Auburn

The city of Auburn, NY sits at the northern end of Owasco Lake. A city rich with history and tradition, Auburn is highlighted by grand old homes like the Seward House, home of William H. Seward, Secretary of State in the administrations of Abraham Lincoln and Andrew Johnson. While the city is small, it offers attractions ranging from professional baseball and waterfront recreation to theaters, museums and annual events.

History

Auburn was originally inhabited by the Tuscarora Indians, members of the Iroquois League. The area remained Iroquois territory until it was taken over by European settlers. In the late 1700s, Captain John Hardenbergh, a Revolutionary War veteran, settled near present day City Hall where he built a cabin and gristmill. Soon, several mills, a stagecoach stop and a tavern sprang up on the Owasco Outlet. The settlement became known as Hardenbergh’s Corners. By 1810, there were fourteen mills along the Owasco Outlet which produced items like linseed and sunflower oil. The town’s name changed to Auburn in 1805 when it became the county seat. The name Auburn was derived from a poem by Oliver Goldsmith called “Deserted Village.”

Auburn later became well-known because of its penitentiary. Built in 1816, the Auburn Prison was the first in the United States to have a cell block. Jails around the country modeled after the Auburn System, a new way of managing prisoners which included mandatory silence and marching in lockstep. The prison was also the home of the first electric chair, built in 1890. Now called the Auburn Correctional Facility, it remains one of the most historically significant prisons in the United States.