Little Falls Historical Society Museum Events
This day in history: October 25
1878
A large ice house, with a capacity for holding 5,000 tons, is being built on the south side flats. The ice will be forwarded to city markets during the hot weather.
1902
The city breathed a sigh of relief after police, acting on a complaint, removed a box containing 50 pounds the high-powered variety of dynamite in the cellar of a home on Whited Street. The explosives had been stored there since the building of the Little Falls-Dolgeville railroad several years ago.
This day in history: October 26
1837
The Hinman’s Cave (Hole), situated about one mile north of the village, was explored extensively by students from the Fairfield Academy. Using ropes they descended 100 feet from the surface. There was one room of importance being between 30 and 40 feet wide with dripping water.
1909
The new temple of the International Organization of Odd Fellows, on South William Street, is an ornament and enterprise of the local lodge. The front of the building is an especially fine piece of architecture and is admired by all beholders.
1964
Traffic moved for the first time over the South Side Arterial and bridge over the Mohawk River and Barge canal. There were no ceremonies. At the same time, the old lift bridge, between Mohawk Street and Flint Avenue, was closed, and workmen shortly will start removing it.
This day in history: October 27
1882
Xerxes A. Willard, the man responsible in making Little Falls the “cheese capitol of the nation,” has died. He abandoned law as a career, became a farmer and was editor of the Herkimer County Journal, as well being an author on various phases of cheese making which became standards in the industry. He developed the method for establishing cheese prices and transmitting that information instantly across the country.
1887
Improvements in providing water power for running the large number of factories along the Mohawk River have been completed at a cost of about $60,000. Water is now running in the new raceways.
1894
A train bearing Governor McKinley, the famous Ohio statesman and champion of Protection, and future U.S. president,will stop in Little Falls today. McKinley will deliver an address in Clinton Park adjacent to the railway depot.
1910
Col. Theodore Roosevelt is to speak at the City Theatre in Little Falls today. He will be met at the train station by the local Military Band and escorted to the theatre to discuss the issues of the present campaign before a large crowd.
1971
There is opposition to the proposal for a county airport on Gun Club Road just west of Little Falls. Proponents state the airport is a necessary tool for economic development, while the opponents indicate the “luxury facility” caters to private plane owners with taxpayers footing the bill. The airport was never built.
This day in history: October 28
1952
ELECTION EVE :”LIGHTS ON – VOTES OUT” PARADE
The “40 & 8” Steam Engine and Box Car …Shooting off a small cannon …The Knights of Columbus had a float also!…VFW -Decarlo Staffo Post -American Legion -Masons -Elks – Moose – all in decorated cars. Then along came the new autos carrying the Motor Corps and City Officials!
From the Cooney Archives
Late 19th century map of Moreland (Park).
Every Legend Has a Beginning The Hubie Brown Story by David Dinneen
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumOlder people in Little Falls, especially those sports fanatics, know who Hubie Brown is. However, the name may not be familiar with the younger folks. Hubie rose from the ranks of coaching basketball at St. Mary’s Academy in Little Falls to the apex of his profession, enshrinement in the National Basketball Hall of Fame.
Tour Guide, Organizer and Historical Society Member, Gary Staffo, has requested that the Little Falls Historical Society share the Southside Walking Tour VIII – 1st FALL Tour!
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumGrowing Up on the Southside 1957 – 1970 (By popular demand SATURDAY November 06, 2021 for the 1st FALL TOUR!) WHEN: Saturday November 06, 2021 Sign In begins at 8AM (Registration, Questions, Safety Briefing), and the Tour STARTS at 9AM. Allow 2 to 3 hours, but participants can leave at any time (Please inform Tour Guide when […]
Dairy Farming In Herkimer County: The More Things Change… by De Wayne W. Perry
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumDairy farming has been integral to life in Herkimer County since the first European settlers—the Palatine Germans—arrived in the Mohawk Valley in the early-1700s, and some of their descendants still operate dairies around Little Falls and elsewhere throughout the county.
The Magnificent Mile at Little Falls by Louis W. Baum, Jr.
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumWhen it comes right down to it, Little Falls is all about water. The earliest explorers in America found it easiest to move along the waterways and rivers as did the Native Americans living here. In the 1600s and 1700s the British colonies extended inward from the Atlantic Ocean to the Appalachian Mountains.
Burwell Street Namesake and Moreland Park Visionary
/by Little Falls Historical Society Museumby Jeffrey Gressler
Since 1911, Moreland Park has played an important role in community life for generations of Little Falls residents. Family picnics, group outings, community events and celebrations, wedding receptions, birthday and graduation parties, family and class reunions, and kids squealing with delight on the playground equipment are all common occurrences on the park’s bucolic grounds. We all have our own Moreland Park memories.
by Jeffrey Gressler
He Still Sustains: Pitt the Painter’s Studio Loft
/by Little Falls Historical Society Museumby Laura Laubenthal
From 2011 to 2013, I wrote my master’s degree thesis for the Cooperstown Graduate Program about “Pitt the Painter” and his role in showcasing the identity of Little Falls by means of his artwork. The project was largely based on oral histories told by those in town who remembered him since his death on September 4, 2007. While I spoke with several people, there were so many more I did not reach, as Pitt’s sphere of influence seemed immeasurable. The project went on, and it was apparent that these stories meshed together as modern-day folklore about talent, humor, addiction, and belonging.
by Laura Laubenthal
A FAN’S NOTES ON THE RETURN OF VINTAGE BASE BALL TO LITTLE FALLS
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumThis author admits upfront that he is both a local history nut and a diehard New York Yankees fan. The intertwined paths of baseball and American history resonate with me. Older readers of this piece will likely recall watching Ted Williams, Joe DiMaggio and the transformational impact of Jackie Robinson. This author’s baseball roots trace […]