A breif history of the name...
THE VALLEY OF HORSES' HEADS
FOUNDED in 1779
During the American Revolutionary War's Western Campaign
against the Six Nations of Iroquois Indians, Major-General John
Sullivan with 5,000 soldiers and 1,200 pack horses passed
through this area wilderness in September of 1779.
Burdened down with heavy military equipment in their
450 mile journey from Easton, Pennsylvania over to Wyoming, PA
and on up the Susquehanna River Trial to Elmira, New York,
they continued north through present day Horseheads to the
Finger Lakes region and then west to Geneseo. Returning the same
route these Military Pack Horses had reached the limit of
their endurance. Many of the horses would lie down to rest
and die were they lay. Here, General Sullivan for
humanitarian reasons was compelled to dispose of many of
these faithfull animals in the cause of American Freedom.
A few years later, the skulls of the horses, around 300 were
arrayed along the trail in defiant fashion by a few returning
Indians. Perhaps as a gesture that the same fate would be
met by any settler, should they attempt to homestead in this
area.
The first settlers returning to the area finding the skulls
built their homes on this spot and the Village in the
Valley of Horses' Heads rose in tribute to the fallen horses.
This location first known as "The Valley of Horses' Heads
was later changed to Horseheads, New York in 1845
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THE VALLEY OF HORSES' HEADS
FOUNDED in 1779
During the American Revolutionary War's Western Campaign
against the Six Nations of Iroquois Indians, Major-General John
Sullivan with 5,000 soldiers and 1,200 pack horses passed
through this area wilderness in September of 1779.
Burdened down with heavy military equipment in their 450 mile journey from Easton, Pennsylvania over to Wyoming, PA and on up the Susquehanna River Trial to Elmira, New York, they continued north through present day Horseheads to the Finger Lakes region and then west to Geneseo. Returning the same route these Military Pack Horses had reached the limit of their endurance. Many of the horses would lie down to rest and die were they lay. Here, General Sullivan for humanitarian reasons was compelled to dispose of many of these faithfull animals in the cause of American Freedom.
A few years later, the skulls of the horses, around 300 were arrayed along the trail in defiant fashion by a few returning Indians. Perhaps as a gesture that the same fate would be met by any settler, should they attempt to homestead in this area.
The first settlers returning to the area finding the skulls built their homes on this spot and the Village in the Valley of Horses' Heads rose in tribute to the fallen horses.
This location first known as "The Valley of Horses' Heads was later changed to Horseheads, New York in 1845