By Jorge Batlle
Skaneateles Village Historian
The Town of Skaneateles was formed in 1830 from part of the Town of Marcellus. Marcellus originally had 100 military lots granted to them by the federal government. Thirty nine of these lots became the new Town of Skaneateles.
For nearly 40 years before this action, Skaneateles was a very active area. Its natural advantages, picturesque location and that it was situated on the great Native American trail made it a very desirable and convenient mercantile center. The lake and abundant water power added to its desirability.
A “village” is defined as a small settlement or a self contained community, usually found in a rural area, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town, usually without fixed boundaries. As this community on the north end of Skaneateles Lake grew and prospered, it was referred to as “the Village of Skaneateles.”
Unincorporated villages do not govern themselves or provide municipal services. Those are provided by the town or nearby city. They also have to follow the rules and regulations of the larger town or city.
There is little known of actions taken to petition to incorporate the village. The few newspapers that survived mention little about getting the village incorporated. The community did provide some fire protection by having homeowners keep 16 inch deep and 8 inch wide leather fire buckets in their houses. This eventually led to the purchase in 1822 of a James Smith hand pumper. It was pulled to fires by the volunteer firefighters. (It is currently on display at the fire station at 77 West Genesee St.)
Villages can be created by referendum under general state law, or by special state charter. The governing body is made up of six elected trustees and a village president (now called mayor). On April 19, 1833, Skaneateles received a charter from the State of New York incorporating the village. Charters stand in relationship to a county, city, town or village the same way that a state constitution does to a state or a federal constitution does to a nation. They define the powers and functions of elected officials as well as the organization and procedures of local government.
May 8, 1833 a notice in the Skaneateles Columbian called for a “charter election.” James Allen, Justice, published …”hereby directs that the inhabitants qualified to vote in said village, shall meet at the Indian Queen Hotel on the second Tuesday of May, instant at two o’clock PM for the purpose of electing by ballot five Trustees, a Treasurer, Overseer of Highways, Clerk and Collector, and transacting other such business as shall be deemed proper.”
The Indian Queen Hotel, later called the Houndyaga House and The Lake House, was built in 1824 and originally called The Skaneateles Hotel. It was enlarged in 1858. For many years it contained the only public hall in the village. It was destroyed by fire in 1870. It was located on the corner of Genesee and Jordan Streets, currently the site of the Shear Block, which was built in 1881.
The May 1833 elections resulted in Freeborn Jewett, as president; Daniel Talcott, Phares Gould, William Gibbs, Lewis H. Sanford astrustees; Charles Burnett, as treasurer; Henry W. Allen as collector; George Kennedy, as street commissioner; James H. Allen, as clerk. Skaneateles was the fourth village incorporated in Onondaga County.
The Charter has 17 sections. Section 1 lays out the geographic boundaries. It uses established streets, church buildings, the creek, and residences as reference points. It establishes the name ‘the Village of Skaneateles.” It establishes the trustees of the village ….”who shall be in law capable of suing and being sued…answering and being answered to…defending and being defended…in all courts whatsoever. They can design a corporate seal..and hold real estate for public use.”
Section 4 says any person elected to an office and refuses to perform the duties of said office shall forfeit the sum of 5 dollars.
Section 6 spells out the duties of the clerk “to keep the books and papers of said corporation…” It sets up the time and places for public meetings, special meetings, bylaws, meetings of the board of trustees. It also says that the president and the trustees shall receive no compensation.
Section 7 is a very early version of what today is called zoning ordinances. It says in part…”to regulate slaughterhouse and nuisances generally, to determine what are nuisances generally, and to prevent remove or destroy same, to suppress and restrain disorderly houses, houses of ill fame, gaming houses, and instruments and devices for the purpose of gaming…”
Section 7 also established the fire department – “establish and organize one or more fire companies in said village, the members of which company or companies, not to exceed twenty-four in number to each engine, and who when attached to an engine shall be exempt from military duty, except in the case of insurrection or invasion, and except justice juries in said village…to prescribe the powers and duties of said fire companies, in preventing and extinguishing fires…”
Section 8 deals with the selling of spirituous liquors in quantities greater than 5 gallons without a license.
Section 9 deals with meetings for the village to purchase land for up to two (fire) engine houses, a public pound, a public hay scales with taxes. It also puts in place the procedures for the collection of taxes.
Section 11 deals with the regulation for licensing of shows, caravans, circus, and theatrical performances.
Section 14 sets up a separate road district exempt from the superintendence of the commissioners of highways of the Town of Skaneateles. It grants those powers and duties to the village overseer of highways.
The Village Charter was amended in 1849. In 1855 the village was reincorporated under a new state law. The village was resurveyed in 1870 by Rhesa Griffin, assisted by James Gifford who had formerly surveyed the town and the village. The corporate limits were enlarged in 1870 to encompass about one square mile.
