This Day In New York History

There are a lot places to find information on New York history. Plenty of organizations do a great job telling in depth stories about specific battles, famous people, and even small town tales. All of that history comes with important dates in our past.

This page is an evolving attempt to try and capture the important dates in the Empire State’s past. The database includes historic events, births, and deaths that took place on this day in history. Each one in some way directly relates to Upstate.

This database is a work in progress and is updated regularly with historic dates. Some will be wide reaching and recognizable across Upstate. Others will be noteworthy only to those who live right in the region.

Regardless of the relation, all of the dates and events included in this database have had an impact in some way to the history of Upstate New York.

Today’s Events

1846 Representatives from Rochester and Syracuse meet in the Clyde Baptist Church (now, the Galen Historical Society's Brick Church Museum) for the first time to discuss plans for a railroad. This meeting is said to have led to the formation of the Syracuse & Rochester Railroad Company.

1849 Elizabeth Blackwell becomes the first woman to achieve a medical degree in the U.S. from Geneva Medical College (now, Hobart College)

2013 Voters in the village of Keeseville (Essex County) decide in a referendum by a vote of 268-176 to dissolve the village. Their territory now falls under the jurisdiction of the two towns in which the land is located. The village officially dissolved on December 31, 2014.

Looking for more? You’ll find a whole bunch of Upstate history in the facts section.

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Whether it’s the closing an iconic restaurant, the birth of a well known Upstater, or a news event that made waves, it’s an important piece of our past. It may seem inconsequential, but preserving the past is an integral part of our local storytelling.

If you have a piece of history related to New York that you feel should be included, please submit using this contact form.