New York State Archives |

Industry: Death and Rebirth

By the end of the 19th century, New York led the nation in industrial development. This theme is illustrated using records from state agencies that oversaw economic development, health and safety in the workplace, and public school curriculum.
Hops

NYS was the largest producer of hops in the US from the 1840s through the 1880s. Competition, Prohibition and agricultural disease led to the industry's slow demise. Today, a resurgence is underway due in large part to the rapid growth of micro breweries throughout the state.
Hemp

Hemp was used to manufacture a number of products including rope, fabric and even soap until production was prohibited by the 1937 Marihuana Tax Act. More than 80 years later, NYS supports the revitalization of the hemp industry through the Industrial Hemp Research Initiative.
Salt City

Salt making was a major industry in 19th century Syracuse, the "Salt City." Water was pumped up from the salt springs around Onondaga Lake and processed through thousands of evaporating sheds surrounding the lake.
Lumber

NYS led the nation in lumber production in the 1860s and 1870s. By 1880 the demand depleted forest lands to 6 million acres statewide. Forest-based industry remains central to the state's economy, but there are now almost 19 millon acres due to decades of revitalization.
Paper Mills

The first paper mill in NY was established in 1773. Early paper making was laborious and the product prohibitively expensive. Technological advances in the mid 1800s led to the proliferation of paper mills and improved availability of paper products. By 1860 paper mills operated in 36 counties.
Remington Typewriter Company

In 1874 the first commercially successful typewriter was manufactured by Remington & Sons in Ilion, NY. The Remington No. 1 introduced the QWERTY keyboard layout, but customers had to wait until 1878 for both upper and lower case letters.
Petroleum

In 1881, a major oil field was discovered in Alleghany County, underlying much of the town of Bolivar. Previously a farming town, Bolivar's economy revolved around drilling enterprises until the mid-20th century. Roughly 14,000 oil wells remain active today and new drilling continues.