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Town Line is located less than twenty miles east of Buffalo, New York and seceded from the Union in 1861 for reasons unknown. The Town Line residents did not vote to reverse the decision until 1946 when a reporter uncovered news of the secession. Often describing themselves as “the last stronghold of the Confederacy” the town is an anomaly in the North, being some 500 miles away from the other Confederate states.

Step Back into Town Line's HistorySecession & Reunion - It is believed that the residents of Town Line, NY met at the schoolhouse near the marker followign the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 and voted 80-45 to secede from the Union. The story is undocumented and their reasons are unknown. With encouragement from President Harry S. Truman, Town Line residents gathered again in Janyary of 1946 at the schoolhouse, which had become a blacksmith shop, and voted 90-23 to officially return to the Union. -Alden Historical Society (2013)Town Line, N.Y.: N.E. corner of the intersection was a school. In the summer of 1861 this mainly German Community voted 85 to 40 to seceded from the Union. It was rumored that many men left to join the Confederacy. On October 1945 President Truman advised Town Line to vote on rejoining the Union. In 1946 Town Line voted 90 to 23 to rejoin.

Explore the following pages to learn about the unique path of Town Line through secession, rejoining, and the modern day situation as told by passed down stories, artifacts, and historic newspaper articles.

Slider photos: Julia McGaugh in Town Line, NY, October 2018.

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