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The Town of AlbionThe information herein pertains to the Town of Albion. Because the largest portion of the Village of Albion lies within the Town of Albion, many historical facts, buildings and other information is mentioned in the report re the Village of Albion. In 1875, a majority of the Board of Supervisors were of the same political party as a majority in the village. A proposition was made to divide the township of Barre. This resolution was carried and a new town, the Town of Albion, was formed in the northern part of Barre on 08 April 1875. The new town was named from the village of the same name, Albion, the county seat of Orleans County. Some say that the name Albion is of British origin and
others say it is of Greek origin. The Town of Albion contained 16,337 acres, an area which was less than that of any other town in the county. It is bounded on the north by the Town of Gaines; on the east by the Town of Murry and a small portion of Clarendon; on the south by the Town of Barre; on the west and a small portion on the north by the Town of Ridgeway; a small portion on the west is bounded by the Town of Shelby. (The northern boundary of the Town of Albion is Linwood Avenue. Therefore, the largest portion of the Village of Albion lies within this township.) The Erie Canal traverses the northern part of the town.
The New York Central and Judson River Railroad traversed east and west
through the Town of Albion. It is
now known as the New York Central or Conrail Railroad. Flowing northerly through the western part of the township
is Otter Creek. The west branch of
Sandy Creek flows through the Township, eventually, flowing northerly through
the eastern area of the Village of Albion forming the western boundary of
Bullard Park. The first main highway in the Town of Albion extended from
Batavia to the north and is what is known as Route 98 today.
The first roads were called salt works roads because they were intended
to facilitate the transportation of salt that was made in the area.
One of these passed in a northwestern direction form Benton’s Corners
to near the southwest corner of the Town of Albion. Clay loam is the soil found in the area.
The surface is level and the soil is very productive.
Some sandy hills are located in the eastern area of the Township.
There were many quarries of Medina sandstone, a stratum that underlies
nearly its whole area. Several
outstanding buildings of Medina sandstone are in existence today.
(Two examples—Pullman Universalist Church and The First Presbyterian
Church). Many quarry holes are in
evidence today. In 1890, he Town of Albion, outside the village, had a
population of 1,304. In 1894, it had a total assessed valuation on real estate,
including the village, of $2,682,952.00. Today,
the total assessed taxable valuation for the Town of Albion, (excluding the
village), is $56,326,423.00. Porter’s Corners was located at what is now the
intersection of Eagle Harbor Road and the West Countyhouse Road. Several thriving businesses located there included an ashery,
a dry goods store, a grocery store, and a tavern. Just north from Porter’s Corners was a tannery and a shoe
shop. Nearby two sawmills were
established on the Otter Creek. Benton’s Corners was located at what is now the
intersection of Rt. 98 south and Rt. 31A. A
mercantile store was established there; also, a tavern, the first in the town,
was nearby. Rich’s Corners, also known as East Albion, was named for
five brothers, Jonathan, Joshua, Joseph, Arad and Calvin Rich.
The headstone and burial plot for Jonathan Rich is found in the Annis
Cemetery, which is on the Rich’s Corners Road just south of Rt. 31. Industries in the Town of Albion, at tone time, were saw
mills, grist mills, fruit growing, agriculture, raising grain, lumbering,
quarrying, making potash, stores, taverns, and salt manufacturing.
Some of these same industries exist today.
A few years ago, Bayex, a manufacturing company, built a factory in the
Town of Albion on Rt. 31 east. However,
recently, the village line was changed to include this as part of the Village. The Orleans Correctional Facility for Men, (Gaines Basin
Road), and the Albion Correctional Facility for Women, (State School Road), are
two major employers in the town. The oldest and largest park, now known as Bullard Park, was
previously known as Rock Springs Glen Park.
Another special park, once located in the Town of Albion, was the
renowned Christmas Park where individuals were trained in the role of Santa’s
helpers. Also, exhibits and
displays etc., a family park all with the Christmas theme were enjoyed by the
public. Schools—Primitive log schoolhouses; some frame buildings
and, eventually, more convenient and tasteful structures were built.
There are ten school districts in this town. Churches—One of the first in the Town of Albion was the
Methodist Church at Rich’s Corners. Another
was a “Christien” Church built about a mile west of Porter’s Corners. Cemeteries—In the Town of Albion are:
Annis—On the west side of Rich’s Corners Road south of Rt. 31;
Gregory—Northwest corner of West Coutnyhouse Road; Pendry/Union—West
Countyhouse Road, on south side of road , short distance from Rt. 98;
Tanner—Rt. 31 east across from Mt. Albion Cemetery; Yellow
Schoolhouse—Transit Road south of Rt. 31 has very few burials an not
accessible at this time. Mt. Albion
Cemetery, one of the most outstanding cemeteries in the US, is known as a garden
type cemetery. For many years,
families brought lunches etc. with them and spent time sharing a picnic and
wandering among the numerous trees and enjoying the unusual foliage and
beautiful flower displays. This
cemetery, under the jurisdiction of the Village of Albion, is located in the
Town of Albion. Of the small rural
cemeteries, at present, the Pendry/Union Cemetery and the larger Mt. Albion are
the only ones with active cemetery boards and with burials made within them. |
