Little Falls Historical Society Museum Events
This day in history: September 28
1805
On this date Alexander Ellice died in Bath, England. The Ellice Estate, headed by his son Edward, an influential member of the British House of Commons, maintained a tight grip on water rights along the river at Little Falls, and other aspects of the life of the community. Ellice had acquired a valuable mill-site at Little Falls from Sir William Johnson.
1839
The first Methodist church in Little Falls, built on Third Street, was dedicated on this date by Bishop Elijah Hedding. The parish outgrew this building and built a new church in 1876. The old building became the Polish Community Association.
1968
Riverside Industrial Park, situated on 24 acres between the railroad tracks and the Mohawk River just west of Hansen Island, is being developed by the City of Little Falls.
This day in history: September 29
1895
Miss Charlotte E. Davis of Little Falls, better known as the professional aeronant of the Mohawk Valley, was married in Johnstown to Professor George J. Bush, also a professional aeronant, from Blissfield Michigan.
This day in history: September 30
1887
Professor William Rullison, the great trapeze aeronaut, is visiting his native Little Falls, after a successful Rockaway Beach tour with T. S. Baldwin, the parachute jumper. Rullison has made over 900 ascensions on the flying bar, hanging by his toes.
This day in history: October 1
1875
The Merchants’ and Farmers Bank is doing business at the Banking House on Main Street in Little Falls. Banking hours included Saturday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 P.M.
1883
Large crowds lined up to purchase tickets for the first passenger train to leave Little Falls on the West Shore Railroad. The West Shore depot was later called “South Little Falls.”
1895
D. H. Burrell & Company have recently imported the ”Thistle Mechanical Milking Machine” from Scotland for their operation on their Hilltop farm. The machine at the Burrell farm milks ten cows at once, averaging one cow per minute, with favorable results.
1958
The Salada-Shirriff-Horsey Company of Boston, Mass., Plant City, Fla., and Toronto, Canada, will acquire the “Junket” Brand Foods Division of Chr. Hansen’s Laboratory, Inc. of Little Falls, as of this date.
1974
The newly built quarters for the New York State Employment Service opened today at 690 East Main Street, the site of the former Knights of Columbus Home which had been razed.
Garfield’s whistle stop – 1880
/by Mat RapaczIn the presidential election of 1880, — General James A. Garfield, Republican nominee for president, brought his campaign to Little Falls on August 4 with a “whistle stop” on the New York Central.
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.