Hi everyone, and welcome to our new weekly local history post!

Going forward, each week we’ll be sharing vintage newspaper articles from years past, drawn from publications such as the Corning Journal, Corning Leader, and other local newspapers. We’ll also feature the complete issue of The Corning Leader published exactly 100 years to the day from each blog post. From time to time, we’ll include newly taken photographs of local historic places, landmarks, and artifacts.

The historical photographs that have appeared in my previous weekly posts are still available in our Local History Photo Archive on the blog: https://corningnyhistory.com/

Simply click the Local History Photo Archive link near the top of the page, or go directly to:
https://corningnyhistory.com/local-history-photo-archive/

Have a great weekend!

Linda Reimer, SSCL

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Article of the Week

Bells To Be Run Monday: Independence Week to be Ushered According to Mayor’s Proclamation

(article from The Evening Leader, Corning, N.Y. | June 26, 1926)

This is a neat article that focuses on then mayor of Corning, Harry Rood, having made a proclamation to have all the municipal and church bells in the city rung at the same time: 11:11 a.m. on July 4, 1926, that date being the U.S. sesquicentennial; and the time of the synchronized bell ringing seems likely to have been chosen as a respectful nod to the date and time that ended the then recently ended World War I; the armistice for which occurred on November 11, 1919, at 11:00 a.m.

And I thought it was interesting to see the name of the man who was mayor of Corning 100 years ago – Harry A. Rood! Mr. Rood was born in Painted Post in 1881. Early in his life he worked in the railroad industry and later worked in the local banking industry. He was the thirteenth mayor of Corning; serving for a single term from 1925-1927. He was also an Odd Fellow, an Elk and a prominent member of Christ Episcopal Church in Corning. He is buried in the Townsend-Erwin Cemetery.

To learn more about Harry Rood, check out his obituary which was on pages 10 and 2 of the Evening Leader on August 29, 1953:

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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. | August 7, 1926

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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.