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1647
Governor Peter Stuyvesant plants an apple tree from Holland on the corner of Third Avenue and 13th Street in New York City.

1700
French missionaries plant orchards near the Niagara River.

Early 1700s
Native Amercans establish orchards and colonists bring seeds from Europe.

1700s
Colonists grow apples to produce cider, vinegar and hard cider which is used as currency.

1700s
Colonists hold apple bees to prepare apples for drying.

1700s
Orchards well established in Hudson and Mohawk Valleys. Hudson Valley orchards ship fruit to New York City on the Hudson River.

1730
America’s first commercial apple tree nursery established in Oyster Bay, Long Island.

1758
Newtown Pippins first grown on Long Island are sent to Benjamin Franklin in London.

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1760s
First apple exports to England.

Late 1700s
Esopus Spitzensburg, a favorite of Thomas Jefferson, first grown in Esopus in the Hudson Valley.

Late 1700s
John Chapman (Johnny Appleseed) plants his first orchard on his uncle’s farm in Olean.

Late 1700s
Land companies require settlers to plant apple orchards as a land claim.

1791
Wagener apple first grown in Penn Yan.

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1800
Northern Spy apple first grown in East Bloomfield.

Early 1800s
Tompkins King first grown and then widely established in Western New York.

1819
First apple preserved in tin cans in New York City.

1825
Erie Canal opens, providing a way to transport apples to market. Orchards along Lake Ontario get their start with the new transportation.

1826
Jonathan apple first grown and described in Woodstock.

1833
First commercial orchards planted on Grand Island in the Niagara River.

1835
McIntosh apple first propagated and planted in the Champlain Valley.

1840s
Twenty Ounce apple first grown in Cayuga County.

1840s
Commercial nurseries spring up all over Western New York.

1850
Over 500 varieties originated in New York State before this date.

1855
Fruit Growers of Western New York is organized, later to become the New York State Horticultural Society.

1866
Peter Stuyvesant’s original apple tree knocked down by a dray.

1875
18 million apples are grown in New York State.

1884
New York State Agricultural Experiment Station at Geneva is established.

1880s
Growers start using insecticides and fungicides to control diseases and insects which threaten to wipe out the New York apple crop.

1896
Record New York State apple crop of 54 million bushels.

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1903
The Apples of New York by S.A. Beach is published describing over 1,000 varieties

1915
Cortland apple introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1923
Macoun apple introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1924
Lodi introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1930s
New York City becomes the Big Apple when many jazz clubs opened (“lots of apples on the tree” or lots of places to play jazz).

1930s
Cornell pioneers the development of Controlled Atmosphere storage allowing apples to be sold year round.

1935
New York and New England Apple Institute founded to promote apples.

1949
Monroe introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1950
Western New York Apple Growers Association founded.

1959
First New York State Apple Marketing Order established by the growers.

1962
Spigold introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1966
Empire apple introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1968
Jonagold apple introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1972
Jonamac introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station

1976
Kathy Wafler Madison of Wolcott creates the world’s longest apple peel.

1978
Liberty introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1970s
Integrated Pest Management techniques developed at Geneva.

1994
New York and New England Apple Institute dissolves. Eastern New York growers unify with the Western New York Apple Growers Association to form the New York Apple Association.

1995
Apple Country® apples becomes the trademark for New York State apples.

1996
Fortune introduced as a new variety from Geneva Experiment Station.

1998
New York Apple Country® apples are named the official apple of the New York City Marathon.

2000
Cornell releases anti-cancer studies.

2001
NYAA sponsored Rochester Police and Firefighters to run in the NYC Marathon in remembrance of the lives lost in the 9-11-01 attack.

2002 March Promotion "Empires Across America" promotes New York State Empire apples and donates $40,000 to the victims families of 911.

Senator Hillary Clinton kicks off the JetBlue Airlines-NY Apple promotion at Rochester Airport. NY Apples were given to passengers in JFK terminal.

2003
Senator Hillary Clinton kicks off a join promotion between General Mills and NYAA. "Apples for Education" program raised money for schools by purchasing New York State apples.

2004
New health studies reveal benefits from apple fiber and lowered risk of heart disease.

US apple funded health study shows apples help in improving cognitive brain function and may help prevent brain diseases such as Alzheimer’s.

The NYAA March promotion will donated $25,000 to the American Cancer Society through the Coaches vs. Cancer program. Signs and posters featuring Jim Boeheim of the NCAA Championship Syracuse Orangeman holding an apple were distributed to retailers throughout the "Big East" territory.

McDonalds® introduces fresh apple slices to their menu. “Apple Dippers” are a big hit. McDonalds specs Empire apples in their varieties of choice to use.

The National Institute of Health study finds apple eating helps reduce coughing.

2005
McDonalds® Corporation announces plans to add more fresh apple products to their menu.

McDonalds® becomes the largest user of apples in the country with over 56 million bushels purchased.

Cornell researchers find apples may help prevent breast cancer.

2006
New York Apple Association to date has donated over $117,000 to cancer research. This was in springtime promotions over the past four years and monies raised at the New York State Fair since 2000.

2007
Researchers in The Netherlands and Scotland find that apple consumption during pregnancy reduces the risk for childhood wheezing and asthma.

2008
New York State harvested a near record crop of close to 31.2 million bushels. The Honeycrisp apple becomes more and more popular as supplies increase. Consumers make McIntosh the number one purchased apple in the Boston Area, and the Mac climbs to the number three spot in the Metro NYC market.

2009
Since 2000, the New York Apple Association has donated over $208,000 to the American Cancer Society and Coaches vs. Cancer for cancer research. The New York born Autumn Crisp apple is named and introduced by Cornell and the new Zestar!® gains popularity in the market place. SweeTango® apple is launched at a limited number of retailers.
 
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