The Harmony Historical Society serves
both towns of Harmony and North Harmony

The Town of Harmony
The town of Harmony was taken from the town of Chautauqua on February 14, 1816. A small part south of Ashville was taken from the town of Chautauqua when the town of Busti was formed in 1823 and added to that town.
There is no mention of how the town came to be named Harmony in any of the early histories. Some say perhaps it was named “Harmony” because the early settlers got along so well together. It is also mentioned that Israel Carpenter may have suggested the name. He was a very public spirited person and for some reason the name Harmony appealed to him.

The Town of North Harmony
In the fall of 1918 a petition signed by 105 voters of the town of Harmony was presented to the Board of Supervisors of Chautauqua County asking that the town of Harmony be divided into two towns citing as the reason that the town of Harmony was double the size of most towns in the county. It was 86 square miles in area while most towns were only 36 square miles. This size hindered the efficient administration of the town, especially with the maintenance of 153 miles of highway with the Superintendent unable to give the roads the proper attention. Town officials had to travel long distances to attend meetings.

At the regular meeting of the Chautauqua County Board of Supervisors on December 19, 1918, an act to divide the town of Harmony was passed. It called for the division of the town to take effect January 1, 1919 and for the division of the town to be one straight line on the township line between township one and township two.