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Photo of the week! George Merrill delivering mail

Photo of the week!

George Merrill delivering mail to his patrons on Sweeney Hill in March 1932. This photo is part of a fantastic resource on the history of Scott Road (Route 41) as compiled by Ina Hurlbut Bird. According to Mrs. Bird, the Merrill family of Homer was connected to the post office for over one hundred years, with four consecutive generations having been in the carrying service. George's great-grandfather, Lewis L. Merrill, drove the mail stage from Ithaca to Albany. He followed a route from East Homer into Homer via Albany Street, down Cayuga Street to Summerhill and thence to Ithaca.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #homerny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #snowstorm #mail

On October 17, 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. a

On October 17, 1956, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. addressed the New York State Convention of Universalists at the Hotel Cortland.
He defined "nonviolent resistance" as "passive physically, but strongly active spiritually." The method "does not seek to defeat or humiliate the opponent but win his friendship and understanding." "It is directed at the forces of evil, not the persons caught in the force" Dr. King stated. His message was "oppressed people must not use violence in waging the struggle against forces of injustice."

Photo from The Cortland Standard

Left to right: Rev. Max Coots, pastor of the First Universalist Church in Cortland, Dr. King, Ashley Strong, and Rev. Howard Gilman.

Because we are normally closed on Mondays, we will

Because we are normally closed on Mondays, we will be closed on Saturday, January 15 in observance of Martin Luther King Day.
##cortlandhistory #cortlandcounty

Photo of the week! Undated, this photo depicts th

Photo of the week!

Undated, this photo depicts three young men sitting on the crosspiece of the Kinney sawmill dam on Sweeney Road near the intersection of Kinney Gulf Road. A sawmill appears on maps as early as 1855 and was listed as a cider and sawmill in the 1876 atlas.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #historicalbuildings #historicalarchitecture

Photo of the week! Old Lorings Crossing bridge fa

Photo of the week!

Old Lorings Crossing bridge facing the County Farm, taken in 1937 by the Works Progress Administration who planned its demolition in order to replace it with a more modern concrete arch bridge.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #historicalbuildings #historicalarchitecture #historicbridge

Special hours for New Year's Eve! CCHS will be clo

Special hours for New Year's Eve!
CCHS will be closed tomorrow, New Year's Day.
We look forward to seeing you in the new year!

#cortlandcounty #cortlandhistory #newyear2022

Photo of the week! c. 1900 A fair held on what at

Photo of the week!

c. 1900
A fair held on what at the time was referred to as "Randall's vacant fields" near the present corner of S. Main and Huntington Streets in Cortland. Visible in the background is a track on a raised trestle that led to the city coal yard. The building labeled "A.S. Brown" was used for cold storage, and in 1900 Andrew S. Brown was postmaster.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #historicalbuildings #historicalarchitecture #fairgrounds

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday. #cortlandhis

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday.
#cortlandhistory #cortlandcounty #experiencecortland #cortlandny

Photo of the week!;, It does not look like we will

Photo of the week!;,
It does not look like we will get a white Christmas this year, so here is a look at snowy Central Avenue (c. 1900, called Railroad Street)! The "W.H. Morgan" sign marks a store for harnesses, trunks, and other horse furnishings. The back of the photo is potentially labeled with the name "Bell Taylor", but it is unclear whether this identifies the gentleman behind the snow pile.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #marathonny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #historicalbuildings #historicalarchitecture #winter #snow

Photo of the week! The plans for Hulbert's Grand

Photo of the week!

The plans for Hulbert's Grand Opera Block in Marathon were drawn in May of 1886, to be built on the corner of E Main Street and Broome Street where brothers George A. and Jerome Hulbert had long occupied. The stage was located on the third floor and was still there when the building was demolished in July of 1969.
Photo is not dated, but likely circa 1896.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #marathonny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #historicalbuildings #historicalarchitecture #cortlandhistory #marathon #operahouse

Want to find out more about the story of the Democ

Want to find out more about the story of the Democrat Wagon and how it came back to Cortland? Check out the new blog post on our website.
Link to post in our bio

#cortlandhistory #cortlandwagoncompany #democratwgon #cortlandcounty #experiencecortland

Photo of the week! Stagecoach at the intersection

Photo of the week!

Stagecoach at the intersection of Grant Street and Railroad Avenue (now N. Greenbush Street) in Cortland. Date unknown.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #stagecoach

Streets of Cortland - Pomeroy Street The latest s

Streets of Cortland - Pomeroy Street

The latest story in this series tells about the interesting life of James C. Pomeroy. With diligent research information has been uncovered to show his influence, commercially, educationally and politically. Some people are easier than others to research. James was not easy! Read about his story and some curious twists in the latest blog post on our website. (Link in bio)

#cortlandny #cortlandcountyny #cortlandhistory #centralny #streetsofcortland #fitzavenue #fitzboynton #crandallstreet #hiramcrandall #sheriff #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety

This is the tragic story of Willis Babcock, the th

This is the tragic story of Willis Babcock, the third son of Homer's Samuel and Maria Babcock.

On July 2, 1863, the second day of the Battle of Gettysburg, one of the bloodiest battle sites in the US was fought on a 19-acre wheat field. More than 20,000 soldiers from both sides fought a fierce battle where lines changed so frequently it was referred to as the whirlpool. Over 6,000 men were killed, wounded, or captured in the field and surrounding woods. One of those men was 20-year-old Willis Babcock.

Two days after the battle Willis’ body was found by his fellow soldiers with an envelope pinned to his chest with his name and regiment - all his personal possessions were gone. Major Leman Bradley wrote to Samuel describing where his body had been buried and the stone marker that had been hastily carved.

Samuel traveled by train to Gettysburg along with many other grieving families to bring his son’s body home. With the detailed directions of Major Bradley he was able to find Willis’ grave. Because of the large number of bodies to be shipped the express office would not take anymore but Samuel learned if the body was embalmed, encased in a zinc coffin, and then another coffin they would, in fact, carry him home. Samuel was fortunate to have the funds to do this and Willis’ coffin was on its way to the cemetery in Homer several weeks after the fatal battle.

The story unfortunately doesn’t end there. Both of Samuel’s other sons were also killed in action. Samuel had lost his wife and 4-year-old son in 1859. He did not want his sons to join the war but all three decided to serve. Lucius of the 9th Minnesota was captured at Brice's Crossroads and died at Andersonville Prison in Georgia. Willoughby was mortally wounded at the battle of Third Winchester in Virginia in 1864. An unimaginable loss for one man.

An almost unbelievable follow-up to this story is that the actual stone marking the grave with its carving was discovered around 150 years later exactly where Major Bradley had told Samuel.

Samuel, his wife Maria, and his sons are buried in the Glenwood Cemetery in Homer.

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The Cortland County Historical Society has been ex

The Cortland County Historical Society has been excited to receive this wonderful donation of an 1898 Democrat Wagon manufactured by the Cortland Wagon Company. The wagon is on display at the Cortland Corset Building - the original home of the Cortland Wagon Company. We were pleased to be part of the First Friday celebration this week. The wagon can be viewed at the Corset Building.
#cortlandhistory #cortlandwagoncompany #cortlandcorsetbuilding #cortlandny #democratwagon #wagonindustry #cortlancounty

For this year's Giving Tuesday, please consider be

For this year's Giving Tuesday, please consider being a part of preserving the stories of Cortland County by purchasing an item off our wish list, or contributing to the Photo Sleeve Fund!
(Link in bio)
This year, we accessioned a collection that contained over 400 photographs! These include family photos, and shots of well-loved places around Cortland. While they are safely housed in acid-free folders, not a single one is in a sleeve. This can lead to potential damage any time a photo is handled. This is also the case for many of the photographs that make our posts come alive.
We hope to continue to be able to preserve and share these photos and the stories they tell for a long time to come, and ask for your help to do so!
#cortlandhistory #cortlandcounty #givingtuesday #photopreservation #cortlandny

Looking for a gift for a history lover? Check out

Looking for a gift for a history lover? Check out our selection of local history books. All are on sale now until December 24. You can order online or visit our gift shop.

Online store link in bio.

#shoplocal #cortlandhistory #cortlandcounty #experiencecortland #localhistory #historybooks

Enjoy this day! We will be open tomorrow. #cortla

Enjoy this day! We will be open tomorrow.
#cortlandcounty #cortlandhistory #thanksgiving

Photo of the week! Group photo at a baseball game

Photo of the week!

Group photo at a baseball game in Marathon, 1888.
Photographer: William E. Minard

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #baseball #1880s #vintagebaseball

Photo of the week! And an announcement: CCHS will

Photo of the week!

And an announcement: CCHS will be closed to visitors this afternoon, but encourages you to join in the ceremony at Courthouse Park at 2:00pm for the rededication of the renovated Memorial Park!

Photo: c.1918, WWI veterans marching on Tompkins Street, with the Cortland Standard building in the background.

#cortlandcountyhistory #cortlandny #centralnyhistory #experiencecortland #cortlandcountyhistoricalsociety #history #historicalphotographs #historicalphotos #photography #historicalbuilding #historicarchitecture #historicbuildings #VeteransDay #ArmisticeDay

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