Guest, Sign inJoin
History · Dresden · established 1867

Dresden’s history is mostly unwritten

The public archives hold only 2 old photos of Dresden. The rest are in attics, shoeboxes and the historical society. Help start the collection.

1867established
2old photos & papers
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Dresden’s archive · credits on each photo

What stands out about Dresden’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Old housesHalf of Dresden’s homes were built before 1938.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Dresden’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Dresden’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewDresden, N.Y: stand where they stood+15 Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
The story

How Dresden came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Dresden.

Read it all →

The region was known as "Kashong" (or "Kashanquash") to the natives and was part of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase.

At the end of the 18th century, followers of the Public Universal Friend, a religious leader, began to settle in the area. They called the area "Jerusalem" and founded a community near the present site of Dresden.

Dresden was founded in 1811 as a planned community. The Village of Dresden was incorporated in 1867.

Dresden was the eastern terminus for the former Crooked Lake Canal, which operated from 1833 to 1877. This canal linked the area through other lake canals to the Erie Canal.

The Robert Ingersoll Birthplace and Christopher Willis House are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

By decade

Dresden, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1900s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1900s2 items
Dresden, N.Y1907Dresden, N.Y N.Y.G. Station1907N.Y.G. Station
1910s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today16 recent
Dresden United Methodist Church, Yates Co NY2015Dresden United Methodist Church, Yates Co NY Dresden,NY-Seneca Lake2011Dresden,NY-Seneca Lake Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, New York2011Dresden, New York Dresden, NY2011Dresden, NY
Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Dresden, N.Y
Retake this viewDresden, N.Y, 1907

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Dresden’s page.

Retake this view · +15

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Weigh in
Has Dresden changed for the better?

Your answer becomes a post in Town Square.

Start a conversation

From Wikimedia Commons (16), the Library of Congress (2) and Wikipedia. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.

Post to Dresden

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in