Booming Western New York in the 19th Century
Did you know that Western, NY was once the Silicon Valley of America? The Smith family lived in a lively, rapidly growing, busting town of progressive innovation!
The year 1816 is known as “the year without a summer” because of the severe cold climate abnormalities. The volcanic eruption of Mount Tambora in Indonesia caused catastrophic consequences across the globe. Vermont alone experienced a decrease in population between 10,000 and 15,000 in the year 1816, erasing seven previous years of population growth. This massive migration to western NY contributed to an increase of religious fever, among other things!
Among the many people moving from Vermont to western NY in the year 1816 were 11 year old Joseph Smith Jr and the Smith family. The population of Palmyra, NY in this year was 2,187. Over the next 10 years thousands more would be moving to the area. The neighboring town of Rochester only had 331 residents in the year 1816, and by the year 1825 (less than 10 years) the population grew to 4,274. This area of the country was growing rapidly!
By mid 1822, Joseph Smith Jr. was now 17 years old, and a substantial portion of the Erie Canal was completed and available for use in Palmyra. This new “information Super Highway” as it is called, open the flood gates to new visitors, commerce, books and newspaper headlines! News traveled fast by word of mouth from new travelers coming and going up and down the Erie Canal. This new climate of change and uncertainty coming to upstate New York, contributed not only to the rapid influx of people, but also to the heightened religious fever, and the establishment of new religious and social movements. The Mormon movement, along with other religions, emerged out of this vibrant climate of change in America.
The Palmyra Harald of June 19, 1822 describes the scene:
“Our village has assumed an appearance which may be justly considered characteristic of the elevated rank to which it is destined. The canal crosses Main St. at the eastern end where there is a large and commodious basin (Jessup) and nearly opposite the center of the village, another basin (Rogers) now nearly completed plus at the west end of the Village is a third basin (Aldrich) directly opposite to which there is an elegant dry dock.” (a basin was similar to a bay which was constructed to allow boats to leave the main channel at the canal for the purposes of loading and unloading). The words “appearance of elevated rank” and “elegant dry dock” are indicators that the canal was a source of pride for the community.