Little Falls Historical Society Museum Events
This day in history: December 9
1848
The Ladies Aid Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church of this village will hold a fair for the sale of useful and fancy articles at the Benton House.
1881
The Catholic bell now rings every morning at half past six, at noon and at 6:30 in the evening. It is a much pleasanter way of announcing the time than by the screams of the mill whistles every one of which is blown at a different time.
1898
For the past several weeks, Professor Sugarman , a practicing eye specialist in Little Falls, has been amazing local residents by taking daily plunges in the icy Mohawk River. He is a firm believer and advocate of the curative powers of cold water. The colder the atmosphere the more he seems to enjoy the bath.
1916
Henry Hondorf, of Jersey City, foreman of the structural iron workers building the new City Hall, died as a result of a fall from the top of the structure.
2005
Artist Stephen “Pitt” Nicholas has created a 34- foot mural on the west side of the 1855 stone building housing the Little Falls Antique Center. Nicholas’ piece relates the river and time to the historical area.
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.)
MISS HELEN DUNTEMAN
Helen Dunteman was a highly respected social studies teacher in the Little Falls school district for many years, retiring in 1962. Helen was both a lifelong Little Falls resident and a graduate of Oneonta State Normal School. She passed away in 1984.
A FAN’S NOTES ON THE RETURN OF VINTAGE BASE BALL TO LITTLE FALLS
This 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 […]
UPDATED HISTORICAL SOCIETY CANAL DAYS CELEBRATION EVENTS SCHEDULE
The recent uptick in COVID-19 cases in Herkimer County has forced our board directors and officers to rethink our Canal Days Celebration calendar of events and museum operation. Foremost in our thinking is public safety. We regret any inconveniences that these adjustments may cause. The CHURCH STREET CEMETERY TOUR was scheduled for Friday August 13 […]
HISTORICAL SOCIETY CANCELLING CEMETERY WALKING TOUR AND HISTORIC MARKER DEDICATIONS
Most Little Falls residents know who Nathaniel Benton, H.P. Snyder, and D.H. Burrell were, but who were Enoch Moore, Arphaxed Loomis, Titus Sheard, and Peewash and how did each of these individuals impact community history? What do gravestones with weeping angels, shrouded urns, and tree stumps represent? What interesting life stories are hidden away in […]
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 […]