Historical Markers in
Cayuga County, New York

1789-1800 Old Genesee Road 1836 Willard Mansion 1840 Church 1st Courthouse 500 Feet → Fort Hill A Landmark and Pride in Our Community A Metaphor for Change Abraham Lincoln Alexis De Tocqueville Auburn Airport Auburn Prison Birthplace of Theodore Ledyard Cuyler Blacksmith Shop Blacksmith Shop and Mule Shed Brigham Young Burial Place Cady Tavern Case Research Lab Cato Four Corners Cayuga Castle Cayuga Castle Cayuga County Cayuga County Bicentennial Memorial Garden at Willard Chapel Cayuga County Court House Cayuga Lake Academy Charles Courtney Cobblestone Col. Comfort Tyler Cold Spring Cemetery Columbian Rope Plant Conduit For Ideas David Munson Osborne / Thomas Mott Osbourne David Munson Osborne Memorial City Hall Dedicated to the Memory of William H. Seward Dr. Jerome Holland During the War of 1812 E.D. Clapp Early Aqueduct Early Cemetery Early Cemetery Early Newspaper Eliza Mosher Emily Howland Enos T. Throop 1784-1874 Firehouse First Baptist Church of Weedsport First Church First Home First School House First Store First Tavern Five Corners Ford Former Home of State Senator Charles J. Hewitt Fort Hill Frontenac Island Gansevoort Trail Ge-Wa-Ga Genoa Mill George A. Wyman George E. Ingersol George Fleming Glaciers, Drumlins, and High Level Lakes Glen Park 1852 God's Acre Gypsum Quarries Half Acre * 1800 Harriet Tubman Henry Wells Home of Gen. John S. Clark Honoring All Men and Women Howland School Howland Stone Store Museum Howland Store In Memoriam In Memory In Memory of Abner Hollister In Memory of Harriet Tubman In Memory of the Famous 299th In Memory of the Soldiers and Sailors Indian Fields Indian Mound Indian Spring Jabez Bradley Home Jakway's Corners John Foster Dulles John Stoyell Josiah Chatfield Korean War Ledyard Lewis Henry Morgan Little Sodus Bay (Fair Haven) Martha Coffin Wright Martville Memorial to Cayuga County Soldiers and Sailors Mentz Church Mill Pond Nature Trail Millard Fillmore Millard Fillmore Missionaries To The Cayuga Montezuma Montezuma Heritage Park North Street Cemetery Northville Oakwood Seminary Old Erie Canal Old Mill Old Mill Old Quarries Old Stone House Oldest Church Oldest House in Moravia Oldest Known House One-Room School Opened in 1828 Patrick Tavern Peachtown Peter Yawger House Pioneer Site Pomeroy Port Byron Port Byron's Lock 52 Postal Service Presbyterian Church Prospect Hill Railway Signal Tower Routes of the Armies Routes of the Armies Salt Springs School House Built 1825 Scipio Lodge Seneca River Crossing Canals Historic District Sequoia Site Of Site of Cayuga Long Bridge Site of East End of the Cayuga Long Bridge Site of First Baptist Church of Sterling Site of Methodist Episcopal Church Site Where Four Towns Meet Spring Mills Squagonna St. Alphonsus St. Peter's Church Sterling Valley Stone School Stone School Sullivan-Clinton Campaign Sullivan’s Campaign Tanner's Dry Dock Tanner's Dry Dock The Boom Years The Empire State Trail at Port Byron The Erie Canal The Erie Canal The Erie Canal The Erie Canal in Port Byron The Erie House The Frontenac The Medal of Honor The Moral of War Theodore Medad Pomeroy Theodore Willard Case This House Throop Industry Town of Brutus Town of Genoa Town of Locke Town of Scipio Town of Sterling Town of Throop Train Depot Tug Boat Marion Unknown Soldier Veterans Memorial Village of Port Byron Waring Place Wasco Water Power in the City of Auburn Weed's Basin Wells College Willam Henry Carpenter Willard Memorial Chapel - Welch Memorial Building William H. Seward William H. Seward William McCreedy World War Memorial
The Empire State Building, which was completed in 1931, was built during the Great Depression and was funded entirely by private investors. At the time of its completion, it was the tallest building in the world.
Cayuga County, located in central New York, has a rich and diverse history that spans centuries. The area was traditionally inhabited by the Iroquois Confederacy, with the Cayuga tribe being the dominant force in the region. European settlers arrived in the late 18th century, leading to the establishment of Cayuga County in 1799.

During the early years of European settlement, Cayuga County experienced rapid growth and development. The construction of the Erie Canal in the 1820s further fueled this growth, as it provided a vital transportation route for goods and people. The canal brought economic prosperity to the county, attracting industries and new settlers. Auburn, the county seat and largest city, became a prominent center of commerce and industry.

Cayuga County also played a significant role in the abolitionist movement and the fight against slavery. Auburn was the home of many prominent abolitionist leaders, including Harriet Tubman and William H. Seward. Tubman, an escaped slave herself, famously operated the Underground Railroad and helped free numerous enslaved people. The county's commitment to the abolitionist cause earned it the nickname "The Banner County of the Empire State."

In the 20th century, Cayuga County continued to evolve and adapt to changing times. The decline of the canal system and the rise of automobile travel led to a shift in the county's economy. Agriculture became less dominant, and industries such as manufacturing and tourism became more important. Today, Cayuga County is known for its beautiful natural landscapes, charming small towns, and vibrant cultural scene.

This timeline provides a condensed summary of the historical journey of Cayuga County, New York.

  • 1789 - Cayuga County is established in the state of New York.
  • 1800 - The town of Auburn is officially incorporated.
  • 1807 - The Auburn State Prison, the first maximum security prison in the United States, opens.
  • 1823 - Auburn Theological Seminary, later known as Auburn Seminary, is founded.
  • 1833 - Harriet Tubman, an abolitionist and political activist, escapes from slavery in Maryland and later settles in Auburn.
  • 1857 - The Cayuga County Courthouse, now listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is completed.
  • 1877 - The New York State Equal Rights Party, the first women's suffrage political party in the United States, is founded in Cayuga County.
  • 1902 - Auburn Prison becomes the site of the first execution by electrocution using the electric chair.
  • 1920 - The 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, granting women the right to vote, is ratified.
  • 1950s - Cayuga County experiences significant population growth and expansion of industries.
  • 1980s - The Cayuga Indian Nation gains recognition and begins to assert land claims in the area.
  • 2000 - The city of Auburn celebrates its bicentennial.