National Register Listings in
Tompkins County, New York

Austin, William, House Bailey Hall Bates, Rufus and Flora, House Biggs Memorial Hospital Cottage Boardman House Caldwell Hall Camp, Hermon, House Cascadilla School Boathouse Cayuga Preventorium Clarke, Luther, House Clinton Hall Clinton House Comstock Hall Cornell Heights Historic District De Witt Park Historic District Deke House Dennis-Newton House District No. 2 School, Caroline and Dryden District Number 7 School Dryden District School No. 5 Dryden Historic District East Hill Historic District East Robert Hall Ellis Methodist Episcopal Church Enfield Falls Mill and Miller's House Fernow Hall First Presbyterian Church of Ulysses Forest Home Historic District Groton High School Hayt's Chapel and Schoolhouse Ithaca Downtown Historic District Ithaca Gas and Electric Corporation Building Jamieson and McKinney Block Jennings-Marvin House Lacy-Van Vleet House Lehigh Valley Railroad Station Llenroc Methodist Episcopal Church Methodist Episcopal Church of Jacksonville Morrill Hall, Cornell University Newfield Covered Bridge Rice Hall Roberts Hall Rockwell House Rogues Harbor Inn Second Baptist Society of Ulysses Second Tompkins County Courthouse Southworth House Southworth Library St. James AME Zion Church St. John's Episcopal St. Thomas' Episcopal Church State Theater Stone Hall Telluride House Tibbetts-Rumsey House US Post Office-Ithaca West Dryden Methodist Episcopal Church White, Andrew Dickson, House Wing Hall
New York State was home to several utopian communities in the 19th century, including the Oneida Community in central New York, which practiced communal living and free love, and the Shakers, who were known for their furniture and craftsmanship.
New York random facts
Tompkins County is located in upstate New York and is home to the City of Ithaca, which is its county seat. The region was originally inhabited by the indigenous Cayuga people, and European settlers began arriving in the late 18th century. The area was officially established as Tompkins County in 1817, named after Vice President Daniel D. Tompkins.

During the 19th century, Tompkins County experienced significant growth and development. The construction of the Cayuga and Seneca Canal in the 1820s connected the county to the Erie Canal, bringing increased trade and commerce to the area. The arrival of the railroad in the 1830s further facilitated economic growth and transportation. Agriculture became a major industry, with dairy farming, livestock raising, and fruit growing being prominent. In addition, the establishment of Cornell University in 1865 brought educational and research opportunities to the county.

Tompkins County was also known for its progressive and reformist movements in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It became a center for the women's suffrage movement, with notable activists like Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Matilda Joslyn Gage residing in the area. The county was involved in the underground railroad, helping escaped slaves reach freedom in Canada.

In the latter part of the 20th century, Tompkins County experienced a shift towards a more diverse and knowledge-based economy. With Cornell University and Ithaca College as educational institutions, the county became known as a hub for research, technology, and higher education. Today, it continues to thrive as a center for innovation and progressive values, attracting people from various backgrounds to live and work in the area.

This timeline provides a concise overview of the key events in the history of Tompkins County, New York.

  • 1789: Tompkins County is established by the State of New York.
  • 1794: Ithaca becomes the county seat.
  • 1800: Cornell University is founded in Ithaca.
  • 1817: The construction of the Erie Canal begins, bringing economic growth to the region.
  • 1820: Tompkins County's population reaches 6,038.
  • 1845: The village of Enfield is established.
  • 1853: The Tompkins County Public Library is established.
  • 1861-1865: Many Tompkins County residents fight in the American Civil War.
  • 1901: The Taughannock Falls State Park is established.
  • 1942: The Ithaca Gun Company suspends firearm production to focus on producing military ordnance during World War II.
  • 1964: Ithaca is included in the newly created Appalachian Regional Commission.
  • 1970: Ithaca College is established.
  • 1987: The Sciencenter, a hands-on science museum, opens in Ithaca.
  • 1999: The Tompkins County Public Library moves to its current location.
  • 2016: Tompkins County establishes a Reimagining Public Safety Task Force to address community concerns about policing.