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

1791 Abraham M. Schermerhorn, third mayor to the city of Rochester, is born in Schenectady, New York.

1847 The Fox Family moves into their home in Hydesville. Within months, the two youngest Fox Sisters would begin communicating with a spirit named Mr Splitfoot. Their witnessed communication with the spirit on March 31, 1848 would mark the founding of modern day Spiritualism.

1854 Charles "Old Hoss" Radbourn, Major League Baseballer and first person to ever be photographed "flipping the bird", is born in Rochester.

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

Submit

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.