In 1934, Doctor Helen Hosmer opened a physician’s office on West Street in the Village of Galway, in Saratoga County, NY. Originally from Billerica, Massachusetts, when Hosmer arrived in Galway, she was 50 years old, and though an experienced chemist and scientist, she was just beginning her career as a physician. [Read more…] about Dr Helen Hosmer’s Rural Healthcare in the US & Canada
Providence
Josiah Stratton’s Second Chance at Life
When Josiah Stratton was laid to rest in the Village Cemetery in Galway, NY, in 1904, he left behind a life of service to his county, survival in war, and dedication to family spanning his 94 years on earth.
His story is also one of tragedy and survival that could have ended 30 years too soon. [Read more…] about Josiah Stratton’s Second Chance at Life
New Snowmobile Trail at Great Sacandaga Lake, Saratoga County
The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and Saratoga County have announced the completion and opening of the new 11-mile-long Hans Creek Snowmobile Trail. The new trail runs through lands owned by the Boeselager family in the towns of Providence and Edinburg and connects to Great Sacandaga Lake.
It’s hoped the trail will provide a safer “and more secure” connection between communities around the lake and the Saratoga County trail system. [Read more…] about New Snowmobile Trail at Great Sacandaga Lake, Saratoga County
Variety Abounds at Antiques by Packer’s Pond in Saratoga County
Ten years ago, when Bob Wemple was hired to fix up an old general store in the town of Providence, Saratoga County hamlet of Barkersville, he had no idea that he and his wife, Sue, would soon be operating that quaint storefront as a business of their very own: Antiques at Packer’s Pond.
The store, which dates back to 1893, is part of the Packer Farm and Barkersville Store, a historic site which includes a 19th century farmhouse, the store, two barns, an old mill pond, dam, and waterfall. [Read more…] about Variety Abounds at Antiques by Packer’s Pond in Saratoga County
Joseph Henry’s Summer Respite in Saratoga County
Some people may recognize Albany native Joseph Henry as that of an imminent scientist of the 19th century, who helped establish the fledgling United States as having experimental and theoretical scientists just as skilled and serious as those in Europe.
Others may know he was the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institute, the Washington, D.C. organization that oversees the nation’s federal museums and research centers. His scientific work was so important that a measurement of electromagnetic induction – the Henry – is named for him. [Read more…] about Joseph Henry’s Summer Respite in Saratoga County
Hello, Operator? The Galway Telephone Company 1903-1932
On December 13, 1882, Nicholas Shaul’s store in Barkersville, Town of Providence, Saratoga County was destroyed by fire. While the contents were a total loss, it was noted in the Daily Saratogian that 20-year-old Charlie Steele took time away from fighting the fire to save the store’s telephone.
Today we would scratch our heads if this made the news, but 140 years ago it was vital information as this was the only telephone for miles around this isolated hamlet. [Read more…] about Hello, Operator? The Galway Telephone Company 1903-1932
The Short Life of Walter Haslam Lewthwaite
I would like you to meet a fascinating fellow – Walter Haslam Lewthwaite. I came to know of him through a single letter he wrote in March 1918 to his brothers, their wives and his nieces and nephews. He mailed this eight-page letter from the post office in Middle Grove, Saratoga County to family in Brooklyn. [Read more…] about The Short Life of Walter Haslam Lewthwaite
The 115th New York: The Iron Hearted Regiment During The Civil War
During the Civil War, Colonel Simeon Sammons received authority to recruit a regiment in the counties of Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, and Saratoga, with headquarters at Fonda. On August 26, 1862, it mustered into the service of the United States for three years as the 115th New York Infantry Regiment, known as the “Iron-Hearted Regiment.” [Read more…] about The 115th New York: The Iron Hearted Regiment During The Civil War
Life’s Fleeting Breath: An Epitaph for Jeremiah Clark
The small rural cemetery that sits along Clark Road in Providence, Saratoga County, NY, silently beckoned me to stop and visit as it came into view one Autumn morning. I was happy to oblige, hoping to be rewarded with a glimpse of insight from these final reminders that mark the end of the life of those who, like us, also once smelled the fragrance of autumn and felt the warmth of the midday sun. [Read more…] about Life’s Fleeting Breath: An Epitaph for Jeremiah Clark
361 Votes: Saratoga County’s 1898 Leadership Battle
The recent battle for Speaker of the United States House of Representatives left many astounded that it took so many votes to reach a conclusion. However, Saratoga County once went through a situation that makes the House of Representatives battle look like very small potatoes. [Read more…] about 361 Votes: Saratoga County’s 1898 Leadership Battle
Edward Eddy Was Murdered! A Saratoga County Crime Story
When the readers of the Gloversville Daily Leader turned to page eight on the morning of January 7th, 1901, they were confronted with the news that 70-year-old Hiram Van Buren had shot and killed Edward Eddy in the hamlet of Trevett in Providence, Saratoga County.
For weeks afterward details continued to emerge that told a story of jealousy, revenge, and obsession. [Read more…] about Edward Eddy Was Murdered! A Saratoga County Crime Story
Loneliness: Winter At Saratoga County’s Tuberculosis Sanatorium
Living at “Homestead,” Saratoga County‘s Tuberculosis Sanatorium, was never easy – especially in winter.
In December of 1914 the first patients were admitted to the newly built facility. The site, located on land in the Town of Providence donated by Horace Carpentier years before, was in an extremely rural part of the county. There was no public transportation and the access road was impassable during winter. [Read more…] about Loneliness: Winter At Saratoga County’s Tuberculosis Sanatorium