Listen as Christina Knott explores the history of a Watertown native who survived the tragic early death of both her husband and daughter, and find out why her headstone here at Watertown North Cemetery from nearly 100 years ago still has no date of death.

This episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other. Browse our new merch at Society 6.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram; email us at [email protected]. To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

You can also follow our affiliate link to get a free audio book from Audible.com and try it out for 30 days. Enter our promo code "secondlook" at Audible.com or visit www.audibletrial.com/secondlook.

Christina Knott talks with Dennis O'Brien about Watertown native and amazing all-around athlete from the 1920s, Vic Hanson.

We are recording from our home "studio" this week, and fair warning ... the audio isn't great. We'll make some improvements before next time. Meanwhile, everyone stay healthy!  

This episode is edited by Christina Knott. Music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Browse our merch at Society 6.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram; email us at [email protected]. To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

You can also follow our affiliate link to get a free audio book from Audible.com and try it out for 30 days. Enter our promo code "secondlook" at Audible.com or visit www.audibletrial.com/secondlook.

Looking for a home with history? Two different castles are up for sale in the Thousand Islands region. While both homes go back to the Guilded Age, they have drastically different stories that illustrate the region's history.

Hopewell Hall is part of what was called millionaire’s row, a stretch of lavish homes and castles inhabited by affluent families such as the John Rockefellers, the Pullmans (Pullman railroad car), the Bournes (Singer Sewing Machine), Edward Noble (Life Saver’s candy), Andrew McNally (Rand McNally maps) and others, who traveled from New York City and Chicago alike to find a peaceful and beautiful area for their summer homes. 

Carleton Island's Wyckoff Villa has a much sadder tale of death, destruction and neglect.  

Listen as Kelly Burdick and Christina Knott explore this part of north country history, one you could own for yourself, for the right price.

This episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other. Browse our new merch at Society 6.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram; email us at [email protected]. To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

You can also follow our affiliate link to get a free audio book from Audible.com and try it out for 30 days. Enter our promo code "secondlook" at Audible.com or visit www.audibletrial.com/secondlook.

Cures for the new coronavirus are everywhere ... as long as you aren't concerned with whether they work. Kelly Burdick and Christina Knott discuss how scammers from 100 years ago compare to today.

We get a visit via telephone with friend of the show, Dennis O'Brien for his ever-present opinions on the subject.

And Kelly concludes with some sound advice about victory gardens. Enjoy!

This episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other.

Browse our humble merch page at Society 6.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram; email us at [email protected]. To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

You can also follow our affiliate link to get a free audio book from Audible.com and try it out for 30 days. Enter our promo code "secondlook" at Audible.com or visit www.audibletrial.com/secondlook.

Stuck at home without much to do now that Covid-19 has forced us all into social isolation? Curious how this compares to past outbreaks? It's on all our minds, too. And we have some answers.

Kelly Burdick and Christina Knott talk about a past outbreak, the 1918 influenza epidemic, known as the Spanish flu. Why was it so devastating? How does it compare to today's outbreak?

Stay home, relax and listen (and stay safe) as we discuss.

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This episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other.

Browse our humble merch page at Society 6.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram; email us at [email protected]. To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

You can also follow our affiliate link to get a free audio book from Audible.com and try it out for 30 days. Enter our promo code "secondlook" at Audible.com or visit www.audibletrial.com/secondlook.

Chris Brock takes the lead in this interview with Cheri L. Farnsworth, author of a multitude of books about Northern New York history, about her newest book: "Historic North Country Disasters."

In it, she compiles both the man-made and natural disasters that shocked the North Country in the hundred years between 1850 and 1950.

Why is she drawn to dark topics? What did she learn about life a hundred years ago? What is her process of writing? Listen in as she tells us.

Episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other. Browse our new merch at Society 6.

Follow us on @SecondLookHistory on Facebook and Instagram, or email us at [email protected] to share feedback or your own tales from history. 

To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

The Perpetuball Motion Machine at the Salmon Run Mall in Watertown, N.Y., has been a popular attraction since the building first opened its doors in 1986. 

Today, Christina Knott and Kelly Burdick learn more about the machine, its artist and the perpetually popular kinetic art installation. 

Episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other. Browse our new merch at Society 6.

Follow us on @SecondLookHistory on Facebook and Instagram, or email us at [email protected] to share feedback or your own tales from history. 

To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

We're back!

Sickness, snow and school breaks have slowed us but not stopped us. Kelly Burdick and Christina Knott talk about the news and history connections that happened throughout the month of February from the corona virus and the Spanish flu and how the city's pigeon problems compare to crows today. And more.

We also get a visit from a surprise guest that you don't want to miss. Subscribe now (and rate and review) so you don't miss an episode. 

Episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other. Browse our new merch at Society 6.

Follow us on @SecondLookHistory on Facebook and Instagram, or email us at [email protected] to share feedback or your own tales from history. 

To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

Kelly Burdick and Christina Knott talk about the controversial north country character, Melvil Dewey, who created the method of organization for libraries still in use around the world today.

In the north country, he also founded the Lake Placid Club in the Adirondacks and helped bring the 1932 Winter Olympics to that area.

At the same time, Melvil Dewey is a problematic figure. Just this past year, the American Library Association voted to drop his name from its highest awards, the Melvil Dewey Medal.

Although Melvil founded the organization, the resolution called for the removal of his name from the award, due to behavior he demonstrated for “decades” does not represent the “stated fundamental values of ALA in equity, diversity, and inclusion.”

Listen as Christina and Kelly talk about this complicated character.

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This episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other. Browse our new merch at Society 6.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram; email us at [email protected]. To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

You can also follow our affiliate link to get a free audio book from Audible.com and try it out for 30 days. Enter our promo code "secondlook" at Audible.com or visit www.audibletrial.com/secondlook.

For more information, follow our sources:

American Libraries Magazine

Wikipedia: Melvil Dewey

NNY Living

Smithsonian Magazine

Think you know where your breakfast came from? This past week, Watertown lost a historic building with ties to one of the original American cereals. 

Kelly Burdick and Christina Knott untangle the soggy origin of Shredded Wheat, from Watertown to Niagara Falls and beyond. 

Episode is edited by Christina Knott. Intro music is "Nobody Calls It San Fran" by Coyote Hearing. Outro music is "The Papergirl" by The Whole Other. Browse our new merch at Society 6.

Follow us on @SecondLookHistory on Facebook and Instagram, or email us at [email protected] to share feedback or your own tales from history. 

To subscribe to the Watertown Daily Times at NNY360, visit nny360.com.

You can also follow our affiliate link to get a free audio book from Audible.com and try it out for 30 days. Enter our promo code "secondlook" at Audible.com or visit www.audibletrial.com/secondlook.

NOTE: The book we mention in the episode is "Starvation Heights" and can be found here. Don't forget our promo code "secondlook" to help support the show.

SOURCES:

"Historic building on Factory Square demolished" by Craig Fox

Wikipedia articles on Henry Perky and Shredded Wheat.

Topher's Breakfast Cereal Character Guide

Now We Know 'Em

"Falls, Shredded Wheat Share Centennial"