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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.

19th Century Birth Announcements: Elements of Style

March 4, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Stork ChildbirthA pun is a fitting way to celebrate the birth of a child to a fellow newspaper editor.

“Editor G.A. Weller of The Granville Sentinel rejoices over the addition to his family of a feminine ‘supplement’ weighing over eleven pounds,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on September 22nd, 1885. [Read more…] about 19th Century Birth Announcements: Elements of Style

Filed Under: Arts, History Tagged With: Cultural History, humor, News, Newspapers, Social History

Chicken & Egg Stories From Historic Newspapers

February 18, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

eggs courtesy Wikimedia user TudorTulokIf a newspaper reporter witnesses it, then it has to be so.

But did the reporter see the chicken that supposedly laid the egg?

“Lyman Colson is the owner of a hen that produced an egg one day last week which was shown to your representative,” The Morning Star of Glens Falls reported on May 8th, 1885. “It measures six-and-one-half by eight-and-one-fourth inches in circumference.” [Read more…] about Chicken & Egg Stories From Historic Newspapers

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, Food, History Tagged With: Culinary History, local farms, local food, Newspapers

Charles Tuttle: FDR Opponent, Lake George Advocate

February 2, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Charles H TuttleLake George lost a champion a half-century ago when the 91-year-old Charles H. Tuttle, the man who The Lake George Association honored as “Mr. Lake George,” died January 26th, 1971.

“His love for Lake George was an inspiration to all, including strangers as well as close friends,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on February 4th. [Read more…] about Charles Tuttle: FDR Opponent, Lake George Advocate

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History, New York City Tagged With: Crime and Justice, Lake George, Lake George Association, Political History, Prospect Mountain

The New Year in 1887, Granville, Washington County

January 26, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

The year 1886 in Washington County, New York, ended on an optimistic tone.

“But thou, the old year, has not been a very hard one, especially,” The Granville Sentinel reported on December 31st, 1886.

Extended periods of drought followed by weeks of unseasonal warm rain gave way in the final days of the year to seasonal weather. [Read more…] about The New Year in 1887, Granville, Washington County

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Granville, Washington County, winter

The Joys of a January Freeze, 1887

January 19, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

Lake Champlain froze completely on January 8th, 1887, missing by just two days the seventy-year record for earliest freeze.

“Saturday morning (January 8th) was the coldest of the season, the mercury registering 26 below zero – in the shade,” The Granville Sentinel reported on January 14th. [Read more…] about The Joys of a January Freeze, 1887

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Granville, Lake Champlain, Washington County, weather, winter

An Anthology of Pig Tales from Northern New York

January 13, 2021 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

wallow in mud at the Poplar Spring Animal Sanctuary courtesy Wikimedia user Mark PetersThis little piggy from Eagle Lake apparently did not want to go to market.

“Hebert Moore’s pig is still at large. Motorists are requested to drive with care in the vicinity,” the Ticonderoga Sentinel reported on July 15th, 1920. “A reward of $1 is offered by L. Lodge to anyone who will catch said pig single handed. Mr. Lodge must witness the catch. $3 if done after dark.” [Read more…] about An Anthology of Pig Tales from Northern New York

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, Food, History, Hudson Valley - Catskills, Mohawk Valley, Western NY Tagged With: Agricultural History, Eagle Lake, local farms, North Creek, Stony Creek, Warren County, Washington County

A Washington County Political Newspaper Brawl

December 27, 2020 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

 Granville SentinelIf there was one thing 19th century Granville Sentinel publisher Anna McArthur disliked more than Democrats, it was a competing newspaper attempting to siphon off Republican readership. [Read more…] about A Washington County Political Newspaper Brawl

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

Whimsical Winter Notions For A Snowy Day

December 18, 2020 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

It’s a whimsical winter notion.

“Some imaginative and wonderfully learned German scholars tell us that every snow flake is inhabited by happy little beings, who begin their existence, hold their revels, live long lives of happiness, and delight, die and are buried, all during the descent of the snowflake from the world of clouds to the solid land,” The Granville Sentinel reported on May 12th, 1886. [Read more…] about Whimsical Winter Notions For A Snowy Day

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: nature, weather, winter

A First World War Holiday Miracle

December 14, 2020 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

World War One poster Exaggerating the quickness of the war's end Call it an antiquarian newspaper holiday miracle.

“Rather a peculiar thing happened a few days ago,” Lieutenant Howard Smith of Hudson Falls wrote his mother from a military hospital in France on December 26th, 1918. “One of the orderlies of this ward found a picture of me in The Post-Star while he was in another ward. It was an account of my getting a Boche.” [Read more…] about A First World War Holiday Miracle

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, Capital-Saratoga, History Tagged With: Christmas, Glens Falls, Holidays, Hudson Falls, Military History, Warren County, World War One

President Taft At Old Ticonderoga

December 1, 2020 by Maury Thompson Leave a Comment

President Taft at the Grandstand at Ticonderoga provided by Fort TiconderogaPresident William Howard Taft dozed for nearly five hours in the wee hours of the July 6th, 1909 morning as The Mayflower, his private rail car, was parked at the esplanade end of track No. 13 at Grand Central Station inn the city of New York. [Read more…] about President Taft At Old Ticonderoga

Filed Under: Adirondacks & NNY, History Tagged With: Charles Evans Hughes, Fort Ticonderoga, Lake Champlain, Political History, Ticonderoga, William Howard Taft

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