This day in history: December 10

1872

The officers chosen for the coming year for the Young People’s Christian Association include: D. H. Burrell (President), Titus Sheard and T. M. Chapman (Vice Presidents), R. S. Whitman (Treasurer), Warren Griswold ( Secretary), and M. H. Smith (Librarian.)

1897

Jacob Brown has a force of twenty-six men engaged in quarrying stone in the J.H. Smith quarry on Burwell Street. He expects to have 40 quarrymen at work, and twenty teams drawing the stone, which are to be used in the canal enlargement.

1910

The Utica Gas & Electric Company is building a new power house on West Mill Street at the foot of 5th Street. An injunction has been granted to prohibit the company from getting water to turn the three turbine wheels. The company expects to surmount the legal barrier and obtain the water rights.

1923

The local Americanization program was discussed at a meeting of the Exchange Club. It was reported that there were 3,538 foreign born persons residing in Little Falls – 879 Poles, 605 Italians, 541 Bohemians, 279 Slovaks, 205 Germans, and 108 Russians (probably Ukrainians.)

This day in history: December 11

1851

”Old Joe” Vosburg will be on hand to welcome old friends and the community to his bowling saloon under the Rockton House. The alleys are in first grade order, and his chief cook, David Jones Esq. is there too.

1885

Electric arc lights had been used at night to build/ blast the West Shore Railroad through Little Falls. On this date, the New York Central Railroad secured a 99-year lease of the West Shore.

This day in history: December 12

1843

Abbey Kelly, Abolitionist and Quaker, is at the Washington Hall today and tomorrow.

1881

Little Falls continued to hold the foremost place as a cheese market. During the year 15,181,500 pounds of factory cheese was sold here at an average price of 0.108933 cents per pound. The value was $1,653,184.17. This is solid money paid to our dairymen creating a great degree of prosperity. In addition a large quantity of dairy cheese was sold.

1941

WW II era – About 500 Little Falls area young men gathered at the American Legion to sign up for work in some branch of service in the local defense program. They expressed willingness to “anything, anytime.” A hundred men at Hansen’s also volunteered.

This day in history: December 13

1939

Born in Little Falls in 1886, and brought up here, internationally renowned architect Dwight James Baum has died. He designed many homes, hospitals, college buildings, and pavilions for the 1939 World’s Fair, but his most famous work was the Ca d’Zan in Sarasota, Florida for John Ringling of circus fame.

2002

Partners Trust Financial Group, the holding company for the Savings Bank of Utica, announced that it has received the required regulatory approvals to acquire Herkimer County Trust Company of Little Falls. The parties expect to close the transaction before year-end. HCTC was in business 169 years.