About the Town
History
Many signs of evidence such as arrowheads left by the Kahquak Indians and the Erie Indians have been found along the Eighteen Mile Creek and around the Erie County Fairgrounds. The name of "Lake Erie" and "Erie County" is derived from the Erie Indians.
The first post office in the Hamburg area was called Barkerville, after Zenas Barker, Postmaster (1805), which is now the present site of the Bay View Hotel. John Cummings was the first landowner in Hamburg (1803) and by 1806 he had built the first grist mill south of Buffalo.
By an act of the State Legislature on March 20, 1812, the Town of Hamburg was created. Jacob Wright's Tavern at Wright's corners, later Abbott's corners, and now Armor was the site of the first town meeting on April 7, 1812. Due to the volume of settlers that were bothered by wolves and panthers that roamed in the dense forests, a $5.00 bounty was placed on wolf hides by the Town Board in 1812.
Mail routes were organized in 1815. During the next first fifty years, Hamburg's settlers progressed from pioneers in an isolated wilderness to members of a thriving agricultural community.
Many ethnic groups helped in the development of Hamburg. The earliest settlers were from New England. The first Germans came in the 1830's and were responsible for the growth of many prosperous farms. By 1850, Hamburg was reduced to its present size; the Towns of West Seneca and Orchard Park having been created from Hamburg's original boundaries. The Lakeshore Railroad Line was built in Hamburg around 1852, running from Buffalo to Cleveland. The Polish and Italians began to arrive in 1890 with the growth of the steel industry.
Following the aftermath of the Civil War, the Town took on a more modern form, with improved roads, new industries, town street car systems, and the railroad. The Village of Hamburg was incorporated in 1874. The incorporation of the Village of Blasdell followed in 1898.*
The Town of Hamburg is internationally famous for its Devonian fossils and shale outcroppings along the bank of the Eighteen Mile Creek. Located in the Town of Hamburg is the largest county fair in the United States. The Erie County Fair came to Hamburg in 1868 and has remained remained since. The Kleis site, located across from the Erie County Fair Grounds, is on the National Register for historic places. The site is important for the Indian relics found there by Dr. Marion White. *
The Erie County Independent began its weekly publication in 1875 and continues today as the weekly newspaper now known as "The Sun". In 1886 telephone service began, followed by the establishment of the Hamburg Free Library in 1902 and by the development of the trolley car system in the early 1900's.*
Hamburg has three buildings listed in the "Buffalo Architecture: "A Guide"; Lakeside Cemetery Office; the Lakeview School; and the Octagon Building. The newest cultural attraction of the Town is the Hamburg Historical Museum on South Park Avenue.
*"This is Hamburg, The Town And Its Villages" published by the League of Women Voters, Hamburg, New York 14075.
Government Structure
| Office | Term | Elected / Appointed | Powers and Duties |
|---|---|---|---|
| Town Board Supervisor | 4 years | Elected by Town Election | Executive Officer of the Town, Chairman of the Town Board; Chief Fiscal Officer of the Town |
| Councilman (4) | 4 years (2 are elected every other year.) | Elected by Town Electoral | Town Board meets twice a month at Town Hall; administers Town Government; levies taxes; administers services of unincorporated areas including police and fire protection, parks,sewers, water supply, streets, highways, assessments, and collection of taxes, building inspectors and recreation for the Town and lighting. |
| Town Clerk | 4 years | Elected by Town Electorate | Records minutes of Town meetings. In charge of registration of vital statistics, including marriage licenses; issues Town licenses, State hunting and fishing licenses; supervises elections; is custodian of Town records. |
| Town Justice (2) | 4 years | Elected by Town Electorate | Preside over Town Court which sits to handle violations of Town Ordinances and initial hearings of more serious cases, dispossessions and traffic violations. Handle civil cases up to $3,000. |
| Supt. of Highways | 4 years | Elected by Town Election | In charge of maintenance of all town streets and highways |
| Dir. of Admin. and Finance | 2 years | Appointed by Supervisor | Directs activities of Buildings, Grounds and park Department; oversees financial matters of the Town as assigned by the Supervisor. |
| Recreation Director | Civil Service | Appointed by Town Board | Supervises, plans and organizes recreation activities in the Town |
| Town Engineer | Civil Service* | Appointed by Town Board | In charge of Engineering Department which handles all engineering matters, including studies, design and construction, inspection, administers special district water and sewer operations. |
| Building and Plumbing Inspector | Civil Service* | Appointed by Board from Civil Service | Inspects building and plumbing; approves all building and plumbing permits. |
| Police Chief | Civil Service* | Appointed by Board from Civil Service | Administers police department; responsible for protecting life and property of Town residents; apprehends law breakers. |
| Executive Director of Youth Bureau | Civil Service* | Appointed by Board from Civil Service | Cooperates with Police Chiefs in dealing with youth cases in the Town and Villages. Main concern is to prevent and reduce youth problems and aid troubled youth. |
| Town Attorney | 2 years | Appointed by Board | Handles all legal matters of the Town as directed by the Town Board. |
| Assessor | 7 years | Appointed by Board | Assesses and reassesses all property in Town. Prepares tax rolls to to the the County. |
| Director of Civil Defense | Unpaid Volunteer | Approved by Supervisor | Area Chairman of Civil Defense; works with the County Director to enforce regulations set up by the New York State Defense Emergency Act and related Defense Emergency Law. |
| Historian | 1 year | Appointed by Supervisor | Collect, protect and preserve material related to the history of political subdivision |
| * Has tenure to retirement under Civil Service. | |||
