Sept. 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 Was, 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 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.

Sept. 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.

Sept. 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.

Sept. 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.

Sept. 5th

1882

Our Board of Education has leased a part of the old store-house adjoining Timmerman’s coal yard for a school house for the south side. The end next to the canal will be occupied, and it is being fitted up and furnished with seats taken from the brick school house.

1957

Members of the Legislative Committee on Preservation and Restoration of Historic Sites, along with local historians, inspected the old Inland Navigation Lock from the 1796 canal. Efforts are being made to preserve the lock as it is one of the oldest in the nation.

1995

Terry Tippin, of Avon, Connecticut, has purchased the Little Falls Masonic Temple from the local Masons. Mrs. Tippin plans to live in part of the building, built in 1914, and use another part for a pottery studio and showroom. The Masons will continue to meet at the building for the time being.

Sept. 7th

1781

Not too far from the Shell blockhouse, Lt. Solomon Woodworth and his scouting party were ambushed by Indians . Woodworth and 21 other brave patriots were killed in a matter of minutes.

1854

Two sulphur springs were discovered about 50 rods from the new cemetery, in Furnace Hollow creek about one-half mile from the village.

1883

All opposed to sewers should take a walk around the corner of Albany Street and Eastern Avenue (West Main Street.) We think that after looking at the state of affairs in that location they will be converted to the idea that sewers in this village are an actual necessity.

1948

After operating, first from her home at 617 Albany Street with five residents, Catherine Van Allen opened her nursing home in the former Victorian Sheard Mansion at 29 Jackson Street. Thirty-two residents will occupy the first two floors while Mrs. Van Allen and her five children will live on the third floor.

2002

Mayor Ted Wind has proclaimed today as “Mohawk Valley Garlic Growers’ Day” in honor of the garlic festival to be held in Little Falls at Canal Place.

Sept. 8th

1843

Daring robberies and thefts are becoming all too common in our village demanding watchmen at the most important points within a short time. Several places have been robbed – most of the transgressions involving watches and jewelry.

1901

About 1800 people attended the pilgrimage of St. Mary’s Church to the Auriesville Shrine on the West Shore Railroad.

1908

A contract was awarded to Casey & Murray to construct the Barge Canal (Erie Canal) through Little Falls.

1922

Leon Dussault’s Orchestra and a group local people under the auspices of the American Legion, broadcast from WGY in Schenectady.  There were so few radios in Little Falls that groups gathered at places such as the Y.W.C.A. to listen.

Sept. 9th

1873

The Modoc base ball club of Canajoharie came to Little Falls to play the local “White Stockings” and were “scalped” by a score of 53 to 13. Williams and Selcer each scored 10 runs for the locals.

1917

The banner read – “A war to end wars!”  That’s what the first 14 young men from Little Falls thought as they were sworn into the service of the nation and departed for army training camps. They would join millions of humans across the seas locked in a death grip with their foes in World War I.

1987

Work crews tearing up Garden Street between Waverley Place and Salisbury Street unearthed wooden water pipes from a water delivery system that had been discontinued from service over 100 years ago. Several years ago, similar wooden pipes were found during excavation for Shopper’s Square.

Sept. 10th

1886

The parochial school connected with St. Mary’s Church opened with nearly 300 pupils, with their instructions being furnished by four lay teachers. The average for each teacher is too large for the best results, but no more than for Union schools. The large number in students is due in part to child labor laws in our mills.

1889

The new bell for the school house on Church Street, weighs 387 pounds. It can be heard nearly anywhere in the village.

1908

The old Gem Theatre in the Beniens block has been closed and the new Gem Theatre, with a capacity of 425 on the ground floor and first balcony, has been opened. The natty little new playhouse has been crowded at each of the three nightly performances.

Sept. 11th

1898

Some boys playing in Foley’s gulf above German Street (Flint Avenue) found curious items in a cavity beneath a large rock. Lumps of silver and babbitt metal, hammers, kettles, ladles, and molds for casting 10, 25, 50, and one-dollar coins. The nature of the find indicated the genuine counterfeit equipment had been in the ground for a long time.

1917

The contractor building the new City Hall, George Willis Company, declared bankruptcy. James Hallinan was engaged to complete the project.

1922

The Little Falls Military Band showed cash receipts of $212.81 and disbursements of $134.41 for Pavement Dances held during the summer of 1922. Four concerts were held with 1,989 tickets being sold at 10 cents each. Popcorn and ice cream sales amounted to $13.91.

Sept. 13th

1889

People passing the drinking fountain or watering trough at the junction of Albany and East Main streets say it is a nuisance. When a horse is drinking no one can pass on the walk. It is proposed the trough be moved to the park across the street.

1905

Having paid the mortgage on the old church, the congregation, of the Christ Evangelical Lutheran Church, under the leadership of Rev. Carl Schroeder, set forth to build a new church on Petrie Street.

1912

The big new power plant of the Barnet Leather Company on East Mill Street, which was built on the labor-saving plan, was put into operation. The coal is not touched by human hands until it is dumped from a wagon into a pile of ashes.

1938

Appraisals are being made by the State on land and buildings, that possibly will be acquired, on Mohawk Street from the guard gates to the lift bridge, and the northern side of Jefferson Street , for the expansion of the Barge (Erie) Canal.

1963

The former Cherry-Burrell Plant 1, on Albany Street between Ann and Second streets, will be torn down, and an A & P Supermarket will be built on the site. As a part of the demolition, a wall of the old Presbyterian Church, erected about 1832 and one of the oldest structures in the city, will be razed.

1968

The coveted “Airman of the Year Award” was given to Dr. H. D. Vickers of Little Falls by the Flying Physicians Association at their convention in Missouri. The award is to some person in general aviation or medicine who has made a notable contribution to aviation medicine or air safety. 2,000 doctors are members.

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!