Leonardsville, New York
Encyclopedia
Leonardsville is a hamlet
on the Unadilla River
in the Town
of Brookfield
in Madison County, New York
, USA.
The community
started as a number of small factories deriving power from a dam
on the Unadilla River during the first decade of the 19th century. These were known locally as the shops and included a scythe
and hoe
factory
, a blacksmith
shop, a grist mill, a saw mill, a horse
rake
factory and wagon
shop, and a foundry
and machine
shop.
As with many small communities, Leonardsville was given its name by the Post Office Department, which in this case named if after Reuben Leonard who, in the early years, ran a local grocery and dry goods
business
that became a convenient location to drop off mail
for local residents.
In 1856, the grist mill, saw mill and agricultural implement factory were destroyed by fire, but were rebuilt immediately. Soon after that, the shops were purchased by the Babcock
family who operated them until the 1930s, employing at their peak over 100 workers. Until the 1950s, when the manufacturing shops closed, Leonardsville was a stop on the Unadilla Valley Railroad, had a milk
station (now a recycling
center) and a feed store. None of the manufacturing buildings remain, but the former Crandall
Department Store still stands and is now the regionally-known Horned Dorset Restaurant
.
Leonardsville had its own kindergarten
through 12th grade central school until 1969, when the district merged with Bridgewater
and West Winfield
, creating the Mount Markham
Central School district. The building was one of the new district's elementary school
s until 2001, but now is used for specialized education
al programs.
Hamlet (place)
A hamlet is usually a rural settlement which is too small to be considered a village, though sometimes the word is used for a different sort of community. Historically, when a hamlet became large enough to justify building a church, it was then classified as a village...
on the Unadilla River
Unadilla River
The Unadilla River in New York State flows from south of Utica to the village of Sidney, where it flows into the Susquehanna River, which eventually empties into the Chesapeake Bay, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean....
in the Town
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
of Brookfield
Brookfield, New York
Brookfield is a town in Madison County, New York, United States. The population was 2,403 at the 2000 census.The Town of Brookfield is located in the southeast part of the county...
in Madison County, New York
Madison County, New York
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 73,442. It is named after James Madison, fourth President of the United States of America...
, USA.
The community
Community
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
started as a number of small factories deriving power from a dam
Dam
A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining water, while other structures such as floodgates or levees are used to manage or prevent water flow into specific land regions. Hydropower and pumped-storage hydroelectricity are...
on the Unadilla River during the first decade of the 19th century. These were known locally as the shops and included a scythe
Scythe
A scythe is an agricultural hand tool for mowing grass, or reaping crops. It was largely replaced by horse-drawn and then tractor machinery, but is still used in some areas of Europe and Asia. The Grim Reaper is often depicted carrying or wielding a scythe...
and hoe
Hoe (tool)
A hoe is an ancient and versatile agricultural tool used to move small amounts of soil. Common goals include weed control by agitating the surface of the soil around plants, piling soil around the base of plants , creating narrow furrows and shallow trenches for planting seeds and bulbs, to chop...
factory
Factory
A factory or manufacturing plant is an industrial building where laborers manufacture goods or supervise machines processing one product into another. Most modern factories have large warehouses or warehouse-like facilities that contain heavy equipment used for assembly line production...
, a blacksmith
Blacksmith
A blacksmith is a person who creates objects from wrought iron or steel by forging the metal; that is, by using tools to hammer, bend, and cut...
shop, a grist mill, a saw mill, a horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
rake
Rake (tool)
A rake is a broom for outside; an horticultural implement consisting of a toothed bar fixed transversely to a handle, and used to collect leaves, hay, grass, etc., and, in gardening, for loosening the soil, light weeding and levelling, removing dead grass from...
factory and wagon
Wagon
A wagon is a heavy four-wheeled vehicle pulled by draught animals; it was formerly often called a wain, and if low and sideless may be called a dray, trolley or float....
shop, and a foundry
Foundry
A foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
and machine
Machine
A machine manages power to accomplish a task, examples include, a mechanical system, a computing system, an electronic system, and a molecular machine. In common usage, the meaning is that of a device having parts that perform or assist in performing any type of work...
shop.
As with many small communities, Leonardsville was given its name by the Post Office Department, which in this case named if after Reuben Leonard who, in the early years, ran a local grocery and dry goods
Dry goods
Dry goods are products such as textiles, ready-to-wear clothing, and sundries. In U.S. retailing, a dry goods store carries consumer goods that are distinct from those carried by hardware stores and grocery stores, though "dry goods" as a term for textiles has been dated back to 1742 in England or...
business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
that became a convenient location to drop off mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
for local residents.
In 1856, the grist mill, saw mill and agricultural implement factory were destroyed by fire, but were rebuilt immediately. Soon after that, the shops were purchased by the Babcock
Babcock
-People:* Alpheus Babcock American piano and musical instrument maker* Barbara Babcock American actress* Christine Babcock United States runner* Courtney Babcock Canadian runner...
family who operated them until the 1930s, employing at their peak over 100 workers. Until the 1950s, when the manufacturing shops closed, Leonardsville was a stop on the Unadilla Valley Railroad, had a milk
Milk
Milk is a white liquid produced by the mammary glands of mammals. It is the primary source of nutrition for young mammals before they are able to digest other types of food. Early-lactation milk contains colostrum, which carries the mother's antibodies to the baby and can reduce the risk of many...
station (now a recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
center) and a feed store. None of the manufacturing buildings remain, but the former Crandall
Crandall
-People named Crandall:* Bruce P. Crandall, retired U.S. Army helicopter pilot and Congressional Medal of Honor recipient* Charles Henry Crandall, author and poet* Charles Martin Crandall, American inventor and toymaker...
Department Store still stands and is now the regionally-known Horned Dorset Restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
.
Leonardsville had its own kindergarten
Kindergarten
A kindergarten is a preschool educational institution for children. The term was created by Friedrich Fröbel for the play and activity institute that he created in 1837 in Bad Blankenburg as a social experience for children for their transition from home to school...
through 12th grade central school until 1969, when the district merged with Bridgewater
Bridgewater, New York
Bridgewater is the name of both a town in New York State and a village within that town:*Bridgewater , New York*Bridgewater , New York....
and West Winfield
West Winfield, New York
West Winfield is a village in the town of Winfield in Herkimer County, New York, United States. The population was 862 at the 2000 census. The village is indirectly named after General Winfield Scott, for whom the town is named...
, creating the Mount Markham
Mount Markham
Mount Markham is a majestic twin-peaked massif, 4,350 and 4,280 m, surmounting the north end of Antarctica's Markham Plateau. Discovered by the British National Antarctic Expedition , it is named for Sir Clements Markham, who, as President of the Royal Geographical Society, planned the expedition...
Central School district. The building was one of the new district's elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
s until 2001, but now is used for specialized education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
al programs.