Support Your Hometown Historical Society

Genealogists can “pay it forward” by supporting their hometown historical society. My husband and I do just that – we support the Newfield Historical Society and the Ulysses Historical Society.  Our support is not only financial, but we share information in the form of articles, monographs, and other genealogical tidbits uncovered in our research.  My husband has written a couple of articles for Maintaining the Bridges, the quarterly newsletter of the Newfield Historical Society.

We just received newsletters from both societies with feature stories of earlier times, people, and places.  The Ulysses Historical Society newsletter features an interesting story of about the Morgans of Waterburg. The author, Joe Baldwin, admits he missed a fairly impressive family plot in the Trumansburg Grove Cemetery, recently brought to his attention. Mr. Baldwin proceeded to do his usual careful detailed research of Willis (1826-1903) and Howard Morgan (1932-1898), sons of William and Betsey Morgan. Willis and Howard Morgan's grandfather, William Morgan, emigrated to the U.S. from Wales. Mr. Baldwin came across some mysteries during his research, but I guess you will have to join the society and get a copy of their newsletter if you want to help solve them. Photos and map accompany the article.   

We encourage those who grew up in this area of the Finger Lakes to become members to assist the dedicated volunteers in preserving local history.

Newfield Historical Society: 198 Main Street, Newfield, NY 14867

Ulysses Historical Society:  P.O. Box 455, Trumansburg, NY 14886

Shopping Saturday - Going to Trumansburg

I wish I knew this family ...

In the early 1940s Maude and Merritt Agard lived in a house on the Jacksonville Road, halfway between Gorge Road and White School House Road (later Agard Road) in Jacksonville, New York. I believe this photo was taken alongside that house, though I have no idea who this family is.  The wagon is labeled: "Sold by The Biggs Co. Trumansburg, N.Y." and the family appears to be dressed for a day in town, or possibly on their way to church.  

The Biggs Company was located on Main Street in Trumansburg and sold everything from harnesses, nuts and bolts to fine china. Reminiscent of Rothchild's in Ithaca when I was growing up.

For those who remember the large horse mannequin in the window of Biggs, he now safely resides in the Ulysses Historical Society building. 

Taughanic House and Edward Meany TB Sanatorium

Brochure from Taughanic House
Donated to the Ulysses Historical Society

Although I spent my growing up years along Taughannock gorge, I never knew about this hotel that once sat across the gorge about where the falls lookout parking lot is today.  Oral histories given by Trumansburg residents state they remembered the restaurant, and that prizefighters were trained there – Carmen Basillio and Joey Johns were mentioned.  According to the Trumansburg Free Press this building burned down in 1922.

Photo from Ulysses Historical Society newsletter
January 2009

Nor did I ever know that just a mile up the road from our restaurant was a large building, once called the “Cataract Hotel.” The Trumansburg Free Press reported that over the July 4^th weekend of 1875, the Cataract House served 962 meals!

Later this building would serve as the Edward Meany TB Sanatorium.  An article in the Ulysses Historical Society January 2009 newsletter provides a concise history of the sanatorium. Dr. Keith Sears, a highly regarded local physician was put in charge of the sanatorium. In 1936 patients were transferred to the newly built Biggs Memorial Hospital near Ithaca, and no one seems to know when the Meany Sanatorium building was demolished after the property came under state control. 

The folks at the Ulysses Historical Society would love any further information on either of these two buildings. 

Maude Agard's Dream

In October 2001, Carol Kammen of the Ithaca Journal highlighted in her column the family business oral history I had produced with my mother. The title of her column was, “Now is the time to record the history of our institutions.”  She encouraged local businesses and historical societies to document those operations before their participants were no longer around to ask.

Taughannock Farms Inn

Maude Agard's "tea room"

My grandmother, Maude Agard, loved to cook. Her dream was to have her own “tea room,” and on her 40^th birthday, May 16, 1946 she realized that dream with the purchase of a summer home, owned by a Philadelphian Robert Jones, that overlooked Taughannock Falls State Park. According to the oral history my mother recounted, “The first night they were open to the public…they served less than twenty people and ran out of food! Mother had no idea how many people to prepare for. But, word got around, so Taughannock Farms grew and grew.”

There were no printed menus; the extensive list of appetizers, main dishes, and desserts was recited by the waitresses. Dinners were served family style. The rolls were made on the premises each day, as were the salads, pies, and other desserts. Soon after my parents became partners in the business and so that is where I grew up.  Anyone growing up in a family business knows that everybody works. And we did. But we, including our employees, were all “family,” and that is a special attribute of a family run business. 

Taughannock Farms Inn - The Early Years is archived and can be accessed at the Ulysses Historical Society in Trumansburg, NY. I encourage everyone who is part of a family business to document its history; it is too precious to lose.