Jordan's history starts in 1797 when Zenas and
Aaron Wright built the first house
in what is now the
village limits. By 1800 the Wrights built a saw mill and
the
village began to grow. The Erie Canal was built in 1819
bringing
commercial industry to the village.
This led to Jordan becoming a major transportation center. Jordan also has a claim to fame as having the most bordellos on the Canal. Jordan was midway between Albany and Buffalo and one riding the canal would end up in Jordan at night fall.
Within village limits are the aqueducts from the
Jordan Feeder to the canal
by Skaneateles Creek.
The creek still runs north/south through the village.
You can
stand on the "Kissing Bridge" over the
creek and enjoy the aqueducts, the park and maybe even a smooch.
By the early 1830s, established in the village
were a Post Office, three saw mills,
our first local paper The Jordan Courier, three gristmills, sash factory, distillery,
clothing stores, five taverns,
seven general stores, five grocery stores and two drug stores.
The Erie Canal Jordan Feeder was widened and deepened in 1860 making way
for a new
and better canal. Work went on from 1865 through 1885 thus
eliminating the old canal.
From the mid to late 1800s rail transportation
brought another way of life to our village.
New York Central and Hudson River Railroad ran tracks north
of the village.
The West Shore Railroad added their second set of
tracks later.
The railroad added immensely to
Jordan's prosperity in the late 1800s and early 1900s.
The Erie Canal was drained in 1917 never
to be used again as a waterway system
for New York. Most recently the State of New York has restored
much of the
Canal into beautiful trails and parks. Jordan has been lucky
enough to have already
been renovated. Our Canal Park is there just waiting for you to
venture into it.
Jordan has slowed down throughout the
last century and into this one. We are a
quiet small village you don't see too much of anymore. We may not
have a good deal
in the of way of business now, but they are coming and many people are
working toward making Jordan a bustling little village again. We
may be a little off the beaten path or not a dot on the map you have,
but we are here and waiting for you!
Learn more about the Erie Canal by clicking the picture below:
Our village Historian is Mr. Jack Horner. He
has written and published
A Stroll Through Jordan, New York. The facts above were taken from his
works.