Archive: Around Town

Place Names of Tompkins CountyThe historians of Tompkins County, including Lansing's own official historian Louise Bement, are the recipients of an American Association for State and Local History (AASLH) Certificate of Commendation for the publication of "Place Name of Tompkins County." The AASLH was founded in 1940 to promote the "effort and activity in the fields of state, provincial, and local history in the United States and Canada." Members include the Smithsonian Institution and Colonial Williamsburg.

The award winning book is edited by Carol Kammen, the Tompkins County Historian. Richard Rosenbaum, a retired book designer, helped with the design and production. It was written to update Glenn Norris's 1951 "Origin of Place Names of Tompkins County." There is a chapter for each town in the county, written by that town's historian.

Mrs. Bement's chapter begins with an overview of Lansing History followed by a series of names that are very familiar to residents, and how they came to be. For example, Ludlowville was named for Silas, Henry and Thomas Ludlow who came there in 1791. Lansingville was named Teetertown after tavern keeper Conrad Teeter, but the name was changed after he sold the establishment. Asbury Road was named for the first American Methodist Bishop.

"We submitted the book to the state AASLH chair, Dr. Gretchen Sullivan Sorin at the New York State Historical Association in Cooperstown, and her committee approved it and then nominated it for the national award," explained Ms. Kammen. The local group meets once a month. "We are deciding on the next project which we hope will really interest and inform the community," Ms. Kammen told us. "We hope that the format of presentation of our next project will be in the form of a CD or an exhibit."

The book is a delightful exploration of familiar places, available for sale at the Lansing Historical Association (and buying it and other books about Lansing history is a great way to help support their ongoing projects).

The AASLH Certificate of Commendation is presented for excellence within the context of available means and regional standards.

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