-
After the Swans: The Smiths, 1896-1912
The Smith family lived at Rose Hill from 1896 to 1912. -
After the Swans: The Plummers, 1890 – 1893
The Plummers lived at Rose Hill from 1890 to 1893 -
Mechanical Eye: Early History Motion Pictures
An early history of motion pictures -
A Genial and Good-Hearted Man: Dan Deegan, Part 3
The third and final article in a series about Dan Deegan focuses on his business interests. -
Eye of the Tiger: Dan Deegan, Part 2
The second article in a series about Dan Deegan focuses on the businessman interest in boxing. -
A Genial, Good Hearted Man: Dan Deegan, Part 1
The first in series about business man and sportsman Dan Deegan. -
The Great Lunch Wagon Controversy of 1897
Debate in 1897 on whether Geneva should have a lunch wagon. -
Inmate of Every Household
Charles Dickens as seen through local newspapers. -
Very Mysterious: The Fox Sisters and the Spiritualist Movement
Chronicling the Fox Sisters and the Spiritualist movement through local newspapers. -
Cordial and Nourishing: Early Wine History of the Finger Lakes
Using newspapers to trace the early history of wine in the Finger Lakes. -
Superiority to Fear: Acrobat and Tightrope Walker Blondin
Accounts of Blondin crossing the Niagara Gorge from local newspapers -
As Modest on a Wheel as in a Drawing Room: Female Bicyclists in the 1890s
The reaction to female bicyclists in the 1890s through local newspapers -
Astounding The Crowd: Bicycling in Geneva
The introduction of bicycling in Geneva through local newspapers -
Belva Lockwood
Brief biography of Belva Lockwood. -
A Mobe By Any Other Name . . .
The debate on what to call automobiles as seen through local newspapers. -
Home Music: 19th Century Bands in Geneva
Chronicling 19th Century bands in Geneva, New York through newspapers. -
Ho! For California, Part 4
The journey of a local group of men to the California gold fields chronicled through the newspaper -
Ho! for California, Part 3
The Geneva Gazette chronicles the journey of a local group of men to the California gold fields. -
Ho! for California, Part 2
Part two of the Geneva Gazette's chronicle of a local group of men's journey to the California gold fields. -
Ho! for California, Part 1
Reports of the California Gold Rush from the Geneva Gazette -
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. -
Kids Today: The Generation Gap
In the 1960s, a new phrase came into use: the generation gap. Genevans, like older Americans across the country worried about its young people, their clothes, their manners, and their attitude. -
Playing What They Loved: Geneva’s Music Scene in the 1960s
Recently I talked with Geneva's Chuck Agonito about the rock and roll music scene in Geneva during in the 1960s. Since he was part of that scene, he is a wealth of information on the subject and has often written about it in his “Good Times” column for the Finger Lakes Times. -
Anything Goes: 1960s Clothing
The 1960s emphasized youth and openness. It was a time when many rebelled against established ways. This was expressed in clothing, and, since human culture is a melting pot, anti-fashion became fashionable. Here are a few of the trends of the decade. -
Innocent and Blithe: 1960s Fashion
Recently, a friend mentioned that he had asked a group of young people what came to their minds when they thought of the 1960s. “Hippies,” is what I thought, since I enjoy clothing, and hippies certainly had their own style. In this post, though, I want to talk about mainstream fashion. -
1960s Student Unrest in Geneva
Very early on May 5, 1970, Ontario County Sheriffs arrested five Hobart students in a drug raid. The raid turned up hash pipes, pills and marijuana. One of the sheriffs was recognized by the students as “Tommy the Traveler” – a man who had been active on campus encouraging anti-war and anti-ROTC protests, and claiming to be a member of Students for a Democratic Society. -
Without Asking Permission: The Life of Agnes Swan Hutchins
From 1850 to 1889 Robert and Margaret Johnston Swan lived at Rose Hill on Seneca Lake. The couple had three girls and three boys. Unfortunately, five of their children died young – the boys in childhood, the eldest girl, Mary, in childbirth at 33, and the middle daughter, Maggie, of heart trouble at 44. Only the youngest daughter, Agnes, lived what we would today consider More » -
Briefly Out of Fashion’s Bondage
Since the dress reform movement of the 19th century has been studied and discussed at length. I will not re-tell that whole story. Instead, I will talk a little about the Bloomer costume and the Geneva area. A Bloomer dress (so named because Amelia Bloomer promoted the style in her magazine The Lily) was a dress much like the fashionable dress of the day, but More » -
Deaf Artist Francis Tuttle
Francis Marion Tuttle was a Geneva artist who lived from 1839 to 1911. He was well known for Seneca Lake views and portraits, and he also did some Biblical scenes. Instead of repeating Tuttle’s biography (for his biography visit dianrez.blogspot.com), I want to focus on one part of his life, namely, that he was deaf. His experiences bring up some interesting issues. -
Laughter, Shouts, Frolic, and Swimsuits
A while back I ran across a village ordinance printed in the Geneva Daily Gazette of July 2, 1852: "No person shall bathe in the waters of the Seneca Lake, the Canal, or Castle Creek, after the rising of the sun, and before eight o’clock in the evening, within the bounds of the corporation, under the penalty of one dollar for each offence [sic]. This More » -
Uncle Doctor
Robert Swan’s youngest brother Frederick wrote a history of the Swan family in the 1890s. In it, he talks about their Uncle Daniel, or, as they called him, “Uncle Doctor:” [H]e made choice of the profession of medicine, and studied with Dr. John Brooks, then the resident physician of Medford. . . . Early in his practice, his attention was directed to the system of More » -
Stay In the Sunshine While We May
The course of Lectures before the Young Men’s Association of Geneva, was inaugurated on Tuesday evening last by Chas. F. Brown, (Artemus Ward,) in the delivery of a humorous and characteristic production, denominated “the children in the wood.” Linden Hall was densely crowded by a highly appreciative audience, who appeared greatly to relish the eccentric drollery and humor of the entertainment. . . . From More » -
Women’s Fashions in the 1940s
Fashion changes all the time, sometimes quickly and sometimes slowly. In the 1940s, women’s clothing did both at the same time. In some ways the evolution of women’s fashion stalled for a while because of World War II. -
The Zoot Suit
In keeping with our current emphasis on the 1940s, I looked in the local newspapers for zoot suits. Although zoot suits were known in some form from the early 1930s, the first Geneva reference I found was in 1942. -
The James M. Cole Circus, Part Two
In November 1943, the Geneva Daily Times reported Cole, Circus Owner, Inducted Into Army -
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. -
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 More » -
A Basket of a Tale
When people donate objects to the museum, we always ask if they know anything about the history of the items. Sometimes there is a family story about who made or owned a piece, and we take those stories seriously. Once in a while, though, when we look into the story, we find that there may have been some misunderstanding as the tale was passed down. More » -
Meet the Neighbors: John Delafield
Biography of John Delafield who was a neighbor to Robert Swan. -
Herman Ten Eyck Foster, Part 3
The final part in a series about Herman Ten Eyck Foster, who was a neighbor to Robert Swan. -
Herman Ten Eyck Foster Part 2
Part two in a series about Herman Ten Eyck Foster, who was a neighbor to Robert Swan. -
Meet the Neighbors: Herman Ten Eyck Foster, Part 1
Part one in a series about Herman Ten Eyck Foster, who was a neighbor to Robert Swan. -
The First Leg of the Journey Home
A member of the Johnston family's journey back to Scotland. -
Lighting at Rose Hill
Discussion of the early the electrical system at Rose Hill. -
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 -
What was a flapper, anyway?
Evolution of the term flapper as documented in the local newspaper -
The Seneca Chief
History of the steamboat, Seneca Chief -
Croquet
A brief history of croquet -
Neither shall there by any more pain
Discussion of the usage of anesthesia during childbirth in the mid-1800s. -
An Officer and an Artist
Biography of J. George Stacey. -
Lighting the Scene
Development of gas and electrical lighting. -
Honeybees: A Brief Overview and the Bees at Rose Hill
Brief history of honeybees and how a colony was removed at Rose Hill Mansion -
Engines and Silver Trumpets
Fire related issues as chronicled in the Village of Geneva board minutes during the early 1850s. -
Arthur Dove
Brief biography of the artist Arthur Dove -
New York City Draft Riots
Robert Swan's reaction to the draft during the Civil War -
A Site Manager’s Day
Typical day of the site manager of Rose Hill and Johnston House -
Tom Thumb Visits Geneva
General Tom Thumb visit to Geneva, New York in 1847
Historic Geneva is a history museum in the Finger Lakes region of New York State which focuses on the history of Geneva, NY, historic architecture, genealogy, and the area's industry and agriculture. The Society maintains four historic 19th century properties, an archive and library, a museum and runs programs and events related to the history of Geneva and the Finger Lakes area.