North Country At Work

Moore’s Door, Sash and Blind Factory. Circa 1890. Potsdam, NY.

Employees of the Potsdam Knitting Company assemble in front of the company’s Mill No. 1, located on Fall Island. The business offered “dying, washing, finishing, knitting, and drying.” Constructed in 1892 as the Potsdam Sugar of Milk (condensed milk) factory, the structure was one of many that burned down in 1900. At the time of […]

The ladies’ lingerie business Sweetser (sic) & Son  opened in 1901 by Thomas M. Greig and developed into the Greig Muslin Underwear Co. The factory was located at 5-7 Maple Street, in the Manley Block on Fall Island. Some years later, G. E. and J. Sweetzer opened their men’s shirt manufacturing business at the same […]

Ed LaVine of Potsdam drove this rig that carried “the largest load of pulp wood ever drawn out of the woods by a single team of horses.” The 12-cord load of 4-foot logs was 10 feet wide, 10 feet high, and 18 feet long. The load was hauled 10 miles to the Racquette River, where […]

Workers pose with crane for lifting pulp logs out of the river at paper mill. Located three miles north of Potsdam, the mill produced ground wood, chemical pulp, and later, specialty papers. It was one of the largest employers in Potsdam for many years. Circa 1907. Potsdam, NY.

Located on Maple Street (Fall Island), Leete Foundry and Machine Shop dealt in the manufacture and repair of water wheels (turbines), machinery that was used by lumber mills, box factories and quarries. Stock consisted of hardware, stoves and agricultural implements. In 1920, owner Charles Leete employed 12 men at this shop. Circa 1920. Potsdam, NY.

Before the invention of modern refrigeration, ice was stored in warehouses along the Raquette River for use through the year. This crew from Cornell & Son watched for the weather conditions to be just right, toward the end of January, when the ice would snap and crack with a loud boom. Then, working night and […]

In 1892, George Wing Sisson Sr. bought the site of the old Union Mill at Unionville, on the east side of the Racquette River, for $50,000. The old saw mill was torn down and the Racquette River Paper Company was built. A new wooden dam and flume were also constructed. Production began with three wood […]

View of St. Lawrence Pyrites Company ore-concentration mill and the top house of Stella Mine No. 1 (left center). The mine provided sulphur ore for the mill, shown uphill on the right. Tailings pond in middle. Circa 1910-1920. Stellaville, town of De Kalb, NY.

View to the north from the bedrock hill behind the St. Lawrence Pyrites Company ore-concentration mill. Engine house at left-center, road to DeKalb Junction (County Route 17) in background; company houses on road at Stellaville (right-center). Circa 1910-1920. Stellaville in the Town of De Kalb, NY.