about Greene home - recreation - walking tour

Greene's History

Settled in 1792 by Stephen Ketchum, Greene is an historic community of well-kept homes, shops and businesses, where the past and present achieve an unusual and enduring sense of harmony.

Here, the circle goes unbroken, offering lifelong residents and first-time visitors alike a rare opportunity to reach out and touch the fabric of our lives...past, present and future.

Originally named Hornby, the village was early on renamed to honor Revolutionary War hero, Major General Nathanael Greene. The first town meeting was held in 1798, by which time Greene consisted of 13 log cabins, all built along the highlands surrounding the Chenango River. The village itself was laid out in 1806.

The Chenango River and, later, the Chenango Canal proved very important to Greene. River rafts brought the Ketchum family and other intrepid settlers to Greene from various points of origin to the northeast.

The opening of the Chenango Canal in 1837 assured prosperity to the community, which was already enjoying the fruits of commerce made possible by the construction 20 years earlier of the Catskill-Ithaca and Susquehanna-Bath Turnpikes.

Farming of the rich river bottom lands of the Chenango River Basin added to Greene's lasting economic strength and vitality.