Pawling Town Hall

• March 7, 1788-Pawling formed
  
• The Constitution
  
• 1807-North Pawling separated and became Dover
  
• 1812-Pawling and Dover create Putnam County
  
• May, 1859-The first disastrous fire happened in the village
  
  • Six stores were burned as well as Town Hall which lost all town records before 1854 in the fire
    
• 1860-The town’s population grew to 1,743
  
• 1878-The town started to get decorated and beautified
  
  • Trees and shrubs were planted all around the village and town
    
• August 7, 1890-Meeting was held to create a Union Free School District
  
• September, 1894-People wanted a public water supply system also saying it would reduce fire insurance rates
  
  • A site was chosen and construction soon began
    
• Fall, 1895-People were enjoying the benefits but they soon needed to raise more money
  
• March 8, 1895-Pawling became a no-license town after a big fight with the Prohibition Club and the Women's Christian Temperance Union
  
  • May 1, 1889-Pawling became a dry town
    
  • June 14, 1890-The town board was declared vacant because people didn’t take the oath and Pawling became a wet town again
    
• June, 1925-A hurricane struck Pawling and caused massive damage to the entire town
  
• August, 1925-The cement had hardened on all roads after the automobile had caused an upgrade for the streets
  
• 1933-The Paling Garden Club was created and over a few years spent time beautifying Pawling again
  
• 1938-The roads are also continuously improving causing the town of Pawling to purchase its first plow for snow removal
  
• Early 1943-Tire and gasoline rationing began and driving without a cause was banned
  
• May 4, 1945-After the war ended the Pawling Chamber of Commerce planted 13 trees in memory of the Pawling servicemen who gave their lives
  
• The street formerly known as Railroad Avenue got changed to Memorial Avenue in honor of the ones who died in war
  
• Early 1950’s-The state was considering renovating Route 22 and Route 55 because they were considered “the worst pieces of State Highway” and they had increasing heavy traffic although nothing was done until towards the end of the decade
  
  • The increasing traffic amount in Pawling called for the first ever traffic light in Pawling
    
  • 1953-Pawling requested a light on East Main Street and Route 22
    
  • 1959-It was finally installed
    
• Summer and Fall 1955-Heavy flooding hit Pawling
  
• Hurricane Connie was followed by Hurricane Diane and caused heavy damage throughout the town
  
  • Route 55 was closed for close to 2 weeks, 4 bridges were carried away, and 3 other bridges had to get replaced as well
    
  • Several houses were washed away and families were left homeless
    
• October 20-Another flood hit that was almost as serious as Hurricane Diane
  
  • Luckily the town was prepared due to the previous storms
    
• 1959-Rober Roberts and Clarence Bierce purchased 150 acres of Old Route 55 for plans to subdivide it for housing
  
  • Then it was sold to Dutchess Development who then built 24 homes
    
• Pawling ended the decade looking like more of a modern suburban way of living with a lot of growth
  
• Although it was still a small town there was a lot of change waiting to happen
  
• Many people moved from metropolitan areas to more suburban and rural areas
  
  • 1960-The Town of Pawling population had grown by 33% since 1950
    
  • Passed Dutchess county and the village growth rates
    
• Municipal buildings were also improved
  
• Roads continued to improve and the railroad service started going down
  
• January 1964-Bob Gamache was the recreation director and proposed that the town purchase the 72 acre Burr Farm for recreational use
  
• 1973-The Pawling Village Police Department became more modernized
  
  • They bought radar equipment and added a second patrol car
    
• 1977-The Police Headquarters moved to the new railroad building on Charles Colman Boulevard
  
• 1973-There was a major gasoline shortage for the first time since World War II
  
  • “No Gas” signs were posted everywhere
    
• 1974-The government responded by reducing the speed limit on highways to 55 mph
  
• Landfills became a problem in Pawling
  
  • “The Dump” had already exceeded its capacity
    
  • There was a serious concern of the pollution of the Swamp River
    
• Pawling’s Population was on the rise again with trouble on where to house people
  
• Now the town needed to install a sewer system
  
• A traffic light was put at the corner of Akindale road and Route 22 due to increasing traffic
  
  • The speed limit was also reduced
    
• There was still a big garbage problem
  
  • Every year the town set one day for general pickup
    
  • Everyday illegal dumping still caused problems within the town
    
• 1983-The Blizzard of ‘83 hit Pawling with a whopping 27 inches of snow
  
  • The village highway crew were forced to work 36 hours clearing snow
    
• Spring 1984-There was a very big storm that knocked down trees and power lines all over
  
• 1985-Weather became a problem again when small tornadoes with hail storms and rain damaged area property