Town of Moriah Historical Society

The Town of Moriah Historical Society organized in October 1992 to collect and preserve old photos, historical information and items that have significance to our community's history. Some of these will be on exhibit in our headquaters at the IRON CENTER. The Society is active in preservation, geneology, and education.

Moriah has a very rich and versatile heritage. After the Treaty of 1763, soldiers were given land by King George for their service in the French and Indian War. Iron ore was discovered, lumber & grist mills sprang up, farms started, furnaces were built, and the shipping of ore started, first by water and then by railroad.

Trains outside the LCM shop, going into Sandy Beach - April 1965 photo loaned by Chuck Porter

Many families came to work in the iron ore mining industry, which flourished from around 1824-1971. Mines were privately owned, then became the property of Witherbee-Sherman & Co., and finally in 1938, Republic Steel Corporation. In the late 1800's and early 1900's most of the large hotels, homes, churches, and schools were built, many still existing today.

In the early 1900's, ice fishing became quite an industry. Ice fish (smelt) were shipped to the better restaurants in New York City & Boston, so that people there could sample these sweet-tasting delicacies. Ice fishing is still quite a popular sport. Once the lake freezes in January, one by one, shanties are towed onto the lake. Soon there are little villages of them all around Port Henry. People warm themselves with little stoves and holes are cut in the floors of the shanties. Fishermen sit on benches and fish through the holes, using special poles.


When movie making was in its infancy in the early 1920's, Port Henry had a filmmaking studio here for a few years known as "ARCTIC CITY". "The Perils of Pauline" series was shot here. Many of the stars stayed at the LEE HOUSE, a lovely hotel on Main Street which is still standing.

You've heard of the Loch Ness Monster. We have "CHAMP" the Lake Champlain monster, as seen on Unsolved Mysteries. Many people have seen what they believe to be an elongated humpy creature with a head shaped like a snake or horse. Champ is very elusive but has appeared in the Bulwagga Bay area, which is at the southern part of Port Henry.

Town of Moriah Historical Society Publications

Sale of these publications will benefit the Historical Society.

“HISTORIC MORIAH CALENDARS”
1996 through 2005 Historic Moriah Calendars are available at $3.00 each, plus postage.

 2006 Calendars are $7.00, plus postage.

The 2007 Calendars will be $7.00, plus postage, when ready in December.

These calendars have local historical photos and tidbits of other local information on each month's page. Local businesses place their ads in them, therefore lending support to our organization.

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“Brief History of St. Patrick's Church - 150th Anniversary - 1854 - 2004”
by Joan A. Daby, Historian
($5 each, plus postage)

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“PORT HENRY HIGH SCHOOL”
Excerpts from Bulwaggian yearbooks from 1917 thru 1968
Edited by David Donahue, RA Press
($27 each, plus postage)

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“TOM TYLER” (Comic Book)
by Calvin Castine, Arto Monaco & Sid Couchey
($7.50 each, plus postage)

“TOM TYLER Too” (Comic Book) - a larger second edition
($12.00 each, plus postage)

Benefit from these sales (when enough are sold), is to put up a marker in Witherbee near where Vincent Markowski (aka Tom Tyler) was brought up and also a marker for Johnny Podres of the 1955 Dodgers' fame, to be placed near where he grew up.

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“THE HISTORY OF PORT HENRY, N.Y.” - 1931 Edition
by Charles B. Warner & C. Eleanor Hall
(Facsimile reprint available from us at $25, plus $2 postage)

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“THROUGH THE LIGHT HOLE”
by Patrick Farrell
A story of the iron ore industry in the Adirondacks,
much of which was here in the Town of Moriah.
(This book also can be obtained from us at $25, plus $2 postage)

  “Iron Center” T-Shirts 

T-shirt sales will benefit the Iron Center Museum.

Please Note:  Photos may not accurately depict true colors as described above.

Front

Front

Back

Back

Shirts come in Medium, Large, X-Large and XX-Large. They are priced at $12 each and $10 each in quantities of 2 or more (plus postage if sent by mail).

All  items can be obtained by writing or phoning:
THE TOWN OF MORIAH HISTORICAL SOCIETY
43 Bridge Street
Port Henry, NY 12974

Checks to be made out to:  Town of Moriah Historical Society/Iron Center Fund.

You may also phone the Iron Center at 518-546-3587 or Joan Daby at 518-546-7524.