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Virtual Realty - Old School Edition
by Rachel Dworkin, archivist In recent years, several companies have unveiled new virtual reality devices designed to give users an immersive experience. In June 2014, Google released Cardboard, a 3D...
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The Communist Summer Camp in Van Etten
by Kelli Huggins, Education CoordinatorIn the summer of 1930, a local scandal erupted when people discovered that there was a Communist summer camp for children operating in the town of Van Etten. The...
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The Reconstruction Home, FDR, and the Iron Lung Club: A History of Polio in...
by Erin Doane, curatorFrom April 17 to May 1, 2016 the World Health Organization (WHO) undertook the largest synchronized event in the history of vaccines. The organization coordinated 155 countries...
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The Life, Death and Rebirth of Clinton Island
The Life, Death and Rebirth of Clinton Islandby Rachel Dworkin, archivistThe river giveth, and the river taketh away. Back during the early 1800s, the Chemung River gave Elmira Clinton Island, a true...
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The Mayor’s Pet Porcupine
By Kelli Huggins, Education CoordinatorI’m writing a book tentatively called Curiosities of Elmira that will be published by The History Press next year. When I was doing additional research on...
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A Puzzling History
by Erin Doane, curatorI really enjoy jigsaw puzzles. Give me a good 1000-piecer and I will stay happily busy for some time. The museum has a nice little collection of historic jigsaw puzzles.Jigsaw...
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Breaking Up Is Hard To Do
by Rachel Dworkin, ArchivistSo, the other day I was reading an issue of The Investigator from 1822 when I came across this little gem:Notice posted in The Investigator, an Elmira paper, on March 16,...
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Historical Tips For a Safe and Sane 4th of July
By Kelli Huggins, Education CoordinatorThis 4th of July, take some inspiration from the past while planning your celebration. While some things have changed, more have stayed the same. Remember, people...
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War Production at Eclipse
by Erin Doane, curatorDuring World War II, the Eclipse plant in Elmira Heights was part of the United States’ “arsenal for democracy.” Eclipse started making bicycles and coaster brakes at the plant in...
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Sorry to Disappoint
by Rachel Dworkin, ArchivistI’m sorry, we don’t have that. Despite working in an amazing archive, I find myself having to say that with surprising frequency, especially to genealogists. The sad truth...
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Gender Bending in the Late 19th and Early 20th Centuries
by Kelli Huggins, Education CoordinatorCheck out those bloomers!We have a fantastic set of glass plate images in our collection of a group of friends or family in the early 20th century who seem to...
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The Wellsburg Oil Find
by Erin Doane, curatorDrilling for natural gas may seem like a modern issue in this region, but oil and gas exploration and drilling have been going on here for well over a century. On June 11, 1891...
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Who Put the ‘Free’ in Elmira Free Academy?
by Rachel Dworkin, archivistWhy is there a ‘free’ in Elmira Free Academy? The short answer is because students could attend for free, but the longer answer is much more interesting. Settle in for the...
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Ted Huntley: An Elmira Olympian
by Kelli Huggins, Education CoordinatorLast week, we all cheered on Elmira's own Molly Huddle when she broke the American record in the Women's 10,000 Meters at the 2016 Rio Olympics. Congratulations,...
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Paper Dolls in Paper Dresses
by Erin Doane, curatorPaper dolls have been around for hundreds of years but they were first manufactured for sale in the early 1810s. By the end of the 19th century, there were multiple companies...
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Behind the Walls
by Rachel Dworkin, archivist This Thursday we will be installing our latest exhibit, Behind the Walls: Architectural Plans and Drawings, in the Education Room. As the name implies, the exhibit will...
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The Elmira Vocational School
By Kelli Huggins, Education CoordinatorSince my turn to write our weekly blog post has fallen on Labor Day, I thought that this would be a perfect opportunity for me to share some images of the Elmira...
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The Beginning of Licensed Toys
by Erin Doane, curatorIf you have walked down the toy aisle lately, I’m sure you’ve noticed that it is very difficult to find a toy that is not connected to a television show, cartoon, movie, or video...
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Fangirls Gonna Fan
by Rachel Dworkin, archivistI am, I confess, something of a fangirl. These days there are a lot of ways for fangirls like me to get our geek on. There are entire industries which market toys and...
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This Story is Bananas!
By Kelli Huggins, Education CoordinatorThe mysterious banana photo, c. 1900For years I have been trying to figure out the historical explanation for this unusual banana photograph in our collection...
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