June 1st
1870
The employees at the Herkimer County National Bank are being granted vacations. Two weeks are being allotted to the cashier and one week to the clerks.
1878
The first person to have a telephone in Little Falls was Frank Bramer who resided in our current library building. He had a private telephone connecting with his office in the Warrior Mower plant.
1895
D. H. Burrell & Company of Little Falls made three shipments of cheese making apparatus to New Zealand. Over the past two years New Zealand and Australia have become formidable competitors in butter and cheese markets in Europe.
1912
With business growing and demanding increased space, the National Herkimer County Bank started looking for a site for a new bank building. In April 1913, they selected property at the corner of Main and Ann streets, and in March 1914, made arrangements for D.H. Burrell to build a spacious office building including elegant facilities for the bank on the site.
1928
The first air mail flight passed over Little Falls. Beacon lights and emergency landing lights had been installed at Seymour Field.
1932
Airplanes flying over Little Falls communicated with WGY, the General Electric radio station in Schenectady, which rebroadcast through regular channels, the fliers describing the scenery above the city. Communications between ground stations and planes in mid-air using short wave radio is still considered in the experimental stage.
1954
Stella Lesksha suspended operation of the Little Falls & Dolgeville bus line. She had purchased the line from Roy Woolever after World War Two.
1973
Mrs. Catherine Van Allen lifted the first shovel as her son and associate, William, and city officials looked on during groundbreaking ceremonies for the new 80 bed Van Allen Nursing Home on upper East Monroe Street.
2005
Mickey Kasner, veteran Little Falls teacher and coach, was inducted into the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame. From 1955 to 1993 she elevated girls’ interscholastic sports here, coaching seven different sports programs. She was the first female president of the NYSPHSAA.
June 2nd
1825
About 50 boats pass by Little Falls each day, and a number of rafts from the west. The grand staple from the west is flour, while passengers and merchandise from the east. The canal bank is the principal promenade for the people to see the elegant packet boats.
1830
In Little Falls there were only two streets, but there were two mills and two blacksmith shops. Ann Street north of Garden Street was a pasture. All that part of the village east of Second Street and south of Main Street, was a dreary wilderness thickly covered with white cedar undergrowth. Although the Erie Canal opened in 1825, the policies of the alien Mr. Alexander Ellice kept the village nearly stationary till 1831.
1876
Around this date, Chr. Hansen’s Laboratories of Copenhagen, Denmark, the world’s premier manufacturer of rennet used in the production of cheese, along with coloring for cheese and butter, established a factory in Little Falls under the management of Mr. J. D. Frederiksen.
1952
The H. P. Snyder Company is “cranking out” Hopalong Cassidy bicycles to fill the demand of youngsters across the nation. Cowboy star William Boyd, who plays Cassidy on TV and in the movies, is known as The King of the Cowboy Merchandisers. The bicycle sells for $67 when an average boy’s bike sells for $17. (Note: in mint condition they now sell for nearly $3,000).
June 3rd
1944
WW II Era – Overtures are being made to city officials by Consolidated Airlines for Little Falls to be a stop on the proposed route of the airline after the war. The Kansas City company has asked for considerable demographic information concerning the city.
2000
Brett Wehrum and Florian Andreas (an exchange student from Germany,) students at LFHS, won the New York State All Class tennis doubles championship at the U. S. National Tennis Center in Flushing, Long Island, New York. David Talaba was their coach.
2011
With great fanfare, the 1961 sesquicentennial time capsule was unearthed near the Civil War monument in Eastern Park. People came from all over the country to retrieve letters written 50 years earlier by their ancestors. Water had seeped into the capsule through defective weld lines and all the paper contents had turned to “mush.” Coins and other metal objects survived.
June 4th
1818
Although it was built in 1796, the Octagon Church was not completed until 1818. During this 22 year period, the church relied on circuit riders and itinerant clergymen. The first resident pastor, Mr. Hezekiah N. Woodruff today delivered his first sermon – “Go up to the mountain and bring Wook and the House and I shall take pleasure in it.” Rev. Woodruff would be shared with worshippers in Herkimer.
1856
A movement to secure entertainments of the better class has resulted in an organization that really means business. Hon. George A. Hardin is president of the Little Falls Entertainment Association, which has in its membership many of the prominent members of the community, that will strive to bring high-class revelry to Little Falls.
1889
Eight or ten men are at work on Western Park filling in the discarded reservoir. The grounds will be returned to their natural slope. Unfortunately, the project will require the removal of five large maple trees.
1964
One of the twin bridges between Hansen Island and Southern Avenue was lifted off its foundation and deposited on a barge. The second “twin” is owned by the city and was left standing. It was also eventually removed.
June 5th
1756
During the French & Indian War, General Prideau camped at the little falls on his way to Fort Niagara. His forces consisted of 2,680 Provincial troops, 2,300 British regulars, and 600 Indians.
1824
Increased travel on the Mohawk River and the new Erie Canal marked the appearance of floating museums, floating book stores, floating lottery offices, and floating dry goods stores.
1898
The locality most favored by the “thirsty” in Little Falls is South Ann Street between the tracks and the river, where in the immediate neighborhood are fifteen saloons.
June 6th
1926
One- hundred families of the National Catholic Polish Church, under the name of “Holy Spirit” parish, gathered for worship at the African Methodist-Episcopal Church on West Main Street. The local congregation was formerly affiliated with the Polish Roman Catholic Church on Furnace Street.
1986
A $21 million hydropower plant developed by the Little Falls Hydroelectric Associates on the Erie Canal and Mohawk River is nearing completion, and is expected to be in operation in the fall.
June 7th
1921
Seventy-five people, from seven families, were driven from their homes this morning, with only scant, belongings in a tenement fire on East Mill Street near Seeley Street. Where the people can move to is in question, as the city already has a considerable shortage of homes.
June 8th
1855
Washburn’s Great Indian Circus was in town. All genuine Indians, ther chiefs accompanied by their warriors will parade at 10:00.
1885
James Jackson opened the “Temperance House” on the former Petrie block at the northeast corner of Albany and Second streets. Previously it was a hotel conducted by J. E. Kenfield on the second and third floors.
1927
A gang of gypsies arrived here from the west. Police officer Lockwood jumped on the running board of one of their automobiles and saw that they kept right on moving until they got out of town.
June 9th
1868
St. Paul’s Universalist Church on Albany Street was dedicated today. Originally holding services at either the old Octagon church or the stone school, the Universalists, showing the tolerant spirit of the times, had also held services at the Baptist Church and funerals at the Methodist Church.
1933
A big tanker, loaded with unrefined molasses, sank west of Lock 17, the entire cargo was lost, and the river for miles was made sticky and discolored. The river banks all the way to Fort Plain are lined with thousands of dead fish.
1997
LFHS senior Tess Malone won the New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class C-D championship in the 400 meter dash in Kingston.
2008
Michael Masi was appointed chief of the Little Falls police department by a unanimous vote of the Police and Fire Board. Masi first came to the Little Falls Police Department in 1992. Former chief Gregg DeLuca retired last month.
June 10th
1919
The lifetime savings of Mr. and Mrs. Bart Latorre was missing after a fire of mysterious origin at their home on Flint Avenue. The money, $3,082, hidden away in bedding could not be found after the blaze was extinguished. Officials believe it to be a case of robbery. Firemen were held up by trains at two crossings.
June 11th
1825
During his Revolutionary War 50th anniversary tour, General LaFayette, the famous French aristocrat and military officer, stopped to pay his respects at the grave of his old friend, Major Andrew Eacker Finck just east of Little Falls. Major Finck had been his Aide de Camp.
1862
The body of the first Little Falls soldier to die in the Civil War was returned home for burial. Matthew Kennedy was given all the solemn honors a bereaved community could bestow on one who gave his life for his country.
1901
The Common Council approved the purchase of five voting machines at a cost of $500 each. The machines will cut the number of election districts down to four, and one machine will be held in reserve.
1957
Adam Lorenzoni, of this city, appeared on the national TV program, “It Could Be You”, in California where he had a surprise reunion with his daughter Rita Lorenzoni Osredkar.
1963
The Little Falls First Baptist Church dedicated a plaque to the memory of Francis Bellamy, the author of the Pledge of Allegiance. The plaque was placed on the front of the church located on Albany Street. Bellamy was ordained in Little Falls and served the local congregation from 1879 to 1885.
June 12th
1908
After a heated discussion, the Board of Education reconsidered and will allow the graduating Class of 1908 to hold their exercises at the Skinner Opera House. The class had protested the BOE choice, the Methodist Church, was unsafe and their invitations listed the opera house. Chief Cooney had stated the opera house was more unsafe and corrections must be made.
1917
Earlier in the month, President Wilson called on all men between the ages of 21 and 30 to register. As of this date, Herkimer County had registered 6,703 men including 1495 from Little Falls.
1920
A big rush is expected at the Little Falls fire station for the sale of “army” jam, with the sale continuing until the supply lasts. The cost is about one-third of making the preserves. Flavors available are peach, blackberry-apple, blackberry, melon-lemon, and melon-ginger. One entrepreneur ordered 288 jars.
1942
WW II Era – The first dance recital was presented by the pupils of Bernadette Hecox at the St. Mary’s Hall. The programme consisted of forty dance numbers; some of the dancers were Jo Anne Howe, Rosalie Placidi, Ann Reardon, Nan McEvoy, Jean Pettingail, Joan Skinner, Mary Cody, Curtis Tucker, Carol Edgerton, Louise Van Slyke, and Joan Benthal.
1982
Joe Morotti won his seventh game of the post-season, his second of the day, as the Ted Schoff coached Little Falls High School Mounties defeated Wilson Central 12 -5 to win the New York State Public High School Athletic Association baseball championship for Class C & D. The games were played in Little Falls’ Veterans Memorial Park before over 1,200 fans.
2003
Dr. Radford C. Tanzer, age 97, Little Falls native, Dartmouth graduate, Harvard Medical School, passed away on this date. After stints in New York City, London, and the army, Dr. Tanzer returned to Dartmouth Medical School where he became an internationally renowned pioneer in reconstructive surgery. Note: He was valedictorian of his LFHS class at age 14.
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!