Today is truly be a day to celebrate in Throop.

While the town's birthday was officially celebrated with a small gathering and party on April 9, today marks a celebration on a grand scale of the 150th anniversary of the establishment of the town.

Town board member Dick Signorelli said that officially Throop was born on April 8, 1859, when Throop was formed from segments of Aurelius, Mentz and Sennett.

Signorelli said that this is a momentous landmark for the town and definitely a time to celebrate.

“We had our birthday on April 9,” Signorelli said. “But we really wanted to do something big to celebrate.”

Knowing that the 150th anniversary was coming, planning began many months ago by the celebration's co-chairs, Terri Signorelli and Lisa Tarby.

“They started working about a year ago,” Signorelli said. “And they had a lot of help with other people chairing other aspects of the celebration. It has really been a big effort by a lot of people to make this celebration happen.”

Situated just outside of Auburn, the land is historically known as a hunting ground for the Cayugas and settlement of the area began as early as 1790 by Ezekiel Crane, whose son, Shadrach, would be the first married in the new town. Shadrach's son, Ezekiel, would be the first child born in the town.

Gradually through the late 1700s and early 1800s, more and more people would come to call the new town home.

When it was officially born as Throop in 1859, the town was named in honor of Auburn resident Enos T. Throop. Throop, who was born in Johnstown, went on to study law in Albany, where he became friends with future president Martin Van Buren.

After being admitted to the bar in 1806, Throop located to Auburn, where he began his law practice and his political career.

Throop was elected to county clerk in 1811 and would go on to be elected to the 14th Congress in 1814. In April 1823, Throop was appointed a circuit judge. In 1828, he joined Van Buren on the state gubernatorial ticket and was appointed lieutenant governor.

With the election of Andrew Jackson to the presidency in 1828, Van Buren was appointed secretary of state and Throop ascended to the governor's seat, serving two terms until 1832. Throop would go on to serve as a naval officer at the Port of New York, as well as in foreign affairs for Jackson in Paris.

With all of his accomplishments and service, Throop certainly was deserving of the honor of having a town named after him. And the town is proud of the heritage it has by association with Throop.

Signorelli said that today's festivities will be an all-day affair.

The day will kick off with a parade that will include numerous community organizations, from the fire department to local officials, as well as groups like the Purple Lancers and the Port Byron High School Band, and will wrap through the whole town, making its way to the firehouse.

At the firehouse, there will be something for everybody, Signorelli said.

“We have crafters,” Signorelli said. “There will be raffles, great food all day, a DJ, the sheriff's ID program. This is going to be really big; everyone is involved town-wide. It is going to be a really big celebration.”

While the town is paying tribute to its history, it is also looking toward the future.

Signorelli said that the town has been growing in recent years and points in particular to the recent completion of a recreation complex adjacent to the fire department.

“We have been working on that for a few years,” Signorelli said.

“And now it is complete. We have four soccer fields, a Little League field, a walking track. We have been focusing a lot on beautifying the town and we have been growing.”

And while it is a celebration of Throop, it is not limited to the town's namesake resident.

“It is going to be a lot of fun,” Signorelli said. “Everyone is welcome to be here and celebrate with us, you don't just have to be from Throop - this is going to be fun for everybody.”