Potsdam

Red sandstone, lumber, paper, cows, and college students feature prominently in Potsdam. With its selection of two hundred stunning photographs, the book records aspects of life in Potsdam from the mid-1800s to the mid-1900s. Located on the Racquette River between the St. Lawrence River and the Adirondack Mountains, the town is one often that were created in 1787 to promote settlement of New York State. Education has played an important role in Potsdam since 1816, when St. Lawrence Academy opened. The success of the academy led to the establishment in 1866 of a normal school, the forerunner of Potsdam College, with its renowned Crane School of Music.

Potsdam’s vintage images were drawn from the excellent collection of the Potsdam Public Museum, and the historical narrative was written by museum staff. The museum was founded in 1940 to collect, preserve, and interpret local history and the decorative arts. It is housed in the former First Universalist Church, now part of the Potsdam Civic Center.