Here's what the president said to a crowd on Main Street in Utica | Mohawk Valley history

1861, 162 years ago

These were Abraham Lincoln's words to Utica

February 18, 1861, a date that will live forever in the history of Utica, New York, and Montgomery, Alabama.

On that day at Utica's train depot on Main Street, shortly before noon, President-elect Abraham Lincoln stood on a platform attached to his three-car inaugural train and faced a large crowd gathered at John and Main streets. He was on a 12-day journey from Springfield, Illinois, to Washington, D.C., where he would be sworn in on March 4 as 16th president of the United States.

At the same time in Montgomery, Jefferson Davis was being sworn in as temporary president of the Confederate States of America. The Confederacy was an independent government formed by six Southern states that had agreed to leave the Union — South Carolina, Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, Georgia and Louisiana (followed later by Virginia, Arkansas, North Carolina, Texas and Tennessee.)

Lincoln, in his more than 20 stops and speeches on his journey to the nation's capital, resolved not to mention the South's secession, slavery or rumors that he would be kidnapped or assassinated before he reached Washington. Instead, he met crowds with generalities and humor.

In Utica, he said, "Ladies and gentlemen, I have no speech to make to you. I should have no sufficient time to make one if I had. I have appeared here simply to thank you heartily for the noble reception, to see you and to allow you to see me. I am not sure, but at least as regards to the ladies, I have the best of the bargain. In conclusion, I have only to say farewell." Then he turned to a group of men on the other side of the platform and said, "Gentlemen, I come around to say to you what I did to those on the other side, which was but a few words and I can't say here what I did on the other side. I said that there were so many ladies present that I had the best part of the sight, but bear in mind I don't make any such admissions now." The men laughed.

Then, Lincoln continued his journey to Washington. In Montgomery. Davis told the crowd there, "The Confederacy will fight for independence. We will have that or extermination."

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1923, 100 years ago

Mohawk Valley Historic Association needs funds

The Mohawk Valley Historic Association — with members from the counties of Oneida, Herkimer, Fulton, Montgomery, Schenectady and Schoharie — asks the state for funds to purchase markers to be erected at historic sites in the region and $50,000 to be available in 1927 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the battles of Oriskany, Bennington and Saratoga.

1948, 75 years ago

Major league baseball star dies

William Clancy, a former major league baseball player, dies in his home in Oriskany at age 69. In 1905, he played first base for the Pittsburgh Pirates and later managed Montreal in the International League.

1973, 50 years ago

Kunsela to lead SUNY at Utica-Rome

William R. Kunsela is the new president of SUNY at Utica-Rome in Marcy (today known as SUNY Poly). He has been president of the State University Agriculture and Technical College at Delhi since 1955.

St. Mary's of New York Mills wins the Catholic Youth Organization (CYO) High School Basketball League championship. Players include: Mark Kozien, Walter Krupa, John Konyak, Arthur Misiaszek, Gary Warzala, Kevin Kutas, Tom Szkotak, Dan Kaczor, John Lupinski, Wally Wojnas, Stan Borzendowski and Walter Hanarowicz. They are coached by Dick Kutas and managed by Jim Chrabaszcz.

1998, 25 years ago

Heart Run & Walk thriving

The area's 24th annual America's Greatest Heart Run & Walk now raises more money than any heart run in the country. Its 7,049 runners and walkers bring in $667,341. The WIBX Radiothon brings in $115,103 for a total of $782,444. A run and walk in Houston raises in $500,000. Jim Simpson, director of the event the last 16 years, says, “It just shows that the people in the Mohawk Valley have the biggest hearts in the world.”

In high school basketball, Joe Smith's three-pointer with five seconds left in the game gives Vernon-Verona-Sherrill a 47-45 win over Cortland. He has 23 points and seven rebounds. Rob Thorp adds 10 points and Tom Cummings eight.

2013, 10 years ago

Utica Public Library announces art contest

The Utica Public Library announces winners of its Express Yourself Adult Art Contest. They are: Carmen Guarnieri (best use of detail); Maria Cavo-Mrzlikar (best abstract); Catherine Feliz (best concept outside the box); Jane Grace Taylor (best use of black and white); John Kane (best use of color), and Sean Usyk (best of show — “Portrait in Pastel”).

In high school basketball, Christina Graziadei scores 31 points and has 17 rebounds to lead Oriskany to a 40-37 win over New York Mills and the Section III, Class D championship in a game in Syracuse’s Carrier Dome.

Trivia quiz

Who was the first U.S. president whose parents were both alive when he was inaugurated? (a) Ulysses S. Grant, (b) Chester A. Arthur, (c) Martin Van Buren or (d) John F. Kennedy. (Answer will appear here next week.)

Answer to last week's question: In 1789, George Washington was sworn in as our first president. His first cabinet consisted of: John Jay as secretary of state (later replaced by Thomas Jefferson); Alexander Hamilton as secretary of the treasury; Henry Knox as secretary of war; Edmund Randolph as attorney general, and Samuel Osgood as postmaster general (later replaced by Timothy Pickering).

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: What Abraham Lincoln told a Utica crowd in 1861 | History