Editing Montezuma, New York (section)

== History ==
This was part of the large territory occupied and controlled by the Five Nations of the [[Iroquois Confederacy]] as well established before any European colonization. Most Europeans during the colonial period did not penetrate this far west but had relations with the [[Mohawk nation]] to the East for trading.

During the [[American Revolutionary War]], there was extensive warfare on the frontier; [[Joseph Brant]], a Mohawk chief, led Iroquois and some Loyalist forces against patriot villages.<ref name="CanBio">{{cite DCB |last=Graymont |first=Barbara |title=Thayendanegea |volume=5 |url=http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/thayendanegea_5E.html}}</ref> In retaliation, General [[George Washington]] assigned the [[Sullivan Expedition]] to punish the Iroquois; they attacked the [[Seneca people|Seneca]] and [[Cayuga people|Cayuga]] villages in the western part of New York, destroying more than 50, plus their winter stores and crops.<ref>Graymont, Barbara. ''The Iroquois in the American Revolution''. Syracuse, New York: Syracuse University Press, 1972. {{ISBN|0-8156-0083-6}}; {{ISBN|0-8156-0116-6}} (paperback).</ref> Many of the Iroquois fled to Canada and fatalities were high that winter from starvation.

After the war, the area of the town was part of a [[Indian reservation|reservation]] set aside for the members of the Cayuga tribe when the [[Central New York Military Tract]] was established. European-American settlers began to arrive around 1798, some migrating from the Mohawk Valley and others from New England. The Mentz Church was founded by early settlers. New York sold off much of the reservation, and the Cayuga were forced to share land with the Seneca on the latter's reservation.<ref>[https://www.law.cornell.edu/nyctap/I10_0093.htm "No. 74: Cayuga Indian Nation of N.Y. v. Gould."] ''Cornell University Law School Legal Information Institute.'' (retrieved November 18, 2014)</ref> The federally recognized [[Cayuga Nation of New York]] were landless until the early 21st century.<ref>[http://wrvo.org/post/cayuga-nation-acquires-homeland "Cayuga Nation Acquires a Homeland."] ''WRVO Public Media.'' (retrieved November 18, 2014)</ref>

The new settlers made [[salt]] production an important early industry, developed from salt springs long used by the Iroquois. The [[Erie Canal]] was constructed along the Mohawk River in the 1820s and passed through the town. It was so popular with passengers and commercial traffic that the state quickly made plans to enlarge it. During redevelopment to enlarge the canal, part of the canal was carried over the [[Seneca River (New York)|Seneca River]] via construction of the massive Richmond Aqueduct (1849-1856). This had 31 stone arches, and was 11 feet high and 22 feet wide. It was the second-largest aqueduct built on the Enlarged Erie and cost $125,000 to build.

The Town of Montezuma was established from the town of [[Mentz, New York|Mentz]] in 1859. The [[Mentz Church]] was listed on the [[National Register of Historic Places]] in 2004.<ref name="nris">{{NRISref|2009a}}</ref>  The [[Seneca River Crossing Canals Historic District]] was listed in the NRHP in 2005.<ref name="nris"/>

Montezuma Heritage Park was established in the early 21st century to preserve natural and cultural resources in the canal and river area. The site is to be interpreted to tell the dynamic story of the four separate canals built in Montezuma that were developed into the current Canal System.<ref name="town">[http://townofmontezuma.org/history/ "History"], Town of Montezuma, accessed December 20, 2014</ref>