Farming was making news in northern Otsego County in the summer of 1944, from preserving its history, to advancements in technology.
As appropriately reported in The Otsego Farmer of June 30, “Residents of Cooperstown and vicinity have patiently waited an opportunity to visit the Farmers’ Museum, which is housed in the Fenimore Farm building north of the village on the Lake Road.
“Through the months of July and August it will be possible for visitors to see the main exhibition hall, in which are housed the craft implements and farm tools which have been collected over the past year and a half. The people of Otsego County have generously given or loaned many important items which are significant pieces in the historical story which is being told. It is through their interest and enthusiasm that many fine early items have been unearthed.
“The Farmers’ Museum was established in October, 1942, as a memorial to Edward Severin Clark, brother of the donor, Stephen C. Clark, and is administered by the New York State Historical Association, of which Miss Janet K. MacFarlane is acting director. Mr. Edward Clark was sincerely and enthusiastically devoted to agriculture and was deeply interested in the work of the Otsego County Agricultural Society, of which he was president from 1918 to 1932.
“The cow barn has been converted into the main exhibition hall and will provide a surprise for those who knew it in the early days. Here is an art gallery and display of the struggle of the early families for a living. There is a display of lumbering, shingle making and other uses of wood such as carpentry, cabinet making and coopering. There are displays of the uses of leather in harnesses, glove, and saddle making. The process of making a felt hat or a straw hat is shown as is that of preparing a broom for use. One of the most interesting displays is that of a small forge which is set up with various blacksmith tools and the products of the blacksmith’s hammer and anvil.
“The creamery has been converted into a library and room for cataloging accessions. Miss Vivien Smith and Miss Patricia Kimball will be stationed there and will guide visitors through the museum as will George Campbell, who has been in charge of the Farmers’ Museum collections and who has arranged the displays which will be seen this summer. He has been assisted by Charles VanHorne and other employees of the Fenimore Farm through the winter and spring months. The plant remains under the supervision of Leon H. Ellsworth.”
These remained the only two buildings at the museum until after World War II, when buildings around the region were dismantled and brought here and reconstructed into the Crossroads Village seen today.
While farming history was being preserved, farming was also moving a big step forward in technology.
As the Farmer also reported on June 30, “By the simple act of closing a switch Saturday afternoon at Oaksville, David Brown of Oneonta, president of the Otsego Electric Cooperative, placed into operation the new farmer-owned electric system that brings electric power to eighty-nine farms in Otsego, Richfield and Exeter townships in Otsego county and Columbia township in Herkimer county.
“The all day and evening celebration of the completion of the line which has been under construction for some time, started in the morning at Oaksville with more than 250 members of the cooperative and their families present.
“Rain kept attendance down, but failed to affect the enthusiasm of the gathering. After the energization the cooperative provided a buffet lunch at its headquarters at Hartwick, followed by speeches and motion pictures in the afternoon, a ‘House of Magic’ demonstration in the early evening, ending with a dance in the Hartwick hall. At least 500 joined the evening celebration.
“The ‘March of Time’ motion picture crews recorded parts of the energization and the dance, and took many pictures at the farms and homes of the cooperative members during Saturday and Sunday.”
On Wednesday, a look at our local life and times during August 1974.