19th century Fort Edward — Thanksgiving hop

Nothing like a lively dance social to work off the turkey dinner.

“Invitations have been issued for the Thanksgiving hop to be given Thursday evening at Harris Place Hall by the Social Club,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported in The Morning Star of Glens Falls on Nov. 27, 1894.

In other 19th century Fort Edward news collected from historic newspapers of the region:

• A sale of chowder, ice cream and cake at the home of Mrs. Dr. R.A. Linendoll raised $47 — the equivalent of $1,676 in 2024 dollars — for St. Jame’s Church.
• “The Republicans of Fort Edward are making arrangements to give vent to their pent-up enthusiasm Saturday evening. A public jollification will probably be had,” The Morning Star reported on Nov. 8, 1894.
• “A force of state hands was engaged yesterday in replanting the East Street canal bridge,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Nov. 15, 1894.
• “Are we to have a driving course on the canal this winter?” the Fort Edward correspondent asked in The Morning Star on Dec. 4, 1894. “If so, our local horsemen should attend to the matter before it is frozen up.”
• “The finest ice that is being cut here is being cut on the reservoir of our village water works,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Feb. 2, 1895.
• “Albert Stewart … left New York City the other evening; reached Fort Edward the next morning; gave some orders at his store house; proceeded to Lake George where he has some men packing apples; returned to Sandy Hill, where he bought a cargo of potatoes; called … in Fort Edward; took the sleeper to New York City; and was attending to business in that city the next morning as usual,” The Morning Star reported on Feb. 4, 1895. “Verily, he is a hustler.”
• “The dance that is being arranged for Thursday evening of next week is not an old-fashioned dance but is known as a compromise dance. The order of the dance will have an equal number of square and round dances,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported in The Morning Star on Feb. 5, 1895.
• “There will be a grand time in the basement of the Methodist Episcopal Church on Thursday evening,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported in The Morning Star on March 25, 1895. “The occasion will be a supper given entirely by the male members of the church for all who eat supper there that evening. All assistance from females in preparing the supper is being rejected.”

The cooks did not disappoint.

“The gentlemen who provided the supper at the Methodist Episcopal Church last evening demonstrated their skill in cookery,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported on March 29. “The event was a success. The chef and garcons enjoyed it, and the ladies had their share of fun, while the church treasury was enriched to extent of $30 (the equivalent of $1,115 in 2024 dollars).”

• “We are in receipt of an invitation to the commencement exercises of the Baltimore Medical College from our townsman, John E. Barby, who is now a full-fledged M.D. Congratulations,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported in The Morning Star on April 22, 1895.
• “New awnings were put up Wednesday in front of the Boston Shoe Store and T. R. Wade’s,” the Fort Edward correspondent reported in The Morning Star on April 25, 1895. “The Paper Makers’ social hop at Harris Place Hall on Wednesday was a decided success and was thoroughly enjoyed by all who attended.”

Click here to read the most recent previous 19th century Fort Edward post.