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

1859 A crowd of two-hundred and fifty people gather on a wooden bridge over the Erie Canal in Albion to watch a tight rope walker span the canal on a wire. The bridge collapses, killing fifteen people in the crowd of onlookers.

1918 The first four cases in Rochester of the influenza epidemic are reported. Before the end of the epidemic, 1,000 people in Rochester would die from the flu 30,000 would become ill.

1960 Senator John F. Kennedy gives a speech at the Rochester War Memorial.

1965 Brian Bliss, professional soccer player, is born in Webster.

1965 "Flower City" is designated as the official nickname of the City of Rochester, New York and identified in Chapter 15, Section 7 of the city code.

2012 After announcing its plan in February to focus on printing, Kodak announces that it is exiting the inkjet printer business.

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.