New Hartford Historical Society

08/27/2026

Welcome to this week's Throwback Thursday post for August 27, 2026. Today's pics take us back 26 years and highlights the 50th anniversary of the Willowvale Fire Co., Inc.

In August of 2000, Willowvale hosted the 101st Annual Convention on the Oneida County Firemen's Association. The event was part of the fire company's celebration of 50 years. The 1st pic is the cover of the convention program book. The second pic is a page from the program book that lists the officers and members of the company.

08/20/2026

Welcome to our Throwback Thursday post for August 20, 2026. Today's post takes us back 65 years and the summer of 1961.

Often times progress requires the use of "eminent domain" where properties are purchased and removed in order to build, improve and/or alter the landscape. This could mean new roads and/or new buildings (hospitals, schools etc.) When this occurs, the owners of such properties are compensated for their land and buildings. If they are able, sometimes they (or another interested person) can move the building to a new location. Sometimes the move entails a few hundred feet and other time many miles.

This photo is from July 27, 1961, and depicts two homes being relocated due to the construction of the new North-South Arterial. The new roadway cut through numerous properties as the arterial was stretching from the intersection of Routes 5/8/12 at the New Hartford-Utica border and connected with Seneca Turnpike. The intersection of Route 12 south, Genesee and Seneca Turnpike was also altered necessitating the acquisition of homes along Merritt Place.

As the caption of the article points out, both homes were relocated differing distances. Moving of structures is nothing new. Several years earlier, when the new section of Route 12 south was built, some structures were demolished and others moved. One structure that was able to be moved was the former Darling Tourist Home. Owned by Richard and Josephine Everett, the building was able to be moved just a 100 or so feet as the Everetts owned the needed land.

The Rhoads Army Hospital (once located between Burrstone Road and French Roads) is another example of the ability to move structures. However, this case involved the reverse of government acquiring property. After World War II, the hospital was decommissioned and much of the property, to include the buildings, were sold off. The former Chapel was moved off the base and onto Burrstone Road and served as a church for the Syracuse Diocese for many years. Many of the buildings that were purchased were relocated to places all over New Hartford. One such building was moved to Commerial Drive and was home to Big Al's Steakhouse for years!

The furthest a structure was moved, that we can remember, is the former "Gingerbread House" once located at the corner of Oxford Road and Park Street. When the Village acquired the property for the construction of a new firehouse, the house was purchased and relocated to Reservoir Road in the Town of Paris. The move was 8 miles! If anyone has stories (and pictures) of house moves that occurred in New Hartford, we would love to hear about them.

08/14/2026

08/13/2026

Welcome to our 2nd Throwback Thursday post for August 2026. Today's undated photos take us back approximately 90 years!

We have little information on the photos provided. However, our research turned up some interesting facts from 1937 & 1939 newspaper accounts. At this gas and auto repair shop, the owners offered much more than gas and oil. Townsend & Waddell was a state-of-the-art automotive service station that catered to the blossoming automobile business that was exploding across the U.S. These undated photos of the station on Oneida Street in Chadwicks show that it truly was a well-staffed establishment that met the needs of the masses that now have access to the affordable automobile.

A fascinating piece of history on Townsend & Waddell is that they also sold and rented trailers that were manufactured in nearby Unadilla NY. These trailers also included house trailers similar to the mobile homes and camping trailers we see today. They came fully equipped with kitchens and all the comforts of home. In 1939, one such trailer was set-up on land in New Hyde Park, NY adjacent from the World’s Fair. Townsend & Waddell leased the property and offered the trailers for rent making a convenient and affordable means for families wishing to attend the fair. The entrepreneur spirit of Townsend and Waddell was truly apparent. Obviously, the ability to obtain an automobile made travel easy and accessible to many and opened up great business opportunities!

We are confident we have identified the owners as Floyd Townsend (dates unkown) and Howard E. Waddell (1891-1960). When the partnership began and how long it lasted, we do not know. We are hoping some our astute readers can spread some more light on the history of Townsend & Waddell. Can anyone guess what business occupies the site today?

08/06/2026

Welcome to our 1st Throwback post for August 2026. Today's photo takes us back 138 years and depicts "downtown" New Hartford in 1888. It's more commonly known as the Business Block. (Today it is the block between Oxford Road and Pearl Street.)

The first name that stands out is the office of T.B. Cloyes - "General Insurance Agt.". Thomas Brown Cloyes led a very full and distinguished life! Not listed in the accompanying obituary was the fact he was one of the incorporators of, and President of the Sauquoit Valley Railroad Company which proposed to build a road between New Hartford and Chadwicks Mills.

The meeting of incorporation was held Monday evening, April 15, 1890, in the office of T. B. Cloyes. Gen. R. U. Sherman chaired the meeting. Thomas Cloye was elected President.

07/30/2026

Welcome to the last Throwback Thursday post for July 2026. Today's throwback takes us back to the summer of 1929 and the first time the Oneida County Volunteer Firemen's (today "Firefighter's) Association's annual convention.

The 1929 Convention was hosted by the New Hartford Fire Department. Then just 28 years old having been founded in 1901. Three years later in 1932, the Willowvale Fire Company hosted the Convention. At the time, the Willowvale Company was part of the Bleachery but protected much of the area surrounding the Bleachery and community as well as assisting other departments as part of the county's "Mutual Aid" system. The Bleachery Fire Company would become an independent company in 1950 when they incorporated.

In 1934, just three years after they were established, the New York Mills Fire Department hosted the event. Today, New Hartford, New York Mills and Willowvale are the 3 agencies providing fire protection to the Town of New Hartford. Together, they've hosted the annual fire convention 17 times.

The last time New Hartford hosted was 1988 on the occasion of the Town's 200th Anniversary. Willowvale's last time was in 2000 on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of Incorporation. New York Mills last hosted in 2012. However, on a side note, New York Mills shared the 2025 Convention. The convention parade was held in Floyd during their annual Field Days. New York Mills hosted the Delegate's Dinner.

07/23/2026

Welcome to our fourth Throwback Thursday post for July 2026. Today's pics were taken 62 years apart and represent the first and the last graduating classes of the Chadwicks High School.

As many of us attend graduation parties this month honoring our graduating Seniors, it's important to note how they are experiencing a metamorphous of sorts as one chapter of their lives is closing and another is just beginning.

Imagine the angst felt by the Chadwicks Class of 1984 as they experienced not just the closing of one chapter but the closing of their beloved school. Many from the class had attended the school from the beginning of their formal education. In the fall of 1984, the district officially dissolved and students (depending on their addresses) merged into either the Sauquoit School District or the New Hartford School District.

07/16/2026

Welcome to our 3rd Throwback Thursday post for July 2026. Today's photo takes us back 80 years.

In the months after the end of World War II, the American Emblem Company on Genesee Street in New Hartford (They were in 2 buildings at their pinnacle. One of their buildings was where One Genny is today.) saw friction between management and its employees. Newspaper reports indicate, among other things, the refusal of some workers (recently returned Vets) to cooperate with a management time study. Those workers were discharged and managers expressed no interest is reversing those firings.

On July 30th, 1946, a strike began. It lasted just over month. Although work at the 33-year-old company would resume, it wouldn't be forever. In August of 1966 the company would cease operations for good. A number of factors led to its eventual demise. The bulk of the company's equipment would be sold to the Worchester Mass Stamped Metal Company.

07/09/2026

Welcome to our 2nd Throwback Thursday post for July 2026. Today's pic takes us back nearly 80 years ago. It is a Utica Observer Dispatch Ad from February 1947 and touts a "Sensational Artist of the Keyboard" at a local restaurant.

Hart's Tavern was located at 34 Genesee Street in the Village of New Hartford. (Today the site of In Bloom Yoga) Hart's Tavern, sometimes referred to Hart's Grill, was operated by brothers Charles H. Hart (1906-1976) and Jack E. Hart (1912-1986). George had previously operated Hart's Grill in Vernon. Prior to Hart's Tavern, the restaurant was "Fuller's Restaurant". In 1950 Lewis "Lew" Wisniewicz (1919-1978) purchased the location and renamed it "Lew's Grill". After Lew retired in 1974, brothers Paul Lewis (1947-2021) and Martin Lewis owned and operated the grill.

In 1989 the restaurant would again change hands. Gary and Patty Casab would open a Deli and Restaurant that would serve breakfast and lunch as well as delicious cold cuts. Their son Cliff would soon come into the family business. Sadly, Gary would pass away unexpectedly in April 2004. Patty and Cliff would run the business another ten years before passing the torch to "Sammy's" in 2014. Sammy's Cafe was opened by Sam Talarico and the popular breakfast spot operated until the summer of 2022.