The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918 killed more people than the current Covid-19 pandemic. However, it was under publicized in newspapers at the time for political reasons and a fear of violating censorship laws. This article will examine how the pandemic was covered by the national media and compare that to how small local newspapers of the time covered the same story.
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Lewis Wheeler : Wilson’s Only WWI Pow
The United States recently marked an important anniversary in its history. The event was the decision to enter WWI on April 6th, 1917 on the side of the Allies against Germany. Like many small towns across America Wilson witnessed many of its young men go off to war. One can find 202 names listed on the WWI era plaque in Veteran’s Memorial Park adjacent to Greenwood Cemetery. Tragically, some did not return, paying the ultimate price. This is the story of one young man who did return but not before enduring a great deal of hardship and having the distinction as the only Wilson man unfortunate enough to be captured and serve time as a POW in a German prison camp in WWI.
Did You Know: Henry F Donner
During my time as your Town Historian one of my biggest stressors after finishing an article for the newsletter is what to write about next. However, sometimes the next idea for an article falls right into your lap. The following story is one of those instances. It is about a Wilson resident who became famous in the field of astronomy and geology (especially astronomy) in the mid-twentieth century. His name is Henry F Donner. In addition, Henry along with his wife, Florence could arguably be the most adventurous couple to ever call Wilson home. The inspiration and background information to write this story came from Mr. Donner’s nephew, Ed Snell of West Seneca.
Did You Know: US Historical Stone Survey Markers
The United States is divided into a grid pattern based on surveys that were begun in the late 1700s. One of the more interesting aspects of this project are the stone boundary or survey markers that have survived the years intact. Some of them can be found with a little research and luck. Most, if not all parts of the country have at least a few of these markers still around for those interested in seeing them up close. To understand further, it is useful to look at the history and cultural significance of how the country’s boundaries came into existence.
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Harrowing Stories From The Rome Watertown & Ogdensburg Railroad
Traveling by rail in 19th century was often a very frightening endeavor. In the early part of the century up until 1850, catastrophic accidents with loss of life were not all that common. However, as more track was laid and the speed of trains increased, the accident rate increased exponentially. According to government statistics, in 1890 there were 7,029 railroad related fatalities along with 33, 881 people injured! The peak year, 1907, counted 11,839 fatalities and 111,016 injured. After 1907, the numbers slowly came down. By 1957 the number was reduced to 2,393 which was a huge improvement, but still a huge number by modern safety standards. Unfortunately, The RW&O Railroad also known as the “Hojack” line which began service in 1876 was not immune from suffering its share of deadly disasters as well as a handful of other colorful incidents. In this this article some of these stories, some long forgotten, will be retold because they remain a part of Wilson’s local history.
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Local Jewel, Wilson Tuscarora Park
Wilson Tuscarora State Park which many of us use and enjoy today was created in 1965 and had a very slow and somewhat unpopular beginning. As is the case with so many state and government projects poor planning, a lack of financial commitment and public involvement were at the forefront of the issues facing the development of the park. This article will attempt to explain some of the problems that early proponents of the park had to overcome as well as the early history of the park.
Temperance and Prohibition in Wilson
The Temperance movement was very active in Wilson in the years leading up to the passage of the 18th Amendment more commonly known as “Prohibition”. The Wilson Star regularly listed upcoming meetings and activities of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union commonly known as the W.C.T.U. Founded in 1874, the WCTU focused on women’s rights, educating the public on the correlation between domestic violence and drinking, health problems caused by alcohol, protecting children from the consequences of alcohol abuse and good citizenship. Locally, the Wilson chapter of the W.C. T. U. held meetings every two weeks. Usually the meetings were hosted at the home of one of the members and the topics discussed aligned with the national organization’s overall goals. Following are two such announcements from the Wilson Star:
Continue reading “Temperance and Prohibition in Wilson”WWII Commandos in Wilson!
Recently, a long-time Wilson resident shared a very interesting and historically relevant story with me. It has to do with Roosevelt Beach and the very significant if deliberately secret role it played in WWII. The story begins with an eleven year old boy who worked as an usher in Wilson’s little theater during the War. That boy was Roland Harding and this is his story.
Wilson’s Wonderland on Irish Road
Wilson once had a small version of Disneyland. Many of you reading this over 50 years old may remember Wonderland Storybook Park on Irish Road. I can remember my grandmother taking my sister and I there in the late 1960s and early 1970s. To us little kids at the time it was a very fun place to visit and probably seemed much bigger than it really was. Wonderland was a collection of buildings based on nursery rhymes such as “The Old Woman in the Shoe, Jack & Jill, The Old Man and the Crooked House and many others. There was also a puppet theater, Indian village and petting zoo with a miniature Noah’s Ark where they lived. There was even a snack bar called Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard. Pony rides and Model T car rides were also part of the attractions.
Wilson’s Famous Hub Hotel
Recently, I received a request for information about The Hub Hotel from a family in Pittsburgh who had personal ties to the longtime Wilson landmark. Kathy Burchs’ husband, Mike, used to visit Wilson as a small boy during the summers where his great grandfather, Hub Ferrin, owned and operated The Hub Hotel. According to Mrs. Burch, visiting Wilson and hanging out at the Hub were some of her husband’s earliest and most fond memories. What follows is a brief history of what I was able to uncover.
Wilson, NY History 