North Country At Work

Workers set a dynamite charge in ice to clear the way for boat traffic. Massena. 1950.

Robert Elthorp with wooden whittled chain, in his workshop on the Elthorp farm. Circa 1940s. Hammond, NY

Farmers in town to view the new farm equipment at W.D. Evans Store, possibly a train carload sale. Pictured are a dump rake, walking plow, reaper, and individual wagon wheels. Circa 1890-1900. Hammond, NY.

Interior of William. R. Wilson’s General Store. Note giant coffee grinder behind man at counter. The store sold clothing, dishes, kerosene lamps and other goods. 1914. Hammond, NY.

Frank Woodside at his shoe store, located on the southwest corner of Main Street in Hammond. 1922. Hammond, NY.

Fred Mayer and Dan McDougall at their blacksmith, wheelwright, and carriage shop. Front of wagons running gear under construction. Located on northwest side of Main Street. Circa 1900-1910. Hammond, NY.

Norris Soper at his Attwater-Kent radio. His Franklin automobile, from the 1910s and manufactured in Syracuse, is behind him. Circa 1920s. Hammond, NY. Related story, here.

Cutting ice using horses, saws, and ice pikes. Circa 1910-1920. Hammond, NY.

Unidentified men cutting ice near Oak Island in Hammond. Ice saw and horses in background. Man in foreground holding a pike for moving ice. Note: Every cheese factory needed an icehouse to keep cheese cool in the summer. Most towns had several cheese factories to handle milk produced by area farmers. Circa 1910-1920. Hammond, NY.

Allen Wilson painting a fence, doing spring chores on the farm. Behind him are barrels on pivots. Circa 1890-1900. Hammond, NY.