Village of Lyndonville

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The Town of Yates was originally a part of the Town of Ridgeway.  It was set aside as a single township in 1822, and was named after Governor Joseph C. Yates.  

We are situated in the northwest corner of Orleans County and bounded on the west by Niagara County (Town of Somerset), on the south by the Town of Ridgeway, on the east by the town of Carlton, and on the north by Lake Ontario. 

We are 137 miles square and are mostly flat land, with the exception of a 3-mile square section of drumlins directly east of Lyndonville and known locally as "the Alps."  Most of our land is used for farming, being well known as some of the best soil and climate in which to grow apples. 

The population is 1544.  We have a total of 67+ miles of roads, those being town, county, and state.   

Johnson's Creek, (named for Sir William Johnson, a British Indian agent), runs through the near center of town, in the Village of Lyndonville.  A dam was built by the early settlers, to harness the water for a gristmill. Other mills were built further downstream at the Blood Road crossing.  March Creek also runs through the town. 

The Rome, Watertown, and Ogdensburg Railroad (known locally as the "Hojack") made its debut in 1875 and continued to run until 1976.  A depot in Lyndonville and a milk train that stoped at each crossroads serviced the community.  A train wreck at the Yates-Carlton Townline Road in Ashwood (then known as Carylon) took 17 lives. 

The hamlet of Yates Center (then known as Northton) was the earliest main settlement.  It provided services that every pioneer required.  These included a cooper shop, wagon making, harness shop, cider mill, and also the first post office. 

The pioneers soon realized the potential of Johnson's Creek and moved 1 mile south to build their mills.  Industries flourished as long as there was a need for the product. 

The earliest road was what is now the Angling Road, running north from Ridgeway Corners. 

Shadigee, at the Lake Ontario shore, was a bustle of entertainment.  There was a hotel and dance hall, and later a skating rink.  In the late 1800's, a 275-foot pier brought large freighters to pick up grains and lumber.  Bricks were brought into this port to build the Baptist Church. 

County Line Corners still has a store and a dry house.  Ashwood was a bustling community that served both this town and the Town of Carlton. 

The first school was taught in a log cabin just north of Yates Center in 1817.  The first school district was formed in 1823 and, by 1834, there were 13 others.  That number would grow to 22 as the settlers moved in.  These district schools served the children until 1938, when they were centralized, sending all of them to Lyndonville.  It now encompasses parts of Ridgeway and Carlton. 

As district schools only offered 8^th grade education, it became necessary to offer higher education in 1896.  Students from the country, "basket-boarded", during the school week with families living close to the village and returned home on the weekends and vacations to help out on the farm. 

Common schools only offered grade school before 1900, so privately owned schools, known as Academies, were established for higher education (comparable to today's college).  Yates Academy was founded in 1840 and closed in 1889, due to lack of enrollment, and drew students from as far away as Mexico. 

Many cemeteries came into being as family burying grounds.  There are three remaining out of the 5 known, the latter 2 having been ploughed up, one as late as 1943.  This one is where out earliest settler is buried.  Lynhaven Cemetery (in the village) is an active burying ground as is the Yates Center Cemetery, behind the Baptist Church.  There is a recently established family cemetery on the William Smith property, known as Robin Hill, on the Platten Road. 

The Village of Lyndonville is one square mile and is situated nearly in the middle of the town.  It was incorporated in 1903.  Industries include Lyndonville Vinegar, owned by the Japanese; Monroe Electronics; Bowman Apple products; and H.H. Dobbins, (old cold storage), where they package fresh fruit. 

A group of farmers gathered in 1907 to from the Lyndonville Canning Company, now owned by Bowman Apple Products of West Virginia.  In the early days they canned many different fruits and vegetables, but now the main products are applesauce and apple juice. 

The Housel brothers started a bank in 1905.  It is now owned by M&T. 

Lyndonville Ice and Cold Storage was built in 1909 by the Rowley brothers. 

A volunteer fire company was formed in the early 1900's.   

We have a fine library that is served by the Niagara System. 

Lakeside telephone came into being in 1903. 

A weekly newspaper, the Lyndonville Enterprise, was published from 1903 to 1964.