History of Oswego, New York, USA

1854 - Oswego
Osweoo, a city, port of entry, and semi- capital of Oswego county, New York, is situated on the S. E. shore of Lake Ontario, and on both sides of Oswego river, 35 miles N. N. W. from Syracuse, and 183 miles W. N. W. from Albany. Lat. 43° 28' N., Lon. 76° 85' W. It is the most populous and flourishing town (belonging to the United States) on Lake Ontario, and is very advantageously situated for trade. The harbor formed by the mouth of the river is one of the best on the lake, and has been improved by the United States Goverment, with a substantial pier about 1200 feet in length. It is defended by Fort Oswego, on the eastern bank of the river. The water within the pier is from 10 to 20 feet deep. The Oswego canal, and the Oswego and Syracuse railroad, of which this is the northern terminus, connect at Syracuse with the Erie canal and the Central railroad. A bridge about 700 feet long connects the opposite banks of the river. The city is handsomely built with streets about 100 feet wide, ... Read MORE...

1868 - March 27 - The Lake Ontario Shore Railroad Company is organized in Oswego, New York.

historyorb.com

1869 - An unknown benefactor in Oswego, N. Y., has directed the distribution of 3,000 loaves of bread to the poor.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 23, 1869

1869 - A diamond ring, which had been lost since the fall of 1823, was found in a well in Oswego, N. Y., a few days ago.


St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
July 3, 1869

1871 - Oswego, N. Y., manufactures annually over 12,000,000 pounds of starch.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
June 17, 1871

1888 - COASTING ACCIDENT - A Bob Running at the Rate of Seventy-five Miles an Hour Collides With a Load of Timber.
OSWEGO, N. Y., January 16. - Benjamin Sawyer, one of the young men injured in the coasting accident Saturday evening, is dead and one or two others are liable to die. There were ten person on the bobs. The hill where the accident occurred is very steep and was one mass of ice, and the bobs were running at least seventy-fire miles an hour. Near the bottom of the hill they ran into a heavy load of timber, knocking it into a ditch. Every person on the bobs were rendered insensible from the force of the collision and some were horribly cut and mangled. Sawyer, who died, did not regain consciousness, both hips being broken and the bones driven into his abdomen. He was married on New Year's day. It required 100 stitches to sew up the cuts in John Mallot's abdomen and his arm was broken and his head cut. George Sawyer, brother of the dead man, has a fractured skull. Others are in bad shape. The City Council set aside the hill where the accident occurred for coasting. The farmer who owned the ... Read MORE...

1888 - On the 12th Frank Donovan, aged ten years, was shot and killed at Oswego, N. Y. by Lewis Clark, aged thirteen years, while playing with a gun.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
June 16, 1888

1895 - Oswego
The town of Oswego, situated in the northwest corner of the county and lying wholly within the old Military Tract, was erected from Hannibal the 20th of April, 1818. May 20, 1836, a trianglar tract bordering the river at Minetto was annexed from Granby. March 24, 1848, that part of Oswego city lying west of the river was taken from the town, thus leaving the town its present area of 20,536 acres. It is bounded on the east by Oswego city and Scriba, on the south by Granby and Hannibal, on the west by Sterling, Cayuga county and Lake Ontario, and on the north by the lake and Oswego city.

The surface is gently rolling and in some places quite broken, the whole having a northerly or northeasterly inclination. Abrupt bluffs border the lake and river and afford considerable picturesque scenery. The soil is a productive gravelly loam underlaid with a red sandstone of the Medina formation, which frequently appears in boulders and waterworm pebbles. The principal streams are Eight-Mile,... Read MORE...

1895 - Oswego
Oswego, a city and port of entry, capital of Oswego co., N.Y., is situated on the S.E. shore of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Oswego River, which divides it into two nearly equal parts. Lat, 43°28' N.; lon. 76° 33' W. By railroad it is 35 miles N.N.W. of Syracuse, 243 miles N.W. of New York, and 182 miles W.N.W. of Albany. It is the most populous city on Lake Ontario, except Toronto, Canada. It has a good harbor, which is formed by the mouth of the river, is sheltered by long and costly piers, on two of which light-houses have been erected, and is defended by Fort Ontario. The water in the harbor is from 10 to 20 feet deep. Oswego is the northern terminus of the Oswego Canal, which connects at Syracuse with the Erie Canal, and is connected with New York City by the New York, Ontario & Western Railroad, the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western Railroad, and the Rome, Water town & Ogdensburg Railroad. The latter is now a part of the New York Central system, and is leased to the Central... Read MORE...

1896 - Big Blaze at Oswego.
OSWEGO, N. Y., Sept. 21. - At an early hour yesterday morning fire destroyed the entire plants of the Silver Metal company and the Seliger Toothill Novelty company, together with the three-story block of Timoth Donovan and the houses of Patrick Murray and William Grant. The loss will probably aggregate $100,000. Two hundred and fifty hands are thrown out of employment.
North Adams Transcript
North Adams, Massachusetts
September 21, 1896

1899 - BURNED TO DEATH - In a Hotel Fire - Others Fatally Injured.
HERALD-STAR Special Telegraphic Service.

OSWEGO, N. Y., June 21. - The Eagle hotel, a three-story wooden structure, was gutted by fire this morning. Mrs. Rachel Ding, 60 years of age, was burned to death, and five other persons received severe injuries from burns or jumping from windows. The injured are:

Mrs. Doyle, wife of the proprietor, severely burned; her infant daughter thrown from window; Cora Doyle, aged 18, burns; Fred Johnson and James Bachman, burned and bruised. Johnson is probably fatally injured.

The fire started in the kitchen and spread rapidly, cutting off the escape of the 15 persons. The firemen were promptly on the scene and rescued all alive but Mrs. Dieg. She was taken from the building by Fireman Wood, but life was extinct when the ground was reached. The property loss is about $2,000.
Steubenville Daily Herald
Steubenville, Ohio
June 21, 1899

1906
Oswego, a city and port of entry, capital of Oswego oo., N.Y., is situated on the SE. shore of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Oswego River, which divides it into two nearly equal parts, 35 miles NNW. of Syracuse, on the New York Central and Hudson River and other railroads. It has a good harbor, which is formed by the mouth of the river, but the commerce is comparatively unimportant, although the city has large shipments of grain, lumber, and coal. The site of this city is elevated and moderately uneven, and is bounded on the S. by a bluff (or escarpment) which is 160 feet higher than the lake and affords good situations for residences. Several bridges cross the river and connect the eastern and western portions of the city. The principal public buildings are the city-hall, court-house, government building, state arsenal, and post-office. Oswego is the seat of the Oswego State Normal and Training School. Within the city limits the river has a fall of 34 feet, affording immense... Read MORE...

1907 - GIRL STUDENTS ESCAPE FIRE. ONE IN OSWEGO STATE NORMAL SCHOOL LEAPS FROM WINDOW.
Oswego, N. Y., Sept. 23. - Fire in the Welland, a four-story wooden and stone building used as a dormitory by young women students at the Oswego State Normal School, caused 100 girls to flee from their rooms in haste early today. The fire was discovered in the laundry, in the basement of the building. Soon the first and second floors were filled with smoke. The preceptress, MISS ELIZABETH HATMER, was overcome by the smoke, her room being located directly above the laundry.

Attaches of the building sounded the alarm and awoke the young women students. Many of them escaped in night attire, while others hurriedly dressed. The stairways and fire escapes were soon crowded, but the coolness displayed by the girls prevented a panic. MISS MAJOR, one of the students, leaped from a second-story window into a court. She was stunned by the fall, but her injuries are slight. Policemen and firemen assisted many of the inmates to escape from the building.

The fire was soon brought under... Read MORE...

1957 - GAS BLAST IN TUNNEL FATAL TO 4.
Oswego, N.Y. (AP) - An explosion tore through a tunnel cut in rock 100 feet below Lake Ontario and killed three construction workers yesterday. The blast turned the 6,250-foot tunnel into a gas-filled death trap that claimed another worker's life today.

The fourth man was overcome as he worked with a crew trying to bring out the bodies of the three blast victims early this morning.
Further efforts at retrieving the three bodies were called off until ventilating equipment could be installed.

LLOYD MATTESON, 32, of nearby Scriba, one of the approximately 100 workers who labored at the scene, ran out of oxygen about 1,500-feet inside the gas-filled tunnel. Fellow workers said he started running back toward the entrance, apparently became panicky and tore off his oxygen mask. Then he collapsed.

Two Coast Guardsmen working with rescue crews found the bodies of the three construction men last night, eight hours after the explosion. The bodies were about 4,000-feet inside the... Read MORE...

January 27, 1966 - Oswego, NY, was in the midst of a five day lake effect storm which left the town buried under 102 inches of snow.

WeatherForYou.com
January 27, 1966

Whether you're a local looking for something new or a visitor exploring the town, here's a list of places to go and things to do in Oswego:
Fort Ontario State Historic Site: Start your visit with a trip to Fort Ontario, a historic site that dates back to the 18th century. Explore the well-preserved fort, which played a significant role during the American Revolution and the War of 1812. It's not only a great place to learn about history but also offers picturesque views of Lake Ontario.

Oswego Harbor: The harbor area is a hub of activity with marinas, fishing charters, and beautiful views. Take a leisurely stroll along the waterfront, enjoy a picnic, or simply watch the boats go by. You might even catch a breathtaking sunset over the lake.

H. Lee White Maritime Museum: Learn about the maritime history of Lake Ontario and the region through engaging exhibits at this museum. It's a great place to discover the vital role of shipping and transportation in the development of Oswego.

Richardson-Bates House Museum: Explore this elegant Victorian mansion, which offers a glimpse into Oswego's past. The museum features... Read MORE...