Farming Families of Schuyler County

200 Years of Continuous Agriculture

The Schuyler County Historical Society announced their community exhibition, which will run until November. “Farming Families of Schuyler County: 200 Years of Continuous Agriculture,” opened on June 16th in time for the Path Through History Weekend across New York State, June 17-19, 2023.

To the Haudenosaunee, the area of modern-day Schuyler County was paradise. Ample amounts of hunting, fishing, foraging, lush soil for growing the three sisters, tree fruits, berries, and close to water.

The modern Town of Hector was all military track plots given as payment to Revolutionary War soldiers. The remainder of the county was settled by land speculators who saw infinite potential for commerce.

To the Revolutionary soldiers, land tracts offered an opportunity for a fresh start with their families. These lands were rich in materials, bountiful in resources and where hard work meant survival, growth and endless possibilities. Today, that legacy continues.

Schuyler County boasts more than 408 farms, of which, 97 are family farms. Of all these farms, 20 sell directly to consumers. Various farms throughout Schuyler County provided family histories, photographs and family timelines for the exhibit. The exhibit also features one Military Lot from its creation in 1790 through current ownership in 2023.

The Brick Tavern Museum is located at 108 N. Catharine St./Route 14, Montour Falls. Admission is free. Hours are Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Thursday 2-8 p.m. Museum exhibits and all operations of the Schuyler County Historical Society are supported by a Tourism Assistance Program grant administered by the Watkins Glen Area Chamber of Commerce.                           

For more information, call the Brick Tavern Museum at (607) 535-9741.