North Country At Work

Workers outside a foundry in Potsdam. Note tools for grabbing hot metal held by two of the workers. Circa 1880-1890. Potsdam, NY.

Surveying class—and teacher–calculating latitude at the Clarkson School of Technology. 1908. Potsdam, NY.

Steam engine test at Clarkson School of Technology. 1900- 1910. Potsdam, NY.

The ladies’ lingerie business Sweetser (sic) & Son  opened in 1901 by Thomas M. Greig and developed into the Greig Muslin Underwear Co. The factory was located at 5-7 Maple Street, in the Manley Block on Fall Island. Some years later, G. E. and J. Sweetzer opened their men’s shirt manufacturing business at the same […]

Stone cutters outside the Clarkson Sandstone Cutting shop on Pine Street. Stone for home and business foundations, walls, sidewalks, and architectural elements was cut here. The Clarkson company also worked marble. The cutters are representative of various immigrant groups that had recently come to America, including the French, Irish, and Italian. The shop was in […]

Stone workers at Stowell Annex, Main Street in 1888. Work began on a sandstone annex to connect via a corridor to the original Potsdam Normal School building. The annex was named for Dr. Thomas Stowell, an innovative early administrator at the normal school. Part of the new annex contained a gymnasium. Stowell promoted the importance […]

A crew of stone workers, in the process of building a large stone foundation pose for a portrait. Man in white shirt sitting in the center is Jack Burnham. Other workers unidentified. Circa 1900-1910. Hermon, NY.

Luthier Dave Nichols standing in his shop, Custom Pearl Inlay. 2017. Malone, NY. Photo taken by Andy Flynn. For more about Nichols’ love of building guitars and doing custom inlay projects, check out the full North Country at Work story here.

Butcher Art Charland, second from left, poses with some of his co-workers at Swift & Company in Saranac Lake, where he was the superintendent for 35 years. The tools he is holding are now on display at his grandson Dave Walker’s butcher shop in Lake Placid. Circa 1950s or 1960s. Saranac Lake, NY. Photo donated […]

Deb and Jim Morris, owners of Barkeater Chocolates, inside their shop in North Creek. 2018. North Creek, NY. Photo taken by Andy Flynn. For the full story on Barkeater Chocolates, read it here.