Auburn in Cayuga County, New York — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)

Auburn Memorial City Hall

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, September 1, 2025

1. Auburn Memorial City Hall Marker

Inscription.

Auburn Memorial City Hall. . Old City Hall. Prior to the mid-1800’s, Auburn was centered not around Genesee Street, but at the junction of Franklin, North, and Market Streets, where all traffic passed when crossing the Owasco Outlet. It was only natural then that this is where the original City Hall stood. As the city outgrew its original City Hall, a new one was erected farther south. , The statue of Thomas Mott Osborne, noted prison reformer and former mayor of Auburn, now stands in front of the location of Old City Hall at 46 North Street, 3 miles to your left. , City Hall, 1880s. This building was demolished following the 1930 opening of Memorial City Hall to make way for construction of the buildings that would house the city’s police, fire, and ambulance stations. , Memorial City Hall. Memorial City Hall was built in 1929, donated to the City of Auburn by Emily Harris and Helen Storrow as a memorial to their father David Munson Osborne. In her remarks at the ceremony Helen Osborne Storrow stated, “In order that the name of a good citizen, a kind friend and employer, and a loving father should be remembered and the city where our family have lived for 90 years and where my sister and I have spent a very happy girlhood should have a fitting memorial, my sister, Emily Osborne Harris, and I, Helen Osborne Storrow, give to the people of Auburn this building in memory of our father, David Munson Osborne. May the beauty and dignity of this building help to maintain honesty and integrity in the public affairs of Auburn.” , Memorial City Hall Dedication, April 5, 1930. “The group that has assembled here are represented the principal interests of Auburn, the manufacturing, the business and professional interests, our schools, our churches, and our seminary, our philanthropic organizations, and social groups. We are old and young, we are Protestants, Catholics and Jews, we are foreigners and American, and we are just friends of your family, and we come to say from our hearts , ‘thank you.’” , Edith Foster Dulles pre-dedication speech. , Three generations of the Osborne family served as Mayors to the City of Auburns. David Munson Osborne from 1879-1880 Thomas Mott Osborne from 1903-1905 Charles Dewitt Osborne from 1928-1931 and 1936-1939. , Wheeler Bell. The bell currently located in the tower above City Hall, is known as “The Wheeler” in honor of Mayor Cyrenus Wheeler, Jr., mayor of Auburn 1881-1886, and 1889-1890. , The “Wheeler” was originally installed in 1881 above the original City Hall building to serve as a fire alarm for the city. , The makers of the bell, Jones and Co. of Troy, NY, came to Auburn to listen to the city’s other bells to ensure the Wheeler Bell would be distinguishable as an alarm. It was hence made in the key of ‘C’. , The Wheeler Bell weighs approximately 6,022 pounds and is 5.5 feet in diameter. It is composed of copper and tin. , David Munson Osborne (1822 - 1886). David Munson Osborne was born on a farm in Rye, NY, in 1822. , After working in Ndw York City as a clerk in a hardware store, he moved to Auburn where he had a small business building straw cutters and corn shellers. , Osborne slowly built up his business and in 1858 started the D.M. Osborne Co., which manufactured farm machinery and was one of the largest factories in Auburn. In 1851, Osborne married Eliza Wright, noted women’s suffrage supporter, and served as mayor of Auburn from 1879-1880. , While running his company, he pioneered a lightweight all-steel grain binder and built the first successful corn binder. Osborne passed away in 1886 and in 1903, the D.M. Osborne Co. was purchased by International Harvester. , What remained of the D.M. Osborne factory complex was dismantled during a period of urban renewal in the 1970’s. Wegmans now sits on the original site of the factory.

Old City Hall
Prior to the mid-1800’s, Auburn was centered not around Genesee Street, but at the junction of Franklin, North, and Market Streets, where all traffic passed when crossing the Owasco Outlet. It was only natural then that this is where the original City Hall stood. As the city outgrew its original City Hall, a new one was erected farther south.

The statue of Thomas Mott Osborne, noted prison reformer and former mayor of Auburn, now stands in front of the location of Old City Hall at 46 North Street, 3 miles to your left.

City Hall, 1880s
This building was demolished following the 1930 opening of Memorial City Hall to make way for construction of the buildings that would house the city’s police, fire, and ambulance stations.

Memorial City Hall
Memorial City Hall was built in 1929, donated to the City of Auburn by Emily Harris and Helen Storrow as a memorial to their father David Munson Osborne.
In her remarks at the ceremony Helen Osborne Storrow stated, “In order that the name of a good citizen, a kind friend and employer, and a loving father should be remembered and the city where our family have lived for 90 years and where my sister and I have spent a very happy girlhood should have a fitting

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memorial, my sister, Emily Osborne Harris, and I, Helen Osborne Storrow, give to the people of Auburn this building in memory of our father, David Munson Osborne. May the beauty and dignity of this building help to maintain honesty and integrity in the public affairs of Auburn.”

Memorial City Hall Dedication, April 5, 1930
“The group that has assembled here are represented the principal interests of Auburn, the manufacturing, the business and professional interests, our schools, our churches, and our seminary, our philanthropic organizations, and social groups. We are old and young, we are Protestants, Catholics and Jews, we are foreigners and American, and we are just friends of your family, and we come to say from our hearts — ‘thank you.’”
— Edith Foster Dulles pre-dedication speech

Three generations of the Osborne family served as
Mayors to the City of Auburns.

David Munson Osborne from 1879-1880
Thomas Mott Osborne from 1903-1905
Charles Dewitt Osborne from 1928-1931 & 1936-1939

Wheeler Bell
The bell currently located in the tower above City Hall, is known as “The Wheeler” in honor of Mayor Cyrenus Wheeler, Jr., mayor of Auburn 1881-1886, and 1889-1890.

The “Wheeler” was originally installed in 1881 above

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, September 1, 2025

2. Auburn Memorial City Hall Marker

the original City Hall building to serve as a fire alarm for the city.

The makers of the bell, Jones & Co. of Troy, NY, came to Auburn to listen to the city’s other bells to ensure the Wheeler Bell would be distinguishable as an alarm. It was hence made in the key of ‘C’.

The Wheeler Bell weighs approximately 6,022 pounds and is 5.5 feet in diameter. It is composed of copper and tin.

David Munson Osborne
(1822 - 1886)
David Munson Osborne was born on a farm in Rye, NY, in 1822.

After working in Ndw York City as a clerk in a hardware store, he moved to Auburn where he had a small business building straw cutters and corn shellers.

Osborne slowly built up his business and in 1858 started the D.M. Osborne Co., which manufactured farm machinery and was one of the largest factories in Auburn. In 1851, Osborne married Eliza Wright, noted women’s suffrage supporter, and served as mayor of Auburn from 1879-1880.

While running his company, he pioneered a lightweight all-steel grain binder and built the first successful corn binder. Osborne passed away in 1886 and in 1903, the D.M. Osborne Co. was purchased by International Harvester.

What remained of the D.M. Osborne factory complex was dismantled during a period of urban renewal in the 1970’s. Wegmans now sits on the original

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, September 1, 2025

3. Auburn Memorial City Hall Marker

site of the factory.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Charity & Public Work • Government & Politics • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical year for this entry is 1850.

Location. 42° 55.802′ N, 76° 33.974′ W. Marker is in Auburn, New York, in Cayuga County. It is at the intersection of South Street and Lincoln Street, on the right when traveling south on South Street. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 25 South Street, Auburn NY 13021, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Upstate New York,

specifically in Central New York,

and in the Syracuse Metropolitan Area.

It is also in the American Northeast

and in the Mid-Atlantic.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

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: Votes for Women (a few steps from this marker); South Street Area Historic District (a few steps from this marker); Women’s Educational & Industrial Union (WEIU) (a few steps from this marker); David Munson Osborne Memorial City Hall (within shouting distance of this marker); William H. Seward (within shouting distance of this marker); 1st N.Y. Independent Battery Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Cayuga County Civil War Soldiers And Sailors Memorial (within shouting distance of this marker); Westminster Presbyterian Church (within shouting distance of this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Auburn.

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, September 1, 2025

4. Auburn Memorial City Hall Marker

Auburn Memorial City Hall Marker Is On The Plaza With The NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Susan A. Dalaba, September 1, 2025

5. Auburn Memorial City Hall Marker Is On The Plaza With The NYS Equal Rights Heritage Center

Credits. This page was last revised on September 7, 2025. It was originally submitted on September 3, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. This page has been viewed 145 times since then and 54 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on September 4, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. 2. submitted on September 3, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. 3, 4, 5. submitted on September 4, 2025, by Susan A. Dalaba of Cortland, New York. • Andrew Ruppenstein was the editor who published this page.