Mat Rapacz Writing Series

We are very grateful to have permission to include this writing series from Mat Rapacz

St. Johnsville native Mat Rapacz was a reporter and photographer for The Evening Times from 1995 to 2005. He has been St. Johnsville town and village historian since 2015. These articles were originally published in The Evening Times.

Advertisement for Barnum's Circus -August 22, 1822

Jumbo entertains Little Falls

On Tuesday, Aug. 22, 1882, Little Falls played host to a 12-foot tall, 6½ ton entertainer, whose reach extended 26 feet from the ground.
Rialto was Little Falls’ movie palace by Mat Rapacz

Rialto memories

When preparing to write this article, I asked readers for their memories of the Rialto and received the following replies.
Rialto was Little Falls’ movie palace by Mat Rapacz

Rialto was Little Falls’ movie palace

The Gateway Theatre in Little Falls, later to be renamed Rialto, first opened its doors to the public on October 22, 1923.
Noted actress Laura Keene, and John L. Sullivan, the heavyweight boxing champion.

Keene, Sullivan, among those who played Little Falls

Two of the famous people who performed in plays in Little Falls were the noted actress Laura Keene, and John L. Sullivan, the heavyweight boxing champion.
Dr. D. Willard Bliss summons Alexander Bell to use his induction-balance device to locate the assassin's bullet, which is something of a metal detector device; unbeknownst to them all, is that Garfield's mattress was lying on top of metal springs, which were uncommon at that time. After 80 days of suffering, he died from infection from the gunshot wound. The D. in the Dr. Bliss' name stands for Doctor, given as his first name at birth.Dr. D. Willard Bliss summons Alexander Bell to use his induction-balance device to locate the assassin's bullet, which is something of a metal detector device; unbeknownst to them all, is that Garfield's mattress was lying on top of metal springs, which were uncommon at that time. After 80 days of suffering, he died from infection from the gunshot wound. The D. in the Dr. Bliss' name stands for Doctor, given as his first name at birth.

Garfield’s whistle stop – 1880 by Mat Rapacz

In the presidential election of 1880, — General James A. Garfield, Republican nominee for president, brought his campaign to Little Falls on August 4 with a “whistle stop” on the New York Central.
First Trolley at Little Falls #24First Trolley at Little Falls #24

Inter-urban trolley lasted 30 years by Mat Rapacz

The electric trolley started in Little Falls in 1903 with great fanfare, a convenient and, for awhile at least, popular way to travel between Little Falls and points west and south.
Earl Roberts - First Car Manufactured At Little FallsEarl Roberts - First Car Manufactured At Little Falls

Cars still a relative novelty at time of ‘Sociability’ run

Automobiles were still a relative novelty in Little Falls in 1909 when the Smith brothers, proprietors of the Richmond Hotel (later called Hotel Snyder) concocted the idea of a “Sociability” automobile run from the city to Cooperstown and back.
Boy's Basketball Team 1901Boy's Basketball Team 1901. Photo courtesy of the Little Falls Historical Society

Little Falls was basketball pioneer

When basketball was new, Little Falls (along with Herkimer) was one of its pioneering communities and had some of its better teams.

Historians & Historic Resources

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Writing Series

Learn more about the history of the Mohawk Valley.

Events

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Discover the history of the Mohawk Valley

The Mohawk Valley is located along the Mohawk River in the ancestral lands of the Kanienʼkehá:ka’ (Mohawk) and Oneida. We offer our deepest respect to Hodinöhsö:ni’ ancestors, past and present.

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