Public Library

Local History Photos & Newspaper: January 9, 2026

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the local history photos & vintage newspaper of the week.

Our photos for this week come for the digital public domain collections of The Library of Congress (Photo 1) and The New York Public Library (Photos 2 & 3)

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Local History Photo 1: Map of Corning, N.Y. (1873)

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Local History Photo 2: Map of Steuben County, N.Y. (1891)

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Local History Photo 3: Map of Painted Post, N.Y. (1873)

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1926.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | January 9, 1926

1926.01.09 The Evening LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

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Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

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Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays.

Anniversary of Release of Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel  

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Today, January 9, 2026, is the sixty-eighth anniversary of the release of Duane Eddy’s classic first album, Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel (1958). 

Eddy was born in Corning on April 26, 1938, and his family resided at 389 East Second Street, just across Park Avenue from Denison Park, where he played as a boy.  

The cliff notes version of his story is that he and his family lived in our area, first in Corning, then in Bath and finally in Guyanoga, near Branchport, until he was 13-years-old and then they moved to Arizona, where he subsequently met his first producer Lee Hazlewood and kicked off his recording career. And while living in our area, he loved listening to music on the radio and first began playing the guitar. His twangy guitar playing was both pioneering and influential as nothing like it had been heard before. His guitar playing influenced countless subsequent generations of guitarists including George Harrison, Bruce Springsteen, John Fogerty, Brian Setzer, Mark Knopfler and Marty Stuart among many others. 

He was elected to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 1994, The Steuben County Hall of Fame in 2022, and a historic marker celebrating his life and music was unveiled in Corning in September 2025.  

In 2017, local media host & Corning Duane Eddy Circle member, Frank Acomb interviewed Eddy. And in the first ten minutes of the 47-minute interview, Eddy relayed a couple of great stories of his life as a boy living in our area. He remembered playing in Denison Park, discovering the guitar shortly after his family moved to Bath, and he offered a neat story of being allowed as boy, to walk across Park Avenue in Corning, to the corner store to pick up the Sunday newspaper. It is a cool interview, and it is wonderful to hear Eddy talk fondly about his younger days spent in New York State. Here is the link:  

 

And here is a link to stream the album Have Twangy Guitar Will Travel, which features the songs Cannon Ball, Ram Rod, Movin’ ‘N Groovin’ and Rebel Rouser among other great songs: 

 

Have a great day! 

Linda Reimer, SSCL 

Local History Photos & Newspaper: January 2, 2026

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the local history photos & vintage newspaper of the week.

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Local History Photo 1: The Dickinson House, Corning, N.Y.

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Local History Photo 2: Market Street, Corning, N.Y. (Circa 1930s)

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Local History Photo 3: Third Street in Corning, New York

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1926.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | January 2, 2026

2026.01.02 The Evening LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

–

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

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Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays.

Local History Photos & Newspaper: December 19, 2025

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the local history photos & vintage newspaper of the week.

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Local History Photo 1: Sledding Down Pine Street (1900)

This photo is part of the Isabel Walker Drake Collection.

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Local History Photo 2: Hanging Out Together in Corning (Circa 1900)

This photo is part of the Isabel Walker Drake Collection; photo taken in 1888 or 1889.

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Local History Photo 3: Pine Street Square (Today Ceneterway Square, Corning) (Circa late 1800s)

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1925.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | December 19, 2025

1925.12.19 The Evening LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

–

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

–

Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays.

Local History Photos & Newspaper: December 12, 2025

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the local history photos & vintage newspaper of the week.

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Local History Photo 1: A View of Painted Post

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Local History Photo 2: Harvey Lounsbury (Circa 1918)

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Local History Photo 3: Isabel Walker Drake (Circa early 1900s)

This photo is part of the Isabel Walker Drake Collection.

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1925.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | December 12, 1925

1925.12.12 The Evening LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

–

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

–

Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays.

Local History Photos & Newspaper: December 5, 2025

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the local history photos & vintage newspaper of the week.

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Local History Photos 1 – 3: Showing The Local Lumber Industry in the Pre-Automobile Days

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1925.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | December 5, 1925

1925.12.05 The Evening LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

–

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

–

Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays.

Local History Photos & Newspaper: November 7, 2025

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the local history photos & vintage newspaper of the week.

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Local History Photo 1: Painted Post (1921)

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Local History Photo 2: Another View of Painted Post with a view of Park Place & Pine Street (1921)

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Local History Photo 3: A Third View of Painted Post with Fairview Ave. in the background (1921)

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1925.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | November 7, 1925

1925.11.07 The Evening LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

–

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

–

Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays.

Local History Photos & Newspaper: May 9, 2025

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the local history photos & vintage newspaper of the week for last week, which will be followed by the blog post for this week later this afternoon; last week I thought I had scheduled the local history post to publish on Friday, May 9; and only just discovered today, that in fact I hadn’t done so – sorry about that!

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Local History Photo 1: Erie Railroad Bridge, Painted Post, New York

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Local History Photo 2: East Section of Corning Glass Works, Corning, N.Y.

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Local History Photo 3:  Pier’s Corning Band

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1925.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | May 9, 1925

1925.05.09 LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

–

Enjoy the photos and be well everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

–

Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays.

Notable Locals, Volume 1

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Notable Locals is, as noted on the library’s website “An ongoing exhibition at the library about people from the Corning area who have made an impact locally, regionally and across the world.”

This get-the-word-out-about-neat-people-who-have-lived-locally-in-the-past project consists of a display in the library (near the microfilm machines), a handout featuring information on the nine people (also included as PDF within this post); and a blog post that spotlights the nine people and/or groups.

The Notable Locals display will be updated, and a new information PDF and blog post created for nine new people/groups bi-annually.  

And here are our first group of Notable Locals, listed in alphabetical order:

The Beth Israel Congregation of Corning

Young members of the Beth Israel Congregation are shown in a 1950s era photo, from The Evening Leader

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Chief Cornplanter (1752 – 1836)

Chief & Diplomat of the Seneca People
 

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Charles Corwin (1883 – 1954)

Choirmaster, organist, music educator, founder of The Corning Philharmonic Symphony and co-founder of Corning-Pained Post Civic Music

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Isabel Walker Drake (1856 – 1936)

Early photographer who captured snapshots of local life in late 1800s & early 1900s

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Dr. Lucy Maltby (1900 – 1984) 

Educator, home economist & founder of the Corning Glass Works Economic Division & Test Kitchen; shown here, forth from the left in the back row, with her 1917 North Side High senior class.
 

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Rev. Robert F. McNamara (1910 – 2009)

Corning native, historian, theologian and co-founder of the Corning-Painted Post Historical Society

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Col. William Murrell (1845 – 1932)

Union Army soldier, state legislator, newspaper editor & education advocate who came to the region later in life becoming a State Commander of the local chapter of the Civil War veterans group the G.A.R.  and worked on educating the local African American community. 

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Margaret Higgins Sanger (1879 – 1966)

Corning-born women’s health & birth control advocate, founder of Planned Parenthood
 

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James “Deacon” White (1847 – 1939) 

Caton native, baseball pioneer, catcher, third baseman and member of the baseball hall of fame
 
 
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And here is the entire Notable Locals, Volume 1 PDF:

Notable Locals Display Newsletter No 1 Updated 2 5 2025Download

Have a great day!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

Local History Photos & Newspaper: January 31, 2025

Linda Reimer , , , , , , , , , ,

Hi everyone, here are the Local History Photos of the Week!

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Local History & Newspaper blog posts are published on Fridays; and the next post will be published on February 7, 2025.

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Local History Photo 1: Pine Street and Erie Avenue looking South, Corning, N. Y. Postcard

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Local History Photo 2: Overhead Bridge & Seventh Ward, Corning, N.Y. Postcard

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Local History Photo 3: Pine Street North from First Street, Corning, N.Y. Postcard

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A Glimpse of Local Life: A Hundred Years Ago!

Here is an entire issue of The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. published on this day in 1924.

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The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | January 31, 1925

1925.01.31 The LeaderDownload

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Have a great weekend everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Local History Online Library Resources:

Heritage Quest: Heritage Quest is the library’s online genealogy service, and it includes access to census records and other research sources; it can be accessed by going to the Online Resources page, on the library’s website, and scrolling down until you see the link for Heritage Quest:

https://www.ssclibrary.org/research/online-resources/

Once you’ve clicked on the Heritage Quest link, you’ll be prompted to login with your card number and PIN. If you have questions about how to use Heritage Quest, please feel free to let me know – my email address is reimerl@stls.org

–

Enjoy the photos and be well everyone,

Linda Reimer, SSCL

–

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:
At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have local papers including the Corning Leader, Corning Evening Leader, Corning Journal and Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!