Wheatfield, New York
History
History
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[thumb\|Bergholz German Band, based in Wheatfield](/wiki/File:Bergholz_Band.jpg "Bergholz Band.jpg")
The Town of Wheatfield was formed in 1836 from the [Town of Niagara](/wiki/Niagara%2C_New_York "Niagara, New York"). It is situated in the southwest part of the county, surrounded by the towns of [Lewiston](/wiki/Lewiston%2C_New_York "Lewiston, New York") and [Cambria](/wiki/Cambria%2C_New_York "Cambria, New York") to the north, [Pendleton](/wiki/Pendleton%2C_New_York "Pendleton, New York") to the east, the City of [North Tonawanda](/wiki/North_Tonawanda%2C_New_York "North Tonawanda, New York") and the [Niagara River](/wiki/Niagara_River "Niagara River") to the south, and the [City of Niagara Falls](/wiki/City_of_Niagara_Falls "City of Niagara Falls") and Town of Niagara to the west.

The earliest known settler on the site of present\-day Martinsville in [North Tonawanda](/wiki/North_Tonawanda%2C_New_York "North Tonawanda, New York") was George N. Burger, who came in 1809, built a log tavern on the river, and remained a resident until about 1825\. Joshua Pettit came in 1810 and settled near the Niagara Iron Works, where he opened a tavern. He was the father of Mrs. Daniel C. Jacobs and Mrs. Whitman Jacobs. Stephen Jacobs, a soldier at the [Battle of Bunker Hill](/wiki/Battle_of_Bunker_Hill "Battle of Bunker Hill"), located on the river two miles (3 km) below in 1817, where he purchased  of Augustus Porter, paying eight dollars an acre. He died in [Niagara Falls](/wiki/Niagara_Falls%2C_New_York "Niagara Falls, New York") in January 1840\. William Vandervoorte settled here in 1825, occupying a log house which tradition says was the only one then in existence.

It was his intention to make a business of purchasing staves and timber for the Boston market, and ultimately to open a mercantile business. In 1828, he finished the first [public house](/wiki/Public_house "Public house") in the place, which was called the Niagara; it was burned in 1844\. Later he purchased  of land of the Holland Company and sold to Prussian immigrants the largest part of their possessions on [Tonawanda Creek](/wiki/Tonawanda_Creek "Tonawanda Creek") and its vicinity. He established the first bank in 1836\. As before indicated, little progress of a business nature was made here until the opening of the [Erie Canal](/wiki/Erie_Canal "Erie Canal"). The interior of the town was still almost an unbroken wilderness and, as late as 1850, a large part of the area of the town was unimproved.

The first town meeting was held on June 6, 1836, in the schoolhouse of District No. 7, on the north line of the town. The soil of the town, [clay loam](/wiki/Clay_loam "Clay loam"), is very good for wheat crops in particular, and leads to the origin of the name Wheatfield.

Starting in 1843, [German immigrants](/wiki/German_Americans "German Americans") in the region established the communities of [Bergholz](/wiki/Bergholz%2C_New_York "Bergholz, New York") (called at first "Neu Bergholz" and named for an existing village in the [Ukermark](/wiki/Ukermark "Ukermark") region of eastern [Germany](/wiki/Germany "Germany")), St. Johnsburg (originally known as "Little Bergholz"), Walmore (first known as "Walmow" and originally acquired from a [Mennonite](/wiki/Mennonite "Mennonite") community), Martinsville, and Gratwick. The latter two towns are now part of North Tonawanda. Later, other communities were formed at railroad stops and along major highways.

In the 1920s, the River Road section of the Town became a prosperous farm area, including the showplace "Wheatfield Farms". Vacation cottages, beaches, an amusement park, and nightclubs were all constructed along the river. Permanent housing has since replaced most of these, but some remnants are still visible along River Road.

During World War II, industries located in the Town. The largest was [Bell Aircraft](/wiki/Bell_Aircraft "Bell Aircraft") (later Bell Aerospace) founded by [Larry Bell](/wiki/Lawrence_Dale_Bell "Lawrence Dale Bell") which produced, for example, the [World War II](/wiki/World_War_II "World War II") fighter plane, [P\-39 Airacobra](/wiki/P-39_Airacobra "P-39 Airacobra"). One Russian\-leased example of this aircraft is on display at the [Niagara Aerospace Museum](/wiki/Niagara_Aerospace_Museum "Niagara Aerospace Museum"). 10% of all aircraft production by the United States was produced in [Western New York](/wiki/Western_New_York "Western New York") and by Bell in particular. Later, the company made products for the aerospace industry. This included aspects of the [Apollo Program](/wiki/Apollo_Program "Apollo Program") such as the [Apollo Lunar Module](/wiki/Apollo_Lunar_Module "Apollo Lunar Module") propulsion system. With the closure of the facility in 1990, the vast plant was repurposed as a mixed\-business complex, including a branch of the [Lockheed Martin](/wiki/Lockheed_Martin "Lockheed Martin") company.

During the [postwar period](/wiki/History_of_the_United_States_%281945-1964%29 "History of the United States (1945-1964)"), other industries and businesses were established in the town, including those serving the tourist trade such as motels and restaurants. The largest included [Carborundum](/wiki/Carborundum "Carborundum"), [Demler Cider Mill](/wiki/Demler_Cider_Mill "Demler Cider Mill"), [Sawyer Creek Hotel](/wiki/Sawyer_Creek_Hotel "Sawyer Creek Hotel"), [Loblaws](/wiki/Loblaws "Loblaws") grocery stores, assorted businesses and light manufacturing industries along Liberty Drive, and [Thiele's](/wiki/Thiele%27s "Thiele's") dairy and bakery (defunct as of 1989\), and plant nursery/agricultural supply company, which still exists to this day. The [Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station](/wiki/Niagara_Falls_Air_Reserve_Station "Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station") is a major employer of the Town and of Niagara County, as is the Summit Medical Campus (in association with the [Memorial Medical Center](/wiki/Niagara_Falls_Memorial_Medical_Center "Niagara Falls Memorial Medical Center") in Niagara Falls) which hosts the [Summit Family Health Center](/wiki/Summit_Family_Health_Center "Summit Family Health Center") among other specialist outlets.

Growth and prosperity in the town continued, as families migrated from nearby communities creating new neighborhoods. During this period, [Summit Park Mall](/wiki/Summit_Park_Mall "Summit Park Mall") was built, opening in 1972 to serve the people of Wheatfield and nearby communities. The property closed as a mall by 2008 and is being redeveloped.

The largest spurt of growth in the town began in the 1980s and still continues today with many new housing developments emerging and new industrial and business parks being built. The population of the town now exceeds 18,000, which classifies it as a town of the first class, according to standard municipal classifications.


Can you describe some of the new housing developments that have emerged since the 1980s?