Hungry elephants at Utica Zoo, President Wilson's letters: This week in Mohawk Valley history

Frank Tomaino

1968, 56 years ago

More bananas, please

Asiannie, the young elephant that has become the main attraction at the Utica Zoo, is growing so fast, she has been moved from the Wildlife Building to larger quarters. And what an appetite she has! In recent weeks, she has eaten 3,240 bananas, 70 bales of hay, 120 pounds of sugar, 540 pounds of carrots, 366 pounds of cereal, 3,240 apples and 283 pounds of Karo syrup.

Major General Dan Butterfield, co-composer of the bugle call “Taps” who fought in many battles during the Civil War, was born and grew up in Utica. He is buried in the cemetery at West Point. The monument over his grave is the largest and most ornate in the cemetery—35 feet high with 16 columns.
Major General Dan Butterfield, co-composer of the bugle call “Taps” who fought in many battles during the Civil War, was born and grew up in Utica. He is buried in the cemetery at West Point. The monument over his grave is the largest and most ornate in the cemetery—35 feet high with 16 columns.

1924, 100 years ago

Wilson letters

Woodrow Wilson, 28th president of the United States from 1913 to 1921, dies at age 67. The Utica Observer-Dispatch soon will publish letters Wilson once wrote to Charles A. Talcott, mayor of Utica in 1901 and again in 1903. Wilson and Talcott have been close friends since their days together at the College of New Jersey (today Princeton University). Both graduated in June 1879. The two Democrats saw each other often in Washington when Wilson was president and Talcott was the congressman from Utica.

1949, 75 years ago

Davies elected

Harold Davies, of Sauquoit, is elected president of the Oneida-Herkimer district of the Dairymen's League Cooperative Association. He succeeds Milburn Huntley, of West Winfield.

1974, 50 years ago

Willowvale elects

Charlie Kuhn is elected chief of the Willowvale Volunteer Fire Department. Meanwhile. James Halligan, former chief, is honored by the department for his 18 years of service.

In other news, Owen A. Roberts, former instructor of English at Utica Free Academy and later Utica College (today Utica University), speaks to members of the Knights of Pythias in Utica on "The Confessions of a Mad Teacher.”

1999, 25 years ago

Hospital mergers

The Faxton - St. Luke's Healthcare Foundation is formed by merging the foundations at the two hospitals. Don Edmunds is elected president. Other officers: John Storey, vice president; Carol Gilberts, secretary, and Rocco Arcuri, treasurer. Staff members include Debra Altdoerffer, vice president of communications and development; Darlene Barber, director of development at the Faxton campus; Eileen Pronobis, director of development at the St. Luke's-Memorial Hospital Center campus, and Andrea LaGott, Children's Miracle Network and special events coordinator.

Ronald Roman is elected chief of the New York Mills Vounteer Fire Department. Others elected include: assistant chiefs Robert Glenn, Mike Wolak, the Rev. Val Krol and Dr. William Ryan; lieutenants Jim Tooney Jr., Marcel Wrobel, Joe Riopel, Dean Chrzan and Joseph Cotrupe Jr.; captains Kevin Gubbins, Joe Rzepka, Rick Ulinski, Ed Chamberlain and Dan Britt. Civil officers elected include: Rick Suskie, president; Josh Briggs, vice president; Andy Egresits, treasurer; Joseph Cotrupe Jr., corresponding secretary; Mike Furman, recording secretary; Robert Brykala, chairman of the board; and trustees Joe Hammond, Ken Czupryna, Tom Wadas and John Montrose.

2014, 10 years ago

Zoo's birthday

The Utica Zoo is celebrating its 100th birthday this year. Executive director Andria Heath says, "This is a very special anniversary for the Utica Zoo, and we are thrilled to be able to share all of the great things that are happening here with the entire community." The zoo, in Roscoe Conkling Park, now has 200 animals. Events planned for this year include the annual Easter egg hunt; the popular Wine in the Wilderness, wine-tasting event, and the Spooktacular Halloween celebration.

In high school basketball, Thomas R. Proctor High wins its eighth in a row by defeating Henninger High of Syracuse, 64-63. Senior guard J'von Evans scores on a driving layup with seven seconds remaining after a last second steal by Trayshawn Hymes. Evans finishes with 21 points. Tyvon Reed adds 19 and Clifton Tracey has 11.

Trivia Quiz

This man served for nearly 11 years as the country's secretary of state, longer than any person in U.S. history. Name him and the president who first appointed him to the cabinet. (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week's question: When Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat, was sworn in as 32nd president of the United States on March 4, 1933, he appointed to his cabinet a woman (Frances Perkins as secretary of labor); two Republicans (Harold L. Ickes as secretary of the interior, and William H. Woodin as secretary of the treasury), and a Progressive (Henry Wallace as secretary of agriculture).

This Week in History is researched and written by Frank Tomaino. E-mail him at ftomaino221@gmail.com.

This article originally appeared on Observer-Dispatch: Utica Zoo celebrates 100 years this week in Mohawk Valley history

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