Scipio: The Birth of an American Township

Prior to Scipio's formation in 1790, it was battleground for the American War of Independence. The "scorched earth" policy of the 1779 Sullivan-Clinton campaign forced the indigenous people - perceived as supporters of the British - to flee their homeland and take refuge in Canada. Later, hordes of Yankee settlers moved in, finding prosperous land sold by developers for a low price. Some brought enslaved persons, who later formed the bases of a free African-American community that welcomed fugitives from southern enslavement. The exhibit will present these three migrations side by side as formative influences on the birth of the town.