Northville in Fulton County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

History of Ray Hubbell

Photographed by Steve Stoessel, July 6, 2019

1. History of Ray Hubbell Marker

Inscription. Many people in Northville and around Northville know about the return of the Chimney Swifts, but not many people know about Mr. Ray Hubbell. Each year the Chimney Swifts would return to their home in the chimney that was on the corner of 2nd Street and Bridge Street. This chimney was once a part of the Hubbell Factory which Ray Hubbell owned. Ray Hubbell''s parents moved to Northville with 5 year old Ray in 1854 with intentions of getting into the lumber business. Ray''s father, Sheldon Hubbell, built a sawmill along the river and lived there for 21 years. The Hubbell family then moved to Third street in Northville in 1875 after losing their sawmill to a fire for the second time. Once Ray Hubbell became older he went to Troy Business college and went into the mercantile business in 1871. In 1873 Ray married Emily Beecher and had their only son, Frank Hubbell, in 1877. In 1879 Ray started producing brass corners for oil cloth, a process he learned in a blacksmith shop on Bridge Street. Soon after this, Ray built a factory on the corner of 2nd Street and Bridge Street. Ray Hubbell was a very well-known business man and at

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one time was running 2 globe metallic binding company factories in Northville and 2 more outside of New York. Ray then built the Hubbell Glove Factory in 1833 where the Chimney Swifts would roost in the summer.

The return of the Chimney Swifts was a huge event in Northville, gathering people from all around to witness the birds return home. The Swifts returned to the Hubble Glove Factory chimney around May 6th from the Amazon where they spend their winters. The Factory was built in 1880 by Stephen Acker, although the factory was owned by Ray Hubbell and James Cole. The swifts fly over 5000 miles to come here for breeding season, and the date they come back to the chimney is surprisingly the same day Ray Hubbell''s son, Frank Hubbell, was born. The factory that Ray Hubbell owned burned down in 1890 and was then rebuilt with the tall chimney that the Swifts would soon call home. The new factory burned down again in 1918. This made the chimney vacant and the Swifts then used it as their home. When the Chimney Swifts arrived in Northville they would spend about 15 weeks here. After people started taking notice of the Chimney

Photographed by Steve Stoessel, July 6, 2019

2. History of Ray Hubbell Marker

Swifts it became a celebration held each year since 1958. Every year people would watch as the Swifts would circle around the chimney and then dive into it for the night. Due to structural problems with the chimney, it was taken down in 2013 and the Swifts were forced to take refuge somewhere else. This tower here is an effort to bring back the Swifts so that people in and around Northville can witness these birds finally come home once again.

Migratory Patterns of Chimney Swifts
Chimney Swifts are one of the many types of birds that are considered long-distance migrators. During summer months they migrate to the East Coast of the United States to breed. In the winter, the Swifts live in North Western South America. Chimney Swifts are almost constantly flying. They even bathe in the air, plunging down into the water then launch back up into the sky while shaking the water off their bodies. The only time they are not flying is when they are roosting at night. Chimney Swifts rest vertically on cave walls, hallowed out trees, cliff faces, and chimneys.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Animals

Photographed by Steve Stoessel, July 6, 2019

3. History of Ray Hubbell Marker

• Environment • Man-Made Features. A significant historical date for this entry is May 6, 1854.

Location. 43° 13.301′ N, 74° 10.131′ W. Marker is in Northville, New York, in Fulton County. It can be reached from South Main Street. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: Northville NY 12134, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York

and in the Mohawk Valley.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Great North Woods,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy,

New Netherland,

and one of the original Thirteen Colonies.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Early Settler (about 500 feet away, measured in a direct line); Early Cemetery (about 700 feet away); The Spillway (approx. 0.2 miles away); James A. Cole Block (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Fry Block (approx. 0.3 miles away); 5 & 10 Cent Store (approx. 0.3 miles away); Northville War Memorial

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(approx. 0.3 miles away); Lee Anibal's Law Office (approx. 0.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Northville.

Credits. This page was last revised on July 26, 2019. It was originally submitted on July 25, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. This page has been viewed 565 times since then and 31 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 25, 2019, by Steve Stoessel of Niskayuna, New York. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.