Tag: Oriskany

Oriskany is a village in Oneida County, New York, United States. The population was 2,744 at the 2000 census. The name is derived from the Iroquois word for “nettles.”
The Village of Oriskany is in the Town of Whitestown, southeast of the City of Rome. NY-69 passes through the village, which is south of the Erie Canal.
The 1777 Battle of Oriskany, during the American Revolution, was fought west of the modern village. At the time of the battle, the Oneida village of “Oriska” was located near the battlefield. The location is marked by the Oriskany Battlefield State Historic Site.
The village was founded in 1811. The Erie Canal passed through the village until it was re-routed during major re-routing and reconstruction later in the 19th Century.
While historical records are scarce, the naming of the village has become somewhat of an urban legend. As the legend goes there was a mix up at the post office – a missing comma. Instead of “Oriska, NY” the envelope was labeled as “Oriska NY” and…