
Pearl Street for village dump |
1950 |
Cambridge Central School – District no. 10 opens |
1950 |
Summer youth program began |
1950 |
Old firehouse torn down. New municipal building
erected |
1950 |
Lions Club donated Christmas lights for street
decorations |
1951 |
Complaints about cock fights being held in the
village |
1951 |
Walk from Avenue B to the school was built |
1953 |
Decided to build a swimming pool on the school
playground. Not sure if this was ever completed |
1954 |
Village houses were renumbered (see separate
article for complete list) |
1956 |
Fire Dept Auxiliary sponsored street dance on Grove
Street |
1956 |
American Legion held carnival in RR Park |
1957 |
Lions Club sponsored skating rink in RR Park |
1958 |
Police were stationed at school crossing in morning
and after school |
1962 |
Two-way radio established between Hospital and Fire
Station |
1964 |
Village speed limit increased to 30 MPH |
1964 |
Purchased land near old Sunrise School on Plains
Road for use as landfill |
1966 |
Speed limit on Rt 313 set at 40 MPH |
1969 |
Discussed eliminating bon fires before football
games |
1970 |
Lot graded on South Park Street for Rescue Squad
building |
1971 |
Noise pollution from starlings in woods between
Avenue A and CCS |
1974 |
Bandstand moved from Cambridge Fair grounds to CCS |