Boilermaker and Beyond

This weekend (September 28^th, 29^th, & 30^th) will be a celebration of our neighborhood, the historic Bagg Square District.

This is one of those ‘what’s old becomes new’ stories.

The old:

The Bagg Square District is one of the oldest in our community.   Moses Bagg originally settled in the area in 1795 building both a tavern and hotel; the Revolutionary War had ceased a mere 12 years earlier. A small stone structure located next to The Children’s Museum is all that remains of the Bagg legacy (which the Observer Dispatch recently pointed out could use a little love).

The East and West Bagg Square Districts were cut in two with the building of the Genesee overpass bridge. We are still linked via Water Street; that’s the narrow street that runs parallel to the railroad tracks under the bridge. While the bridge is technically Genesee Street our office is located on (old) Genesee Street when you would cross into North Utica via a two lane steel bridge.

The new:

The area has now been repopulated with a series of restaurants and shops. In two years we have seen the arrival of The Cage, Utica Coffee Roasting Company, the Tailor and the Cook, Piers and Blake, and Bagg’s Square Café. Our newest neighbor, Gerber’s 1933 Tavern, will be having a ‘soft opening’ this weekend. BTW -1933 was the year that Probation was repealed after 13 years and the West End Brewery was the first brewery to legally sell suds to the public.

There will music, art, and history, the National Distance Running Hall of Fame will be open Saturday from 6-8 pm.

Saturday will be the last of the summer-long Oneida County Public Market held next to Union Station from 9 am- 1 pm. Every weekend that I have been in town (except Boilermaker Weekend) I have gone to the market. I stop shopping when the bags become too heavy to carry.

Visit: uticamondaynite.com for a complete listing of events.