Richard Palmer

32 posts

Miser, a Railroad Dog

This morning I left the elegant coach with its comfortable, high-backed seats, for a trip in the baggage car. . . I wanted to get better acquainted with my friend Miser.

Wreck of The "Janet"

A voyage that started out as a pleasure cruise, to attend a regatta from Kington to Cape Vincent and French Creek (Clayton) on August 14, 1851, came to a tragic end when the yacht Janet overturned during a squall, drowning 17 women and two men

Early Navigation on the Chaumont River, Depauville

To look at the shallow and winding six-mile Chaumont River, running between Chaumont and Depauville, NY, it’s hard to believe that this stream was once navigated by steamboats and even by a sizable schooner.

Clayton's 150th: The Life of Simon G. Johnston

The Life of Simon G. Johnston - Shipbuilding was the major industry and largest employer in Clayton, NY, from the early 19th century to well into the 20th century. . .

Taking the Trolley to Alexandria Bay

One of the first electric trolley lines in northern New York was a line built from Redwood to the village of Alexandria Bay. It was only seven and a half miles long and was built by a group of local investors . .

Steamboat Lady of the Lake Sailed Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River

One of the most popular steamboats on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River in the 19th century was the "Lady of the Lake," of the Ontario & St. Lawrence Steamboat Company.

Wreck of the Steamboat "Martha Ogden" in 1832

The "Martha Ogden", enroute from Oswego to Sackets Harbor on November 12, 1832, was hit by a northwest gale and sprang a leak.

Heyday of the Hay Scows

Hay scows were a product of their environment, floating supplies to the inhabitants of the many islands, and transporting farmers’ produce from the islands to market.

Cadets Spent Summer Sailing the Thousand Islands

The "John S. Parsons" passed the summer cruising up and down Lake Ontario and through the Thousand Islands region, and finally returned to Oswego, where the cadets disembarked and returned to school in time for the opening of the fall term.

Recording History - Schooner Days and the "Picton" by C.H.J. Snider

Author Richard Palmer shares "Schooner Days Project". with C.H.J. Snider's history of the Schooner "Picton" . . .

"A.E. Vickery" Hits a Shoal

One of the most popular dive sites on the St. Lawrence River is the remains of the sunken schooner A.E. Vickery, off Rock Island Light near Clayton.

Captain Best, 'The Hermit of Wigwam Cove'

One of the most interesting characters who once lived in a small cabin at the edge of Lake Ontario on Sandy Pond was Captain George Best, commonly known as the "Hermit of Wigwam Cove."

Cooper's Ark: A Failed Effort of the War of 1812

Wars always inspire people to come up with innovative ways that might possibly bring a quick end to the conflict.