This week’s question: It’s Christmastime in turn of the century Baldwinsville. This village church is generously festooned with yards of lush evergreen garland. Can you identify the church?
Last week’s answer: The photo last week shows William H. O’Brien at his desk in the Weighlock Building on East Water Street in Syracuse. O’Brien worked there from 1912 to 1915 as assistant superintendent for the entire Erie/Barge Canal system.
Built in 1850 as a weighlock to collect tolls on the Erie Canal, the building was converted to state use after canal tolls were abolished in 1883.
In 1962, the building began its new life as the Erie Canal Museum. Today a full size replica of the mystery photograph has been created as an exhibit in the canal museum.
A staunch Democrat, O’Brien assumed his position upon the opening of the central section of the canal in 1912 when Democrat Thomas Conway was governor. O’Brien’s tenure concluded in 1915 with the election of Republican Gov. Edward Schoeneck.
O’Brien’s involvement in politics was lifelong. In 1901 he had become chairman of the Democratic Committee of the Town of Lysander, a post which he held for the rest of his life some 41 years later.
His career with the state canal system covered 32 years of service, beginning in 1910 when he was appointed superintendent of repairs for the middle division of the state canal system. His service to the state resumed in 1922 with his appointment as superintendent of supplies for Lock 24 here in Baldwinsville, a post which he still held at the time of his passing.
O’Brien and his wife Margaret had four children, three of whom followed in their father’s footsteps as politically active and civic minded members of the Baldwinsville community. Their son, D. Charles O’Brien, became an attorney and a member of the state legislature. Son William H. O’Brien Jr. was appointed postmaster of Baldwinsville and was later succeeded in that position by his sister Margaret.
Members of St. Mary’s parish, the family resided in the handsome brick home at 9 Virginia St. which would remain in the family until shortly before Margaret’s death in 1990 at the age of 95. Margaret sold the family home complete with its contents to a member of the Wilder family, dear friends and Baldwinsville supporters. It was through the Wilder family that the Canal Museum received a copy of our mystery photo and was able to recreate the scene as a permanent exhibit.
Email your guess to [email protected] or leave a message with your guess at 315-434-8889 ext. 310 by noon Friday. If you are the first person to correctly identify an element in the photo before the deadline, your name and guess will appear in next week’s newspaper, along with another History Mystery feature. History Mystery is a joint project of the Museum at the Shacksboro Schoolhouse and the Baldwinsville Public Library.
