Thursday, August 27, 2026 – Discover Utica: A City Full of History and Surprises

By admin

Around the City

of Utica

Thursday, August 27, 2026

Judith Berdy

Issue # 1737

Day three, we have about 7 hours to see more of the City.
I had contacted the Oneida History Center and was referred to Joe Caruso.  Caruso is a Utica native, professional writer with a background working with many agencies and organizations in the area.
He was the perfect guide for our day delving into the city history.

After introductions we decided that a walk would be in order. Accross the street from the hotel we were on Gennessee Street the main shopping avenue in years past.

We walked into Adirondack Bank Building Initially constructed as the First National Bank, this building was designed by noted architects, York and Sawyer, in 1926. The 16-story office building features Sullivanesque style details. In the Main floor lobby is an exhibit of photos of downtown Utica, most from the ’30’s and ’40’s.  It was great to compare the past and the present.

The massive F.W. Woolworths no longer exists but the building is being used as the Clark City Center Building Initially home to the Robert Frasers Department store, and subsequently occupied by the FW Woolworth Co., the Clark City Center Building is today primarily occupied by Utica University business school’s undergraduate and graduate programs.

A.S. Beck, Thom McCan SHoes and Fanny Farmer were as familiar here as on 34th Street, Manhattan.

Joe suggested a visit to Christ Church, a magnicent structure by architect  Richard Upjohn, (from the history):

Grace was an offshoot of the historic Trinity Church of Utica and was formed in 1838. Around 1847, Alfred Munson, a wealthy Utica businessman and a member of the congregation, secured the services of Richard Upjohn, architect of Trinity Church in New York City, to draw up plans for a new edifice and location for Grace Episcopal Church, which was ultimately built at the corner of Genesee and Elizabeth Streets in downtown Utica. In 1875 the tower and spire were completed under the personal supervision of Richard M. Upjohn, son of the original architect. The parish house, vestry room and choir room were added in 1884 and in 1890 the chancel was enlarged through the generosity of Mrs. Helen E. Munson Williams, who died before the work was completed. The new windows adorning the chancel were commissioned in her memory by her daughters, Mrs. Rachel M. W. Proctor and Mrs. Maria W. W. Proctor.

Henry Holiday, the notable English stained glass artist, was commissioned to design and create the seven windows. He took the great hymns of the church and the seven days of the Creation as the subject for what is considered by art experts the world over to be his masterpiece. Evidently Mr. Holiday considered them to be his best works for he chose them as the frontispiece of his definitive book on stained glass and copied them for the west window of the Cathedral Church of St. Savior, Southwark, London.

The present Parish House was constructed through the generosity of Mrs. Thomas R. Proctor and Mr. Frederick T. Proctor. The cornerstone was laid on Advent Sunday, 1926 and on May 15, 1928, the Parish House was dedicated.

The generosity of the Proctors to the church was also shown in a gift of the Lady Chapel. Stone from the dismantled old chapel was used in the new one, thus giving an impression of antiquity. Exquisite in design, the chapel was styled after Old World churches where it was the custom to dedicate the chapel immediately behind the high altar to the Mother of Christ. The chapel and its altar were consecrated on May 17, 1928.

Impressive Tiffany window and baptismal font.

After walking around downtown it was time for lunch. We chose a local Lebanese Cafe. At Zeina’s Cafe, we were greeted like old friends. Lots of pita, hummus, falafel, tahini and Mediterranean  specialties got us ready for some more sights.

We had parked in front of an abandoned bar and could not resist their “menu”:
MON   15  CENT WINGS
TUES   $1.50 BOTTLES
WED     PITCHER SPECIALS
THUR   $1.00 SHOTS
FRI   POWER HOUR
OUTLANDISH SPECIALS  

A wonderful courtyard surounded by art studios.

The Munson Museum is most impressive with its modernist design by Philip Johnson.  It is surrounded by classical campus of Munson-Pratt, art college.

We stopped by the impressive Oneida History Cener, now housed in a former Christian Science church.  With a large gallery, meeting space and archives, it is a wonderful space to learn about history.

It was almost 5 p.m. and our Amtrak train would be arriving soon.  A great day with all kinds of sights and stories (Joe has lots of local stories, lore and information) and we were soon back to home.

CREDITS

JUDITH BERDY

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