The Town of Triangle was originally known as the “Chenango Triangle” because of the triangular shape formed by its location at the confluence of the Tioughnioga and Otselic Rivers. The Town was officially formed in 1831. The Town of Triangle includes the Village of Whitney Point and the hamlets of Triangle, Hazzard Corners, and Upper Lisle. The Town was once covered by dense forests provided a source of income from lumber for early settlers. By the mid-1800s lumber supplies had declined and the community slowly transitioned to an agricultural economy that was recognized for its high concentration of dairy farms. These early industries represent key themes of the Susquehanna Heritage Area’s rural landscape.
The physical development of the Town was impacted by two major events in 1897 and 1935. The Great Fire of 1897 burned most buildings on the Main Street in the Village of Whitney Point and the Flood of 1935 washed away buildings and bridges and caused numerous drowning. Following the fire, the village was rebuilt with brick buildings, in contrast to other small historic villages and hamlets in the Heritage Area. Following the flood the US Army Corps of Engineers constructed the Whitney Point Dam, forming the Whitney Point Reservoir which now serves as a summer recreation destination for fishing, swimming, and boatin The Town is also the home to Dorchester Park and the Broome County Fairgrounds which opened in 1858.