Preble: Named for the Commander Who Broke the Barbary Pirates

The town of Preble in Cortland County, New York, was carved out of the town of Tully in eighteen oh eight, the same year Cortland County was organized. Its name honors Commodore Edward Preble, commander of the United States naval squadron that bombarded Tripoli in eighteen oh three and eighteen oh four during the First Barbary War. Preble's squadron included a young Stephen Decatur, and his aggressive tactics helped force the North African states to respect American shipping.

The first settlers arrived in Preble around seventeen ninety-six. US Route Eleven runs through the town today. Preble remains a small agricultural community, its outsized name a reminder of the era when the young republic was making itself known in waters its citizens had never visited.