The evolution of Eagleville
And Saratoga's NYE schedule
By Kim West
Special to Journal & Press
Russell’s Mills, East Salem, Eagleville? The small, quaint hamlet of Eagleville in the town of Salem, approximately 2 miles east of Shushan, has had a few names over the many years since its founding.
Russell’s Mills is credited to Charles Russell who, according to the April 11, 1883 Washington County Advertiser, died at the Central House in Salem at the age of 83. At one time he owned the woolen mills at Eagleville and was an influential member of the Methodist Church. He left a large estate.
It’s not clear where the names East Salem and Eagleville came from. Some older residents have shared their ideas, but without any historical corroboration I hesitate to speculate. As late as 1912 maps indicate the area along the river where the mills were located as East Salem and that was the name of the Post Office there.
Phillip Embury, one of the earliest settlers of the Duane patent, then called Camden Valley, settled in Eagleville as early as 1770. He traveled north from New York City with others from Palatine receiving a grant of 8,000 acres to develop for the manufacture of linen. Embury settled on what is now known as Roberson Road in Eagleville.
The Eagleville Presbyterian Church was erected in 1822 at the junction of Juniper Swamp Road and the current county Route 61. Only the parsonage is still standing today, serving as a private residence. In 1826, Isaac Binninger Sr. and his brother Abraham bought the grist mill buildings and 1.6 acres in Eagleville for $27. Isaac also operated a store there, as did William Law. William, born in 1807, opened a store at the age of 17, (c.1824) and ran it for about 3 years before he left for New York City, not returning until 1837. Binninger Road remains today as a reference to influential Eagleville residents of the past.
According to Corey’s Gazetteer of Washington County, in 1849 Eagleville was a thriving village of about 70 persons containing a Post Office, Grist Mill, Saw Mill, Woolen, Sieve Factory and several mechanics shops. In the 1800s, a mechanic was someone who had specialized training and usually worked with their hands. This included a wide range of trades, such as carpenter, brick layer, painter, plasterer, plumber, and blacksmith. The factories at Eagleville were then doing a large business. The Woolen Mill averaged from 15-25 thousand yards annually. The Sieve factory supplied many sieves for the New York and Philadelphia markets. By comparison, Corey’s Gazetteer believed that Shushan’s population was closer to 300 at the same time.
The Eagleville Post Office was known as the East Salem PO and was established there in 1831, Isaac Binninger was Postmaster and held the office up to 1850 when George Russell was appointed. This once thriving community had, by then, become almost extinct and, once the railroad came to Shushan, many moved closer to there.
In 1849, Henry Barnes kept a Select School less than a mile west of Eagleville on the road to Shushan with about 20 students although the school was short lived. It appears to have been very near where the Presbyterian Church and Parsonage were built on Juniper Swamp Road.
Many are familiar with the Eagleville Bridge that was constructed in 1858 by Ephraim W. Clapp. It is one of four Washington County covered bridges submitted for listing in the National Register of Historic Places in one multiple-property submission. The others are the Buskirk Bridge, the Rexleigh Bridge, and Shushan Bridge. All four received the distinguishment of being listed on the National Register of Historic Places on March 8, 1972. All four still stand today with the Shushan Bridge being the only one converted to a museum. In the spring of 1977, a flood washed away the southern abutment of the Eagleville Bridge, dropping and twisting the historic structure. To the relief of local Eagleville residents and all who frequent the Eagleville Bridge, it was repaired and returned to service in February of 1978 and remains used today.
Saratoga’s NYE Schedule
WHAT: Saratoga New Year’s Eve is a two-day event that promises great entertainment and lots of fun for the whole family. This year’s headlining musical acts are Ben Folds at the Saratoga Springs City Center, Mystic Bowie’s Talking Dreads at Universal Preservation Hall, Los Sugar Kings at Caffe Lena, and Dogs in a Pile at Putnam Place. The celebration will conclude with the annual Saratoga First Day 5K on New Year’s Day.
WHO: Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Todd Shimkus
Discover Saratoga President Darry Leggieri
Caffe Lena Executive Director Sarah Craig
Saratoga New Year’s Eve performing artists
WHEN & WHERE: 5-10:30 p.m. on Dec. 31 and 11 a.m.-noon on Jan. 1 in downtown Saratoga Springs
New Year’s Eve
5-6 p.m. free outdoor concert by Tops of Trees on Ellsworth Jones Place
6 p.m. fireworks display from the top of the Saratoga Springs City Center parking garage
6:30-10:30 p.m. live musical entertainment at the City Center, Universal Preservation Hall, Caffe Lena and Putnam Place
New Year’s Day
11 a.m.-noon starting on Broadway near the City Center
WHY: Saratoga New Year’s Eve will feature live entertainment including fireworks on Tuesday, Dec. 31, 2024 and the annual Saratoga First Day 5K on Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025 in downtown Saratoga Springs. This year’s event was organized through a partnership between the Saratoga County Chamber of Commerce, Discover Saratoga, the Saratoga Springs City Center, the Saratoga Springs Downtown Business Association, the City of Saratoga Springs, Proctors Collaborative and Caffe Lena.
More information is available at www.saratoganye.com. For race details visit https://fc4.squarespace.com/our-races/saratoga-first-day-5k.
And Now for the Comics — ‘The Middletons’ by Dana Summers
Stay tuned for our Sunday Paper edition tomorrow!