If you’re interested in town name origins, then you know there are lots of towns out there with weird names. Have you heard of Horseheads, New York? Now you may be wondering, “How did Horseheads, NY get its name?” Well, keep reading and you’ll find out!

This small town in south-central New York has a very strange and memorable name. Certainly, everyone who has ever passed through it has wondered about it. Horseheads? As in, the heads of horses? Ew. And actually, its name origin is actually as sad as one might think. Read on to learn more.

Back in 1779, General George Washington ordered General John Sullivan and his men and their horses to march 450 miles north to New York to fight the Iroquois. The journey was challenging and many of the horses suffered; the soldiers put many out of their misery in what is today known as Horseheads.
Frogman1484/iStock Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
A large number of horses were killed. The executed horses' bodies decomposed and later, the remaining Iroquois collected the bleached skulls and arranged them along the trail to scare others.
Tuul & Bruno Morandi/The Image Bank via Getty Images
This photo is from a Buddhist monument in Mongolia, but it probably looked a little like this. Pretty creepy, huh?
Fortunately, the town that grew up in this area about a decade later is not creepy at all. In fact, Horseheads is actually rather charming.
By DanielPenfield - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11119403
There are numerous brightly painted homes and historic buildings around town.
Franklin Crawford/Flickr
The Chemung Railway Depot was built in 1866. It doesn't serve trains or passengers anymore, but it's a National Historic Landmark that is worth checking out.
Kenneth C. Zirkel/Wikimedia Commons

Related Stories

The Charming Small Town In New York That Was Home To Lucille Ball Once Upon A Time

The Charming Small Town In New York That Was Home To Lucille Ball Once Upon A Time

 The One Small Town In New York With More Historic Buildings Than Any Other

The One Small Town In New York With More Historic Buildings Than Any Other

 Both A Historical Park And A Concert Venue, New York's Saratoga Spa State Park Is An Underrated Day Trip Destination

Both A Historical Park And A Concert Venue, New York's Saratoga Spa State Park Is An Underrated Day Trip Destination
The Village Hall and Police Station building is even rather charming.
By Kenneth C. Zirkel/Wikipedia
The Horseheads Public Library serves the area in many ways.
Kenneth C. Zirkel/Wikipedia
Teal Park is a lovely place to spend an afternoon most times of the year.
Kevin Jordan/Google Local
Horseheads is especially beautiful in the fall. The fall foliage really pops in this part of the state.
stevehager/Flickr
The local people in this area are friendly and welcoming, too.
Franklin Crawford/Flickr
It's actually a very nice little town for a place named after dead horses and their remains!
mikroman6/Moment Collection via Getty Images

Now that you know the story of why is Horseheads, New York called Horseheads, you should stop in for a visit! It’s a very small town, but it’s also a very nice spot for a quiet, rural weekend getaway. Don’t worry, the skulls are gone now, but be careful – you may be haunted by the spirit of a horse while you’re in town. If you want to spend some time in Horseheads, New York, and the surrounding areas, make it a getaway and book a vacation rental on Vrbo.

Here’s another New York town with an interesting backstory! Most People Have No Idea This Sunken Town In New York Even Exists.

If you love exploring New York, check out this OnlyInYourState YouTube video on Watkins Glen State Park and plan your visit!:

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Related Articles

Explore New York

Featured Addresses
Horseheads, NY 14845, USA