The Hubbard Block contained Mendelsohn’s Gentleman’s clothing store as well as Porter and Porter Law offices (on the second floor) and  G. W. Schmid had a jewelry, clock and silverware shop (below). In this photo,  Issac Mendelsohn is at the far right; William Arnot is next to him. Note the wooden mannequin in between them, and the wooden sidewalk. Mr. Mendelsohn, born in Kovno Russia, came to America in 1885 and began his career in northern NY as a peddler with a backpack.  After two years, he employed a cart and horse, and after seven years (in 1895) opened his first Carthage store.  He was located in the Hubbard Block for 31 years and the next eight in the Schmidt Block.  He died in 1952 at the age of 90. This photo was taken circa 1900. Carthage, NY. Courtesy of the Arnot Collection.

For more on peddlers, check out this full North Country at Work story.

Caption info compiled by Lynn Thornton, Laura Prievo, and Harold Sanderson for the Images of America book Around Carthage and West Carthage.