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Tag: 1900-1950

Two men dumping milk from the back of truck.

The Milk Strike of 1933, Part 1

A look back at the local reaction alongside the regional and national milk strike in 1933.
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Chairman Lawrence Gracey and Executive Director Elizabeth Gere inspect the Christmas Seals during the 1956 sale campaign. The most popular fundraiser for combating tuberculosis was the Christmas Seals.

The Great White Plague: Combating Tuberculosis, Part 1

A brief history of the efforts in Geneva and Ontario County to combat tuberculosis in the 20th century.
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Black and white photo of Fanny Wheat standing in front a blackboard with her YMCA English as a second language all male class.

Bridging the (Language) Gap

Profiles of local women who have helped teach English and Spanish to adults and children to bridge language gaps in Geneva.
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Black and white photo of Florence Stewart

Florence Stewart

Biography of Florence Stewart, a pioneer in the education of children with disabilities and the founder of Lochland School.
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A painting by Margaret Hutchins of a view across a field between two willow trees and shrubs.

Margaret Hutchins: Enterprising and Fearless

Brief biography of Margaret Hutchins.
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Local ad created by the Ontario County Committee on Tuberculosis and Public Health.

The Great White Plague: Combating Tuberculosis, Part 2

Examining Geneva's response to the discovery of the cause of tuberculosis in the early 20th century.
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Front view of the Centennial Building in the 1920s (Geneva, New York).

Commemorating a Milestone: The Centennial Building

A history of the Centennial building at 68 Castle Street.
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William Smith Students sitting on a couch

William Smith and Seven Sisters Style from the 1940s-1970s

Overview of the Seven Sisters fashion style from the 1940s to 1970s and its influence on William Smith students
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Postcard of a girl with large white hat by Elsie Fidler

The Fidler Sisters

Brief biography of Elsie, Pearl, and Alice Fidler whose artworks were featured on prints and postcards at the turn of the 20th century.
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One child sitting in a dentist's chair with a group of children in the background

Geneva’s Medical Societies

A sketch of the societies promoting continuing education and community medicine for Geneva’s medical and dental practitioners.
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Fay and Bowen factory along Seneca Lake

Recollections of a Fay and Bowen Employee

Recollections of Fred Breitfeld (1898 -1986) who worked for Fay & Bowen from 1913 to 1932.
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Men sleeping on mattresses in the Dove Block during World War II

Sampson’s Laborers and Geneva’s Housing Crisis

Overview of Geneva's housing shortage and the construction of Sampson US Naval Training Station during World War II.
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Photo of four members of the Geneva Red Cross Canteen

Serving Troops on Route 

A look back at the Geneva Red Cross Canteen during World War I and II.
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Image a young couple in period clothing as the sheet music for cover “When You and I Were Young, Maggie?”

The Padgham Family

A short biography of Drs. Richard and Ethelbert Padgham and their connection to the song, “When You and I were Young, Maggie?”
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Black and white photo of the entrance to Glenwood Cemetery

McBlain Memorial Chapel

A short history on the McBlain Memorial Chapel at the entrance of Glenwood Cemetery.
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black and white photo of the Octagon House

Form Follows Function: The Octagon House

A short history of the octagon house at 760 Castle Street.
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Man sitting outside on a deck

The Chew Family

A short biography of the Chew family in Geneva.
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Employees on strike outside Hulse Manufacturing

To Strike or Not to Strike

A brief history of labor unions in Geneva.
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McDonough Park

A brief history of McDonough Park.
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A transparent map digitally imposed on a Google Earth satellite image of Geneva's lakefront.

Geneva’s Lakefront: 1904 and Today

A 1904 map of Geneva's lakefront reveals the extent of change that has occurred in the built environment and residents' attitudes about it in 120 years.
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Roman Athenaeum in Bucharest Romania

A National Reading Club Comes to Geneva

A short history of the Bay View Reading Circle in Geneva.
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Men with lacrosse sticks in front of a building

Mr. (Geneva) Lacrosse: Dr. Jay Byington Covert

Dr. Jay Byington Covert was possibly the biggest promoter of lacrosse in Geneva.
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a statues in Pulteney Park

Jean MacKay Henrich and Pulteney Park

The story behind the statue “Peace“ in Pulteney Park. 
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A middle aged woman sitting at a desk talking on a landline phone.

Geneva’s Early Woman Journalist: Mildred Jennings

The life and career of journalist Mildred Jennings, one of 20th-century Geneva's first woman journalists.
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Newspaper headline baskets full of christmas good cheer

December 1922

Happening in and around Geneva in December 1922 based on local newspapers.
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six portrait photos of policemen

People from the St. Patrick’s Cemetery 2023 Tour

Overview of the residents featured in the 2023 tour of t Patrick's Cemetery
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Image of Mrs. Anastos Baroody from a newspaper

Visiting the Syrian Community in Glenwood Cemetery, Part 2

The second article about the history of the Syrian community in Geneva.
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antique-pen-book-and-letters

Local Authors

Overview of various authors connected to Geneva.
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A large open city lot with a group of about 20 men shoveling and moving dirt or placing playground equipment while a crowd of people watches.

Early Geneva Playgrounds

Early Geneva playgrounds provided safe summertime recreation for a growing population of children in the city in the first quarter of the 20th century.
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Breuer Hotel seven men on sidewalk children on balcony

Hearing From You: The Breuer Hotel

Brief history of the Breuer Hotel.
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A 2-story, light colored brick house with a dark columned entry porch.

The Prouty-Chew House: From Family Home to Museum and Work Space

There were many changes involved in transforming the Prouty-Chew house from a house to a museum.
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wooden sign for the Loomis Wildlife Preserve being hung by two unidentified girls.

Over the River and Through the Woods: Loomis Wood

A history of the Loomis Woods.
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People on a beach

Seneca Lake Park: From City Park to State Park

A brief history of Seneca Lake State Park
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A headshot of a man with a white high-collared shirt and tie under a dark-coat.

Was Charles Bean a Conman, Part 2?

More mysteries surrounding Charles Bean
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Family photo of McPadden Family - four men and three women

The Mysterious McPaddens

Trying to chronicle the history of the McPadden Family.
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Gravestone With Cross For Sweethearts

More Stories from St. Patrick’s Cemetery

Overview of some of the residents of St Patrick's Cemetery
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Cluttered College Student Room In Late 1800s

Off to College, Then and Now

A comparison of the admission process at Hobart College in 1839-1839 and 1911-1912
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2020 Collection Reflections

Artifact donation highlights in 2020
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St Patricks Cemetery Sign And Grave Stones

St. Patrick’s Cemetery, Part 1

Overview the history of St. Patrick's Cemetery and some of its residents
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Hand Putting Paper In Ballot Box.

The Ballot Box in New York State

Brief timeline of voting history in New York State
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1893 Ballot

Geneva’s Close Election of 1903

Look back at Geneva’s controversial mayoral election of 1903.
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a man climbing over a barbed wire fence

PB Oakley

Brief biography of photojournalist PB Oakley.
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A man and four women surrounded by baskets of food collected and organized by the Salvation Army

Salvation Army

Chronicle of the Salvation Army’s presence in Geneva.
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A jigsaw puzzle in progress

Puzzling During a Pandemic: America’s 3rd Puzzle Craze

A brief history of the jigsaw puzzle crazes in the United States.
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large crowd standing outside a movie theater

Meet Gerald and Viacita Fowler, Part 1

Gerald Folwer and his work at the Schine theatres in Geneva.
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Blue T Shirt With Geneva Cubs Team Logo

A Brief History of the T-Shirt

A history of the "plain white t-shirt."
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Handwritten version of Edwin Becker's poem Edwin’s poem "A Few Hours in Lake Side Park.:"

Edwin Becker: Inventor, Poet and Engineer

Brief biography of Edwin Becker
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man in a canoe with people, canoes and four houses along the shore line

The Ice War Continueth, Part 3: Kashong Ice Company

The story of the Kashong Ice Company.
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young man in a suit

“A Friend of the Gutted Stick:” Francis “Babe” Kraus

Brief biography of Francis "Babe" Kraus.
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man in a suit leaning again a prop

St. Patrick’s Cemetery: A Story of Immigration in Geneva

Brief history of Irish and Italian immigration to Geneva.
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men-standing-in-an-orchard-with-boxes-of-apples

Geneva’s Stories: Geneva Rotary Club Celebrates 100 Years of Service

From student loans to summer camps to a local grant program, the Geneva Rotary Club has spent the past century serving the community.
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man wearing glassed and a suit

Why Does New York State Have Municipal Historians?

The story of why municipal historians were established in New York State
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When You’re Shut Out of a Club…Start Your Own

A brief history of the College Club of Geneva.
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William Smith College Athletics, 1908-1971

Brief history of William Smith College athletics.
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Three large wooden beer barrels with taps.

Beer Brewing in Early Geneva

Find out more about beer brewing in early Geneva.
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List of classes for logic, moral, and intellectual philosophy in 1853

From Zoology to Metaphysics: College Courses in 19th and 20th Centuries

Overview of courses offered schools and colleges in Geneva during the 1800s and 1900s.
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Alice Seward and World War I, Part Three

The final part in a series about the World War I diary of Alice Seward
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Map showing properties on Milton Street including the Union School.

Storymaps

The Historical Society finds a new way to tell Geneva's stories.
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soldiers marching up a street with people looking on

Alice Seward and World War I, Part Two

Part two in a series about the World War I diary of Alice Seward
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Airports in Geneva

Brief history of airports in Geneva, New York.
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Alice Seward and World War I, Part One

Part one is a series about the World War I diary of Alice Seward
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Dove’s Geneva Watercolors

A look at Arthur Dove’s watercolors created in Geneva from 1933 to 1938.
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Andrew Hubbs, American Red Ambulance Corps

World War I experience of Andrew Hubbs
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Geneva 100 Years Ago

Geneva in 1918 through the local newspaper
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Geneva’s Gallant Sons

The Curator's latest find "Register of Geneva's Gallant Sons War of 1917-1919."
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The Sounds of Music

Through National Jukebox, sample sound recordings can be found of various musicians who performed in Geneva in the early 1900s.
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Fiery Cross Burns

While looking for information on Rose Hill (called the Boody Farm when Edgar Boody owned it) I found this account. I had heard a little about Klan activity in the 1920s, but had never pursued the subject. Now I wondered about the history of the Klan in Geneva and I started poking around in the local newspapers.
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Suffrage Connection

If you did not go to the pre-screening of the movie The Suffragette at the Smith, you missed an incredible experience. Though the movie was about the British suffrage movement, there is a Geneva connection.
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Piazza Party at Lochland

For over forty years women’s rights and dress reform advocate Elizabeth Smith Miller (1822-1911) called Geneva home. In 1897 Miller got the New York State Suffrage Association to host their annual convention in Geneva. After the convention Miller and her daughter, Anne, formed the Geneva Political Equality Club. The purpose of the club was to secure full suffrage for women.
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view-of-USO-building-in-geneva-in-the-1940s

The Geneva USO and WWII

The Geneva USO Club helped the community do its part during World War II.
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portrait-of-a-young-wwii-sailor

Corcoran Family Scrapbook

The Corcoran family scrapbook documents one Geneva family's World War II experience from draft through marriage and life after the war.
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Soldiers and other people outside a building standing near a canvas covered truck full of men.

Picking Up The Farming Slack in Geneva During World War II

By the end of the war, there were almost 1,000 men who were enlisted in the army from Geneva. The loss of these men caused a drop in people who were able to work. The loss of the men from Geneva to the war was very problematic for the farming in the area.
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man-blowing-out-candles-on-cupcakes-at-party

Family Memories of War

Family stories can still bring World War II to life and make history a personal thing.
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A portrait of a man, woman and child labeled James M. Cole, James M. Cole II and Dorothy H. Cole.

The James M. Cole Circus, Part Two

In November 1943, the Geneva Daily Times reported Cole, Circus Owner, Inducted Into Army
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Geography of Food in the 1940s

“Food deserts” are a current topic in government and academic research. The US Department of Agriculture defines the term as “urban neighborhoods and rural towns without ready access to fresh, healthy, and affordable food. Instead of supermarkets and grocery stores, these communities may have no food access or are served only by fast food restaurants and convenience stores that offer few healthy, affordable food options. The lack of access contributes to a poor diet and can lead to higher levels of obesity and other diet-related diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease.”
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Geneva Teenagers and World War II

With World War II came the birth of the American teenager. While we tend to associate the flowering of teen culture with the baby boomers, it was actually their immediate predecessors, the so-called “Silent Generation” who were first referred to as teenagers. Then, as always, the older generation thought that the younger generation was at best misguided, at worst they were described as selfish, willful, spoiled and delinquent.
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Veiw past old-fashioned cars down a lit street at night. A large sign for the Schine theater is visible.

Christmas Dreaming

Some of my favorite memories are associated with Christmas–the Festival of Lights at Sonnenberg, seeing The Nutcracker at the Smith Opera House and A Christmas Carol at Geva, picking out a new ornament each year for the tree, having Christmas breakfast with my grandparents, and playing “Sleigh Ride” throughout high school for the holiday band concert.
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An example of the Boys in the Service column from the February 23, 1945 Geneva Daily Times newspaper.

World War II in the Geneva Daily Times

When we did our World War II project in the early 1990s, Kathryn Grover was hired to research, write, and lay out the exhibit and book, Close to the Heart of the War. As part of her contract, we received all her research notes for our archives. I recently pulled out one of the large boxes to look at her source material. Any project, i.e. an exhibit, book, or documentary, reflects the creator’s selection of what to include or leave out; it’s good to look at the research with fresh eyes.
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People standing at the entrance to the James M. Cole Big Circus Sideshow.

Dreams Come True: The James M. Cole Circus

While looking for interesting topics from the 1940s, I ran across the James M. Cole Circus of Penn Yan. This is a little of its story from the 40s, as reported (mostly) in the Geneva Daily Times.
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Rationing and Recipes

When I was in high school girls took “home economics” classes and boys took “shop” classes. I remember coming home from the first cooking class in home economics and showing my mom what foods they were going to teach us to prepare. My mother was not impressed, for that matter I wasn’t either. I only remember 3 or 4 of the recipes, but one was broiled grapefruit.
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Girl Bands and Geneva

Recently, I got the book Swing Shift by Sherrie Tucker. The book was published in 2000 and Professor Tucker was a professor at Hobart and William Smith when she wrote it. Swing Shift is about the all-women bands of the 1930s and 1940s. I wondered if any of the bands in the book were seen or heard in Geneva. It turns out some of them were.
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World War II in the Eyes of a “Boomer”

Since I was born in the early 1950s World War II was very fresh in the memories of my parents and their friends so by process of osmosis I became more familiar with that war than some of the more recent ones during my own life.
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Newspaper front page with headline Austria Declares War! Belgrade will be occupied at once. Efforts for Peace were in Vain.

Geneva’s “Busted Yankees”

As we saw in a previous post about the Herendeen family, World War I came about so suddenly and unexpectedly that few people were prepared for it. As mobilization for war began across Europe, there were over 100,000 Americans visiting or living abroad who were unable to leave easily.
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A little girl in a dress and apron standing holding hands with a man in a suit.

The Herendeens and the Summer of 1914, Part II

The Herendeen family travels from Austria to Germany during the opening days of World War I.
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A man, woman and child in old-fashioned dress standing on grass in front of trees.

The Herendeens and the Summer of 1914, Part I

World War I breaks out during the Herendeen family's trip to Europe.
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Dance in Geneva

During the 1910s and 20s the dance world was in ferment. In 1909 the Russian impresario Serge Diaghilev brought a new kind of ballet to Europe and the United States with the Paris debut of the Ballets Russes
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Geneva in the 1920s

Overview of businesses in Geneva during the 1920s.
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Prohibition: The Real Story (Or Close to It)

How people and businesses got around the 18th Amendment and Volstead Act during the 1920s
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Clubs, Associations, Organizations: Networking in the 1920s

Brief overview of community organizations in Geneva during the 1920s.
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The Arrival of the Consumer Economy

The rise of modern consumer culture as seen in Geneva.
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Man in a leather apron standing next to a saddle in the doorway of a shop with the sign Chas. Brunskill Harness and Leather Goods Horse Sundries.

The Helpful Horse

The rise of the automobile and the decline of using horses for transportation in Geneva, New York.
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