Important dates in the history of Groton, NY

1651 - Frenchman Eteinne Brule is one of the first Europeans to penetrate the Finger Lakes Region.

1788 - New York State ratifies the US Constitution

1795 - Ephrain Spaulding and Michael Grummon cleared 6 acres of land and built two cabins where the school house apartments currently stand.

1797 - Ebenezer Williams surveyed Mayor Benjamin Hick's Old Military Lot 75 dividing it into parcels which Hicks directed Williams to sell.

1797 - The first settlers move to McLean.

1805 - The East Congregational Log Church was built on what is currently the corner of Route 222 and Salt Rd.

1805 - Groton's first school house was built using log construction.

1812 - Groton get it's first mail delivery.

1817 - Tompkins County is formed from portions of other counties and townships. Groton was originally part of the Town of Locke and was called Division.

1818 - Settlers in the hollow of Division petitioned to have the settlement's name changed to Groton. It Is suspected the reason this was because many of these early settlers were from both Groton Conn. and Groton, Mass.

1818 - At this time The Town of Groton is described as lying in the northeast corner of Tompkins County Being 10 miles long, 5 miles wide and containing 32,000 acres.

1818 - The Town of Groton's first annual town meeting was held. Elected were the Honorable Sam Crittenden as Town Supervisor and Admatha Blodgett as Town Clerk.

1818 - Luther Trumble erected a fulling mill.

1819 - The First Baptist Meeting House was erected by Ebenezer Williams for $450 and still stands at 168 Main St.

1824 - The hamlet of Moscow is renamed McLean after Postmaster General Judge McLean.

1834 - The town's first library was established.

1834 - The Groton Academy was established.

1836 - The Methodists of Groton incorporate.

1839 - The first newspaper, The Groton Balance, was published.

1849 - The First Congregational Church incorporated.

1849 - Charles and Lyman Perrigo began the local tradition of blast furnace and machine factories.

1851 - The First Congregational Church was dedicated.

1853 - The construction of the Groton Hotel began. The contractors were Oliver and Fred Avery.

1858 - A new school building was built. This site was eventually to become the home of Crandall Typewriter Company.

1859 - The Rural Cemetery Incorporated and moved to upper Clark St

1860 - The Village of Groton was incorporated on June 11th.

1861 - The Civil War Began and troop subscription for the Union Army was called by Charles and Lyman Perrigo.

1864 - The Excelsior Fire Company was organized.

1865 - The Pioneer Hose Company is organized.

1865 - Dryden and Moravia Telegraph Company lines are run through Groton.

1865 - The First Nation Bank of Groton is capitalized.

1865 - The Southern Central Railroad was subscribed to by 5 Firms: H.K. Clark, Charles and Lyman Perrigo, Pierson & Avery and Perrigo,Avery & Field allowing for Groton to be linked by rail to other communities.

1865 - The Civil War Ends.

Historical Facts Submitted by Dr. Lucille S. Baker, et al.

References:
E. Moran, Old Military Lot 75
Prof. M.M. Baldwin, The Beginning of Groton
Grips, Chronicle of Groton
Jane Marsh Dieckman, A Short History of Tompkins County