Live in Liverpool NY, a suburb of Syracuse

Liverpool is a village located in Onondaga County, New York, United States. The population was 2,505 at the 2000 census. The name was adopted from the city of Liverpool in the United Kingdom. The village is in the western part of the town of Salina and is northwest of Syracuse, of which it is a suburb.

Liverpool NY History

The area was originally inhabited by the Iroquois, starting in the 16th century. In the mid-17th century, Canadian French Jesuits visited the area, setting up missions. These were not very permanent, however. An example of these missions is Ste. Marie among the Iroquois, just outside the village. Once the Erie Canal and Oswego Canals were built, the area was settled by Irish canal workers, Yankee settlers, and, later, German immigrants. The early recorded name for the village was "Little Ireland."

Erie Canal and salt 

Jonathan Danforth, brother of Asa Danforth, who was the founder of Onondaga Valley, was first settler in the region east of Onondaga Lake which forms the village of Liverpool today. Danforth moved there in 1794 to manufacture salt.

Others followed soon after, including; Patrick Riley, Joseph Gordon, James Armstrong and Charles Morgan.

By 1800, the area was a "sprightly little hamlet" and the scene of much bartering and trade. Local farmers preferred to market products in Liverpool and avoid the mud of lower Salina. After the Erie Canal and the Oswego Canal branch were opened, trade in the area quickly expanded and Liverpool had a reputation as a busy port community.

Early industries included several salt works in the 19th Century and a saw mill. A history of the area's salt mining can be found at the Salt Museum.

Village incorporated

The New York State surveyor general laid out the streets in the village and changed its named from "Little Ireland" to Liverpool. The village was incorporated on April 20, 1830. It was named after the city of Liverpool in England. This was probably done because like its eponym, Liverpool also produced salt and village leaders wanted to capitalize on the name of another famous salt-producing region.

Early settlement

 The first school in the settlement was named Connor's School, or The High School, and had students from Salina and Onondaga Valley in attendance. The headmaster of the school was also a salt boiler.

Local merchants at the time of incorporation included Joseph Jaqueth and his brother, Sampson Jaqueth, who was also village president. Other merchants were the Corbin brothers and the Hasbroucks.

Industry

A reservoir was built in 1834 halfway between Liverpool and Salina villages to accommodate local factories. The largest industry in the area was the factory of C. A. Fargo & John S. Forger, who operated a sash, blind and casket manufactory. At that time, there were no more than 60 buildings in Liverpool.

During its heyday as a canal port, Liverpool also had a large boat repair industry. Many canal boats were sent in need of repair to Francis Meloling's Drydock.

The hotel business was booming. George Ingersoll built the Globe Hotel. Liverpool was also the cigar manufacturing center during the 1890s. The opening of the Syracuse Northern Railroad on November 9, 1871, drew trade from Liverpool to Syracuse and had much to do with the "decline" of the village. In 1918, the Oswego Canal was closed. The Onondaga Lake Park, established in 1931, is now the location of much of the old canal bed.

Willow baskets

After the salt industry began to die out, willow baskets were Liverpool's main export and for many years the village was supported by the willow weaving industry. This business was reputedly started in the early 1850s by a German salt boiler named John Fischer. He saw a stand of willow that reminded him of those from his homeland and began the craft locally.

By 1870, the industry had grown, using mostly German workers, to produce baskets and furniture. Otherwise poor land was planted with the trees, providing a growing industry which gave the area an economic boost as the salt industry was in decline. One of the main proponents in the business was Lucius Gleason who was born in Liverpool in 1819 and was president of the Third National Bank of Syracuse. He helped provide capital for the growing business.

At its peak in 1892, around 360,000 baskets were shipped across the country. The depression era was the death knell for the industry in the 1930s, although some weavers were still active as late as the 1960s. More information can be found at the Willow Museum.

Geography

Liverpool is located at 43°6′21″N 76°12′34″W / 43.10583°N 76.20944°W (43.105967, -76.209564).[2] It takes up most of the northeastern bank of Onondaga Lake. Onondaga Lake Park is one of the most prominent locales in Liverpool, known for its several trams that travel the length of the park. It attracts over one million visitors each year.

Onondaga Lake Park

According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 0.8 square miles (1.9 km²), all of it land. New York State Route 370 is an east-west highway that runs through the village. The New York State Thruway (Interstate 90) passes through the northern part of the village.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,505 people, 1,154 households, and 641 families residing in the village. In the village the population was spread out with 20.6% under the age of 18, 7.1% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 16.9% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years.

The median income for a household in the village was $37,581, and the median income for a family was $45,179. [Wikipedi]

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