Main Street Malone, NY had been my hometown since 1980. It has a world class golf course headed by PGA president Derrick Sprague, a beautiful ski resort and masses of wilderness. Little else except wonderful people I love to pieces. Few people knew of its existence until the recent manhunt for convicted killers Richard Matt and David …[ read more ]

On May 27, 1870, five hundred additional Fenians reinforced the straggling,  poorly trained group at Leahy’s farm in Trout River. They were well situated behind a ditch in a hops’ field, had a stout barricade across the highway and woods and the river on their flanks. Had they been well trained and well led, they could …[ read more ]

Fenian raids (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Fenians arrived in Malone expecting to find arms awaiting them. Wrong. The US government had confiscated most of them along the border. Thus, unarmed, the Fenians thought it best to not attack Canada in 1866. Border agents seized a trainload of arms in Watertown. The Fenians recaptured them. Once more, in …[ read more ]

Canadian Home-Guard defending against Fenians in 1870. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The Canadians worried about an attack by the Fenians from the States. As early as November 1865, they placed troops at the borders and kept them on duty. In March they asked for 10,000 volunteers to guard the border and got 14,000. Eventually, they let their …[ read more ]

On August 25, 1851, Malone formed its first agricultural society. It was too late in the year to have a fair, so the first Malone County Fair was held the following year, in October, and ran only two days. About seven acres of land was leased from William Andrus (of which Andrus Street–aka the River …[ read more ]