History TidbitsBroom Corn History
Scotia and Schenectady, NY
Schenectady, as well as Scotia and Glenville, were the chief centers of broom making in the United States in the mid-19th century. In the mid 1800s, Scotia was well known as the center of the Broom industry with almost 100 operating broomcorn farms, manufacturing up to 1,000,000 brooms a year. Schenectady County’s history shows that the broomcorn industry began in 1812 and peaked between 1840 and 1860, growing on the river flats of the Mohawk.
- Photos -
A field of broom corn on the south bank of the Mohawk River, around 1870.
Note Burr Bridge that connected with Scotia.
Source: Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection
Whitmyre Broom Shop - Schenectady - 1947
Further Info
- The Broomcorn Industry in Schenectady County, 1885
- Brooms and Broomcorn in Schenectady County
- The Early Years: Broom making was once a thriving regional industry
- History - Waters Edge Lighthouse
- Landmarks: From broom corn to the Waters Edge
- The Broomcorn Industry in Schenectady County, 1885
Historical details on the various farms and farm owners - Piece of Glenville History hits the market!
