Aug. 29th

1867

The Rough & Ready base ball club of this village, and the Valley Club of Canajoharie played a “friendly” match at Canajoharie with the locals winning 45 to 11. A little bad blood was manifested once or twice during the contest. One of the local fans was assaulted at the Palatine Bridge railroad depot in a misunderstanding with the baggage master.

1893

The free lunch feature of the saloon business has grown to be such an expense that there is movement in the Liquor Dealers’ Association to do away with it.

1903

A light newspaper train, with three express cars, rushing at 70 miles an hour, jumped the New York Central tracks at the sharp Gulf Curve in Little Falls killing the engineer and fireman. The engineer was trying to make up for time lost at stops in Amsterdam and Fonda.

Aug. 30th

1890

The strike of the Gilboys’ drivers has been settled at last. Two horses belonging to the Gilboys died last night and one yesterday afternoon, besides twenty chickens. They were undoubtedly poisoned by some unknown miscreant.

1892

A Silver Ash Institute will be established in Little Falls. The treatment is claimed to be a sure cure for liquor and morphine habits.

1895

Little Falls is not far behind her sister towns in the adoption of the rational dress by lady bicyclists. There is an old and well-grounded prejudice against the ugly garment invented by Mrs. Bloomer. Prominent ladies in Little Falls society have set the fashion for a really neat appearing article of the present time.

1918

Thieves are raiding the war gardens of the city and automobile thieves are despoiling the vegetable crops of the farmers. What they need is a good charge of rock salt from a shotgun.

1983

The Herkimer County Trust Company celebrated 150 years of banking business in Little Falls. Ralph W. Burrows was president and chairman of the Board. Directors included William Cotter, Ralph W. Burrows, Jr., George Aney, Mrs. Lillian W.B. Fisher, Hon. Edmund McCarthy, Frank G, Mendl, James B. Wright, Richard Collins, and I. Stacey Simpson.

Aug. 31st

1837

Owen McLaughlin of Ireland became the first victim of the railroad as he was killed on the tracks. McLaughlin was employed on a local farm.

2006

After 50 years of doing business as Morgan’s Dairy, plus many years with my father & brother doing business as Hillside Dairy, I am retiring the milk delivery business effective today – W. Morgan Carrig, “The Milkman.”

Sep. 1st

1821

A company of Indian chiefs passed through the village on their way to New York City to take part in a conference with the whites. They stayed at the MacKinister Tavern and attracted a great deal of attention.

1872

Belle Boyd, the notorious rebel spy during the Civil War, was a resident of Little Falls, living here under the name of Mrs. Hammond. While in the village, she made herself very conspicuous, and created quite a sensation as a stylish woman whose acquaintance was eagerly cultivated. She left Little Falls with a number of unsettled debts.

1916

Little Falls Council 220, Knights of Columbus took possession of their new home on East Main Street with D. H. Burrell, Mrs. D. H. Burrell, and Loomis Burrell assisting in the title transfer. The home was erected in 1834 by Thomas Burch. The home was also owned by Lorenzo Carryl, Watts Loomis, and Dr. William Garlock.

1918

Today is gasolineless Sunday.

1921

Talaquega Park, a free camping place for motorists, has been established on the River Road just east of the city. It has become one of the most popular and best camping places for motor campers in the state. It features electric lights, lavatories with running spring water, fireplaces and other conveniences.

1929

Airplanes of the American Society for Promotion of Aviation, flown by Empire Air Circus pilots, will sweep over Little Falls and drop 25 copies of the “Evening Times” over Main Street, some containing tickets entitling the finders to free airplane rides.

1954

Little Falls has 2,248 pleasure cars and another 618 on the rural routes. Servicing these cars, there are 27 local garages and gas stations employing 97 persons.

1955

Hubie Brown, a young graduate of Niagara University, arrived in Little Falls to coach basketball and baseball at St. Mary’s Academy. Hubie went on to coach in the NBA where he was twice named Coach of the Year. Chosen to the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2005, he continued his career as the preeminent NBA television analyst.

1960

At a meeting of the Little Falls Kiwanis Club, City Historian Edward Cooney indicated that it was still possible that the Erie Canal Museum would be located here. For many years, Cooney, Donal Hurley and a group of other local supporters have lobbied State officials, hosted many visits to proposed sites, and enlisted support from elected officials. The museum was never built.

1986

Many local dairy farmers are protesting the low price paid for milk by dumping their milk rather than selling it. The low price is exacerbated  by the farmers having to pay hauling, advertising , and federal  dairy herd termination costs. One local farmer pointed out the cost for a glass of milk on the Thruway is 10 times the price the farmers receive.

Sep. 2nd

1911

Hundreds of old family keepsakes, unearthed from forgotten nooks and corners, are on display in several store windows along Main Street. Items included a pocketbook used in 1757, an old German bed warmer, a 118 year old spinning wheel, one of the first cameras used in Little Falls, Nicholas Herkimer’s commission appointing him a general in the U. S. army dated September 5, 1776, and a 200 year old ox yoke.

1916

It was hoped that Little Falls would escape the infantile paralysis, but that was not the case. An eight year-old local boy seems to have contacted the disease in Syracuse, and was diagnosed here and has died. Several families in the neighborhood who had been exposed are under a strict quarantine.

1945

WW II Era – With V-J Day, World War II is finally over. The formal Japanese surrender ceremony was held in Tokyo Bay aboard the battleship, U.S.S. Missouri. People took to the streets in Little Falls and celebrated. During the war, twenty-eight Little Falls boys served as pilots in the military.

Sep. 3rd

1878

Our village authorities have placed a fountain in the center of the reservoir in Western Park. It is useful to prevent scum from forming upon the water. This improvement has long been needed.

1897

The bank vault at the National Herkimer County bank in Little Falls could not be opened when a bolt of the combination lock slipped down. Efforts by local locksmiths to open the safe were not successful, and a locksmith had to be “imported” from New York City to complete the job by nightfall.

1907

The Little Falls Republicans always have had their gatherings at the Allerton Hotel which has been torn down to make way for the new Hotel Snyder. In keeping with tradition, the local G.O.P. had their caucus, prior to the county convention, at the same site but in the now vacant lot.

1909

An auto “Sociability Run” was made by twenty one automobiles from Little Falls to Cooperstown and return. The autos, all with several passengers, leaving at 5 minute intervals, made the trip via Herkimer, Ilion, Cedarville, Richfield Springs and Fly Creek. Frank Shall won first prize with a time of six hours and 30 seconds. Mrs. O. Dempster, the only woman, came in second.

Sep. 4th

1813

Militias in New York State were called into service to relieve the garrison at Sackets Harbor. The Herkimer and Montgomery detachments, totaling 216 men, rendezvoused at Little Falls.

1882

Alarms have been sounded, and the Board of Health is concerned about the prevalence of “fever” in our village. A large number of cases are found amongst workers at the Little Falls Knitting Mill. Well water from a spring used by many was suspected, tests showed no contamination from sewer and privy water – but the well contained vegetable organic matter. Sanitary conditions at the mill were found to be satisfactory.

1953

A heat wave continued in the area with temperature at Niagara Mohawk power station in Little Falls hitting a high of 99F on Sept. 2, 100F on Sept.3, and 98F on Sept. 4.

2016

Thousands of people welcomed the Viking ship Draken Harald Harfagre to the Little Falls Marina for a two day stay. The Draken is the largest authentic Viking ship in the world, and has a crew of 32. Sailing from Norway, the vessel travelled the historic route across the North Atlantic taken by the Vikings over 1,000 years ago. Food for the crew was provided by locals.

This Week in History” is brought to you by the Little Falls Historical Society. Please Visit the Little Falls Historical Society Website and please consider supporting the Museum by becoming a Member. Download the membership form here!