Bound Volumes
February 12, 2026
210 YEARS AGO
Amongst the numerous Petitions read in the house today, was one from Francis Henry, Billings Brown and Charles Mason, of the County of Otsego, complaining of irregular practices, at the late election in the Town of Pittsfield, in that county, by which they allege, that the seats of Mssrs. Judd, Crippen and Metcalf, three sitting members, for that county, be vacated, and the petitioners to be admitted in their stead.
February 15, 1816
135 YEARS AGO
Among the several notable, though diminutive, inland lakes of Central New York, possibly the lingering fragment of a once great rival of the “Ontario,” is the very small one that supplies the head-waters of the lengthened Susquehanna. Its Indian name of “Otsego” has been wisely left to it; and a liquid gem it is, of so much brightness and beauty, as to be seldom forgotten by beholders. Fringed on the west by sloping banks that bend in and out in many a graceful curve, and on the east by uplands more precipitous aspiring even to the dignity of moderate mountains, its engaging features of interest scarcely suffer in comparison with those of the much admired “Katrine” of Scotland. Also, like the latter, it has through the witchery of the pen, become quite “classic.” For as the genius of Scott hovers over “Loch Katrine,” so does that of Cooper over Otsego Lake. (Excerpt from the Illustrated Christian Weekly reprinted in The Freeman’s Journal)
February 13, 1891
110 YEARS AGO
Professor Allez was delighted Monday afternoon when he received over his wireless apparatus evidence that his new 100-foot aerial had gotten into contact with the government wireless station at Arlington, N.J. Tuesday at noon the Professor received unmistakably the official time from Arlington. Who says we are not right up-to-date in Cooperstown.
February 9, 1916
60 YEARS AGO
Horace Weeks and his seeing-eye dog have been a familiar sight on the streets of Cooperstown for the past 22 years. Always pleasant, always industrious, Horace goes about tasks that to many, less handicapped people, would seem difficult. For 12 years he manned the Chamber of Commerce Information booth at the corner of Main and Chestnut Streets, answering all sorts of queries, directing tourists to points of interest throughout the area. “My, what a lot of inquiries I had those first years before identifying and directional signs were put up,” he said – “as many as 13,000.” He kept track by putting beans in a jar. Weeks was not always blind and relied entirely on memory to give directions.
February 9, 1966
35 YEARS AGO
February 13, 1991
