Little Falls Historical Society Museum Events
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.
From the Cooney Archives
PATRIOTS DAY EVENT SATURDAY, MAY 24 AT HERKIMER HOME
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumThe Herkimer Home State Historic Site and the Little Falls Historical Society will co-host a Patriots Day event at Herkimer Home beginning at 1:00 PM on Saturday, May 24.
Learn More About This Local Historical Society and Museum
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumMany of us never think about the fact that we’re living artifacts of history. Usually, we think that we’re not significant enough to count.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN, LITTLE FALLS AND BEYOND
/by Little Falls Historical Society Museum2025 marks both the 165th anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s 1860 election to the presidency and the 160th anniversary of his April 15th, 1865 assassination.
Dwight James Baum: The World’s Most Famous Architect from Little Falls
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumMy grandfather, Dwight James Baum, is undoubtedly Little Falls’ most-famous architect ever and one of its most-famous sons.
Rialto memories
/by Mat RapaczWhen preparing to write this article, I asked readers for their memories of the Rialto and received the following replies.
Rialto was Little Falls’ movie palace
/by Mat RapaczThe Gateway Theatre in Little Falls, later to be renamed Rialto, first opened its doors to the public on October 22, 1923.
Little Falls’ South Side in the 1930s – 1940s: A Remembrance of Time and Place
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumAs long as I can remember my father, Joe Vespasiano, loved to share his stories, and he had a lot of material.