In the days before mall movie theaters, Syracuse was the home to many classic theaters.

The Erie Canal is a canal in New York that ran 363 miles (584 km) from where Albany meets the Hudson River to where Buffalo meets Lake Erie. It was built to create a navigable water route from New York City and the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes. When completed in 1825, it was the second longest canal in the world (after the Grand Canal in China) and greatly affected the development and economy of New York, New York City, and the United States. Original artwork by Catherine LaPointe Vollmer. Designed and printed in New York State. INTERNATIONAL ORDERS: If the shipping cost ends up less than $50, I will refund you the difference. Listing is for print only, mat and frame are not included unless you choose the framed option- framed in a handmade-in-Brooklyn black frame, with plexi glazing- styles may vary. 11x17" prints printed on extra heavy linen stock for a vintage textured feel. 24x36" poster printed on matte poster paper. Large posters will take additional time to print. Colors may vary due to monitor settings.

Syracuse is an entertainment and cultural hotspot where you can find museums, art galleries, comedy clubs, theaters, and state fairs. Here are 27 things to do in Syracuse NY we know you're going to love.

If you like the idea of going out with others -- particular those with experience -- the CNY Kayakers club has outings every weekend over the summer.

Syracuse, NY. 1514 Park Street. James D. Meehan, Architect, 1910. Post-Standard (Sept. 7, 1910). Syracuse, NY. 1514 Park Street. James D. Meehan, Architect, 1910. Photo: Samuel Gruber 2012. Syracuse, NY. 1514 Park Street. James D. Meehan, Architect, 1910. Photo:Google Streets 2020. Rediscovering Syracuse Architect James D. Meehan by Samuel D. Gruber Since I became president of the Arts & Crafts Society of Central New York in 2018, I've tried to expand the inventory of Arts & Crafts influenced architecture in Syracuse and the region and to identify more of the architects and designers who were influenced by the Arts & Crafts Movement in their work. Thanks to research of Cleota Reed and others we know quite a lot about the life and work of Ward Wellington Ward, but after Ward, the list of local Arts & Crafts practitioners is very small despite the fact the Arts & Crafts-inspired houses are sprinkled in almost every city neighborhood and beyond. Last year we were able to revive knowledge of architects Harry Phoenix, G. Everett Quick, and Francis J. Worth, all of whom designed some Arts & Crafts influenced houses, including bungalows. I am happy to add James D. Meehan to the list. Advertisement from 1910 which ran frequently that year in the Real Estate section of the Post-Standard. Meehan was a very active architect in Syracuse from around 1910 at least through 1949. He worked in both Arts & Crafts-inspired and classical styles. At present we have little biographical information, other than occasional newspaper and architectural magazine notices, so maybe someone who reads this blog will be able to supply more. Meehan seems to have been very busy by 1910, when two examples of his work were illustrated in different issues of the Post-Standard, and other projects were mentioned. The illustrated notices show two different sides of the architect, and both houses still survive, though one was radically altered around 2009. Meehan advertised regularly in the newspaper, so probably the coverage of his work either was a result of the advertising, or vice-versa. One of the 1910 houses remains much as it was when built. It's a good example of local Arts & Crafts style, with variegated roofs, a clipped gable, and a mix of materials; brick, cast block, wood and stucco. This is contemporary with similar early work of Ward Wellington Ward. We know that many of the active Syracuse architects in the early part of the 20th century, and especially the younger generation, were academically trained, and thus were comfortable working in a number of styles. Even Ward, known for his Arts & Crafts and Tudor-inspired designs also worked in the Colonial style, and was also proficient in commercial and industrial design. Just a week after the Post-Standard featured Meehan's Arts & Crafts design for 1514 Park Street, the paper featured another Meehan design, this one for a two-family house with a monumental classical portico supporting front porches. In September 2018, I posted about two-family houses with "robust classicism," focusing mostly on a house on Westcott Street (See: Robust Classicism For Monumental Westcott Flats). In that post I mentioned in passing the once fine two-family home at 519-521 (formerly 511) Euclid Avenue. This has sadly been remodeled, so that the impressive front porches once supported by four columns of monumental Corinthian order are now removed and replaced by a more mundane 2-story arrangement. Syracuse, NY. 519-521 Euclid Avenue (formerly 511). James D. Meehan, architect, 1910. Illustration from Post-Standard (Sept. 14, 1910). Syracuse, NY. 519-521 Euclid Avenue (formerly 511). James D. Meehan, architect, 1910. Photo: SEUNA Syracuse, NY. 519-521 Euclid Avenue (formerly 511). James D. Meehan, architect, 1910. Facade remodeled ca. 2009. Photo: Samuel D. Gruber 2012. The telling newspaper article of September 14, 1910 announcing the Euclid Avenue project identifies the developer, architect, and the builder. The language of the short article tells us quite a bit about the design and appeal two-family houses at this time-but how it was seemingly more prestigious if these two-family houses looked more like opulent (even pretentious) one-family homes. Each apartment was very large and well-appointed. We also learn that by 1910 white was the color for Colonial Revival design. The house was built by Attorney Thomas Ward. James D. Meehan was the architect and Bixby & Co. were the contractors. The 1901 illustration places the house on a flat site, when in fact, there is a considerable rise from the Euclid Avenue sidewalk. Similarly the drawing shows the house with an ample driveway to a large carriage house in the rear, when in fact the house is on a narrow lot with no driveway and there is no sign of an associated rear service building. From Post-Standard (Sept. 14, 1910): The building will be of frame construction and will be a pretentious as the most costly one-family house, which will be the effect conveyed by the design. When completed, the exterior will be painted white in order to more fully carry out the Colonial style of architecture. The apartments, which will be entirely separate, will each contain a large living room, parlor, dining room, kitchen, butler’s pantry, refrigerator room and three sleeping rooms and a bath. There will be massive brick fireplaces in the living rooms. The main rooms will be finished in white enamel with mahogany stained doors. The other rooms will be finished in red oak. The floors will be of oak and birch. The lot is 40 x 130 feet. The classicism of the design was certainly the most popular style for public buildings at the time. We see this in the design for the Temple Society of Concord put forward by Alfred Taylor and Arnold W. Brunner, for which the cornerstone was also laid in September 1910. (That building, whose future is uncertain, was the subject of a public hearing at the Syracuse Landmarks Preservation Board on February 6, 2020). Syracuse, NY. Presentation drawing of planned Temple Concord. The Post-Standard, Syracuse, N.Y. (Sept. 19, 1910) Giving a "Colonial" twist was popular for houses, too. In 1910 Meehan was also responsible for an apartment house with six units on Chemung Street, and a one-family house on Danforth Street. These buildings still need to be identified and we don't know in what style they we designed. Meehan remained an active residential and commercial architect in Syracuse at least through the 1940s. He built a warehouse on Park Street west of Hiawatha Boulevard (demolished) in 1946, and then designed the Pontiac showroom and service center known as the Illington-Bailey Building, one of the first projects built after World War II. That building was built around a series of systems used for showing off new Pontiac automobiles, but also for the safe and efficient servicing of cars. Design and construction required ingenuity because of continuing shortage of material in the post-war period. The building was later substantially altered with it's large windows reduced in size or blocked, but it still stands at South McBride and East Genesee Street. If the ground floor windows were opened the building could return to life for as retail or exhibition space. An article at the time of the building's opening reports interesting "archaeological," finds on the site, what the paper called "slave cellars," but which sound like some sort of brick and arch sub-surface storage center. Syracuse, NY. Illington-Bailey Building, James D. Meehan, architect, 1949. Syracuse Post Standard, (January 29, 1949), Page 14 Syracuse, NY. Illington-Bailey Building, James D. Meehan, architect, 1949. Photo: Google Streetscapes 2020. Syracuse, NY. Illington-Bailey Building, James D. Meehan, architect, 1949. Photo: Samuel Gruber 2016. Syracuse, NY. Illington-Bailey Building, James D. Meehan, architect, 1949. Photo: Samuel Gruber 2013.

Chittenango Falls is located in Madison County's Chittenango Falls State Park. Find out everything you need to know to visit this great spot on Uncovering New York.

Explore Photos from the 1950s' 769 photos on Flickr!

Very hard to find vintage railroad plate from 1942 of the New York Central Railroad in the "Mohawk" pattern in a coral pink color with 4 graduating black bands on the edge with NYC at the top of plate and measuring 10-1/4". There is a factory flaw of a black vertical bar on the top of the plate next to the NYC which can be seen in the photo and there are one or two normal factory "bumps" under the glaze but does not deter from the beautiful look of this plate and there are no chips or cracks. The backstamp on the plate reads: Syracuse China, Econo-Rim W-3, Trade Mark. This unusual plate would be a great addition for a railroadiana collector.

Gloria Wright / The Post-Standard A bee clings to goldenrod in a field in Tully. Native plants such as goldenrod provide nourishment and shelter to Central New York wildlife. Syracuse, NY -- Donald J. Leopold of the State University College...

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Even though it’s not New York City, upstate Syracuse still holds tons of appeal for those wanting to get away from the actual urban hubbub, and enjoy a little of ... Read more

The Taste of Syracuse is the start of summer in New York with food samples from local restaurants and live music the first weekend in June.

A romantic destination to take someone special!

Eighty-two years ago, cops were chasing bootleggers in the Salt City

Chittenango Falls is located in Madison County's Chittenango Falls State Park. Find out everything you need to know to visit this great spot on Uncovering New York.

Visiting the city of Syracuse, New York? Check out this weekend guide to visiting the city and discover how to do your thing.

Spend the day shopping around this enormous market!

Though the university itself is a national name, Syracuse offers plenty to explore beyond the Carrier Dome. Syracuse University is nestled in the heart of Central New York, a stone’s throw away from the Finger Lakes, the Catskills and Adirondacks. Brought to you in partnership with College Vault.

On a lake, on a creek -- sometimes even on a parking lot -- these are places to dine al fresco.

Take a quick day trip or spend a long weekend in the fun Finger lakes town of Skaneateles with this list of things to do in Skaneateles.

Syracuse wedding photographers photograph the very first wedding held at The Sinclair of Skaneateles in Central New York - an industrial-chic wedding venue.

Clarence Congdon. Congdon family photo courtesy of Miranda Hine. Syracuse Architect: Clarence S. Congdon, a Man Who Helped Shape the Eastside by Samuel Gruber I have mentioned architect Clarence S. Congdon (1875-1951) in several other posts, notably last spring when I wrote about the 1000 block of Ackerman Avenue, and also when I wrote about the origins of the bungalow type of houses in Syracuse which begin to get mentioned in the local newspapers around 1910. For example, in September 1910, bungalows are mentioned on both Maryland and Ackerman Avenues on the newly developing Eastside. One of them was listed as an "artistic six-room bungalow," a "short walk from the University," for sale by local architect and developer Clarence Congdon. Congdon was an architect and real estate developer influenced by the Craftsman style of house design. He graduated from Syracuse University’s architecture program in 1897 and was one of several young architects who studied at the University and then made careers in Syracuse. These young men contributed to the growing residential neighborhoods immediately east and south of the “Hill”. We only have reasonably certain attributions for a handful of houses that Congdon designed, but he probably designed and built many more. Denser settlement of Syracuse's Eastside could be realized thanks to the development of the public streetcar system. The Highlands, developed by Maurice Graves in 1872 on a hill southeast of the urban center, was the first subdivision in the area. This was followed by University Heights to the south and east, stretching from Comstock Avenue to Sumner Avenue. In 1902, ninety acres of the original 105-acre parcel was sold to the new University Heights Land Company, controlled by W.F. Rafferty and Maurice Graves, and Clarence S. Congdon brought in as a third partner. Syracuse, NY. 301 Clarendon Street. Congdon House. Clarence Congdon, architect, 1909. In 1909 Congdon built his own house and another on several lots on Clarendon Street (formerly Clarke St), then a high point of the northern edge of the tract. The house is a modest cottage-like structure influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement. In the full spirit of the Movement, the house was designed to exist in a natural setting, though within fifteen years this would be more limited as the area to the south rapidly developed. Early photos show it as the sole house on the hill, and in its isolation, it resembles a house featured in the Craftsman Magazine in 1906, described as “A Craftsman Farm House That is Comfortable, Homelike and Beautiful.” The Congdons previously had lived at the corner of Maryland and Redfield, where their daughter Ruth was born, but moved to the new house shortly afterward. Sometime afterward Congdon apparently left the family and lived elsewhere. Syracuse, NY. 301 Clarendon Street. Congdon House. Clarence Congdon, architect, 1909. Syracuse, NY. 107 301 Clarendon Street. Congdon House. Clarence Congdon, architect, 1909. Photo: Samuel Gruber According to Ruth Congdon (as recounted to Miranda Hine), her father carefully oversaw every aspect of construction, apparently critiquing the mason’s work and having him rebuild a chimney. Inside there are many special touches. Windows open from the bedrooms into the central hall and staircase, providing more natural light into the interior. Low windows in the kitchen were of a size to allow a child to look out. The major changes is the extension of the south shed dormer to expand head room and increase light on the second floor. Congdon did not, apparently, intend the house to sit as it does in relation to Clarendon Street. Though the street was already described as early 1892, and shown on maps, it was not fully pushed over the hillside, at a grade lower than anticipated, until after Congdon’s houses were built. This created a great difference of level between the north side houses and the street, corrected only by the creation of long stairways. Today, the house is reached by many steps. In the early days when grocers delivered to houses, they apparently charged the Congdons (and others) extra for every step. By the mid-1920s the isolated quality had lessened as most building lots in the areas were filled in, and the city purchased the Davis Estate, now Thornden Park. But the rural quality has not been fully lost. The house sits on a wider than usual lot and is set back far from the street. Although the apple orchards of the Davis Estate were replaced with Thornden Park athletic fields, the sense of openness remains. Clarence Congdon and his Daughter Ruth. Congdon family photo courtesy of Miranda Hine. Congdon family photo courtesy of Miranda Hine Ruth Congdon never married and lived in the house until the 1982, when it was sold, and she moved to Brighton Towers. The house was subsequently bought by the Hine family which has lived here since 1983, and to whom Ruth Congdon bequeathed important historic photos. Today, the Congdon House retains wonderful views to the hills to the south. It also looks southwest to the area the Congdon would soon develop, in 1911, as Berkeley Park. On the adjacent lot he built a small Craftsman style cottage which he sold. Congdon designed and built houses on 300 block of Clarendon Street. Syracuse, NY. 307 Clarendon Street. Clarence Congdon, architect, ca. 1911. Photo: Samuel Gruber Congdon also built a small cottage-like house next door to his own. This house, now 307 Clarendon Street, was completed sometime after 1910. Like his own house, this one shows the influence of the Craftsman movement, but this is lightly applied to a simple cottage with a Dutch Revival gambrel roof, a form he'd use again at 113 Circle Road. J. Joseph Hughes, who worked for the Hughes Electric Co. (333 S. Warren), lived at 307 Clarendon, and presumably bought the house from Congdon. Berkeley Park In 1911, Congdon purchased forty-one acres south of Strafford Street from his partners. This was land held by the company for further expansion of the Heights subdivision which is shown on the 1908 map of the city. Congdon radically altered the original design rejecting the grid pattern. Instead, he designed the streets and lots in keeping with the natural topography, including a drumlin. Congdon acted as developer and sales agent for the Berkeley Park Land Company which developed the garden suburb of Berkeley Park. Congdon also designed and built several of the first homes in Berkeley Park, including 107, 113, and 117 Circle Road. These houses combine elements of the Colonial and Craftsman styles. He worked with his former partners to secure sewer service to the new development area and when this was achieved in 1911 development and promotion of Berkeley Park really began. Preparing the land for Berkeley Park. Syracuse, NY. Plan of Berkeley Park. Clarence Congdon, designer and developer. Syracuse, NY. 113 Circle Road. Clarence Congdon, architect. Photo: Samuel Gruber In December 1916, Congdon joined George Bartlett, Grover Bartlett and Edwin Tanner to form Haverling Builders, Inc., of which Congdon was president and manager. The purpose of the business was to "engage in the building of artistic houses in Berkeley Park." The first house to be built by Haverling Builders was at 107 Circle Road and the design is attributed to Congdon. Syracuse, NY. 107 Circle Road. Clarence Congdon, architect, 1916. Photo: Samuel Gruber Syracuse, NY. 117 Circle Road. Clarence Congdon, architect. Photo: Samuel Gruber Congdon conceived and developed Berkeley Park as an exclusive residential subdivision marketed to the middle and upper middle class. It was intended to appeal to both established and young professionals seeking the "best" Syracuse had to offer. When planning the subdivision, Congdon took into consideration the desires of the affluent middle class to escape the growing problems of city living — overcrowding, noise and pollution. The Berkeley Park brochure promised "...no flats, no factories, no saloons, no noise, no smoke, no dirt." Minimum construction costs for set in the protective provisions. These varied, depending on the street, from $3,500 to $5,000. Deed restrictions limited construction to only single family homes and only one per lot, with minimum lot frontages and designated set backs, and barns or garages were forbidden from being built in or near the front yard. Landscape architecture historian and preservationist Chistine Cappella-Peters, who lives in Berkeley Park, helped draft the history of the neighborhood for the National Register Historic District designation, described Congden’s landscape innovations: “Congdon took an extra measure to preserve the visual quality of the subdivision by placing all overhead service at the rear of the lots to eliminate unsightly wires along the streets; in some cases, water and sewer lines also were located here. The hierarchical and curvilinear street system set the subdivision apart from the surrounding older neighborhoods, yet still provided smooth connections to these established areas. Berkeley Drive was constructed with an eighty-foot width, much wider than adjacent Stratford Street or Ostrom Avenue. With its center median, it appeared grander than the established streets to the north and, with its curving alignment, much more private. On this hilly site, no two blocks in the subdivision were laid out entirely at the same elevation and only Dorset Road and Stratford Street were essentially flat. By working with the natural curves presented by the topography, Congdon developed sinuous roads that resulted in irregularly shaped lots. The design relied heavily on terraces, elevated sidewalks, public stairways, and shared alleys and drives. Cast iron handrails provided pedestrian protection along public stairs and walks, and streetlights lit the subdivision." The Berkeley Park Subdivision Historic District was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2002 and is also designated a locally protected historic district. Scottholm In 1919 Congdon went to work as sales agent for the Scottholm Company which had developed the new Garden Suburb of Scottholm, designed along similar lines to Berkeley Park, but covering a larger area and lying further east, jsut over the city line. The suburb covered approximately 49 acres located on the east edge of Syracuse approximately two miles east of downtown. The entire tract had been purchased by Amon Sanderson of the East Genesee Extension Corporation and then developed as “Scottholm Estates,” with an initial layout by landscape architect Arthur C. Comey (1886-1954) in 1914. Scottholm developed along a similar pattern to Berkeley Park with some bigger houses, but employing many of the same architects, including Ward Wellington Ward and Howard Yates. Development was slow duirng the wr year until Congdon got invovled. In this way, even when he was not designing houses himself, Congdon seems to have played a role in encouraging the development of the Arts and Crafts aesthetic and also the increasingly popular Tudor Revival variant. An advertisement states that it is "The Pleasant Spot for your bungalow," and a house very much like Congdon's own is used as the illustration. In fact, few bungalows were built in Scottholm. By 1930 the streets of the first part developed were lined with Tudor, Colonial and even Spanish Revival houses. It is not known what role Congdon continued to play at Berkeley Park but presumably he still had a financial stake in the development until all the lots were filled. After his career as an architect-developer, Congdon worked as an art expert and dealer in Syracuse in the 1930s. Presumably the Depression put an end to his work in real estate. I have not been able to find out anything more of his latter life. He died in 1951 in Detroit, but is buried in Oakwood Cemetery (Section C, Lot 203). If you have information about Congdon or any of his houses please let me know. I want to thank my neighbor Miranda Hine for introducing me to the life and work of Clarence Congdon and sharing many of the Congdon family photos, which she inherited from Ruth Congdon. \\

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Syracuse Salt Potatoes - born as a laborer's quick lunch, become a Central New York fair ground classic. Creamy, moist, and delicious!