Dispatches from the Samuel Center

1909 at lock 4 Seneca Falls

Here’s a treasure to launch a thousand research projects: Who were these 11 men and why did they pose for this shot? They all wear hats but no two hats are identical. Were the lace-up boots just fashion or indicative of occupation. One smokes a cigarette and one… a pipe. The man with the top…

will van dorp
1–2 minutes
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Here’s a treasure to launch a thousand research projects: Who were these 11 men and why did they pose for this shot? They all wear hats but no two hats are identical. Were the lace-up boots just fashion or indicative of occupation. One smokes a cigarette and one… a pipe. The man with the top hat appears to wear glasses. And the building behind them marked 1886 and 1870, does that sign say Ivory Autos? The current lock 4 is not in Seneca Falls, but in Waterloo, so the reference here is to the predecessor lock 4.

As a community project, this might be a fun photo to re-enact.

Anyone add observations here?

Many thanks to the CSNY for use of the photo and to Bill Hecht for cleaning it up.

2 responses to “1909 at lock 4 Seneca Falls”

  1. Lee Rust Avatar
    Lee Rust

    Back in 1919 there was an “Ivory Button Manufacturing Company “ in Seneca Falls, which would match the sign. The guys sitting on the lock gate definitely look like a construction crew. Perhaps they were working on repairs and modifications to the recently-built hydro-electric dam, which was completed in 1915 but experienced ongoing problems with leakage for at least 5 years afterwards.

    Click to access Seneca-Falls-Power-Plant-ADA.pdf

    Reply
  2. Lee Rust Avatar
    Lee Rust

    Sorry, senior moment… I got the years mixed up. In 1909 the most likely project for those guys would be related to Barge Canal construction rather than the local hydro plant.

    Reply

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