Harts Corner is Official

Many people bemoan the actions or inaction of public officials. My experience over the last year with those who serve Canton has been nothing but positive.

First, I am not a Canton resident. My home is in New Hartford although I grew up in Canton. That, however, did not seem to matter to anyone I dealt with when I set out to obtain an official designation of the intersection of Routes 44 and 179 as Harts Corner.

My first stop about a year ago was at the Canton Public Library where I surprised town historian David Leff with a proposal. David was thorough, systematic and clearly interested in my idea from the start. It was a new concept for him, I think, and he asked me to give him some time to look into the matter, and I left our meeting convinced he would get back to me. He did.

Perhaps a few months later, he asked me to write down for him some details about my family’s life on the two farms that made up Harts Corner from 1932 to 1988. David used that information to present my, and now his (He was clearly and enthusiastically committed to it), proposal to town officials. I was not privy to those conversations, but David soon told me that recognizing Harts Corner was to be on the agenda of a Board of Selectmen’s meeting early in the 2017. Did I want to attend and speak? Of course, I did.

Prior to the meeting, I found dozens of pages of background material that had been prepared, not just for my agenda item, but for the entire meeting. Leslie Hill and the rest of the board listened to David and me, asked questions, probed a bit, commented positively, and approved our proposal. It probably helped that it did not require any expenditures, but their comments and their votes told me they liked the idea. Harts Corner was now officially recognized by the Town of Canton.

But Routes 44 and 179 are state roads. My next stop was with Canton’s state representative, Tim LeGeyt whom I knew from my childhood in Canton. Like the other officials I had encountered, Tim listened and offered his support to secure state recognition of Harts Corner.

The state moves more slowly than local government, but early in the summer Tim contacted me with the news that designation of Harts Corner had been included in an omnibus transportation bill that had passed and been signed into law. In addition, Tim later called to tell me that the DOT would place signs identifying Harts Corner close to the crossroads and that there would be a brief ceremony when the signs were installed.

All of which brings me to November 28 at 11 am when Tim, David, Leslie, and four employees of the DOT joined my wife and me for the official placement of the signs. Some words were spoken, and some photos were taken. No one had to attend, but they did.

Every interaction I had with Canton officials was positive. All were courteous, thoughtful, and responsive to me as I sought to create a permanent remembrance of what my ancestors did to connect the family name to a simple intersection. It would not have happened without the effort and support of any of them, and I thank them all.

Tom Hart