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Maury Thompson

Maury Thompson is a freelance writer and documentary film producer from Ticonderoga who specializes in the history of politics, labor organizing and media in New York's North Country.

He previously was a reporter for The Post-Star of Glens Falls for 21 years.

His latest book is The Animated Feather Duster: Slow News Day Tales of the Legendary Facial Hair of Charles Evans Hughes.

Political Anecdotes From Historical Newspapers

June 9, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Esther Griffin White ca 1915 courtesy Earlham College ArchivesTrivia clue: Known as the Hoosier State, it was a battleground state that turned from blue to red in the 1888 presidential election.

Correct response: What is Indiana? [Read more…] about Political Anecdotes From Historical Newspapers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Newspapers, Political History, politics

Political Anecdotes from the Past

April 7, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Trivia clue: He was the vice-presidential running mate of Grover Cleveland in 1888.

Correct response: Who was former U.S. Sen. Allen G. Thurman of California?

“The patriot of Columbus cannot be allowed to wither in retirement,” M.F. Tarpey said, when placing Thurman’s name in nomination, according to June 8th, 1888 report in The Morning Star of Glens Falls. “His fame is not his alone; it is the proud heritage of the American public.” [Read more…] about Political Anecdotes from the Past

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Fort Edward, Glens Falls, Political History, Warren County, Washington County

The Little Newspaper That Hoped It Could

March 29, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

First edition of the Sandy Hill (Hudson Falls) Commercial Advertiser Nov 26, 1879Call it the little newspaper that hoped it could.

“What! another paper in Washington County!” publisher George A. Nash wrote in the first issue of The Commercial Advertiser of Sandy Hill, now Hudson Falls, on November 26th, 1879. [Read more…] about The Little Newspaper That Hoped It Could

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Fort Edward, Glens Falls, Hudson Falls, Newspapers, Washington County

Political Anecdotes From Historic North Country Newspapers

March 23, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

John Lindsay speaking at a senior citizens rally in Oct 1965 (Walter Albertin, New York World Telegram)Trivia clue: This presidential candidate added new meaning to the term political spokesman.

Correct response: Who is New York City Mayor John Lindsay? [Read more…] about Political Anecdotes From Historic North Country Newspapers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Political History

Flowery & Imprecise: 19th Century Weather Reports

February 8, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Central Park weather station courtesy National Weather ServiceThe Whitehall correspondent submitted a long-winded, pun intended, weather report for the Dec. 28, 1889 issue of The Granville Sentinel: “The atmosphere was in great commotion here Sunday night – evidently having urgent business elsewhere – and things movable presented a decidedly twisted appearance in town Monday morning.”

A contemporary editor likely would ask the reporter to consult the National Weather Service about the speed of the wind, and would have boiled down the verbiage to something like, “Severe winds in Whitehall uprooted trees and blew off roofs at Whitehall on Sunday. But dramatics frequently trumped details in 19th century newspapers. [Read more…] about Flowery & Imprecise: 19th Century Weather Reports

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Arts, History, Nature, Recreation Tagged With: Glens Falls, Granville, Newspapers, Warren County, Washington County, weather

Political Anecdotes from Northern New York Historic Newspapers

February 2, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

A New York Times pressman checking a newspaper for defects in 1942Trivia clue: Saratoga County Democrats barbecued an 800-pound ox to celebrate his election in 1884.

Correct response: Who is Grover Cleveland? A Glens Falls hotel keeper saved a piece of the rib bone as a souvenir. [Read more…] about Political Anecdotes from Northern New York Historic Newspapers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Newspapers, Political History, politics, Saratoga, Saratoga County

Truman Kingsley: ‘Boss Drummer’ of the Civil War

January 27, 2022 by Maury Thompson 5 Comments

Truman Kingsley courtesy of The Folklife Center at Crandall Public LibraryTruman Kingsley of Glens Falls, Warren County, NY was a drummer in the Civil War. When he returned home from battle, he never stopped drumming.

Kingsley, who was 44 when he enlisted in the Union Army, was older than many of his fellow veterans, who averaged 25.8 years old when they served, according to the American Battlefield Trust. [Read more…] about Truman Kingsley: ‘Boss Drummer’ of the Civil War

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Civil War, Glens Falls, Military History, Music, Vermont, Warren County

1880s January Weather Reports: Ice Harvest, Cold Weather, Snow

January 12, 2022 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

ice harvestIt was a frigid January at Glens Falls in 1883, which was good for the ice men.

“The ice in the river at this point is now twelve inches thick,” The Morning Star reported on January 4th. “Several ice men announced they will commence their annual harvest on Monday.” [Read more…] about 1880s January Weather Reports: Ice Harvest, Cold Weather, Snow

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: ice, snow, Warren County, Washington County, weather, winter

Anecdotes from Historic Newspapers

December 17, 2021 by Maury Thompson 1 Comment

signal service at work 1881Trivia clue: This federal agency that started as an experiment of the Army Signals Corps and was transferred in 1887 from the War Department to the Department of Agriculture. [Read more…] about Anecdotes from Historic Newspapers

Filed Under: Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Newspapers, Political History, politics

Gilded Age Syracuse Senator Frank Hiscock: ‘We Will Bury Free Trade’

December 7, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Frank Hiscock from the 1891 Puck cartoon 'Doomed' by Louis Dalrymple and in the SenateThe St. Mary’s Band of Glens Falls played a quickstep the evening of October 26th, 1887 as the musicians paraded from Church Street to Glen Street to escort U.S. Senator Frank Hiscock from the Rockwell House hotel to the Glens Falls Opera House, where the freshman senator from Syracuse was to be keynote speaker at a Republican rally. [Read more…] about Gilded Age Syracuse Senator Frank Hiscock: ‘We Will Bury Free Trade’

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History, Western NY Tagged With: Economic History, Glens Falls, Onondaga County, Political History, Syracuse, Warren County

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