Hamden

Hamden. , Hamden: The Early Years , The Town of Hamden was organized in 1825 In its early years, butter was it's most valuable commodity particularly during the Civil War years. The size of a typical family farm was 80 to 100 acres and supported 8 to 10 cows. One hundred years later, Hamden was no longer a sleepy little hamlet., 1880-1960: Dairy Industry and Hamden Hey Days: , By 1925, trains had been fitted with refrigerated fluid milk tankers, an invention that allowed farmers to increase their herd and hire help to produce more milk. The 1925 New York State census of Hamden counted 169 farms and 264 people working these farms. The size of a typical family farm had grown to an average 200 acres supporting 40 to 50 cows., The dairy industry was booming as were many other businesses and cultural groups. Hamden was home to two feed mills and three creameries: , Borden's Creamery, Ferndale Creamery and the Hamden Co-Operative Creamery. , The town supported three full time ministers, two physicians, seven merchants and 20 schoolteachers., For recreation, many families belonged to various local civic groups such as the Grange and other Missionary Societies. Elvin L. Miller provided theatrical entertainment as proprietor of the town's movie theater, the "Hippodrome." This bustling little town even had a weekly newspaper published by the Business Men''s Club with Miss Annis Hume as its Managing Editor., Today in 2013, it has been over fifty years since the train ceased to run through our town. Hamden has returned to being a sleepy little village. There are six farms remaining that ship milk from Hamden. The creameries and feed mills are long gone and the district schools are closed., However, our valuable resources remain - the land, the mountains and the river. These continue to attract seasonal visitors and second homeowners who enjoy hunting, fishing, hiking, and kayaking. Fresh air, serene mountain views and plenty of clean water brought generations of settlers here and continue to bring others back to their roots., CREAMERY BUILDING/WORKER PHOTOS (Clockwise from top): Hamden Co-Operative Creamery, Fermdale Creamery and Borden''s Creamery. The sloping stone wall in front of the Borden's Creamery still exists , Photos of the Ferndale Creamery and strikers by Bob Wyer, February 1941. Creamery photos Courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association., HAMDEN INN PHOTOS-Hamden's "Cottage Hotel” attracts visitors during horse and buggy days (photo courtesy of Loretta Foster, Hamden Town Historian) renamed the Hamden Inn, in later years, the site hosted group events like this Veterans dinner, November 6, 1946. (Photo by Bob Wyer, courtesy of the Delaware County Historical Association), MADE IN HAMDEN: One can still find evidence of Hamden's thriving creamery businesses such as this wooden Ferndale Creamery cream cheese box and cardboard Hamden Co-Operative Creamery cottage cheese box. The feed mill bag on the left shows that Crawford Brothers maintained operations in Walton as well as Hamden. Artifacts courtesy of Hamden Town Historian, Loretta Foster