Town of Carlton

Orleans County Historical Association

PO BOX 125

ALBION, NEW YORK 14411

Town of Carlton

(Click on map for a larger view)

The following is a brief statistical history of the Town of Carlton in Orleans County, New York.

Carlton's first settlement was made in 1803 by two brothers, James and William Wadsworth, who soon moved further west in New York State. They were subsequently followed by the Brown, Dunham, Lovewell, and Root families who stayed.

Carlton was formed from the Towns of Gaines and Ridgeway on April 13, 1822 and known under the name of Oak Orchard until the name Carlton was chosen from Carleton, a shipbuilding district near Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; which in turn was named honoring Sir Guy Carleton (1724-1808), who served as Governor of Quebec from 1786-1796.

Carlton is located at the north middle of Orleans County between the towns of Kendall to the east, and Yates to the west. The Town of Gaines borders to the south, and a small portion of the Town of Ridgeway touches the southwest corner. This town has always had the same boundaries.

Carlton is crossed by the two largest streams in Orleans County; Oak Orchard River with Johnsons Creek some three miles west. Both streams cross the town in a northeast direction and are navigable to boats of about 40-feet in length and without a deep draft. Both streams freeze over in winter while Lake Ontario does not. The surface of the town is generally level; except for Oak Orchard Gorge. The soil is sandy loam inland and clay near the lake.

In 1858, the real estate valuation of Carlton was $916,393.00. (The tax base is measured from these figures.) In 2001, the total assessed value of the town was $151,628,468.00.

The population in 1892 was 2,297. The population according to the 2000 U.S. Census was 2,960.

Carlton contains 26,385 1/2 acres. The total road mileage including state, county, and town highways is 96.60 miles. This is the highest highway mileage of any town in Orleans County.

The Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburg Railroad Line, commonly known as the "Ho-Jack" Line, was completed in 1876. It traversed the town on nine and three-fourths miles of track passing through Kent, Carlton Station, Waterport, and Ashwood. Each community had a station as the railroad carried passengers until 1933, including youngster to schools, workmen to work, shoppers to shop, and immigrants from across the oceans to begin new lives. The line continued to carry freight until it closed in March of 1978 and since that time even the rails and trestle have been removed.

Farming has always been Carlton's major industry. As a result, each community had a grist-mill, saw-mill, dry house, packing house, or cold storage at one time. Frozen food research was pioneered in 1926 at Growers Cold Storage in Waterport. The business of farming has and does employ anywhere from a single family to as many as over 100 people in any one season.

Other businesses in the past and present include fishing and tourist related enterprises. These would encompass marinas, restaurants, farm markets or gift shops, cottages, motels, and bed and breakfasts in the present; while in the past many communities has one or two hotels and each had at least one general store. Dry houses did a brisk seasonal business years ago, along with mills. It is well accepted that higher income employment currently exists in Monroe County or the Niagara Frontier.

School was first taught in Carlton in 1810, with Peleg Helms being the first schoolteacher of record. At one time Carlton had 17 school districts. Waterport had a high school until the last student graduated in January of 1944. This school continued as a grammar school, a satellite of the Albion Central School System, until June of 1989. Carlton is presently served by the Albion, Kendall, and Lyndonville Central School Systems. The World Life Institute Education Center, a private school capable of educating youngsters from grades 1-12, opened in February of 1997 on the Stillwater Road.

Over the years, several churches have been active in Carlton. There were Baptist churches at The Bridges and Kent; Methodist Episcopal (now United Methodist) churches built in Kenyonville (1833), Kuckville (1835), and in Waterport. Religious services had commenced on a regular basis as early as 1816. The Bridges had a Congregational Church for a brief period in the mid-1800's which later became a Presbyterian Church. Currently, the Carlton United Methodist Church, the Royal Church of God in Christ, and the World Life Institute's mosque are the only places of organized worship.

Carlton is served by four post offices: Albion, Kent, Waterport, and Lyndonville. Only Kent and Waterport are within the town. In bygone years there were post offices at: Carlton (1877-1935), Ashwood also known as Carlyon (1876-1907), The Bridges (1865-1904), Lakeside (1835-1902), and Point Breeze (1888-1914).

Albert L. Swett of Medina harnessed the waters of Oak Orchard River, at Waterport, by building a dam and power plant in 1917 to 1919. This dam caused the widening of the waters in the vicinity of Waterport to Kenyonville and is now known as Lake Alice. In earlier times, this wide-water was called Lake Carlton of the Waterport Pond. (Alice Swett Dayton Ayrault 1909-1983 was a granddaughter of A.L. Swett). The power plant is still operating.

Carlton had telephones, a few, by the mid-1880's when the Albion-Carlton Telephone Company was organized.

Carlton's Water District was created and the first trenches dug in 1975. Since then this system provides water to residents through approximately 50 miles of line.

The Lakeside Beach State Park was opened in June of 1968. It comprises 745 acres including 274 campsites, a day-park picnic area, and two boat launch marinas.

COMMUNITIES: (Defined by if they exist on maps. The two in use for this history were the 1875 and 1998 maps of Carlton. All other locations, such as lakeshore communities, may be considered neighborhoods.)

	Waterport: In its earliest days this hamlet was going to be named Madagascar. It is the largest of the hamlets, has had the most businesses over the years, and is located at the junction of Oak Orchard River and Otter Creek.
	Kent: (Also known as East Carlton or Brice Station.) This hamlet is located on the east side of the Town of Carlton. It had several businesses at one time.
	Sawyer: (Also known as Curtis Corners.) A cluster of homes located at the intersection of the Roosevelt Highway and Sawyer Road. Once had a school, general store, and until recently bed and breakfasts.
	Carlton Station: Located on Rt. #98, it built up due to the railroad and as it is in the mid-portion of the town, the municipal offices are here.
	The Bridges: (Also known as Two Bridges, Three Bridges, or Carlton.) This hamlet is located at the junction of Oak Orchard River and Marsh Creek. The Brown family settled here in 1804 and continues to farm their same lands. The community contains several tourist or fishing related businesses.
	Point Breeze: Located at the north end of Rt. #98 at the lakeshore. When the Holland Land Company mad elands first available a planned city, to be named Manilla, was slated to be here because of the harbor's potential. It was named Point Breeze in 1888 when P.O. was established.
	Oak Orchard-on-the-Lake: A residential community on the west side of Oak Orchard River. About a century ago, this posh summer resort boasted two hotels, a lighthouse, and two piers.
	Kuckville: (Also known as West Carlton). This small hamlet, presently having one store, is located about a mile inland at the point where the Roosevelt Highway crosses over Johnsons Creek. The community was named for George Kuck, a former Canadian veteran of the War of 1813, who settled and built up the area by opening a store, a warehouse, and built a church.
	Lakeside: A residential community north of Kuckville at the lakeshore, at the mouth of Johnsons Creek. The area had a hotel until the 1920's.
	Sunset Beach: A residential community north of Kuckville, just west of Lakeside, and built up in the late 1930's.
	Kenyonville: Located on Oak Orchard River in the southwest portion of the town. It was named in honor of Barber Kenyon, a farmer and merchant, who had a mill and gave land for the church. At one time it had a couple of general stores, a school, and mills.
	Ashwood: (Also known as Carlyon). This small hamlet is located at the Carlton-Yates Townline Road; hence sharing itself with Yates. It once had storages and warehouses due to the railroad.

The Town of Carlton maintains three cemeteries: Kent, Carlton, and Waterport, which still receive burials. The Kenyonville Cemetery is maintained by its own cemetery association and has lots for sale. Cemeteries no longer in use are: The Fuller Burial Grounds (also known as Old Carlton), The Brown or Bridges Cemetery (containing the first burial in Orleans County), The Billings Farm Burial Grounds, The Simpson Burial Grounds, and the North Kent Cemetery. Where there are visible stones the Carlton Highway Department maintains the burial grounds.

Historian, Town of Carlton
June 2001