Little Falls Historical Society Museum Events

  • This day in history: April 3

    1780

    The Rheimensnyders Bush mill and settlement, located east of the yellow church, on the Salisbury Road, just north of Little Falls was burned  by a party of sixty British and Indians, and many inhabitants were carried off to Canada.

    1854

    Little Falls had three paper mills, unfortunately all have been burned down. But Phoenix-like, they have all arisen again with new strength, beauty, and vigor. The Richmond mill is in operation, and the other two mills are nearly complete in construction.

    1908

    The city loses one of its most aged and interesting landmarks in the tearing down of the stone building on Main Street, once known as the McKinster Hotel. The building was recently visited by fire.

    1917

    A great campaign was initiated by Mayor Abram Zoller to have a branch of the American Red Cross in Little Falls. Led by many clubs and organizations, nearly 4,000 local citizens joined. The chapter was housed in the old bank building on South Ann Street after the bank’s move to new quarters in the Burrell building.

    1933

    As the Great Depression continues, the local taxpayers group demanded a further reduction in the city and school budgets, claiming homeowners can no longer afford current taxes. It was suggested that there be larger cuts for higher salaried municipal employees. There were heated verbal exchanges throughout the meeting. The city fathers approved the budgets.

  • This day in history: April 4

    1793

    Before the Octagon Church was built, an agreement was drawn up stating that preaching was to be in German and English on alternating Sundays, and pews were to be sold to the highest bidders.

    1833

    Lawyer Arphaxed Loomis advertised water rights for sale.  About this time the Mill Street raceway was built that supplied power to many industries along the river.

    1904

    Titus Sheard, an industrial leader in Little Falls during the Gay Nineties, passed away today.

From the Cooney Archives

News and Updates

John Frazier – Prisoner of War, Hero by John Frazier, Jr.

Personal and societal beliefs and principles certainly change with time. Sometimes people are shocked or amazed to hear stories of people or events from the past, yet these tales may not be so difficult to comprehend if we’re able to empathize, and put ourselves back into that situation and moment in history.

The Little Falls Lock 17 Dedication Celebration of 1916 by Angela Harris

“Will Go Down in History: Historical Pageant and Lift Lock Celebration Greatest Ever Held in Mohawk Valley. July 4, 1916” The Little Falls Journal and Courier may be forgiven for the hyperbole of its banner headline and sub heading on July 4, 1916. The overflowing pride of the language reflects the premise and themes of The Little Falls Historical Pageant and Lift Lock Celebration. The civic pageants of the first twenty years of the 20th century were testaments to civic pride and patriotism, and Little Falls was no slacker.

Little Falls Historical Society Museum | Little Falls NY

LITTLE FALLS HISTORICAL SOCIETY TO ACCEPT MUSEUM VISIT APPOINTMENTS

The Old Bank Building Museum has not been open to the public since Christmas in Little Falls in December 2019, a year and a half ago. Somehow it seems even longer ago than that. This is about to change. The museum has a number of new exhibits since 2019, most notably, the centennial exhibit celebrating […]

Mayor Hadley Jones – A Saint or a Sinner (Part 2) by Louis Baum

The writing was on the wall. Since there was no way of getting out of debt, much of it a result of illegal activities, Hadley Jones had a choice of, most likely, going to prison or to flee from Little Falls to parts unknown. His choice was to get out of town fast, with as much as he could. The exit was well planned.

Mayor Hadley Jones – A Saint or a Sinner (Part 1) by Louis Baum

Everybody enjoys a “rag to riches“ story especially if it involves a local boy or girl. Think about John Riccardo. John was the son of hard-working Italian immigrant parents. His father had a shoe store on John Street in addition to working long hours in a local bicycle factory. John rose to become president and chairman of the board of Chrysler Corporation.

A Sun Shower Without End by Ray Lenarcic

While driving down Flint Avenue in my hometown of Little Falls the other day, I happened to look to my right and for no apparent reason, my mind flashed back to the 1950’s. I recalled in vivid detail searching for diamonds on a rocky hillside behind the Ave with my buddy Rog Kopp.

New York State historic marker nearby Yellow Church Cemetery.

Patriots Day Honors Those Who Were Not Sunshine Patriots by Jeffrey Gressler

“These are the times that try men’s souls.” So begins Thomas Paine’s December 23, 1776 epic treatise “The Sunshine Patriot,” written at perhaps the darkest point of the American Revolution, George Washington’s half-starving, dis-spirited troops were in their Valley Forge winter quarters.