In August of 1931, many newspapers around the country published a human-interest story about a postcard mailed from Lake George that arrived at a Northville, NY address seven years later. Reportedly, the postcard departed the Lake George post office in 1924, but it circulated to several wrong destinations before reaching its journey’s end. [Read more…] about 1931: A Lake George Postcard Arrives Seven Years Later
Northville
Driftwood Sculptor Caitlin Roben’s Artistic Evolution
If you’ve always been drawn to the timeless beauty of driftwood, you’ll surely appreciate the exquisite elegance of Hope Falls (in northern Fulton County, NY) artist Caitlin Roben’s driftwood sculptures. Roben’s work embodies the alluring mystique that beachcombers and river walkers alike savor when they stumble upon a piece of aged wood, worn smooth by the forces of nature.
A lifelong driftwood scavenger, Roben grew up on the banks of the Mohawk River in Glenville, Schenectady County. “With access to the water from my parents’ house, I was always collecting interesting pieces. Going out and searching for driftwood is fun and definitely part of the inspiration for my artistic process,” she said. [Read more…] about Driftwood Sculptor Caitlin Roben’s Artistic Evolution
Great Sacandaga Lake Discovery Center Future Uncertain
“Fulton County’s long-envisioned Great Sacandaga Lake Discovery Center project is facing mounting financial pressures and uncertain political support after a presentation at a July Board of Supervisors meeting revealed that construction bids have come in millions over budget.”
That’s the message Gloversville 5th Ward Supervisor Greg Young recently posted to his Facebook page. [Read more…] about Great Sacandaga Lake Discovery Center Future Uncertain
World War Two Rural Honor Rolls
On September 1, 1939, Germany invaded Poland, with Great Britain and France declaring war on Germany on September 3rd. Italy declared war on Great Britain and France on June 10, 1940. Germany invaded the Soviet Union on June 22, 1941 and Japan had occupied all of what was then known as French Indochina by July 26, 1941. On December 7, 1941, Japan launched an attack on our US fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii – “a day that will live in infamy.”
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt declared war on Japan on December 8, 1941. [Read more…] about World War Two Rural Honor Rolls
Injured Hawk Released; Sick Bear Euthanized
On April 22, a red-tailed hawk, reported injured in the Bronx and rescued by ECOs, was set free after making a full recovery. The raptor was rescued on February 28th by Environmental Conservation Officers (ECOs) Ableson and Baldwin behind The Children’s Learning Center. The bird was able to walk slowly but had trouble flying.
The ECOs safely captured the hawk with a net, placed it in a blanket, and transported it to the Wild Bird Fund rehabilitation center in Manhattan. [Read more…] about Injured Hawk Released; Sick Bear Euthanized
James Shanahan: Stone Mason & Railroad and Canal Builder
At Schoharie Crossing State Historic Site you can see all three of the major phases of the Erie Canal – from the original “Clinton’s Ditch,” to the enlargements of the mid-19th century to the Barge Canal of today. You can also see Lock E-12 operated by the New York State Canal Corporation between Tribes Hill and Fort Hunter in Montgomery County, NY.
This lock has a movable dam and is one of only two which also serve as an automobile bridge. It’s known as the “James Shanahan Lock.” [Read more…] about James Shanahan: Stone Mason & Railroad and Canal Builder
Johnson’s Family Farm Store & Café in Northville
The Johnson’s Family Farm Store and Café in Northville, NY, on Great Sacandaga Lake in Northern Fulton County, is the place to go for an impressive selection of fresh, homegrown produce, nutritious home-cooked foods, a delectable bakery, distinctive merchandise, rustic charm, and friendly service. [Read more…] about Johnson’s Family Farm Store & Café in Northville
An Intersection of Rustic & Contemporary Arts in Northville
If you’ve never visited The William Coffey Studio & Gallery in Northville in the northern part of the town of Northampton in Fulton County, NY, you’re missing out on a chance to see the very best of north country talent, ranging from Coffey’s own contemporary rustic furniture and gallery director Mark Wood’s unique chandeliers and stained glass lamps to sculpture, paintings, basketry, photography, and more, all created by local artists. [Read more…] about An Intersection of Rustic & Contemporary Arts in Northville
Profile: Adirondack Folk Artist Linda Finch
Adirondack folk artist and Sacandaga River Valley aficionado Linda Finch is every bit as impressive a storyteller as she is an artist. She grew up listening to her elders’ vividly detailed accounts of life in the Sacandaga Valley prior to the 1930 creation of the Conklingville Dam. [Read more…] about Profile: Adirondack Folk Artist Linda Finch
When The Yeggs Hit Upstate New York
It was late on Wednesday, January 19th, 1910, and Police Chief W. R. Bronner was making his evening rounds through the quiet village of Mohawk, in the town of German Flatts, Herkimer County, NY, making sure all was safe for both business and residents.
Somewhere near the intersection of Main and Washington streets, he encountered four men who engaged him in conversation as they all walked along. Before he could resist, he was relieved of his pistol, gagged, and brought into the Masonic Hall billiard room that the Yeggs had broken into earlier in the evening. Once inside, Bronner was bound with wire taken from pictures on the wall. [Read more…] about When The Yeggs Hit Upstate New York
Northville Vigilantes & The Murder at Johnnycake Hollow
It is strange how a seemingly innocent event can set into motion something that grows to engulf a whole town and change forever the lives of untold numbers of people.
In this case, the event was a man, who in hopes of bettering himself brought his family to live in the hamlet of Johnnycake Hollow in rural Fulton County. [Read more…] about Northville Vigilantes & The Murder at Johnnycake Hollow
Two Arrested After Bank Robbery in Adirondacks
According to a press release issued by New York State Police, at about noon on March 26th, State Police in Mayfield, Fulton County, NY responded to a report of a robbery in progress at the NBT Bank on Bridge Street in the Village of Northville.
Two male suspects fled the scene with an undisclosed amount of currency prior to the arrival of law enforcement. According to Police, no weapon was observed but the presence of one was implied. No one was injured during the incident. [Read more…] about Two Arrested After Bank Robbery in Adirondacks
New Adirondack History Book About The Northville-Placid Trail
The new book From Northville to Placid: Place Name History of New York’s Oldest Long Trail (Beechwood Books, 2021) by Erik Schlimmer, with foreword by James Appleton, features historical accounts of seventy of the named features along this 138-mile path through the Adirondacks. [Read more…] about New Adirondack History Book About The Northville-Placid Trail
Historians Podcast: Elephants In Upstate New York
This week on “The Historians” podcast Leader Herald history columnist Peter Betz has two stories about elephants in Fulton and Montgomery Counties plus the tale of a failed effort to keep a Northville summer theater going in the 1960s. Listen to the podcast here. [Read more…] about Historians Podcast: Elephants In Upstate New York