2025 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE LITTLE FALLS HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The Historical Society had an eventful 2025 by any measure. Our organization partnered with city government, the local school district, and several non-profit organizations to co-sponsor various programs and events this past year. The Society has a stable membership base and is in sound financial standing despite running a deficit in 2025.
Our core group of dedicated officers, directors, and other volunteers remains cohesive and committed to preserving our nearly two-hundred-year-old 1833 Old Bank Building Museum and carrying forward the core mission established by our visionary predecessors. We are also remarkably fortunate to have two technology wizards, Ginny Rogers and Angely Ortega, guiding us through the intricacies of the modern virtual world. Additionally, Missy Smith skillfully maintains the Facebook link from our website.
Our core group of volunteers is also aging. We are constantly trying “to get younger,” but we all know that time waits for no one or no person If any of our members wish to serve as museum docents between May and October or during community festivals when we have extended hours, please let us know.
RENEWED AND NEW MEMBERSHIPS
The Historical Society can only carry out our institutional mission and related community programs through support of our membership base. As 2025 ends, the Historical Society has 267 members in good standing, including 55 sustaining and 101 patron members. Our members hail from 36 states and 3 foreign countries – Canada, Germany and New Zealand. There are also 11 memorial and seven complimentary memberships. The Society also has 37 business and corporate members in good standing.
OLD BANK BUILDING MUSEUM OPERATION
The Old Bank Building Museum was open in 2025 on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday afternoons and Saturday mornings from May through October. Although 439 museum visitors signed our guestbook, we estimate that over 700 actually visited the museum. Over half of our visitors were from Little Falls, over 200 visitors were from other places in New York State, and another 45 visitors were from 20 other states. People from four foreign countries, Canada, France, Italy and Sweden, also visited the museum. Attendance peaked during City festivals – Canal Days Celebration, Cheese Festival, and Christmas in Little Falls.
At least 1000 hours were logged in 2025 by our officers, directors, and other volunteers at the museum serving as docents, working on exhibits, and building maintenance. At least the same number of hours were logged in 2025 by these same individuals on various Historical Society projects not directly related to museum operation.
BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE
Two much-needed large-scale repairs inside the museum were undertaken and completed in early 2025. The repair of a long section of deteriorated plaster ceiling molding in the main gallery room and the painting of the museum office and bathroom were skillfully completed by Chuck Lester and his son-in-law; extensive repairs of interior brick attic walls were painstakingly carried out by Bryan Skibinski and Luke Gamberdella. Exterior trim board painting around the entire building will be undertaken by Craig Lockwood / County Painting in spring 2026. All told, these repairs will total over $14,000. Grant funding sources are being researched for possible future building maintenance projects
FINANCIAL OPERATIONS AND DONATIONS
In addition to the repair projects described above, the Historical Society also designed and funded the acquisition of signage for both the Little Falls Historic Entry project and the African American Burial Ground section of Church Street Cemetery. Bob Critser of DSP Images assisted us with both signage projects.
Despite these costly outlays, Historical Society finances remain in good standing. Additionally, the Society sought out the services of Society corporate member Van Meter and Van Meter, LLC for the purpose of conducting a board of directors-initiated financial review. The result of this review can best be summarized by quoting Chris Van Meter: “You guys run a sound financial ship.” We much appreciate this free assistance from Van Meter and Van Meter, LLC. Little Falls at its best!
The Society also donated $1000 to Preserve Our Past to help finance their efforts to restore the Burke Park (Western Park) bandstand which needs costly renovations to save this vital historical structure. A donation of $150 was also made to the WCA for renovation work.
Historical Society expenses for 2025 totaled $37,987, spent on building maintenance, website operation, utilities, scholarships, office supplies, and insurance. Income from donations and membership dues totaled $29,662, resulting in a deficit of $8,325. The two major building repair projects created the first Society annual deficit in many years.
Our directors and officers much appreciate the generous support of our membership whose dues payments and contributions allow the Society to finance both building maintenance and community programs and events.
SCHOLARSHIPS
In 2025, the Historical Society was once again able to award two $1000 academic scholarships to worthy Little Falls High School graduates. The Charles P. Colby scholarship awarded each year to a student who overcame significant hardships to attain academic success was given to Carissa Bronson. The other scholarship, awarded each year to a graduating student who will major in history and / or political science at the collegiate level, was given to Elizabeth Welyzko who is presently attending Fordham University.
Additional donations to the Society’s scholarship fund are much appreciated.
2025 WRITING SERIES DEDICATED TO OUR ORGANIZATION’S FOUNDING MEMBERS
- Escape from Slavery and Life in Little Falls – Dennis D. Urban
- A Local Contemporary Look at the American Revolution – Cheyanne Dorsagno
- Abraham Lincoln, Little Falls and Beyond – Jeffrey Gressler
- 57 Years Later, Reflections on the Tet Offensive – Errin T. Stegich-Moloney
- Dwight James Baum: The World’s Most Famous Architect … – Victoria Baum-Bjorklund
- Victor Adams, a Man of Paper and the Early History of the … – Darlene Smith
- Little Falls’ Southside in the 1930s: A Remembrance of Time … – Dr. Michael Vespasiano
- Remembering the Old Manheim Neighborhood – Jeffrey Gressler
- Lockout of the 20,000 – Steven Davis
And speaking of writing, Louis Baum’s book FROM EUROPE TO AMERICA, ETHNICITY OF THE SOUTH SIDE, LITTLE FALLS, N.Y., is available for sale at $25.
EVENTS AND PROGRAMS
Little Falls Historic Entry Dedication
The completion of this project was years in the making, but in early June, two Historic Entry dedication ceremonies took place. The first ceremony included representatives of city government, Holy Family Parish, the Little Falls Public Library, and a number of Society members and other residents. The second ceremony was attended by the principal, teachers, and entire fourth grade class of Benton Hall Academy.
The purpose of the Historic Entry is to route more incoming westbound traffic onto East Main Street to pass by some of Little Falls’ most important historic buildings and commercial district. Four NYS blue and yellow historic markers and the Historic Entry confirmation sign grace East Main Street from John Street to Waverley Place.
African American Burial Ground Sign Dedication in Church Street Cemetery
This was also a long-term project to better recognize the all-but-forgotten section of Church Street Cemetery. The tree stump monument with inspirational inscription was put in place in 2015, the four granite corner markers marking the size and dimension of the African American Burial Ground were put in place in 2023, and the new sign listing the eighty individuals interred in that long forgotten “Colored Burial Ground” completes this effort. Past racial injustices have at least been recognized.
The importance of this project was made clear during an October visit to Little Falls by a Minnesota resident who has two (possibly three) ancestors buried in this area. This descendent and her friend were deeply moved by this Historical Society project.
Patriots Day Program at Herkimer Home State Historic Site
The Historical Society’s eleventh annual Patriots Day observance honoring the contributions of our ancestors to our nation’s quest for independence took place at the home of General Nicholas Herkimer in late May. The cooperative interaction with Herkimer Home director Edward Heinrichs and his staff was a natural fit for our organizations. One of the program highlights was the rifle salute by Tryon County Milita re-enactors.
Speakers at this year’s program included Anita Dulak, Heinrichs, Louis Baum, Pat Frezza-Gressler, Michelle Baum, David Krutz, and Jeffrey Gressler. Robert Scmelcher provided patriotic musical accompaniment and Dr. Oscar Stivala closed out the Patriots Day program by playing “Taps.”
PRESENTATIONS AT LITTLE FALLS PUBLIC LIBRARY, WCA AND WARD SQUARE
On June 5th Steven Davis from the New York Labor History Association headlined a presentation about the LOCKOUT OF THE 20,000 at Little Falls Public Library. This presentation showcased the research work of this organization related to the 1886 series of local events initiated by a group of area factory owners. Little Falls Middle School social studies teacher Adam Jodway’s students Aleigha DePaolo, Avery Dobrovic, Levi Johnson, Geo Stagliano, Julia Rickard, Chloe Congdon, Anicia Walker, Christiana Pirone, and Marek Camardello all had speaking parts in this program.
The New York Labor History Association turned over to the Historical Society two important 1886 notebooks containing Knights of Labor meeting minutes from lockout-related meetings. These notebooks have become regularly studied primary source documents at the museum. The Historical Society much appreciates the generosity of the New York Labor History Association.
On June 14th / Flag Day an important Agent Orange monument dedication ceremony took place in the Veterans’ Memorial section of Ward Square. This program was an outgrowth of a Historical Society exhibit honoring the over 140 Little Falls Vietnam veterans. Core Society volunteer and Vietnam veteran John Frazier was both the point man for this exhibit and the principal speaker at the monument dedication ceremony.
While compiling the data base of Vietnam veterans for the museum exhibit, Frazier became aware that many of these veterans suffer the consequences of exposure to various toxins used in Vietnam. Mayor Debroah Kaufman spoke at the June 14th ceremony while gratefully accepting the Agent Orange monument on behalf of the City of Little Falls.
On August 15th Bob Schmid of the Salisbury Historical Society spoke at the WCA about THE HISTORY OF IRONDALE.
On September 19th James Greiner spoke at the WCA about his book THE HOYT-WALLIS MURDER IN HERKIMER COUNTY.
Both presentations were well attended and very educational.
Preserve Our Past Recognition Award
In a well-attended June ceremony, POP president Wayne Perkins presented the group’s 2025 award for local historic presentation to the Historical Society for our long-term efforts to properly maintain our 1833 Old Bank Building Museum.
ALSO
The Society’s well-attended summer picnic took place on a picture-perfect July summer evening at Rotary Park.
Our Christmas luncheon gathering on December 6 at Trattoria Georgio’s was also well attended and enjoyable.
RESEARCH COMMITTEE WORK
The Historical Society receives a plethora of requests each year for research assistance. Most of these requests relate to some aspects of community history, including requests for genealogy and family history help. Our great team of researchers handled over 40 such research requests in 2025 requiring hundreds of hours of research work.
NEWEST ADDITION TO NEW YORK STATE ATHLETIC CHAMPIONS
This past summer athlete Brynn Shepardson was added to the pantheon of Little Falls High School New York State champions when her name, picture, and brief writeup were added to our museum exhibit during a wonderful ceremony attended by Brynn and her immediate and extended families.
These Little Falls individuals and teams have won New York State athletic championships:
- The 1929-30 boys basketball team
- The 1982 boys baseball team
- 1997 Tess Malone girls Class C-D 400-meters track and field
- 2000 Brett Wehrum and Florian Andreas All-Class tennis partners
- 2001 Brian Mosherboys Class C-D 400-meters track and field
- 2024 Brynn Shepardson All-Class 162 lb. girls wrestling
SOCIAL MEDIA – BY THE NUMBERS
- Website: Number of visitors to website – 82,306
Number of pages viewed – 395,443 - Facebook: Number of Facebook visits – 514,109
- Instagram: Number of visits – 6,082
- Mohawk Valley Today and Mohawk Valley Museums
AND FINALLY
Returning to the topic of the Old Bank Building Museum exhibit honoring Little Falls Vietnam War veterans, five new names were added to this exhibit in 2025. This exhibit continues to be viewed by as many museum visitors as any other in our entire facility.
CONCLUSION
Sadly, 2025 witnessed the deaths of eight loyal Historical Society members. Esther Brown, Roger Dunteman, James Fitzgerald, George Jones, Nicholas Dan Richie, Ed Rose, Rocco Scarano, and Donald Smith all passed away in the past year. May they rest in peace.
Apologies if we have inadvertently left out any other Society member’s passing.
Historical Society directors and officers wish to express our collective gratitude to our membership for the confidence and support shown to our organization during 2025.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Louis Baum – Past President
Jeffrey Gressler – President
Missy Smith – Vice president
Laura Laubenthal
Gail Potter
Maryanne Terzi
Pat Stock
OFFICERS
Anita Dulak – Secretary
David Krutz – Treasurer
MEMBERSHIP CO-CHAIRPERSONS
Louis Baum
Pat Frezza-Gressler
Previous Annual Reports
Little Falls Historical Society Museum Exhibits
Contact Us
Little Falls Historical Society Museum
319 South Ann Street
Little Falls, NY (Get directions)
2022 Annual Report
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumThe LFHS had a very successful year in 2022. The Society’s membership base and finances are solid and our community continues to expand.
2021 Annual Report
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumView the 2021 Little Falls Historical Society Annual report Including elections, membership, sponsors, online activities, writing series, and more.
2020 Annual Report
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumView the 2020 Little Falls Historical Society Annual report Including elections, virtual programs, activities, writing series, and more.