Recent articles by Steve McMahon

Looking Backward: ‘Who’s Minding The Store?’ 06/08/10
There’s a little hamlet in the very northwest corner of the Town of Lysander. For more than 100 years, there’s been a...

Looking Backward: ‘Charlie Lowe, Muleskinner and Sharpshooter’ 05/26/10
Baldwinsville celebrates Memorial Day this Sunday May 30. This column is dedicated to our local veterans, more than 100...

Looking Backward: Carpe Diem, Baldwinsville! 05/12/10
The Seneca River is a favorite of fishermen, beginning with those whose camps lined its banks long before Baldwinsville...

Looking Backward: ‘Barge Into Baldwinsville’ 05/05/10
Our village marks a milestone this week, when a local landmark celebrates its centennial. One hundred years ago this...

Looking Backward - A Salty Tale 04/15/10
History explains why the metropolis to our east is called the “Salt City” and its main thoroughfare, “Salina Street.”...

Irza's art recalls historical J-E area 04/08/10
“Looking Backward” is a regular feature in the Baldwinsville Messenger. Contact McMahon via e-mail at...

Looking Backward - Irza’s Art 03/29/10
Back in January, I had the good fortune to purchase a remarkable work of art. Like most artwork, its charm derives from...

Lysander schoolhouse cornerstone discovered 03/23/10
Lysander Fire Department plans picnic dedication for this summer The schoolhouse that served the Lysander hamlet for...

Looking Backward: Pheasant Dog Capital of the World – Part II 03/16/10
Last week, we learned that our community’s former claim to fame is thanks to the Three Rivers Wildlife Management Area....

Looking Backward - Pheasant Dog Capital of the World Part I 03/11/10
Approach our community from almost any direction and you’ll notice signs encouraging you to “Lock into an Experience.”...

Looking Backward - Something’s Up on Downer Street – Part II 02/22/10
Last week, we recalled two seemingly unrelated events, both of which occurred right here in upstate New York circa...

Looking Backward: Something’s Up on Downer Street – Part One 02/17/10
Spiritualism swept across the western world in the second half of the nineteenth century. As a movement, its popularity...

Looking Backward: A Tragedy In Crow Hollow – Part Two 02/02/10
This column concludes the tale “A Tragedy in Crow Hollow.” Aptly named for its abundant black birds, Crow Hollow sits...

Looking Backward: A Tragedy In Crow Hollow – part one 01/26/10
Gerry and Rosalyn Reeves Snow recently hosted a reunion of sorts in their Iona Corners home. Ostensibly, it was a...

Looking Backward: The Hawley Home at Highland Farm 01/12/10
I close every column in the same way. “If you have questions about this story or suggestions for future ones, please...

Looking Backward: The Curious Case of Charlie Blake – Part II 12/28/09
This week we conclude “The Curious Case of Charlie Blake,” whose lovesickness hit him right in the midst of the holiday...

Looking Backward - The Curious Case of Charlie Blake 12/21/09
In his 1835 poem, “Locksley Hall,” Alfred Lord Tennyson penned the immortal words, “In the spring a young man’s fancy...

Looking Backward - Some Peace for the Old Presbyterian Burying Ground 12/14/09
It’s now the second Sunday of Advent, a period when most folks prepare for the annual celebration of Christmas. Some of...

Looking Backward: The last man to leave Picketville 11/25/09
The idea of discovering a lost world has intrigued storytellers for years. Authors like Jules Verne and Arthur Conan...

Looking Backward: The Provenance of a 50-Acre Plot of Land: Part 2 11/12/09
This week’s column provides the conclusion to last week’s story, “The Provenance of a 50-Acre Plot of Land.” As I...

Looking Backward: The provenance of a 50-acre plot of land: part 1 11/09/09
If old photographs are windows into the past, then old letters are doorways. I was fortunate enough a few years ago to...

Plainville Fire District may raze old schoolhouse 10/20/09
The old schoolhouse of the Plainville Union School District may soon fade into our collective memories. My story...

Looking Backward - A bridge to the other side 10/13/09
We’re blessed by an abundance of water in Baldwinsville. Because we live in a temperate rain forest, our predictable...

Looking Backward -Tales of Whiskey, Warblers and Walks in the Woods 09/11/09
What is it about Whiskey Hollow that has fascinated folks for so many years? Is it the unusual name, the rich history,...

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