New Hartford Historical Society

09/10/2026

Welcome to our 2nd Throwback Thursday for September 2026. Today's gem takes us back 166 years and was passed down from generation to generation to "Postmaster". More on that in a moment.

Today's pics were scanned out of a 1860 book listing historical and statistical data covering the State of New York. The book once belonged to Andrew G. MacFarland (1879-1962) who lived in New Hartford from 1914 to 1951. Whether he purchased it himself or received it from his father is unknown. We do know it was passed down to his son George MacFarland who lived in Oneida. George was a friend of the Postmaster in Oneida, Joseph Varieur, who started his postal career in his hometown of New Hartford. Hence, the book would later be passed down to Joe.

The pictures from that book covering New Hartford and Oneida County are being shared on today's post. We would like to thank Joe Varieur for sharing this book with us to be able to look into what life was like in New Hartford in 1860!

09/04/2026

The Town of New Hartford is excited to announce plans for a new volunteer-run Senior Services Program that will bring regular opportunities for local seniors to gather, socialize, enjoy activities and share a hot meal together right here in New Hartford.

Through a new partnership with Community Wellness Partners, the Town will utilize the Presbyterian Home Activity Room on Middlesettlement Road for scheduled senior gatherings, with hot meals provided by Presbyterian Residential Community Center.

Now, we need volunteers to help us bring the program to life!

Whether you enjoy working with seniors, have ideas for activities, or simply want to give some of your time to help create a welcoming and engaging place for our senior community, we would love to hear from you.

VOLUNTEER INFORMATIONAL MEETING
Tuesday, September 1, 2026 at 4:30 PM
New Hartford Town Hall
8635 Clinton Street, New Hartford

Walk-ins are welcome, but if you know you are coming, please RSVP to let us know!

To RSVP, visit: https://www.townofnewhartfordny.gov/RSVP

View the full story here: https://www.townofnewhartfordny.gov/news/post/23126/

09/03/2026

09/03/2026

Welcome to our 1st Throwback Thursday post for September 2026. Today's photo is 60 years old and is posted today to salute the New Hartford Class of 1966 who will be celebrating their 60th High School reunion later this month.

This photograph depicts the High School campus as it appeared in 1966. It was taken out of the 1966 Jedediac yearbook. This picture although had to be reformatted as the one in the yearbook was inverted. Apparently, the publisher reversed the negative in error. The second picture is how the photo actually appeared in the yearbook.

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.