In a significant move to honor Utica’s deep historical roots, Liberty Bell Park has officially been renamed Lafayette Square following a unanimous 9-0 vote by the Utica Common Council. This change not only reflects the city’s appreciation for its past but also prepares for the upcoming bicentennial of General Lafayette’s visit to Utica in 1825.
For over seventy years, the origins of basketball have been hotly debated. While the official story credits Dr. James Naismith with inventing the game in 1891 at the Springfield YMCA in Massachusetts, a growing body of evidence suggests that the true birthplace of basketball might be Herkimer, New York.
Abolitionism: The Underground Railroad in Upstate NY The Underground Railroad was part of the abolitionist movement to eliminate slavery in America. In the state of New York, organized abolitionism began in Oneida County in the early 1830s. Local activists were inspired by the words and examples of Beriah Green and his students at the Oneida…