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One of the best parts of doing research about your family’s ancestry/genealogy is getting to go see those very places that you’ve heard so much about. However, sadly many places are not the same as when your ancestors once lived there. For instance, my grandma and grandpa met while working at The Strand Movie Theatre. Unfortunately, there was a fire in 1972 and it was destroyed. So the second-best option (especially when we’re on lockdown and unable to get out to see the sites ourselves) is to surf the net! It’s amazing what historical societies have managed to put together from glossaries of photos and stories about the township.
So take a journey with me back in time to Ogdensburg, St. Lawrence County, New York, where my ancestors hailed from.
Table of Contents
Some Historical Dates Relating to Ogdensburg
1817: Incorporated as a village
1868: Chartered as a city
1940: Site of The Ogdensburg Agreement signed by FDR and Canadian Prime Minister King. The agreement renewed the ties between the two countries after the outbreak of World War Two.
1960: Ogdensburg-Prescott International Bridge was constructed
Notable Residents of Ogdensburg
Rick Carlisle, NBA player/coach (Dallas Mavericks)
Jimmy Howard, NHL goaltender (Detroit Red Wings)
John Mosher, film critic for The New Yorker
Mark Valley, an actor known for Boston Legal
A Walk Through Ogdensburg
Hepburn Hospital
If you were born in Ogdensburg in the 1950s, you likely were born at Hepburn Hospital.
Hepburn Hospital was the first hospital in St. Lawrence County opening in 1885 as the Ogdensburg City Hospital and Orphan Asylum. It was managed by the Grey Nuns, Sisters of Charity, until 1976. In 1918 to A. Barton Hepburn Hospital to honor a local banker and donor. Today the hospital is now called Claxton-Hepburn Medical Center.
St. Mary’s Academy
Perhaps your family was Catholic? If so, there’s a good likelihood you attended St. Mary’s Academy. Sadly it has since shuttered its doors and little information can be found. My grandmother was a member of the class of 1950.
The Strand Theatre
Were your ancestors teenagers in Ogdensburg? Perhaps their Friday night hang out was The Strand Theatre where my grandma and grandpa worked in the early 1950s. The movie theatre opened on January 24, 1917 and sadly closed after a fire destroyed it on October 16, 1972.
Sacred Heart Chapel
If you were to do a search for the Catholic church in Ogdensburg you’d come up with the current St. Mary’s Cathedral. But where would people be married and/or christened before that? Sacred Heart Chapel on Hamilton Street. The present St. Mary’s Cathedral was erected in 1950 and consecrated on October 22, 1952.
Sadly I’ve been unable to find a photo of the Sacred Heart Chapel parish. If you stumble across one, please share to [email protected]. Thanks!
St. Mary’s Cemetery
Finally, if you had relatives buried in the Catholic cemetery in Ogdensburg – it was probably at Saint Mary’s Cemetery, where my great grandparents, Hildred and Charles Connors, were buried in 1943 and 1955.
Sharing is Caring
I hope you’ve enjoyed this walk down memory lane. Do you too have family from Ogdensburg? Have you been able to find historic photos of your ancestors’ hometowns?
This is such a cute idea for a virtual tour. I love looking at architecture and the style of old buildings.
I love architecture too! There is something so romantic and fascinating about exploring old buildings and envisioning those who previously lived or worked there.
Fascinated by history and old buildings, as anyone who has seen my Instagram would testify, these are sooooo cool
A visual tour back in time is something very fascinating to me I would love to see this for thank you
It´s amazing that you learn more about your ancestors and get to discover many new places! I´ve never heard of Ogdensburg!
Thank you for sharing a part of your family’s history. You are so lucky for having this story.
This is a very informative and historical read. After reading this, I am gonna keep Ogdensburg in my tour list. I think it’s a hidden gem of a location.
amazing. what a fun way to travel back in time and know these places. 🙂 thank you for sharing!
so much fun to learn about the history of cities. we did a tour of NOLA and learned so much about it. it was a blast.
It is neat to look back and learn about the history of a city. I am Upstate and didn’t know too much about Ogdensburg.
I like the history lesson. I am not familiar with this town but I like all of the famous people you have noted and important events in town. I appreciate learning something new.
Thank you for this awesome post! this truly took me back in time for a wonderful virtual tour!
I’m always open to listen the history. Good read!
Ogdensburg sounds like such a charming city. It’s a shame what happened to the Strand Theatre. Just curious – is there a bridge that connects to the Canadian side?
That’s so cool that your grandparents worked at the theater. I am a big fan of hearing history behind a place.