An interfaith Festival of the Founding service marked the quartoseptcentenial of the village of Jordan Sunday May 2, exactly 175 years after the village was founded in 1835.
The service was the first of many events planned by the Jordan Anniversary Committee, headed by trustee Tim Sullivan, to recognize the municipality’s 175th founding year.
“Today was a kick-off,” Sullivan said. “The community is seeing for the first time what we’ve got planned.”
The committee’s goal is to incorporate the anniversary into events throughout the year, from the village’s annual Christmas tree lighting to first-ever events like a village-wide picnic.
The village’s quartoseptcentennial parallels ongoing debate in Central New York over the consolidation and the dissolution of small municipalities. According to the Jordan website, the village population tops out at 1,325, making it one of the smallest villages in Onondaga County.
As such, the village board has been particularly vocal in promoting the services the village provides residents, especially in light of the county legislature’s revision of the sales tax agreement.
“A lot of this [anniversary] is being overshadowed by the sales tax piece,” Sullivan said. “When people are reading in the newspaper that the village could dissolve, it makes this seem like more of a special occasion.”
Sullivan added the committee’s biggest challenge has been to involve community members in planning and promoting events.
“We need people to pitch in,” he said. “Our next big task is going to be the picnic in July, and we need someone to help coordinate marketing.”
The Anniversary Committee will meet next at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday May 17 at village hall. Bring your ideas for marketing and publicizing planned events, or call the village office at 689-7350 for more information on the committee.
{Q}175th anniversary events
Self-guided walking tours of the village
Blue grass Festival Saturday July 10
Village-wide picnic at the Jordan Pool, July 30
Halloween celebration, Oct. 30 and 31
Christmas Tree Lighting, Dec. 4{Q}
