Wednesday, December 31, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #6 John Gardner

John Gardner was a renaissance man. He was comfortable in the dairy barns of Bethany or the townhouses of Manhattan.

Although he lived in the world of academia, he never forgot his rural upbringing. In Bill Kauffman’s book, Dispatches from the Muckdog Gazette, he quotes Gardner saying, “I grew up with farmers, I learned more from farmers than from professors.”

He wrote poetry, plays, operas, but is best known as a novelist. Gardner taught at universities across the country and was the mentor to many writers.

His influence on American literature will go on for a long time and he will always be honored as one of Genesee County’s greatest authors.

Click Here to Listen

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/06jg.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #7 Terry Anderson


Terry Anderson was born in Ohio, spent the early part of his life in Albion, New York and graduated from Batavia High School in 1965.

He was a combat vet in Vietnam, then a journalist for the Associated Press. Anderson was kidnapped by Shiite Muslims in Beirut, Lebanon on March 16, 1985. He was held captive for 2,454 days.

Following is release in 1991, he taught at Columbia University and Ohio State University. He is a co founder of the Vietnam Children Fund, which has built schools and educated tens of thousands of Vietnamese children


Click Here to Listen!


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/07ta.mp3



Read the Podcast text and more here

Monday, November 17, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #8 Batavia Downs


Thundering horses, bells, whistles, sirens, flashing lights and the screams of excitement. The place in Genesee County where you can get it all is Batavia Downs.

When Batavia Downs opened in the 1940s, horse racing was nothing new in Western New York. Early land developers used horse racing as a way to attract settlers and pioneers.

Harness racing became popular at Batavia Downs and throughout the 1960s the track would draw over a half a million people per year.

As harness racing lost popularity, the track fell on hard times, but today the track is again thriving and busier then ever.


Click Here to Listen!

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/08bd.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Saturday, November 8, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #9 The Batavia Muckdogs

Genesee County's only professional sports franchise has been getting a lot of publicity lately. The miracle season of 2008 culminated in the team's first championship in 45 years.

Batavia is one of the charter franchises of the New York - Penn League. In fact, the league was founded in Batavia in 1939 at the Hotel Richmond in downtown Batavia.

Batavia has fielded a team every year in the league except for 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1960, and have won four league championships.

Every summer Geneseeans flock to Dwyer Stadium to cheer for the Muckdogs.


Click here to listen


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/09bm.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #10 Dean Richmond


On March 31, 1804, in Barnard, Vermont, a son was born to Hathaway and Rachel Dean Richmond. The boy, named Dean, was destined to become a powerful businessman who helped influence the way people traveled.

Dean Richmond became a titan of industry and New York State politics. He was a man who knew Abraham Lincoln and, as legend states, was asked to run against Honest Abe in 1864. He allegedly stated, "I want to be the man behind the scenes, not in the front."

He was an early supporter of the use of steel rails on the rail lines. The use of steel rails helped grow the American steel industry.



Click Here to Listen

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/10dr.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Friday, October 17, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #11 Ely Samuel Parker

Who would have guessed that a boy born on the Tonawanda Indian Reservation in 1829, would grow up to be a great leader both the Native American and white man's world?


Before he was born, his pregnant mother, Elizabeth Parker, had a dream.

It took place in the village of Buffalo. In her dream, it was a snowy winter day. "Suddenly the sky opened, the clouds were swept back by an invisible hand and she beheld a rainbow that reached from the reservation to the Granger farm [Judge Erastus Granger, a former Indian agent. His farm is near where Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo is today], when it was suddenly broken in the middle of the sky. From the lower side of the rainbow were strange pictures, which she recognized as resembling the signs over little shops in Buffalo."

Superstitious, she went to a dream interpreter. He said, "A son will be born to you who will be distinguished among his nation as a peacemaker; he will become a white man as well as an Indian, with great learning; he will be a warrior for the pale faces; he will be a wise white man, but will never desert his Indian people nor 'lay down his horns as a great Iroquois chief'; his name will reach from East to the West - the North to the South, as great among his Indian family and the pale-faces. His sun will rise on Indian land and set on the white man's land. Yet the ancient land of his ancestors will fold him in death."


The dream proved to be great prediction for the life of Ely Parker.

Click Here to Listen


Read the Podcast text here

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #12 Darien Lake Theme Park

In 1960, Buffalo entrepreneur, Paul Snyder, opened a small campground and picnic area in the town of Darien and called it, Snyder’s Darien Lake.

Almost 50 years and millions of visitors later, Darien Lake is Genesee County's favorite theme park.

Its gone through a few name changes, and has added many rides and attractions, but the family fun atmosphere is still there.

I remember my first visit there all those years ago. There was the swimming pool, some water slides, and who can forget Skateboard City.


Click Here to Listen


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/12darienlake.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here


Wednesday, September 24, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #13 The Pembroke Driver's Ed Accident

On June 10, 1987, the community was rocked when a car driven by a drunk driver slammed head on into a driver’s education car from Pembroke Central Schools. The lives of three students and their teacher tragically ended that day.

How Did It Make Genesee County Famous?

The accident was picked up by news agencies around the country, and the tragedy spurred the community into action. People became advocates, and that is one of the ways the community started to heal.

Community members went out and told their story. They told it to the newspapers, on television, on radio and even in front of Congress.

Their advocacy led to changes in New York State laws. The reason New York State Drivers licenses are stamped, “Under 21” is because of the people of Pembroke. They also lobbied successfully to make it a crime to possess alcohol under the legal drinking age and had the blood alcohol content lowered from .10% to .08%.


Click Here to Listen



http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/13pdea.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here



Friday, September 19, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #14 Charles Rand

On April 15th, 1861, a young man attending a rally at the Eagle Hotel at the corner of Main Street and Court Street in Batavia, heard Abraham Lincoln's call for 75,000 volunteers.

When asked by an elder of the community, who will be the first volunteer, Charles Rand stepped forward and said, "I will. I will be the first."

A few years later, Rand started a campaign to recognize his claim to fame as the First Union Volunteer of the Civil War.

Listen to his story here http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/14crand.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

HLOM Lecture Series: Forgotten Founder, Drunken Prophet: The Life of Luther Martin

This podcast was originally recorded on September 9, 2008. The author, Bill Kauffman, spoke to the Holland Purchase Historical Society to promote his new book.



http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/kauffman.mp3

Sunday, September 7, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #15 Fellows v. Blacksmith / 1857 Treaty with the Seneca, Tonawanda Band


The only know court case to be heard in front of the United States Supreme Court, it was in the courts for 15 years before the Tonawanda Seneca were giving a clear title to their land forever.


Click here to listen




http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/15fvb.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Friday, September 5, 2008

HLOM Lecture Series: Book Signing for The Bills Are Due

HLOM Lecture Series: Book Signing for The Bills Are Due

Attica native, Rob Thompson, wrote a book called The Bills Are Due. The book pays tribute to the generation of Bills players who made them what they are today. Thompson’s interviews of players like Fred Smerlas, Billy Shaw, Joe Ferguson and JD Hill are compelling and fascinating.

On September 4, 2008 Mr. Thompson and former Bill’s great JD Hill were at the Holland Land Office Museum for a book signing. Unfortunately, Mr. Thompson’s talk didn’t record, but we were successful when JD Hill came up and spoke about what it was like to be a NFL player and what he is doing today.

Listen to the podcast Here

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/billsaredue.mp3


To order the book, call the Museum at (585) 343-4727.

To learn more about JD Hill and what he is doing today, visit www.jdhill.org

Thursday, August 28, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #16 Massey Harris / Batavia Industrial Center

Genesee County’s largest factory building sits in the heart of the city of Batavia. After more then 125 years, it is still a place of industry and commerce. When the plant stopped producing farm equipment, a genius idea from a local man started a trend that is copied around the world today.



Click Here to Listen


Read the Podcast text and more here

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/16masseyharris.mp3

Saturday, August 16, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #17 Eddie York


Batavian, Eddie York, was one of the pilots of the famed Doolittle Raid that bombed Tokyo in April 1942. He spent a year in the Soviet Union before making it back to the United States.


Listen to the podcast here


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/17york.mp3


Read the POdcast text and more here

Thursday, August 7, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #18 Edward Newton Rowell


A successful business man, sex and murder. This chapter of Genesee County history has it all.

The Story of Edward Newton Rowell, The Rowell Box Company and the Murder of Johnson Lynch.


Listen to the podcast here


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/18rowell.mp3


Read the Podcast and more here

Monday, July 28, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #19 Genesee Community College


Here is 19! Its everybody's favorite college on the hill!

Click Here to Listen


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/19gcc.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #20 The Hiscock Site


Why would anybody dig in a swamp? It's not just a swamp, its the Hiscock Site.

Click Here to Listen!


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/20bd.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #21 The Elba Mucklands


Number 21 in our weekly count down is the soil with the unusual name.

Click here to listen!



http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/21elbamuck.mp3



Read the Podcast text and more here

Saturday, July 19, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #22 Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge


Here is Number 22 in the weekly countdown! Feel free to comment below.

Click here to listen


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/22inwr.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Friday, July 18, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #23 Kutter's Cheese Factory


Here is number 23 in our weekly countdown.

Please feel free to comment.

Listen to it here


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/23kc.mp3


Read the Podcast text and more here

Thursday, July 17, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #24 John Kennedy


Here is number 24 in our weekly countdown.

Please feel free to comment.

Listen to it here


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/24jk.mp3


Read the podcast text and more here

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Genesee County's Greatest Story: William Morgan ENHANCED VERSION!

Enhanced version best viewed in iTunes or Quicktime.

In 1826, the Genesee Country experienced an event unprecedented in its history. To this day people still talk about the kidnapping and presumed murder of Capt. William Morgan.

Morgan threatened to expose the secrets of the Masonic fraternity. He was arrested, and after his bail was posted, he disappeared forever.

This podcast tells William Morgan’s story.

Listen to it here

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/morgan.m4b


This is the first in a series of lectures given and recorded by Museum Director, Patrick Weissend. Weissend presented the PowerPoint presentation to the Lions Club of Kendall, New York on January 17th, 2008.

The Holland Land Office Museum is a county history museum located in Batavia, NY. For more information visit www.hollandlandoffice.com

Monday, July 14, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous: #25 The New York State Thruway


Here is number 25 in our weekly countdown.

Please feel free to comment.

Listen to it here



http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/25nysthru.mp3



Read the podcast text and more here

Saturday, June 7, 2008

The Twenty-Five Things That Made Genesee County Famous


Genesee County, New York is a region rich with local history, folklore and people. Events, people, and locally made products from Genesee County are known world wide. For this online exhibit, a panel of 15 people spent six months sifting through 100s of things know world wide. It was the panel's job to come up with a list of 25 things that made Genesee County famous. Every week, until November 28, 2008 the Holland Land Office Museum will release another item.

25. The New York State Thruway
24. John Kennedy
23. Kutter's Cheese Factory
22. Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge
21. Elba Mucklands
20. The Hiscock Site
19. Genesee Community College
18. Edward Newton Rowell
17. Eddie York
16. Massey - Harris / Batavia Industrial Center
15. Fellows v. Blacksmith / !857 Treaty with the Seneca, Tonawanda Band
14. Charles Rand
13. Pembroke Driver's Ed Accident
12. Darien Lake Theme Park
11. Ely Samuel Parker
10. Dean Richmond
9. Batavia Muckdogs
8. Batavia Downs
7. Terry Anderson
6. John Gardner
5. Emory Upton
4. Holland Land Company
3. The Disappearance of William Morgan
2. Barber B. Conable, Jr.
1. Jell-O


Find out more on our website: http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/25things.html

Saturday, May 31, 2008

Ely Parker: Living in Two Worlds

Born in Genesee County, Ely Samuel Parker is one of most famous citizens.

He is a man that met Presidents of the United States and even called some of them friend.

He is a man that excelled in two worlds: One the old ways of the Native American and the other of the rapidly advancing white society.

The medal pictured is a Masonic medallion given to him by U.S. Grant.

Listen to his story here.


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/elyparker.mp3

Thursday, May 15, 2008

The Haudenosaunee – The People of the Longhouse

Upstate New York is rich in the history of the Haudenosaunee, or Iroquois. This podcast is a brief introduction to an exhibit at the Holland Land Office Museum titled, The Tonawanda Seneca: Preserving the Past and Illuminating the Present. This is the first in a series of podcast on the exhibit specifically and the history of the Iroquois in general. This podcast was written by museum volunteer Alice Judkins.

Click here to listen

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/haudenosaunee.mp3

Friday, May 9, 2008

A Brief History of the Genesee County Fair: ENHANCED VERSION!

From the Holland Land Office Museum Lecture Series. This presentation was originally given to the Pembroke Historical Society in Pembroke, New York on May 7, 2008

Click Here for the link


http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/genctyfair.m4b


NOTE: For best results view the podcast in iTunes

Thursday, May 8, 2008

A Brief History of the Genesee County Fair


From the Holland Land Office Museum Lecture Series. This presentation was originally given to the Pembroke Historical Society in Pembroke, New York on May 7, 2008

Click Here for the link

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/gcfair.mp3

Thursday, April 3, 2008

A Brief Biography of Edward Newton Rowell


At the dawn of the twentieth century, Batavia had a thriving industrial community. Thousands of residents worked in many of the factories.

One of the leading industrialists was Edward Newton Rowell. Rowell’s box company, the E.N. Rowell Company, became one of the largest manufacturers of small paper boxes in the nation. They made boxes for pens, jewelry, cosmetics and many other items.

List to the Podcast here



http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/rowell.mp3

Friday, March 21, 2008

David Ellicott Evans: Resident Agent of the Holland Land Company


David Ellicott Evans was the third Land Agent for the Holland Land Company in Western New York. This podcast is a brief biography of his life.


Listen to it here

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/deevans.mp3

Saturday, January 19, 2008

HLOM Lecture Series: The Genesee Country’s Greatest Story


In 1826, the Genesee Country experienced an event unprecedented in its history. To this day people still talk about the kidnapping and presumed murder of Capt. William Morgan.

Morgan threatened to expose the secrets of the Masonic fraternity. He was arrested, and after his bail was posted, he disappeared forever.

This podcast tells William Morgan’s story.

Listen to it here

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/morganlecture.mp3


This is the first in a series of lectures given and recorded by Museum Director, Patrick Weissend. Weissend presented the PowerPoint presentation to the Lions Club of Kendall, New York on January 17th, 2008.

The Holland Land Office Museum is a county history museum located in Batavia, NY. For more information visit www.hollandlandoffice.com

Thursday, January 17, 2008

The Great Survey of Western New York

In 1797, the Holland Land Company, a group of six Dutch banks, hired Joseph Ellicott to survey their purchase of 3.3 million acres of wild land west of the Genesee River in New York State. This podcast is a brief history of the survey.

Click here to listen



http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/greatsurvey.mp3

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

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My Podcast Alley feed! {pca-83058875a162343f03b3e42a26d54a08}

Saturday, January 5, 2008

The Alien Land Act of 1798

In 1798, the State of New York passed a law allowing foreigners to purchase and own land in the state. The Holland Land Company was instrumental in lobbying to get this legislation passed. Listen to a quick version of how it was passed.

Listen to it here

http://www.hollandlandoffice.com/podcasts/alienland.mp3