20th Century Development

Catlin’s population declined steadily from 2,365 in 1875

to only 690 in 1950. Just 20 years later, however, the population had nearly quadrupled to 2,461. After World War II, suburbs grew rapidly as people could commute more easily for work. In 1948, the W.R. Lanphear Construction Company developed the Beaver Valley subdivision with 140 homes on 300 acres of land on

Route 414 in Chambers. Additional housing came in the 1970s with the creation of the Collingwood mobile home park which housed more than 100 residents. The town expanded the Beaver Valley School to 8 rooms in 1969

to accommodate the growing number of students. Catlin built a new highway department garage and town hall in 1965 to replace the old town highway barn that was destroyed during Hurricane Hazel in 1954.

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Catlin

Aerial of Beaver Valley subdivision Construction of the Beaver Valley subdivision was part of a Federal Housing Authority program that was established in 1940 to finance housing for war production workers. (Image courtesy of the Catlin town historian)
Catlin State Forest, 2015 The 1929 State Reforestation Act and the 1931 Hewitt Amendment authorized the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to purchase land for reforestation. In 1934, the DEC purchased several parcels of land to create the Catlin State Forest. More land was subsequently purchased and, by the 1970s, the total size of the forest was 613 acres.
Telephone ring codes, early 1900s Most telephones in individual homes were connected to shared service lines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These party lines were less expensive because they were connected to multiple subscribers. Only one telephone could be used on the line at a time. In order for people to know who was being called on the shared line, specific ring codes were assigned to each household. (courtesy of the Catlin town historian)

Aerial of Beaver Valley subdivision

Construction of the Beaver Valley subdivision was part of a Federal Housing Authority program that was established in 1940 to finance housing for war production workers. (Image courtesy of the Catlin town historian)

Catlin State Forest, 2015

The 1929 State Reforestation Act and the 1931 Hewitt Amendment authorized the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) to purchase land for reforestation. In 1934, the DEC purchased several parcels of land to create the Catlin State Forest. More land was subsequently purchased and, by the 1970s, the total size of the forest was 613 acres.

Telephone ring codes, early 1900s

Most telephones in individual homes were connected to shared service lines in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. These party lines were less expensive because they were connected to multiple subscribers. Only one telephone could be used on the line at a time. In order for people to know who was being called on the shared line, specific ring codes were assigned to each household. (courtesy of the Catlin town historian)