This Week in History – Week of Nov. 7th
Nov. 7th
1896
The employees of MacKinnon’s mill received their wages in gold. There is no longer a scarcity of the yellow metal, for there is no object to hoarding it, and all prospect of profit by doing so is dispelled by the election of McKinley.
1909
An early morning large fire caused the destruction of the John Pierce Company stone crushing plant on Burnt Rocks, with the loss estimated at $150,000. The fire started in the electric transformer. The flames were difficult to fight because of the inaccessibility to the plant.
1950
A new chapter was written in the city’s administrative history when local voters decided that the school board, now appointive, should become elective in the future.
Nov. 8th
1901
A good start for better streets was made this week in Little Falls as paving some of the main thoroughfares with bricks has been started. The first street to be completed was from the railroad tracks to the Mohawk River bridge on South Ann Street.
1918
Leslie Bride has been twice wounded in action in France and is currently in a Red Cross hospital. After capturing an enemy trench, a grenade with a time fuse exploded and shattered his legs. Several of his comrades were killed.
2006
The Italian Community Bake Oven on the outskirts of Little Falls, built around 1891 by Italian immigrant laborers near their work camp, who were building the Little Falls – Dolgeville Railroad, was added to the National Register of Historic Places. Hundreds of loaves of bread were baked each day. The oven was 16 feet wide, 20 feet deep, and 6 feet high.
Nov. 9th
1908
The I.O.O.F. Temple (“Odd Fellows”) opened on South William Street. It was the home of the Hippodrome Theatre movie house.
1914
The Board of Fire & Police purchased an Overland car for the fire chief. This was the first motor driven apparatus in the city. It carried two pyrene and two acid soda extinguishers.
1933
Mrs. Katherine S. Goodbread, of Little Falls, passed away at age 93. As a young lady, she joined the Nurses’ corps and served in the Civil War. Her passing brings to an end the 121st regiment of nurses, of which she was the last survivor.
Nov. 11th
1918
The Cronkhite Opera House on the corner of South Ann and West Main streets burned.
1975
Loomis Burrell, son of David H. Burrell, husband of Louisa Loomis Burrell, died at his home at 659 East Main Street at age 103. Following in his father’s footsteps, he greatly improved dairy machinery, the efficiency of milk processing, and safety in the industry. He was the first Board Chairman of Cherry-Burrell.
1993
The center span of the Little Falls Aqueduct stood for 171 years; it finally collapsed late this evening. It had been more than a century since the last maintenance was conducted on it, a testimony of both the fitness of the original design and the skill of the workmen who built it. The aqueduct was built in 1822 as a feeder from the Western Inland Lock Navigation Canal.
Nov. 13th
1813
Commodore Perry passed through Little Falls on a packet after his victory at Lake Erie.
1828
It takes packet boats on the canal 24 to 28 hours to travel through Little Falls going from Schenectady to Utica.
1894
Excavation for the new passenger depot has begun with the excavated material being used for filling on Hansen Island.
1912
At 4 o’clock this morning, the Cheney Hammer shop was practically destroyed by fire of unknown origin. When discovered, the whole building was a mass of flames. Forty men are out of work, but the owner says the building will be rebuilt at once.
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!
Additional Links
- Little Falls Historical Society
- Times Telegram
- Little Falls, NY
- Little Falls City School District
- Little Falls Hospital
- City of Little Falls
- Little Falls Youth & Family Center
- Mohawk Valley Center for the Arts
- Upstate Venture Connect
- Shop Little Falls, NY
- Preserve Our Past
- The Mohawk Valley Through the Lens
- My Little Falls
- Think Local Little Falls
- Little Falls Public Library