Black River, New York

History

The area was first settled around 1806 by the erection of a mill on the south side of the Black River. The village was previously called "Lockport", and grew to include both sides of the river as well as two small river islands.

On February 20, 1890, a large fire destroyed the business section of the downtown. Buildings destroyed by the fire included the Poor Block (which included a three-story building with an opera house on the third floor); the D.J. Scott and Son Block; the Arthur House (a hotel); Parkinson's Store (the old 1881 post office); Whipple and Hadsell's Store; F.H. Dillenbeck's Tinshop and Hardware Store; A.W. McDowell's Store; George Graham's barber shop; the I.O.O.F. Hall and two residential dwellings. The Kennedy Stone house was badly burned, but was later restored. Having no fire department at the time, the residents of Black River immediately made plans to organize a fire department later that year. Black River Fire Company No. 1 was organized September 4, 1890, and incorporated on January 3, 1891. The department was re-incorporated as the Black River Fire Department on February 21, 1940. This department still provides fire protection for the village, and is one of the oldest continually operating fire departments in Jefferson County.

The community incorporated as a village in 1891, taking land in the towns of Rutland and Le Ray.

From the History section of Black River, New York on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.