What is now the Village of Elbridge, New York, population about 1200,located on NYS Route 5 about 15 miles west of the City of Syracuse,was once a wooded wilderness crossed by Indian trails. Following the Revolution (1775-83), Central New York was divided into military tracts that were to be given to veterans of that war, in lieu of payment for their services. The first settler was Josiah Buck, a government surveyor sent here in 1791 to map the area. He was so impressed that he returned with his family in 1793.

      Captain William Stevens, his wife and six children arrived shortly thereafter settling near present day 210 W. Main Street.  The village and town were likely named by Captain Stevens after  Elbridge Gerry, a governor of Massachusetts who along with Captain Stevens participated in the Boston Tea Party.

      Besides its location on the established thoroughfare (the Indian trail that became NYS Route 5), Elbridge had many attractive resources: Skaneateles Creek provided water for power and fishing; there was fertile farm land  and another attractive stream, Carpenter's Brook, which flowed at the eastern edge of the village.

      As more people began arriving, water powered mills, churches ,schools and taverns were established. Homes and businesses soon sprang up Elbridge separated from the Town of Camillus in 1829 because of the growth in the Town of Elbridge. The Village was incorporated in 1848 when the need for raising money through taxation became needed to fund sidewalks.  Many of the buildings along Main Street date from the early 1800's to 1890's,a period in which Elbridge grew into a prosperous industrial and farming community. This growth peaked between 1850 and 1875,leveled off and even shrank a bit until after World War II 

      The industries and businesses that had been located along Skaneateles Creek: The many chair factories, National and Stacey Chair shops ,the grist and saw mills, Amphion Piano Player Company ,the Elbridge Electrical Manufacturing Company (maker of electric motors ,generators,  and producer of the first electric starter for automobiles  had either all gone out of business or moved to Syracuse by 1913. They could not continue when the growing City of Syracuse demanded more water from Skaneateles Lake, roads were paved, the motorized truck was invented and electricity came to pass. The first home in Onondaga County to be lit electrically was 613 Route 5 West. Employees moved out of the village. Syracuse was the place to be.  Elbridge was forgotten.

      By Syracuse getting the bulldozers of "Urban Renewal" the Villages of Elbridge and Jordan  were spared. Of the approximately 100 buildings on Main Street. over 80% are historically and/or architecturally important. The village boast many other historically significant buildings. Almost all of the modern day development, with the exception of the two plazas ,the library and bank are outside these borders of Elbridge's past

      The materials used in the construction of the primarily nineteenth century buildings along Main Street are also interesting. Because of the abundance of trees in the area, most of the structures are wood framed. Plaster was abundant in the area ,plaster ceilings and walls are common. Locally manufactured brick was used for building construction along with field stone, cobblestone quarried limestone and dolomite.

       Also deserving attention are the barns and carriage houses that still exist  behind some of the homes. Decorative woodwork  adorns many interiors and exteriors of  many houses. Hitching posts and carriage steps can still be found  along Main Street along with well houses and iron hand pumps next to some kitchen doors.

      Today the Village would likely be called a "bedroom" community even though it is quite self-sufficient. It supports many small businesses, professions and services It has a village government, post office, public water system and public works department, a volunteer fire department, community church,  doctors, dentist, law offices, grocery stores, restaurants, a bakery, gift shops, barbers and hairdressers, a chiropractic office, public parks, furniture stores and a public library. There are also civic, social, and fraternal organizations within the Village (s) and the Town.

      There are two State and National Register of Historic  Places within the Village. The Elbridge Hydraulic Industry Archeological District was placed on both registers in 1982. The Elbridge Village Historic District encompassing sixty acres of land upon which lie more than sixty buildings and structures  of various character along East and West Main Street, was placed on both the State of New York and National Registers of Historic Places in 2002.

Sources;

A Stroll on Main Street, An Architectural and Historical Guide: Village of Elbridge Historian, Jeanne M. Schwartz; -Town of Elbridge Historian, John G. Horner,1999

New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation: Ruth L. Pierpont,Director 2002