2024 HISTORICAL SOCIETY WRITING SERIES DEDICATED TO EDWIN VOGT

In recent years, the Historical Society has dedicated its annual writing series to three teachers, Harold Templeman, Hector Allen, and Helen Dunteman, and to former city historian, and one of the Historical Society’s founding members, Edward Cooney. The Society’s 2024 writing series is being dedicated to Edwin Vogt.

Vogt was the Little Falls city historian for many years before his passing in 2015. He also authored numerous newspaper articles on various local history topics, the book containing the narrative poem FORTY MILES TO FREEDOM about the Revolutionary War Battle of Oriskany, and numerous poems. Vogt was the editor of the 2011 BICENTENNIAL CELEBRATION BICENTENNIALCELEBRATION 1811-2011 LITTLE FALLS, NEW YORK and a Herkimer County legislator at one time.

In a way, Edwin was also a teacher in that his writing inspired a number of present Historical Society members and others to begin writing about local history. Edwin was a Lincoln scholar, often writing and publishing articles about our sixteenth president.

The 2024 writing series dedicate was the first person to draw attention to the all-but-forgotten “Colored Burial Grounds” section of Church Street Cemetery. His efforts culminated in the installation of an impressive monument dedicated to those persons interred in that area of Little Falls’ main cemetery. Unfortunately, Edwin passed away a few months prior to the formal dedication ceremony of this monument during Canal Days Celebration in 2015.

It is with great pleasure that the officers and directors of the Little Falls Historical Society dedicate our 2024 writing series to Edwin Vogt. This honor is well deserved.

Jeffrey Gressler