Earlier this month I wrote about a ghost hunt that was scheduled for MacDonough Hall in Plattsburgh. The local newspaper ran a story about the paranormal investigation the day before it took place, which was this past Friday night. Results were shared with "a packed audience of students and interested community members Saturday afternoon." The Northern NY Paranormal Research Society has not posted any details of their findings on their own website and have labeled the investigation as "inconclusive". However much more is revealed in a second article in the local newspaper:

Friday night, McKee, along with a few other investigators and five students, spent nearly four hours investigating the alleged hauntings.

Equipped with electromagnetic field meters, digital thermometers, cameras, voice recorders, compasses and pendulums, the group walked through the dorm and then divided into groups of two, fanning out to what are allegedly the most haunted places -- the basement, third floor and attic.

McKee played the three audible noises on the recording -- all of which occurred within the first six minutes of documenting the attic.

McKee said about the first sound, a female's voice that softly whispered a one-syllable word that sounded like "wait" or "hate."

Read more in the Press Republican

Labels: Plattsburgh

I haven't blogged in 10 days because there was nothing going on that I felt was blog-worthy. Then this great gem fell into my lap... Ghost Hunt in MacDonough Hall!

One of my most popular posts ever was and continues to be my post on SUNY Plattsburgh Trivia. Several of my statements had to do with the tales of MacDonough Hall being haunted. Through research which included directly contacting credible experts (I'm not disclosing my sources yet) I was able to positively declare that the stories that the catacombs beneath MacDonough used to be the old city morgue were flat out not true. However, two interesting facts were relayed to me. First is that human remains were discovered on the construction site when MacDonough Hall was built. Second, that MacDonough Hall was built near the site of "an original hanging grounds". I thought that the use of the words "an original" rather than "an old" was odd but I didn't want to bother my source more than I already had.

Today a Mr. Merrill McKee posted the following comment to my SUNY Plattsburgh Trivia post:

Hello there. I am President and Founder of the Northern NY Paranormal Research Society. On Oct. 19th we will be investigating the claims of ghosts haunting MacDonogh Hall. ANd to BanksHallRA, we have bveen granted access to the catacombs. On the 20th we will be presenting our findings and answering general paranormal questions in the lounge of the Hall on the first floor.

Man is this story not absolutely perfect with Halloween coming up? I can't wait to read about their findings. I will post a follow up.

Labels: Plattsburgh

Good news from my alma mater, SUNY Plattsburgh.

PSUC [Plattsburgh State University College] accepted a record-setting low 49.4 percent of applicants for the incoming class of 2007. The numbers represent a more than 13 percent drop in acceptance in just two years.

From 1994 to 2003 the school was ruled with an iron fist by President Horace Judson, who proceeded to drag down what was once a highly respected institution with a myriad of scandals, controversies, unethical practices, financial mismanagement, and politically motivated agendas. Students, faculty, and alumni all rejoiced when he resigned. One of the many horrible things Judson did during his tenure was to drastically lower the standards for acceptance in to SUNY Plattsburgh, making it easy for just about anybody to get in. (I don't even want to get into the reasons why he intentionally did this, but it wasn't for money.) And so after I graduated, the excellent reputation of my alma mater soon suffered.

In 2004 the college hired John Ettling as its new president, and everything I've heard about him and his work has been a huge improvement. This brings me back to the recent good news that not only has Ettling reversed the detrimental enrollment policies of Judson, but he's set the highest standards for admission in the 100+ year history of SUNY Plattsburgh. Thank you Mr. Ettling, because the perceived value of my diploma is directly affected by the continued reputation of my alma mater, long after I've graduated.

Here's a link to the news article but you may need to register.

Labels: Plattsburgh

Living in Charlotte, North Carolina, very few people have ever heard of my Upstate New York alma mater of SUNY Plattsburgh. Today we all met the new General Manager for both stations and it turns out that he is a SUNY Plattsburgh alumnus too. He graduated 11 years before me and was also in a (rival) fraternity. Small world. What are the odds?

Labels: Plattsburgh, work

Congrats to SUNY Plattsburgh. Last night the Plattsburgh State Cardinals won the Division III Women's Ice Hockey National Championship. This completed a dominating 27-0-2 season in which the Cardinals became the first team to finish a season undefeated in the history of NCAA women's hockey.

Article Link

Labels: hockey, Plattsburgh

In addition to showcasing the 1946 Huntington Planing Map I blogged about yesterday, I'll also take this opportunity to point out some other historical writings I'm proud to have contributed to Wikipedia.

A few months ago I accidentally discovered an amazing online resource called Northern New York Historical Newspapers. This website has digitally scanned hundreds of old newspapers and made them available in searchable PDF format. Although the olden-day typography causes problems with the text recognition software, you are able to find "today's news" from 140 years in the past - like a time machine.

Before the Press Republican, Plattsburgh, New York was covered by a newspaper known as the Plattsburgh Sentinel (1866-1931). Since I went to school at SUNY Plattsburgh, I decided to check out the headlines from the day my alma mater was founded. (Yes, this is where I got much of my information for my previous blog post on SUNY Plattsburgh Trivia.) I was surprised to find that the date on SUNY Plattsburgh's official logo was actually a year earlier than the school really opened. After that it became a history treasure hunt and I eventually contributed my research to Wikipedia. Here's an excerpt from the History of SUNY Plattsburgh:

... On January 26, 1929, a great fire completely destroyed the Plattsburgh Normal School. The fire started in the boiler room on a cold Saturday morning. Aided by high winds, the entire structure was fully engulfed in flames within a half-hour. Six children were rescued from the school by faculty members.

Classes resumed the following Wednesday at City Hall in downtown. By June of 1930 plans were presented for a new structure to replace Normal Hall. The new building would be twice as long and boast three times the capacity of the original building. ...

So it began with the history of SUNY Plattsburgh but I soon realized that the quaint, picturesque, harbor side town of Northport, New York (next to where I grew up on Long Island) had a rich history that was also being ignored by Wikipedia. So I found reliable sources and composed the History of Northport, New York. Here's an excerpt:

... By 1837 the village finally became known as Northport, although the village was not formally incorporated until 1894. The reason for this name was never officially documented but coincides with the rapid growth of port-related industries. By 1840 the region had shifted away from its farming roots as shipbuilding became the community's primary industry. Northport's shipbuilding boon lasted a half-century, but waned in the late 1800's as steel-hulled ships began replacing the wooden vessels produced in the village. ...

Since my hometown of East Northport shared so much history with neighboring Northport, it was only natural for me also write the History of East Northport, New York. Although the history isn't nearly as rich, one interesting thing I discovered was the little known fact as to why the town was named East Northport even though it actually located south of Northport. Here's an excerpt:

... In 1868 the Long Island Railroad opened a station within the village of Northport. However, just a few years later the LIRR decided to move the Northport station to a new location in Larkfield to facilitate further railway extension to Port Jefferson. The new railway station located at Larkfield Road and Bellerose Avenue opened on January 13, 1873. Although the station retained the name of Northport, train conductors would refer to it as "East of Northport" because the station was located east of the railway junction which used to direct trains north to the old station located in the village of Northport. Despite the fact that East Northport is actually south of Northport, the area became known thereafter as East Northport. The Larkfield Post Office formerly changed its name to East Northport in 1910. ...

Labels: history, internet, Long_Island, Plattsburgh

Since last month's post, "SUNY Plattsburgh Trivia", turned out to be so popular I decided to do another round. With all the good trivia gone, I've always wondered what the stories were behind the names of some of the buildings around SUNY Plattsburgh. Some were obvious and some were surprising. I admit I couldn't find the meanings behind every campus building so if you can fill in some of the blanks, please shoot me an email.

Residence Halls
Adirondack Hall: Named for the nearby Adirondack Mountains.
Banks Hall: Named in memory of Dr. Marie Banks, professor of home economics.
deFredenburgh Hall: Named for Count Charles deFredenburgh, who was the first European settler in the area. He was the founder of a settlement called Freburg which occupied the sight of present day Plattsburgh.
Harrington Hall: Named for Charles M. Harrington. Harrington was a prominent attorney and judge in Plattsburgh, who served in the New York State Legislature and the College Council.
Hood Hall: Named for Diana R. Hood, a former residence hall director and Dean of Women from 1964 to 1969.
Kent Hall: Named for James Kent. Kent was a local attorney who served on the Supreme Court and authored the book, "Commentaries on American Law." This book is considered one of the most widely used legal references by the American Bar Association.
MacDonough Hall: Named for Commodore Thomas MacDonough, commander in charge of the American forces who were victorious over the British in the Battle of Plattsburgh in 1812.
Macomb Hall: Named for General Alexander Macomb. General Macomb directed the American Land forces against the British in the Battle of Plattsburgh in the War of 1812.
Mason Hall: Named for Ernest S. and Frederick E. Mason. Both were former local businessmen and members of the college council.
Moffitt Hall: Named for local Civil War hero Brigadier General Stephen Moffitt. After the war, Moffitt became a State Assemblyman who was influential in passing legislation to establish a Normal School in Plattsburgh.
Whiteface Hall: Named for Whiteface Mountain, famous as the skiing venue for the 1932 and 1980 Winter Olympics in nearby Lake Placid.
Wilson Hall: Lewis W. Wilson. Mr. Wilson was associated with the New York State Education Department for 43 years and served as Commissioner of Education from 1950-1955.

Classroom Buildings:
Beaumont Hall: Named for Dr. William Beaumont, known as the "Father of Gastric Physiology".
Champlain Valley Hall: Named for the Champlain Valley region which surrounds Lake Champlain.
Hawkins Hall: Named for George K. Hawkins, the principal of Plattsburgh Normal School from 1898 to 1933. Hawkins Hall replaced the original Normal Hall.
Hudson Hall: Named for George Henry Hudson, who served as Professor of Natural Science from 1890-1926.
Memorial Hall: (unknown, but possibly a memorial to a war.)
Myers Fine Arts Building: Suggested to be named for John H. Myers, a prominent businessman and local politician in Plattsburgh during the late 1890's.
Redcay Hall: Named for Dr. Edward "Doc" Redcay, president of the college from 1952-1954.
Sibley Hall: Named for Margaret Sibley, a long-time teacher in the Campus School when it was located in Hawkins Hall.
Ward Hall: Named for Dr. Charles C. Ward, the fourth principal of the Plattsburgh Normal School.
Yokum Hall: Suggested to be named for George E. Yokum, a former music teacher.

Resource Buildings
Angell College Center : Named for Dr. George Angell, president of the college from 1954-1974.
Kehoe Administration Building: Suggested to be named after Harry P. Kehoe, a prominent Judge in Plattsburgh who was appointed Deputy Attorney-General for the State of New York in the early 1920's.
Feinberg Library: Named for Benjamin F. Feinberg. He was a prominent Plattsburgh native and New York State Senator who sponsored the 1948 legislation creating the State University of New York system.
Saranac Hall ("The Bookstore"): Named for the Saranac River which runs along the southern border of the campus.

Dining Halls
Algonquin Dining Hall: Names for the native American tribes indigenous to the region.
Clinton Dining Hall: Named for Clinton County.
The Sundowner Cafe: Named as such because it was originally supposed to be open significantly later in to the evening than other dining facilities.

Other Random Stuff Around Campus
Amité Plaza: This area between the Angell College Center and the Myers Fine Arts Building is named after its huge metal sculpture of two people shaking hands. Amité is french for Amity, which means "peaceful relations, as between nations" and the sculpture represents the friendly relationship between the U.S. and Canada.
Ronald B. Stafford Ice Hockey Arena: Stafford was a popular and influential New York State Senator, representing the North Country for 37 years.
Chip Cummings Baseball Field: Alumnus of 1956 who was instrumental in baseball returning to Plattsburgh as a varsity sport.
Albert R. Montanaro Television Studio: Montanaro is a current Professor who was instrumental in building the Communications Department.
Willard C. Flynt Commons ("The Blue Room"): Flynt was a former VP for student affairs.
Draper Avenue: Named after Judge Andrew S. Draper, former State Superintendent of Public Institution who was instrumental in bringing the Normal School to Plattsburgh.

Labels: Plattsburgh, trivia

I present this extensive list of useless yet interesting trivia about my alma mater, SUNY Plattsburgh. Send a link to this post to other Plattsburgh State alumni you know!
_{( The URL of this post is http://www.mikesussman.com/blog/2007/01/suny-plattsburgh-trivia.php )}

Updated 2/27/08

• Before the State University of New York System was founded, SUNY Plattsburgh was named the Plattsburgh Normal and Training School, a teaching and nursing school.
  
  
• Teaching is still the largest major at SUNY Plattsburgh.
  
  
• The original Plattsburgh Normal School was a two-year non-selective institution. To demonstrate how non-selective it was, the requirements for enrollment were as follows:

  To gain admission to the school, pupils must be at least sixteen years of age, and must possess good health, good moral character and average abilities.

  
  
• If the Plattsburgh Normal School had not been built, Plattsburgh would most likely have had settled for a state insane asylum instead. (Insert your own jokes here.)
  
  
• The Plattsburgh Normal School burned completely to the ground on January 26, 1929. It took more than three years to replace the original structure.
  
  
• Often mistaken for Hawkins Hall, the structure on the left side of the current SUNY Plattsburgh seal is actually the central tower of Normal Hall.
  
  
• Also seen in the official seal is the year 1889. It was founded in 1889 but the school didn't actually open for classes until 1890.
  
  
• In 1904, Plattsburgh was shut out by Potsdam in a basketball game by a score of 123-0. Now that's what I call an ass-kicking!
  
  
• For decades, Plattsburgh was the #3 nuclear strike target of the Soviet Union, right after Washington, DC and NORAD. Plattsburgh was strategically essential because the quickest route for military aircraft to reach Moscow was over the arctic circle, but those aircraft would need to be refueled along the way by the Plattsburgh Air Base, which specialized in those mid-air maneuvers. The large siren on campus at the intersection of Broad and Rugar was an air raid specifically to warn of a nuclear attack.
  
  
• Due to it's immense dimensions (over 3 miles long) and double-thick tarmac, the runway at the old Plattsburgh Air Force Base was capable of landing the Space Shuttle. That fact had nothing to do with the college but it's still pretty cool.
  
  
• MacDonough Hall has long been rumored to be haunted. The legend is that the basement of MacDonough Hall was once the morgue for the old city hospital that used to exist near Champlain Valley Hall. This story is completely false! MacDonough Hall opened in 1951 as a dormitory and has never served any other purpose.
  
  
• So then what's the deal with the catacombs under MacDonough Hall? Aside from maintenance purposes, the labyrinth of catacombs below the dormitory also served as a network of bomb shelters. (See "Plattsburgh was Soviet target #3") There are several places around the building where you'll find air vents to the underground bunkers.
  
  

• So then what about the ghosts? I'm not about to tell you whether or not MacDonough Hall is haunted but here are two facts to consider:
  1) Two pre-Revolutionary War gravestones were unearthed on the site during the building's construction.
  2) The field behind MacDonough Hall was used as a public hanging grounds for the nearby Plattsburgh Arsenal which was destroyed (along with most of the surrounding area) by the British raid of July 30, 1813.
  3) In October of 2007, "paranormal investigators" were brought in at the request of school R.A.s to investigate reported hauntings in MacDononough Hall. They reportedly recorded a mysteriously unexplained female voice whispering either "wait" or "hate."

• Champlain Valley Hall was once the residence hall for nursing students training at the city hospital which used to exist on Rugar Street.
  
  
• Before Feinberg, Redcay Hall once served as the central library on campus.
  
  
• The college bookstore used to be the campus cafeteria. Before that the cafeteria used to be located in the basement of MacDonough Hall.
  
  
• In addition to a couple of underground tunnels that remain open to students, there is another underground tunnel that connects Algonquin Dining Hall all the way to the Angell College Center. This tunnel is now closed to students and only available to maintenance workers.
  
  
• The Rockwell Kent Art Gallery is the largest collection of Kent's artwork outside of Russia.
  
  
• The Nina Winkel Sculpture Gallery within the Myers Fine Arts Building is the second-largest gallery in North American dedicated to the art of one woman.
  
  
• Yokum Hall was once home to the region's PBS television affiliate, WCFE. In 1987 WCFE moved to a new studio, donating their previous studio and equipment to the communications department.
  
  
• It is a well known legend that if a virgin ever graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh that the eagle atop the MacDonough Monument in downtown Plattsburgh would take off and fly away. The eagle is still there.
  
  
• The campus radio station WQKE "The Quake" used to be known as WPLT "The Pilot" in respect to the Plattsburgh Airforce Base. In 1997 the college sold those call letters to a station in Detroit that wanted to brand itself as "The Planet". Before WPLT, the original campus station call letters were WSUP... as in "WhatS UP".
  
  
• Peter Frampton's classic rock hit song Do You Feel Like We Do, from the best-selling live album of all time, Frampton Comes Alive! was recorded live at SUNY Plattsburgh's Memorial Hall (not the Field House) on November 22, 1975. So next time you listen to that song remember that all those screaming fans are actually SUNY Plattsburgh students.
  
  
• On July 10, 1976, the campus served as the official staging area for the United States Olympic Team before leaving for the Summer Olympics in Montreal. President Gerald Ford visited SUNY Plattsburgh to address the Olympic team at rally outside the Field House.
• SUNY Plattsburgh shut down for an early spring break in 1980 for the Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. Over 800 Plattsburgh students were hired to work at the Olympics, and were bussed back and forth from the campus daily.
  
  
• The reason SUNY Plattsburgh always has spring break during St. Patrick's Day stems from a St. Patrick's Day riot in downtown between drunken students and drunken townies. New York State Troopers had to be called in to restore order, and dozens of students were arrested. Following the melee, the Mayor demanded that the college always hold its spring break to coincide with St. Patrick's Day so that most students would be out of town and away from downtown.
  
  
• Playboy Magazine once named SUNY Plattsburgh one of the top party schools in the entire country. It took the school years to shake that national reputation.
  ^{*[Exact year unknown.]}
  

Want more SUNY Plattsburgh Trivia? Check out "SUNY Plattsburgh Trivia II".

Labels: history, Plattsburgh, trivia