Gilboa Village

Navigation in the Village of Gilboa

Main Street: because of this narrow footprint, the village had one major, north/south road—Main Street. It went south from the iron bridge, parallel to the creek, and curving up to become the Conesville Road with its branching of the Prattsville Road the Manorkill Falls.

  • The central part of Main Street had an impressive collection of retail businesses.
    • the west side of that road had a line of retail stores on narrow lots, with their backs overlooking the creek and the valley.
    • the east side had larger lots and hosted a hotel, auto dealership, blacksmith and other light manufacturing outlets, and churches.
  • Outlying that business area of Main Street were private residences for the people who worked in the village; and further out were residences that also supported small produce, sheep, or dairy farms.

The iron bridge area: from a hundred yards upstream of the bridge and all the area downstream from it was an upscale residential area and a number of light industrial operations along the creek:

  • upstream & west: a major creamery facing South Gilboa Road (the major east-west road);
  • downstream and west: two mills taking advantage of Schoharie water power, and a little further north the flooded remnants of a cotton-processing plant; 
  • upstream & east: two small smiths;
  • downstream and east: the center of Gilboa was the iron bridge and a large green created by the Gilboa school, Dutch Reformed Church and parsonage. Land use north of the green was determined by the area’s distance away from the creek:
    • the land along the shore of the creek fell off quickly, so a number of small roads accessed the power plant and various small mills, and the hillside hid them from the residences on the hill above them;
    • Church Hill was on the land above the downstream and east section of the village, and was the more upscale residential area for Gilboans at that time. Residents on the northern end of Church Hill could get out of town by going up Broome Center Road (nowadays, Flat Creek Road), while those closer to the center would take Back Road (aka Wyckoff Road and Back Road toward Broome Center).

 

Linked walking tours of these areas

Linked pages under construction

Retail stores on the west side of Main Street to the Masonic Hall.
Retail services requiring more land back to the village green. 
Businesses, residences, and small farms south to the fork of Prattsville Road.
Iron bridge area on the west of the Schoharie Creek.
Iron bridge area on the east of the Schoharie Creek
Church Hill.

Life in the village of Gilboa, 1910

Under construction: Overview of the geography, neighborhoods, lifestyles, and economy of the village that make up the plusses and minuses of protected living above Gilboa valley.

This url would give social insight into living in a mature village of 1910. At relevant points in this essay, however, would be callouts to other sources from that place and time (Gilboa Monitors, GHS Newsletters, etc.) as well as branches describing 4 areas of the village.

GILBOA MUSEUM OPEN
12 TO 4 Saturday and Sundays
Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

MUSEUM TOURS-ON-CALL
(607) 588-6894 to set up a tour.  

Map for the Gilboa Museum.

September, 2024

• Wednesday, 9/18 at 6: Bobby Curious
click here
After Bobby and refreshments, we will discuss the purchase of the museum property, plans for the addition under construction, and the near-total renovation of the 2024 exhibits. We will also cover next month’s annual meeting, changes to the by-laws, and status of our upcoming board elections.

• Thursday, 09/19, a lunchtime visit by the Mountaintop Seniors, with Museum resource people at each area display.

• Saturday, 9/21, 10 a.m.:
GILBOA NATURALIST PROGRAM

EASY ACCESS! 

REGISTER TO ATTEND
(607) 437 7132
kristen.wyckoff@yahoo.com

A field trip to Cairo quarry. The oldest fossil forest in the world, hosted by Dr. Chuck Ver Straeton, Geologist from the NY State Museum.
     We will also be shown geological outcroppings in the area.
     MEET at Gilboa Museum to depart at 10:00 for Cairo 
     OR meet at the Cairo Highway Department garage,  755 Route 145, Cairo, NY  at 10:40 am.
     For information call Kristen Wyckoff at (607) 437 7132 or email her at kristen.wyckoff@yahoo.com

• Saturday, 9/28, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Amy Silberkleit  print-making workshop
Click here

October, 2024
• Wednesday, 10/16, 6 p.m.:
Annual Meeting of Gilboa Historical Society & election of board members.

• Saturday, 10/19/ 1 p.m. Bob & Johanna Titus talk about the geologic basis of Catskill Mountains art

November, 2024
• Sunday, 11/17, 11 a.m.:
Holiday Boutique at Gilboa Museum.

• Wednesday, 11/20, 6 p.m.: General program TBA.

December, 2024
• Wednesday, 12/11, 6 p.m.:
Raffle and Bottle Auction and a pot luck dinner. 

The Board of Gilboa Historical Society meets at 1:00 p.m. on the 4th Wednesday of each month.

Unlinked pages are under construction.√

GHS Facebook page
GilboaMuseum
Gilboa Museum Gift Shop

Gilboa Historical Society
GHS History (Founders, Early Supporters, First Decade, Expansion, Our 21stC)
GHS Activities
GHS Facilities
GHS — Who We Are
Publications  and Podcasts 

Gilboa Fossils and the Devonian ecology
Gilboa Fossils, a site of the Gilboa Historical Society.

Nicholas J. Juried History Center
Gilboa Village (under construction)
Gilboa Reservoir (under construction)

Map for the Gilboa Museum 

Communications between you and the Society is key to your enjoyment and our success.
     You can type out your information on this form, save it to your desktop, and email it or print it out and send it to the Society (PO Box 52, Gilboa, NY 12076)
     Our annual membership is based on an anniversary date established when we process your check. A renewal would simply add 12 months to the projected expiration date, while lapsed memberships are seen as new ones without penalty for the lapse.

Member benefits

  • All GHS Newsletters and mailings.
  • Gift shop discounts of 10% on all sales.

 

For donations, please use the QR code