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Borough celebrates Ogdensburg Day

| 22 Sep 2015 | 06:03
    Organic potatoes were for sale from Nedeca Castle Farm of Ogdensburg.
    Organic potatoes were for sale from Nedeca Castle Farm of Ogdensburg.
    The smooth jazz sounds of Inner Vision breeze across the field, from left, Tim Deaver, Zack Fischer, Sean Farrelly and Jamie Heston.
    The smooth jazz sounds of Inner Vision breeze across the field, from left, Tim Deaver, Zack Fischer, Sean Farrelly and Jamie Heston.
    Dominic and Anna Zampella demonstrate how to shoot flintlock guns.
    Dominic and Anna Zampella demonstrate how to shoot flintlock guns.
    The Royal Express train circles the ball field with passengers.
    The Royal Express train circles the ball field with passengers.
    U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen encourages Ogdensburg Historical Society President Wasco Hadowanetz andd his wife, Sylvia, to preserve oral transcripts.
    U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen encourages Ogdensburg Historical Society President Wasco Hadowanetz andd his wife, Sylvia, to preserve oral transcripts.
    Sarah Patrucci lasts the longest on the mechanical bull.
    Sarah Patrucci lasts the longest on the mechanical bull.

There was something for everybody at the sunny, almost autumn Ogdensburg Day celebration.

Ogdensburg residents relaxed in the joys of small-town living, while learning about their history and current events in Washington, D.C.

Mayor Steve Ciasullo confirmed he and the Borough Council are committed to having a day every year to celebrate the Ogdensburg community. Councilman George Hutnick chaired the parade, while Councilman Robert Hutnick chaired the field events.

Children played in enormous bouncy houses, were thrown off a mechanical bucking bull, won goldfish at the Ogdensburg Teacher's Association booth, were in wonder of the Mini-Horse Merry-Go-Round, balanced on the Super Surf, and rode a train circling the ball field.

Residents learned the Ogdensburg Emergency Squad needs volunteers; and bought crafts, jewelry, ice cream, organic potatoes, and more.

Others brushed powdered sugar off their shirts from sweet Boy Scout funnel cakes. The smooth jazzy sound of Inner Vision's own “Fall Back and Find Me” song gently breezed across the field to the Ogdensburg Historical Society booth.

U.S. Representative Rodney Frelinghuysen (R) encouraged the President of the Ogdensburg Historical Society, Wasco Hadowanetz, to preserve the oral history of older Ogdensburg residents.

The borough started at the Sterling Hill Mine. Freddie Lubbers explained that the mine built the town in the 1700s. Ogdensburg did not mine sterling silver, but world famous fluorescent minerals. More than 365 minerals have been discovered so far; and the world is still trying to figure out what happened on the “hill” of Ogdensburg.

In between jokes, President and Chief Executive Officer Bill Kroth and Tom Hauck also manned the Sterling Hill booth. Throughout the day, Hauck modeled different historical mining hats lit by: carbide, tallow or a thick grease, and electric.

Continuing on the timeline, Dominic and Anna Zampella demonstrated how to load flint and lock guns, shoot, and start fires from a flint and steel. In the 1750s to 1770s, Ogdensburg was considered part of the frontier. Even the women knew how to shoot because the French and Indian War began in the 1750s.

— Story and photos by Vera Olinski