War is Good for Business

Elmira’s selection as a state military depot and rendezvous point started an economic boom for the area. Local businessmen signed profitable contracts to provide building supplies, horses, clothing, kitchen wares and food to the military. Teamsters, carpenters and laborers were needed first to build the military barracks and later the prisoner-of-war camp. As the population nearly doubled, hotels and rooming houses were filled to capacity. Bars, brothels and gambling houses sprang up to serve the soldiers. Elmira was in a much better financial position at the end of the war than many communities because of its wartime boom.

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On the Homefront

Pattinson's Market Thomas S. Pattinson ran a meat market on Water Street during the Civil War. The rapid growth in Elmira’s population at the time increased business for local shops and markets.	Every soldier and prisoner housed in Elmira was to receive a daily ration of beef. This meant big business for those who raised and sold cattle.
Iron bit, c. 1865 Demand for horses for the military and livestock for rations increased when Elmira became an official rendezvous point for the Union Army.	Elisha H. Cook and Henry C. Covell secured a contract to provide kitchen wares to the military.
Tin plates and cups Local businesses secured military contracts to manufacture and supply the soldiers with necessities such as tableware and flatware.	Locally-made brick The building of the four military camps in Elmira created a boom for local lumber and brick industries.
Wool uniform pants Local woolen mills wove cloth for military uniforms.	Shoe leather Tanneries produced leather that went into uniform accessories such as belts, boots and cases.
Tanner’s beam used to hand process leather	Fleshing knife used to hand process leather
Prison Camp observation tower In 1864 local entrepreneur, Mr. Nichols, built an observation tower where visitors could pay fifteen cents for a view into the prison camp. The structure paid for itself in two weeks.

War is Good for Business

Pattinson's Market

Thomas S. Pattinson ran a meat market on Water Street during the Civil War. The rapid growth in Elmira’s population at the time increased business for local shops and markets.

Every soldier and prisoner housed in Elmira was to receive a daily ration of beef. This meant big business for those who raised and sold cattle.

Iron bit, c. 1865

Demand for horses for the military and livestock for rations increased when Elmira became an official rendezvous point for the Union Army.

Elisha H. Cook and Henry C. Covell secured a contract to provide kitchen wares to the military.

Tin plates and cups

Local businesses secured military contracts to manufacture and supply the soldiers with necessities such as tableware and flatware.

Locally-made brick

The building of the four military camps in Elmira created a boom for local lumber and brick industries.

Wool uniform pants

Local woolen mills wove cloth for military uniforms.

Shoe leather

Tanneries produced leather that went into uniform accessories such as belts, boots and cases.

Tanner’s beam used to hand process leather

Fleshing knife used to hand process leather

Prison Camp observation tower

In 1864 local entrepreneur, Mr. Nichols, built an observation tower where visitors could pay fifteen cents for a view into the prison camp. The structure paid for itself in two weeks.