Patricia A. Brhel

Around Caroline Patricia A. Brhel

Nestled in the rolling hills of the Finger Lakes region of Upstate New York, Caroline is a true community and always has been. In 1795, the first two families came with horses and settled in permanently. The founding mother, Widow Earsley, and her children returned to the cabin that she and her oldest son had built the previous autumn, and Captain Rich and his family began work on their own abode. From these first families to those who followed, pulling together to make circumstances better for everyone has been an important facet of life in Caroline. Residents clustered in several hamlets, including Slaterville Springs, Speedsville, Caroline, and Motts Corners (now Brooktondale), and carved farms out of the wilderness between them. They built houses, churches, and businesses. Recreation included picnics, band concerts, baseball, the Grange, parades, and youth groups.