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Join us for an opening reception recognizing our final major history exhibit of 2026, From Revolution to Reflection: America at War. The exhibit explores four major wars—the American Revolution, the...
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Explore the final exhibition of the 2026 season. After viewing the Schweinfurth Art Center's famous exhibition of quilts by modern artists, come check out some of our collection of historical... |
Auburn’s most famous resident, Harriet Tubman, was born into slavery c.1822 in Maryland. When she came to Auburn in 1859, she found a city with prominent abolitionists and an established free Black community.
In the early 1800s a settlement was established in Auburn where formerly enslaved people and their descendants lived. This settlement was referred to as New Guinea. Harry and Kate are thought to be some of the first people to settle there based on 1820 census records which show the Freemans living in close proximity to other Black families such as the Fields, Browns, Williams, and Smiths. Harry and Kate’s children likely lived with them in New Guinea and went on to have their own families and careers in Auburn. Morgan Luke Freeman, one of their sons, was 21 years old in 1825. He first worked as a gunsmith, a trade he found success in, but later pursued quite a different passion. He went on to become one of Auburn’s most well respected barbers with visitors from out of town even stopping in to see him.
Most of the early industries in Auburn and the surrounding county were based on agriculture. The land throughout the county was found to be very fertile and ripe for growing an assortment of crops and sustaining livestock. In the 1800s there were a number of gristmills in the area that produced meal and flour utilizing the water power of the Owasco River. A local example is New Hope Mills, which opened in 1823 with the original purpose of producing flour. New Hope Mills still works as a flour processing business and supplies pancake and waffle mixes for local and nation-wide brands. They also operate a store and restaurant locally. One group of people who invested in these early mills, as well as real estate and manufacturing, were lawyers. When Auburn was named the county seat in 1805, law quickly became an advantageous career to pursue. These often wealthy individuals, such as Judge Elijah Miller, greatly supported the early economic growth of the county. This growth led to industries that produced farm implements and other goods, such as D.M. Osborne & Co. (established in 1857), to be created which supported the thriving agricultural production of the county.
In 1825, prior to major industrialization, two of the largest institutions in the county were the Auburn Prison and the Auburn Theological Seminary. The prison used the contract labor system at this time which allowed local businesses to purchase goods from the prison, made by incarcerated people, for very cheap prices. Businesses could then sell these goods for a much higher price, receiving a large profit. The seminary, on the other hand, was preparing a new generation of Presbyterian clergy for missions and to bring their religion to the American frontier. Many of the faculty and students of the seminary would go on to support social justice movements such as the abolition of slavery, the women’s rights movement, and temperance.
The Erie Canal spurred the construction of smaller canal systems meant to link areas not on the main route to the canal. The Cayuga-Seneca Canal, begun in 1825 and completed in 1828, helped towns along Cayuga and Seneca Lakes to transport goods to the Erie Canal in Montezuma. Aurora in Cayuga County benefited tremendously from this access and it became a transportation hub for the agricultural products grown in the county. The success of the Erie Canal also sparked the construction of many other canal systems across the country.
The process of creating the canal was arduous and required difficult physical labor. From a New York State Canal Commissioners report from 1819 we know “that 75% of workers were ‘born among us’.” Simply, this meant that the majority of people working on Canal construction were born in the United States, not newly immigrated people. There is a misconception that the majority of workers on the early Canal were Irish immigrants, and while it is true that many workers were of Irish descent, they already lived in New York, and did not come specifically for work. In the 1830s projects to enlarge the Canal were started to accommodate larger boats. This expansion project utilized more immigrant labor than before, especially from places like Ireland, because newly settled people were eager to find work in their new country.
People traversed the state of New York via the Erie Canal for many different reasons. Immigrants arriving in the country would often begin their journey in NYC. From there, they could take steamships up the Hudson River to Albany where they could be ferried on the Canal to western cities. During the Second Great Awakening people used the Canal to travel to religious revivals where they would listen to fiery preachers spread the word of the Christian faith. Social movements such as the women’s rights movement also benefited from the Canal. When the Seneca Falls Convention took place in 1848 many women traveled on the Canal to attend. There were also many freedom seekers that utilized the Canal to escape the South during the era of chattel slavery. They would find their way to Canada using the Canal, where they could be free from enslavement. For freedom seekers, this method of transportation was better than going on foot but came with its own risks. Black people were often mistreated, even in New York, which led some to fear for their safety on the Canal.
The Erie Canal prospered and brought economic success to the many Canal towns scattered throughout NYS, including a few in Cayuga County. It also transferred ideas from one place to another and allowed for movements to take root, grow, and develop. Today, the Canal is mostly used for recreational purposes.
Towns across the country spent many months preparing to welcome Lafayette. In Cayuga County, Brigadier General Henry Brinkerhoff led a committee to prepare for Lafayette’s visit to Auburn. In a letter Bringerhoff wrote for the newspaper he requested all soldiers of the Revolution to participate in the welcoming reception writing; “Come forward then, and greet your long-departed friend: Come, and welcome him whom our nation delights to honour as her guest.” – Auburn Free Press May 25, 1852
A committee met Lafayette at the Cayuga bridge on June 8, 1825 and he was formally welcomed by Enos T. Throop, a future governor of NY. In Auburn, close to 200 Masons and many Revolutionary War soldiers lined the streets to honor their guest.
Lafayette’s day in Auburn was described by Elliot Storke in “History of Cayuga County:”
“His reception in Auburn was very enthusiastic. Vast crowds from the village, the county and the adjoining counties, came to greet him. He was met at Cayuga by a reception committee in carriages, and an escort of cavalry and mounted citizens. He rode in a barouche drawn by six beautiful chestnut horses, supplied for the occasion by the Sherwoods, who were then the great stage proprietors of this route. An imposing display of military companies, Revolutionary soldiers and Free Masons lined the road in front of Fort Hill, across which an evergreen arch was thrown, bearing the words ‘Hail Patriot, Statesman, Hero, Sage, Hail Freedom’s Chief, Hail Gallia’s son. Whose laurels greener grow with age, won by the side of Washington.’ On passing the arch a salute of artillery was fired from the hill above them, the bells of the village pealed their welcome, and deafening cheers were given by the thousands that lined the wayside. It was a bright and beautiful day in June, and everything conspired to give eclat to the imposing event. It is related that on reaching the Western Exchange, the general recognized in the crowd an old soldier who had served under him and rushing to him, he threw his arms about him and heartily kissed him to the great amusement of the crowd.
He was received by Col. John W. Hulbert in an elegant and patriotic speech to which the general made a graceful and fitting response. Introductions and greetings followed, succeeded by a repast, served in a shaded field in the rear of the hotel. Toasts were drunk from the wine cups, and, as was the usual practice of the times, accompanied by volleys of artillery and martial music. A ball followed in the evening which was visited by the marquis, from which at 10 o’clock, he departed in a carriage for Syracuse, escorted as far as Elbridge by a committee of citizens.”
Ronald Peacock was born in Auburn on March 29, 1931. He attended West High School where he was quarterback of the undefeated 1949 Maroon football team.
Ronald served in the Marine Corps and was wounded during his service. A news article on July 28, 1952 recounts his bravery; “Ronald Peacock was wounded when enemy mortar shells burst in the door of his front line bunker. Writing to his mother Coletta Peacock he said “Two of my buddies and I were outside our bunker up on outpost when a mortar round landed just in front of us. We all dove in the bunker, and the next one landed right in the door. It threw Don Speer, my squad leader, right out of the bunker about 10 feet. He had a head wound. Bill Long, who is in my fire team, was thrown on top of me…I bandaged the other guys before I even knew I was hit. They were bleeding quite hard so I helped them first… I had to go outside of the bunker to get the bandages out of cartridge belts and I thought sure I’d get it, but I didn’t.”
Peacock was wounded by shrapnel on his face and hands. He was awarded the NYS Conspicuous Service Cross and two Purple Hearts.
After the war, he was employed with NYSEG for 33 years as a Chief Lineman.
Denis was born in Auburn in 1929 to Joseph Joachim and Mary Carr Huntington. After graduating from East High School, he worked summers for his father’s business, JJ Harrington Concrete Company. He attended Assumption College in Windsor Ontario until he was drafted into the U.S. Army.
Denis’ father Joseph was Director of the Draft Board #490 for Selective Service and had to give his own son his draft notice. Joseph had served in WWI as an Army combat engineer building bridges for tanks. He was wounded and received a Purple Heart.
Denis received training at Camp Kilmer NJ then was sent to Massachusetts, San Francisco, and finally to Korea on the USS Okanogan attack transport ship. There were 2200 troops on the ship for 17 days and they encountered a typhoon that lasted for three days.
Denis was on active duty in Korea from Nov. 10, 1950 to Nov. 19, 1952 in the 534th transportation/truck co. He was awarded a Korean Service Medal, two Bronze Service Stars, and United Nations Service Medal.
After the war, Denis returned to Auburn to work for his father’s company. He later moved to Florida and was involved with building the concrete platform for the NASA Vehicle Assembly Building at the Kennedy Space Center. He returned to New York and worked as a sales manager for Barrett Paving in Watertown, and as an advisor for paving businesses.
“Auburn relatives and friends of the most Rev. Patrick J. Byrne, a former Auburnian, who was recently ordained Bishop of Korea with headquarters in Seoul, are greatly concerned and anxiously waiting news from the clergyman. Bishop Byrne, who is also papal delegate to Japan, was in danger throughout WWII while stationed in Japan but was never harmed. Relatives of the priest believe that he will stay in Seoul despite the fact that the city has been taken over by the invading Communist forces of North Korea. The Citizen-Advertiser this afternoon via the Associated Press was trying to contact AP correspondents at the scene of action to see if they could locate Bishop Byrne.” -The Citizen-Advertiser, June 29, 1950
Bishop Patrick James Byrne was born in Washington, D.C, in 1888. His parents, Patrick Byrne and Anna Seales, were Irish immigrants who met and wed in Auburn, NY, and relocated to Washington, D.C. for his father’s work in the Government Printing Office. As a young child, Patrick Byrne moved back to Auburn under the care of his Aunt Eliza and Uncle Henry O’Neill, and grew up at 15 Van Anden Street.
He attended Holy Family School and was inspired to become a priest at a young age. After high school he enrolled in St. Mary’s Seminary in Maryland and was ordained a priest on June 23, 1915. One week later he became the first priest to join the Catholic Foreign Mission Society of America, or the Maryknoll Society. In 1923, Byrne was granted permission to found the first Maryknoll mission in Korea.
During WWII, Father Byrne served as prefect apostolic of Kyoto, Japan. In 1949 he was consecrated a bishop and named the Vatican’s first Apostolic Delegate to Korea, where he denounced North Korea for seizing Catholic priests. When North Korea invaded South Korea in 1950, Bishop Byrne refused to leave for safety and was captured and taken prisoner.
Under interrogation, he refused to denounce the United States, the United Nations, and the Vatican, and was sentenced to a 100 mile death march in frigid conditions. Bishop Byrne died in North Korea on November 25, 1950, suffering from pneumonia, dysentery and beriberi. He has been nominated for sainthood by the South Korean bishops.
Anthony “Tony” Spagnola was born in Auburn on November 26, 1929. Growing up, he attended programs at Neighborhood House, which grew into a love of music, art, and “tinkering.” Tony served in the Signal Corps during the Korean War. The Army Signal Corps was responsible for providing tactical and strategic communications throughout the Korean theater of operations. Signalmen surveyed the land and built communications networks of radio relay sites. Tony was awarded the Bronze Star during his service.
After the war, Tony graduated from the Bowmen Technical School in Lancaster PA as a watchmaker in 1955. He later spent the majority of his career in quality control management for BG Sulzle, Inc. He was involved with veterans organizations and one of his fondest memories was traveling to Washington, DC with fellow veterans as part of Operation Enduring Gratitude.
A Citizen article from September 17, 2012 describes the veteran’s receival at Arlington National Cemetery; “…walking back down one of Arlington National Cemetery’s tree-shaded paths, the veterans – most hailing from Cayuga County – were greeted by random tourists who stopped to clasp their hands and kiss their cheeks. Anthony Spagnola, a Korean War veteran, said his generation received more recognition during the Operation Enduring Gratitude trip than any other time through the past 60 years. ‘We never were treated this way,’ the Bronze Star recipient said. ‘It boggles the mind.’”
Allen Baker was born on March 20, 1920 in Sennett NY. He graduated from Emily Howland Central School in Sherwood in 1938 and served in the Army during WWII as a bombardier. He was wounded in action in 1943. After the war, he returned to Cayuga County and married Ruth Wyant on September 9, 1947.
He was recalled in 1951 to serve in Korea, where he was a 1st Lieutenant in the United States Air Force which had been formally established in 1947. 1st Lieutenant Baker was a crewmember of a B-29A Superfortress Bomber with the 345th Bomber Squadron, 98th Bomber Wing.
On February 7, 1952, the aircraft 1st Lieutenant Baker was on crashed while departing on a combat mission from Yokota Air Base in Japan. The tragic accident was the result of bad weather and an under trained pilot. A Colonel visiting from Okinawa was allowed to fly the aircraft because of his rank, despite the fact that he had less experience than the regular pilot. His lack of experience, paired with a snowstorm, led to the plane crashing just a few miles from takeoff, killing 14 and destroying houses in a village at the crash site.
Allen was 31 when he was killed. The same day he died, his wife Ruth Wyant Baker gave birth in Auburn City Hospital to the couple’s second child, Ellen Margaret Baker. Ruth was interviewed in the hospital after receiving the news; “‘When he was recalled last year,’ she said, ‘I didn’t think anything like this would happen.’ She said that he had been wounded in World War II and that she hoped nothing would happen this time. He felt it was his duty to go when they recalled him. ‘I remember his saying that the United States had trained him and that they had a lot of money invested in him. I’ve got a job to do he said.’”
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