Just fourteen miles northwest of Cooperstown, Richfield Springs originally developed around its naturally occurring sulphur water springs. The springs had claims to various health benefits, but the most important, and true, was as a treatment for rheumatism. It also helped treat skin diseases and acne. The springs were a major destination for those seeking treatment from the 1820s until the 1940s. Richfield Springs had a population of 600 people at the time of the Civil War. After the war, the village erected the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument in Monument Park. It is located where W. Main Street and Monticello Street intersect. There is plenty of free parking within a block of the park.
The monument is in a little triangular park with a flag behind the Civil War memorial. There are two benches for sitting at the memorial, At the center there is a dedicatory inscription. Above the inscription there is a sculpture of a cannon. On either side are cannon balls and grape shot.
According to the Annals of Richfield, the village “sent 115 [men] from the town. In addition, 50 men were enlisted in New York City and credited to Richfield ‘s quota.” The local Republicans were also active in developing clubs to support the Union ware effort and the women made clothing for the soldiers. There were a few dissidents. According to the history, “There were but few hereabout that did not heartily espouse the Union cause. There were those, however, whose utterances caused them to be called *copperheads,” a name given to northern men whose sympathies were with the South and its principles.”
The men of Richfield enlisted in the 76th, 121st, 152nd, 44th (Ellsworth’s Avengers) infantry ; 2nd and 16th Heavy Artillery ; 3rd Light Artillery ; 2nd Light Cavalry (Harris’) ; Ist U. S. Sharpshooters (Berdan’s).
On April 10, 1865 came the news of Lee’s surrender and the village broke into a general celebration. Five days later the Richfield residents learned that Abraham Lincoln had been assassinated. According to the Annals; “His tragic and untimely end brought mourning to every home, and tears to every cheek. What a revulsion of feeling ! The bells that but a few days before had rung out joy ful notes for ended war, now tolled a sad requiem for the great, gentle-hearted Martyr. Flags were draped with black and hung at half-mast ; and services were held in the churches.”
The monument is ten feet high. It is made of Barre Granite It is inscribed “Erected To Commemorate The Soldiers And Sailors From The Town Of Richfield Who Served In The War Of 1861-1865.”
The monument was dedicated on July 5, 1897. The was a parade that day to celebrated the Civil War dead and veterans from the village. There was a large audience gathered at Monument Park, including the Mayor of New York City, William L. Strong.
The keynote was given by Brevet Brigadier General James R. O’Beirne. The general was born in 1839 in Roscommon, Ireland. His family immigrated when he was only nine months old. He was a devout Catholic and went to Catholic schools, graduating with a degree from what is now Fordham University. As a postgraduate he studied philosophy and law and became a lawyer.
O’Beirne became a Republican in the late 1850s and would later align himself with the Radical Republicans. When the Civil War broke out, He enlisted in the 7th New York State Militia. After that he joined the 37th New York Irish Rifles. In November of 1861 he was appointed commander of Company C. At the Battle of Fair Oaks during the Peninsula Campaign, his gallantry led to him being awarded the Medal of Honor. The citation says:
“The President of the United States of America, in the name of Congress, takes pleasure in presenting the Medal of Honor to Captain James Rowan O’Beirne, United States Army, for extraordinary heroism on May 31 & 1 June 1862, while serving with Company C, 37th New York Infantry, in action at Fair Oaks, Virginia. Captain O’Beirne gallantly maintained the line of battle until ordered to fall back.”
O’Beirne was wounded at Chancellorsville and was disabled. In 1865 he was provost marshal of the District of Columbia. When Lincoln was assassinated he helped organize the hunt for John Wilkes Booth.
The monument itself has several references to the artillery. Here is a sculpture of a cannon ball and grape shot. Above it is a cannon.
The cannon is not made to scale.
In the front are two benches for visitors to sit on.
For such a small village, the monument is both large and original. Because the population was always swelled by former veterans visiting the springs for relief from their illnesses, town fathers might have wanted to put up a monument that would recognize the patients receiving care there.
On the back, the inscription says; “Presented By Thomas R. Proctor July 4, 1897.” Proctor also gave the village its other landmark, the Proctor Clock seen near the Spring Park. Proctor was a philanthropist who donated money for projects in Central New York and Utica.
A mile east of Monument Park on Main St. is a park devoted to the old sulphur springs. According to an account published in 1887, there were sixteen sulphur springs in the village. There is a sulphur spring still giving water. The spring was named Ga-no-wan-ges by the Oneida Indians which means “stinking water.” When you come within five feet of the fountain, you can smell why it had that name.
The unusual monument to the springs is right on Main Street with Sulphur Water spilling out. I had been advised to boil the water before drinking it. I am not a medical professional, so I am not sure if that cures all its ills. Some visitors put their hands under the spout to try to cure skin diseases.
A book from the late 19th Century claimed that in addition to the real help from the waters described above, they also worked to “positively cure” Gout, Malaria, Neuralgia, Dyspepsia, and a variety kidney and liver complaints.
The monument was erected by the Daughters of the American Revolution in 1931.
The water coming out of the earth. In the 19th Century, in addition to the water fountains, there was a small industry of bathhouses where visitors could take healing baths for skin diseases, which modern medicine says may very well have helped the patient.
Below is a drawing of the Spring House in the late 19th Century.
While the village of Richfield was not settled until the 1820s, by 1757 the site was already a military target.
At the park, the area where the main spring used to give up its water is behind a fence. Nearby you can see mud where escaped waters have been reaching the surface.
A last picture of the spring monument.
Richfield sits at the northern end of Canadarago Lake. On the lake at Richfield Springs there is a small beach called Baker’s Beach where you can by a day pass for $5.00 and go swimming.
In Richfield Springs there are several restaurants, as well more on the east side of the lake. However, with a population of only 1,050 residents the variety is limited.
Sources
Annals of Richfield by Dr. Henry Ward published by Firestone Printing House (1898)
Richfield Springs published by L.T. Childs (1887)
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