History of Ithaca, New York, USA

1854 - Ithaca
Ithaca, a post-borough, capital of Tompkins co., New York, in the above township, on both sides of Cayuga inlet, about a mile S. from the head of Cayuga lake, and 162 miles W. by S. from Albany. It is finely situated on a plain, and on the lower declivity of the hill, which encloses it on all sides except the N., rising gradually to the height of 400 or 500 feet, and commanding an extensive view of the picturesque scenery for which Cayuga lake is remarkable. The town is regularly laid out and handsomely built. It contains churches of six or seven denominations, two banks, and an academy. One daily and two weekly newspapers are published here. Steamboats ply daily from this town to the foot of the lake, and connect with the main lines of travel and transportation. The Cayuga and Susquehanna railroad connects it with Owego, and another railroad extends northward to Auburn and Lake Ontario. Fall creek, which enters the lake at this place, furnishes abundant water-power. Among the... Read MORE...

1869 - Ladies are to be admitted to Cornell University next fall.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
January 30, 1869

1869 - Cornell Gift
The entire gift of Ezra Cornell to the Cornell University, at Ithaca, N.Y., will amount to about $2,500,000. Ten years ago or so, Ez. could not pay his grocer's bill.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
March 13, 1869

1880 - Ice Cream Sundae
1880: Buffalo, NY; Evanston, IL; Two Rivers, WI; and Ithaca, NY all claim to have invented the ice cream sundae. Wherever it happened, it first started appearing in soda fountains during the 1880's. It was invented because ice cream sodas weren't allowed to be sold on Sundays; the ice cream sundae was a way to circumvent that restriction.

The Old Farmer's Almanac www.almanac.com

1880 - 160 Canary Birds
Mrs. Ellis, of Ithaca, N.Y., has one hundred and sixty canary birds chirping away in the same room. She says she is low-spirited and keeps them to chirrup her existence.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
June 19, 1880

1888 - Fell Through Ice
At Ithaca, N.Y., on the 12th E. S. Nevins, of Orange, N.J., a student and Maggie Sullivan, a teacher, broke through the ice while skating and were drowned.
St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
December 15, 1888

1889 - Walking Race
Joe Snyder, aged eighty years, and Henry Baker, aged seventy-six years, walked a four-mile race at Ithaca, N.Y., on the 19th. Snyder won, making the distance in 43 1/ 2 minutes.

St Joseph Herald
Saint Joseph, Michigan
February 23, 1889

1895 - Ithaca
Ithaca, a handsome city, the capital of Tompkins co., N.Y., is nearly 1 mile from the head or S. end of Cayuga Lake, 37 miles S. of Auburn, 40 miles E.S.E. of Geneva, and about 35 miles N.N.E. of Elmira. Three streams, named Cayuga Inlet, Fall Creek, and Six Mile Creek, here enter the lake. Ithaca is built partly on an alluvial plain, and partly on the slopes of high hills which enclose that # on all sides except the N. and are nearly 600 feet higher than the lake. Few towns in the state enjoy such beautiful and picturesque scenery. The long, deep, and narrow lake is a link in the chain of the inland navigation of the state, and communicates with the Erie Canal. Steam boats ply daily between this place and the village of Cayuga. Ithaca is the S. terminus of the Cayuga Southern Railroad, and is on the Utica, Ithaca & Elmira Railroad, which connects here with the Geneva, Ithaca & Sayre Railroad. Another railroad (a part of the Delaware, LackaWanna & Western Railroad) extends from this... Read MORE...

1906 - SEVEN DIE IN CORNELL FIRE. MRS. FISKE'S BEAUTIFUL CHAPTER MANSION BURNED. THREE FIREMEN VOLUNTEERS CRUSHED UNDER WALLS - STUDENTS ENTRAPPED.
Ithaca, N. Y., Dec. 7. - Seven persons met death this morning in the worst disaster that ever befell Cornell university. Three of the victims were volunteer firemen and four were students. The firemen were all prominent in this city.

They were:
A. S. ROBINSON, attorney.
JOHN RUMSEY, hardware merchant.
ESTY LANDON, salesman.

The students were:
O. L. SCHMAUCH of Hanover, Pa.
G. W. GRELLE of South Orange, N. J.
W. F. NICHOLS of Chicago.
J. M. M'CUTCHEON of Pittsburg.

The cause of the fire is unknown. The money loss is nearly $200,000. The burned building was built by Jennie McGraw Fiske, the benefactress of Cornell, whose will was contested by her husband, Prof. Willard Fiske. Mrs. Fiske died abroad before the building was completed. It was a beautiful structure of sandstone, handsomely decorated and finished within with marble and mahogany. The walls, which were of rubble masonry, collapsed under the flames and high wind, leaving only a heap of ruins.

When the fire... Read MORE...

1913 - ENGINEER, KNOCKED FROM ENGINE, NARROWLY MISSES DEATH UNDER OWN TRAIN.
Ithaca, Sept. 23. - Knocked from the running board of his engine while the train was running through the Lehigh Valley yards at a rate of about twenty miles an hour, DAVID E. WALLACE, engineer on train No. 301, which leaves this city for Auburn at 7:30 A. M., sustained a compound fracture of his left arm and narrowly escaped death under the wheels of his own train.

The accident happened as the train was passing the plant of the International Salt company. WALLACE noticed that the pump, located on the right side of the engine forward of the cab, was not working properly, and he went out on the running board to adjust the apparatus.

While working at the pump the engineer leaned a little too far out from the engine and a box car standing on a side track near the salt works struck him, breaking his left arm at the elbow so that a portion of the bone protruded through the flesh.

The blow knocked the engineer to the ground, and when the train had been stopped by the fireman and... Read MORE...

1916
Ithaca, a city, the capital of Tompkins co., N.Y., is situated at the head or S. end of Cayuga Lake, 37 miles S. of Auburn, on the Lehigh Valley and the Lackawanna Rs. Three streams, named Cayuga Inlet, Fall Creek, and Six Mile Creek, here enter the lake. Few towns in the state enjoy such beautiful and picturesque scenery, abounding in waterfalls and cascades. The celebrated Taughanic (or Taughannock) Fall, with a vertical plunge of 215 feet, is 9 miles N. of the oity. The long, deep, and narrow lake is a link in the chain of the inland navigation of the state, and communicates with the Erie Canal. Steamboats ply regularly between this place and the village of Cayuga. The city has manufactures of flour, paper, barrels, autophones, organs, cigars, carriages, farming-implements, iron castings, machinery, traction-engines, guns, clocks, type-writers, etc. It has also important coaling interests. Ithaca is the seat of Cornell University (non-sectarian), organized in 1865 and endowed with... Read MORE...

2023 - Whether you're a nature enthusiast, a foodie, or a history buff, Ithaca has something to offer everyone. Here's a list of places to go and things to do in Ithaca:
Taughannock Falls State Park: This park boasts one of the most spectacular waterfalls in the area. You can hike to the base of the falls or enjoy the stunning view from the overlook. It's a must-visit for nature lovers.

Cornell University: Take a stroll through the beautiful campus of Cornell University. Don't miss the iconic McGraw Tower, which houses the Cornell Chimes, and the Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art, featuring a diverse collection of artworks.

Ithaca Commons: The Ithaca Commons is a pedestrian-friendly street filled with shops, restaurants, and boutiques. It's the perfect place for shopping and enjoying local cuisine.

Cayuga Lake: Ithaca is located on the shores of Cayuga Lake, one of the Finger Lakes. You can rent a kayak, go fishing, or simply relax by the water. There are also several wineries along the Cayuga Lake Wine Trail worth exploring.

Buttermilk Falls State Park: Another beautiful state park with hiking trails and waterfalls. It's a great spot for a ... Read MORE...