Boston Corner (New York)

Boston Corner is a suburb ( hamlet - unincorporated community ) of the parish of Ancram in Columbia County , New York , United States and the city of Northeast in Dutchess County , New York. Originally the place belonged to the area of Mount Washington (Massachusetts) , however on January 11, 1855 Massachusetts ceded it to New York, because the geographically isolated location made it almost impossible to maintain law and order in the place.

geography

The place is now only a little more than a kilometer from the "triangle" New York, Massachusetts and Connecticut . The eastern part of the area is characterized by the western slope of the Taconic Mountains with the Taconic State Park . The Noster Kill , which runs south to north and receives numerous small tributaries from the slopes of the Taconics, forms the valley in which Boston Corner lies. To the north of the settlement, the stream forms the Prechey Hollow . To the west of the settlement rises Fox Hill , which rises to 410 m above sea level, while the place itself is about 220 m above sea level. The Taconics rise up to 706 m ( ⊙ ) on Brace Mountain . The NY 22 forms the main artery of the town after the railway lines were abandoned. 42.044166666667 -73.4925

history

The place was seen from Boston on the back (west side) of the Taconic Mountains , which extend roughly parallel to the Hudson River from north to south. The drawing board division of the province turned out to be extremely unfavorable because the authorities, and especially the law enforcement officers, always had to travel to the town via long detours. Over time it therefore developed into a refuge for "fugitives, outlaws, and illegal boxing matches":

“Boston Corners is a small hamlet at the intersection of three railroad lines that run through the town. He has a hotel, a shop, a smithy, a fine depot (small station building) and about a dozen residential buildings, about half of which (to the south) are in the area of Town North East, in Dutchess County. The name was given to the place when the State of Massachusetts owned the triangular stretch of land west of the Taghkanic (now: Taconic) Mountains. The mountains formed an almost insurmountable barrier between this point and the seat of civil authority, and it (the place) became a kind of “city of refuge” for criminals and outlaws of all classes who fled there for the access of the officials of the Right to escape. Therefore, the place also became a holiday destination for price boxers , who could carry out their brutal and inhumane ventures here without intervention by the authorities. The celebrated fight between John Morrissey and Yankee Sullivan took place there. Because of this, it ultimately became necessary to make some changes so that civil authorities could enforce laws that protect peace and property, and in December 1848 residents petitioned to be affiliated with New York State. The State of Massachusetts agreed to this in May 1853. Conversion was accepted by New York on July 21, 1853, confirmed by Congress on January 3, 1855, and the Corner was incorporated into Ancram, NY, on April 13, 1857.

The first hotelier here was a man named Albison who also ran a shop. Its building stood on the site of the current hotel, was demolished in 1857-58 and rebuilt by Abram I. Vosburgh, whose son MB Vosburgh is the current owner. The erection date was once found on a brick, but it was forgotten and the brick was lost. Albison also owned a grist mill, carding machine , fulling mill and cloth processing mill , and sawmill, all along the creek near the present depot. These buildings were abandoned and demolished many years ago, the last one being destroyed by the New York and Harlem Railroad in 1852. This property then belonged to, among others, Horace Langdon, Jacob Decker, Andris Van Deusen, James Freeman and Milo Barnum, the father of William Henry Barnum , the current United States Senator for Connecticut, who was born here. David Williams founded the first blacksmith's workshop around 1818. He was a Welshman and came from New Jersey . His workshop was on the corner near the North East city boundary. Smith Vosburgh ran the first store, near the depot, in the building that is now Eugene McIntyre's. "

The above description is a bit inaccurate historically because it describes the situation as if the Morrissey / Sullivan battle and the ensuing turmoil were a major reason for the cession. These events took place on October 12, 1853, twelve weeks after the two states agreed to the change, but over a year before Congress confirmed the transfer.

Three railway lines, the northern section of the " Harlem Line " of the New York Central Railroad (NYC) and the Poughkeepsie and Eastern Railway (P&E) and Rhinebeck and Connecticut Railroad (R&C), which were merged into the Central New England Railway (CNE) at the beginning of the 20th century , drove to the place earlier ( Boston Corners station ). All routes have since been abandoned: The P&E 1925, the R&C 1938 and the former NYC route taken over by Penn Central on March 27, 1976.

Individual evidence

↑ geonames.org .
↑ Capt. Franklin Ellis: History of Columbia County, New York . 1878, ISBN 978-1-332-46835-5 , Boston Corners and Weed Mine, Ancram, Columbia County, New York ( usgennet.org - ISBN of a reprint): "Boston Corners is a small hamlet situated at the junction of the three railroads running through the town. It contains one hotel, one store, one blacksmith shop, a fine depot, and about a dozen dwellings, of which nearly half are [to the south] in the town of North East, in Dutchess County. The name was given to the locality when the State of Massachusetts owned the triangular tract of land lying west of the Taghkanic [Taconic] mountains. The mountain formed an almost impassable barrier between this spot and the seat of civil authority, and it became a sort of "city of refuge" for criminals and outlaws of all classes, who fled to it to escape from the reach of the officers of the law. On this account it also became a resort of prize fighters, who could here carry out their brutal and inhuman purposes secure from the interference of the authorities. The celebrated fight between John Morrissey and Yankee Sullivan occurred here. For these reasons it finally became necessary to make some change to enable the civil authorities to enforce the laws protective of peace and property, and in December 1848, the inhabitants petitioned to be annexed to the State of New York. The State of Massachusetts consented in May 1853. The cession was accepted by New York, July 21, 1853; confirmed by Congress Jan. 3, 1855; and the corner was annexed to Ancram NY, April 13, 1857. The first hotel-keeper here was a man named Albison, who also kept a store. His building was on the site of the present hotel, and was torn down in 1857-58, and rebuilt by Abram I. Vosburgh, whose son MB Vosburgh, is the present proprietor. On a brick was found the date of the erection, but it is not remembered, and the brick is lost. Albison also owned a grist-mill, a carding-machine, a fulling and cloth-dressing mill, and a saw-mill, all located on the brook near the present depot. These buildings were abandoned and torn down many years ago, the last one being demolished by the New York and Harlem railroad in 1852. This property was also owned among others by Horace Langdon, Jacob Decker, Andris Van Deusen, James Freeman, and Milo Barnum , father of William H. Barnum, the present United States senator from Connecticut, who was born here. David Williams started the first blacksmith shop about 1818. He was a Welshman and came from New Jersey. His shop was on the corner near the line of the town of North East. Smith Vosburgh kept the first store, near the depot, at the place now kept by Eugene McIntyre. "

Web links

si.com : Brawls at Boston Corner.
trip-suggest.com
reddit.com

42.05 -73.516666666667Coordinates: 42 ° 3 ′ N , 73 ° 31 ′ W

[1] s.org .

[2] Capt. Franklin Ellis: History of Columbia County, New York . 1878, ISBN 978-1-332-46835-5 , Boston Corners and Weed Mine, Ancram, Columbia County, New York ( usgennet.org - ISBN of a reprint): "Boston Corners is a small hamlet situated at the junction of the three railroads running through the town. It contains one hotel, one store, one blacksmith shop, a fine depot, and about a dozen dwellings, of which nearly half are [to the south] in the town of North East, in Dutchess County. The name was given to the locality when the State of Massachusetts owned the triangular tract of land lying west of the Taghkanic [Taconic] mountains. The mountain formed an almost impassable barrier between this spot and the seat of civil authority, and it became a sort of "city of refuge" for criminals and outlaws of all classes, who fled to it to escape from the reach of the officers of the law. On this account it also became a resort of prize fighters, who could here carry out their brutal and inhuman purposes secure from the interference of the authorities. The celebrated fight between John Morrissey and Yankee Sullivan occurred here. For these reasons it finally became necessary to make some change to enable the civil authorities to enforce the laws protective of peace and property, and in December 1848, the inhabitants petitioned to be annexed to the State of New York. The State of Massachusetts consented in May 1853. The cession was accepted by New York, July 21, 1853; confirmed by Congress Jan. 3, 1855; and the corner was annexed to Ancram NY, April 13, 1857. The first hotel-keeper here was a man named Albison, who also kept a store. His building was on the site of the present hotel, and was torn down in 1857-58, and rebuilt by Abram I. Vosburgh, whose son MB Vosburgh, is the present proprietor. On a brick was found the date of the erection, but it is not remembered, and the brick is lost. Albison also owned a grist-mill, a carding-machine, a fulling and cloth-dressing mill, and a saw-mill, all located on the brook near the present depot. These buildings were abandoned and torn down many years ago, the last one being demolished by the New York and Harlem railroad in 1852. This property was also owned among others by Horace Langdon, Jacob Decker, Andris Van Deusen, James Freeman, and Milo Barnum , father of William H. Barnum, the present United States senator from Connecticut, who was born here. David Williams started the first blacksmith shop about 1818. He was a Welshman and came from New Jersey. His shop was on the corner near the line of the town of North East. Smith Vosburgh kept the first store, near the depot, at the place now kept by Eugene McIntyre. "