Little Falls Historical Society Museum Events
This day in history: September 8
1843
Daring robberies and thefts are becoming all too common in our village demanding watchmen at the most important points within a short time. Several places have been robbed – most of the transgressions involving watches and jewelry.
1901
About 1800 people attended the pilgrimage of St. Mary’s church to the Auriesville Shrine on the West Shore Railroad.
1908
A contract was awarded to Casey & Murray to construct the Barge Canal (Erie Canal) through Little Falls.
1922
Leon Dussault’s Orchestra and a group local people under the auspices of the American Legion, broadcast from WGY in Schenectady. There were so few radios in Little Falls that groups gathered at places such as the Y.W.C.A. to listen.
This day in history: September 9
1873
The Modoc base ball club of Canajoharie came to Little Falls to play the local “White Stockings” and were “scalped” by a score of 53 to 13. Williams and Selcer each scored 10 runs for the locals.
1917
The banner read – “A war to end wars!” That’s what the first 14 young men from Little Falls thought as they were sworn into the service of the nation and departed for army training camps. They would join millions of humans across the seas locked in a death grip with their foes in World War I.
1987
Work crews tearing up Garden Street between Waverley Place and Salisbury Street unearthed wooden water pipes from a water delivery system that had been discontinued from service over 100 years ago. Several years ago, similar wooden pipes were found during excavation for Shopper’s Square.
This day in history: September 10
1886
The parochial school connected with St. Mary’s church opened with nearly 300 pupils, with their instructions being furnished by four lay teachers. The average for each teacher is too large for the best results, but no more than for Union schools. The large number in students is due in part to child labor laws in our mills.
1889
The new bell for the school house on Church street, weighs 387 pounds. It can be heard nearly anywhere in the village.
1908
The old Gem Theatre in the Beniens block has been closed and the new Gem theatre, with a capacity of 425 on the ground floor and first balcony, has been opened. The natty little new playhouse has been crowded at each of the three nightly performances.
This day in history: September 11
1898
Some boys playing in Foley’s gulf above German Street (Flint Avenue) found curious items in a cavity beneath a large rock. Lumps of silver and babbitt metal, hammers, kettles, ladles, and molds for casting 10, 25, 50, and one-dollar coins. The nature of the find indicated the genuine counterfeit equipment had been in the ground for a long time.
1917
The contractor building the new City Hall, George Willis Company, declared bankruptcy. James Hallinan was engaged to complete the project.
1922
The Little Falls Military Band showed cash receipts of $212.81 and disbursements of $134.41 for Pavement Dances held during the summer of 1922. Four concerts were held with 1,989 tickets being sold at 10 cents each. Popcorn and ice cream sales amounted to $13.91.
Inter-urban trolley lasted 30 years
/by Mat RapaczThe electric trolley started in Little Falls in 1903 with great fanfare, a convenient and, for awhile at least, popular way to travel between Little Falls and points west and south.
Cars still a relative novelty at time of ‘Sociability’ run
/by Mat RapaczAutomobiles were still a relative novelty in Little Falls in 1909 when the Smith brothers, proprietors of the Richmond Hotel (later called Hotel Snyder) concocted the idea of a “Sociability” automobile run from the city to Cooperstown and back.
Nostalgia
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumNostalgia becomes a personal emotional experience. In times of stress, nostalgia can provide a retreat, a respite, a way to feel less alone.
Jumbo entertains Little Falls
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumOn Tuesday, Aug. 22, 1882, Little Falls played host to a 12-foot tall, 6½ ton entertainer, whose reach extended 26 feet from the ground.
Little Falls was basketball pioneer
/by Mat RapaczWhen basketball was new, Little Falls (along with Herkimer) was one of its pioneering communities and had some of its better teams.
Little Falls Public Library librarian, Julia Yardley, at the Old Bank Building Museum during the October 5th Cheese Festival.
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumLittle Falls Public Library head librarian Julia Yardley pictured on the front portico of the Old Bank Building Museum during the October 5th Cheese Festival.
OLD BANK BUILDING MUSEUM SITE OF ALBANY SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA RECORDING
/by Little Falls Historical Society MuseumFriday September 27 was a most interesting and history-making day at the Little Falls Historical Society’s Old Bank Building Museum.