by Old Mentz | Jul 9, 2023 | Uncategorized
For those family genealogists out there, the term “brick wall” has a certain meaning. It is when all the clues run out and those exciting new discoveries come slowly or not at all. Well those “brick walls” can also pop up in the study of general history when we can’t...
by Old Mentz | Apr 15, 2023 | Uncategorized
In October 1873, Colonel William Jones assembled his forces. The men built two forts that they named Fort Armstrong and Fort Graham to honor their leaders. These log and earthen fortifications looked out over the landscape from where the expected attack would advance....
by Old Mentz | Apr 5, 2023 | Uncategorized
We have some news to share, so we are making this newsletter available to everyone. This link will open as a pdf file.
by Old Mentz | Mar 16, 2023 | Uncategorized
Delvin Emmons (Ted) Wilt died on February 27, 2023, at 105 years of age. With his passing goes the last human contact to a lost world. Ted was born in October 1917. Within a couple months, the old towpath Erie Canal would be abandoned as the new Barge Canal was...
by Old Mentz | Feb 16, 2023 | Uncategorized
Way back in 2019, I wrote about the Schasel postcard collection that had been donated to the Lock 52 Historical Society. It is a wonderful collection of over 100 postcards that had been collected by Rudy and his son Rene Schasel. That collection became the basis of...
by Old Mentz | Jan 28, 2023 | Uncategorized
With the opening of Vault House Wine and Liquor in the old bank building, I thought it was a good time to take a look at the history of liquor stores and their owners, and hopefully to stir a few memories for some. But before we go there, lets take a look at the...
by Old Mentz | Dec 26, 2022 | Uncategorized
Ah, the joys of having a column deadline on Christmas Day! So an easy way to fill a column is to find an old article, add a bit of context, and boom, you are done! But no. As I was writing this I did a bit of deeper digging and found that I had a part two. So the...
by Old Mentz | Nov 20, 2022 | Uncategorized
If you were a child in the 1950s or ‘60s, you likely remember the “duck and cover” drills that we all had to do in school. We were all made aware of the impending atomic bomb attack, so in addition to the fire drills, we had to either; get under our desks, or go out...
by Old Mentz | Oct 16, 2022 | Uncategorized
Headstone Cleaning Suggested Cleaning Kit- 5 gallon bucket (to carry everything and sit on) $0 to $5 Clean water if the cemetery doesn’t have water available Scrub brushes (large, medium and small) $10-$15 at the hardware store Pump type garden sprayer $15-$20 (get...
by Old Mentz | Sep 9, 2022 | Uncategorized
Port Byron’s Water Supply Through the Years; Drinking Auburn’s Sewage. Water Supply of Port Byron Grossly Contaminated, State Report Says, Blaming Auburn. This was the headline in the September 9, 1915 Auburn Advertiser-Journal, and it stated what everyone...
