Horseheads (Images of America)

Known as the gateway to the Finger Lakes, Horseheads is located in the center of Chemung County. Horseheads is the only town and village in the United States named in dedication to the service of the American military horse. In 1779, Gen. John Sullivan's army mercifully disposed of their worn-out horses on return from their war against the Six Nations of the Iroquois. The Iroquois arranged the bleached skulls along the crossroads, giving the area the name ""Valley of the Horses' Heads."" First with the Chemung Canal, then the earliest railroads, Horseheads became a hub for early industry. Horseheads shares photographs of a community that was nationally known for its high-quality bricks, produce, and lumber. What were once fertile celery farmlands grew into an industrial center for prefab homes that built the housing developments of Horseheads. Today, Horseheads has entered a period of growth due to the influx of the gas drilling industry.