I’ve just added over 40 Syracuse, NY video clips to the Syracuse Nostalgia site – including old news clips, local programs, and commercials.

Click here to go directly to the video page.

If anyone has any old video tapes (VHS, Beta, U-Matic, etc.) containing programs taped in the Syracuse area prior to 1995 and would be willing to let me borrow them for use on this site please send me an e-mail at theaudacityny@lycos.com . After I go through the tapes, I will send them back (if you want them) and, if I find any clips to use for the site, will send you a DVD including these clips.

Also, if anyone happens to know what happened to all of the WTVH Video Archives please send me an e-mail at the address above and let me know!

Thank you,
HAM
Syracuse Nostalgia

I’ve made a few updates to the Syracuse Nostalgia site:

Cicero – Images Of America – Includes over 200 historical Cicero, NY photos plus information on how to order a signed copy of Cicero, the book.

Syracuse, NY Video Clips – To save time and space, I consolidated all of my local Syracuse clips onto one page featuring links to playlists on YouTube.

Links – I’ve added a link to my new Blues-Rock band, The Sweathogs.

Thanks,
HAM

I’ve posted a complete broadcast (audio only) of WSYR TV3 Total News in Syracuse, NY from December 24, 1972.

Click here to check it out.

Thanks,
HAM
Syracuse Nostalgia

Phew! It took awhile but I have re-uploaded all of the videos to both the Syracuse Nostalgia and Penn Can Mall sites. Also, I’ve added two new pages of videos since the last update.

Upstate NY Commercials – Page 5

Syracuse News Reports & Local Programs – Page 4

Also notice that the “News Reports” link includes a near complete episode of WSTM Challenge Bowling. I was never a big fan of watching bowling on TV, but there have been several people that have written to me and asked if I could find one of these programs. So, I hope you enjoy it!

I’ve also redesigned the main page of Syracuse Nostalgia. I noticed that the html “tables” were not looking right when the page was viewed on Firefox so I fixed it to look better on all internet browsers.

Look for some more video clips and other interesting updates in the next few months!

Thanks,
HAM

YouTube has permanently disabled my account for a couple of videos that they claimed were “copyright infringement”. Aside from the fact that I don’t agree with this, the thing that upsets me the most is the fact that they not only deleted the videos in question, they deleted my whole account – including several home video clips that were absolutely no one else’s property but my own. So, I will be creating a new account and will be uploading these videos again. This will take a very long time. Also, all of my videos will be made “Private” from now on so no one will be able to search YouTube and find them. I hate to do this, because a lot of people have found my site because of YouTube, but I can’t risk this happening again. So, once the videos are re-uploaded, the only place you’ll be able to see them is on my site.

Thanks,
HAM

http://www.syracusenostalgia.com

I just added several video clips to the Syracuse Nostalgia site, as well as one to the Penn Can Mall site. Click on the links below to go directly to the new pages.

Syracuse, NY News Reports – Page 3

Syracuse area commericals – Page 4

Penn Can Mall video clips

I originally started the Penn Can Mall site, and later the Syracuse Nostalgia site, for something fun to do. I figured that only a couple of friends that I grew up with would enjoy it. The response that I’ve gotten to the site is amazing. I’ve gotten many e-mails, as well as comments in the Guestbook and Forum, telling me that they appreciate the site and that I’ve helped bring back many memories for them. I say this not to brag or anything, but just to say that it feels really nice to get those kind of comments and to know that I’ve helped to make someone happy, even if just for a little while.

What’s been really heart-warming is that I’ve received a couple of messages from people telling me that they’ve seen lost loved ones in some of the photos and videos I’ve posted. These messages make me feel like I’m actually doing something good for the community and that the site is definitely worth all of the time I put into it. Here are some examples of some of the nice messages I’ve received:

Re: “Little Loon” – 3 Country Video Clip
Yesterday(Thanksgiving Day), my sister sent me a link to your Youtube clip of “Little Loon” – my father, Maurice Dennis. Our Dad passed away on December 22, 1987 and there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t think about him, especially during this time of year. …. This year, 2008, he would have been 100 years  old – born December 2, 1908. …we were were all delighted to see and hear Dad aka Grandpa.   My youngest son said it had been a long time since he’d heard Grandpa’s voice…. He was a doting and fun-loving grandfather who left us with wonderful memories and life lessons.  Our family will celebrate his 100th birthday on December 2nd with his favorite food and especially a pineapple upside down cake which we always made for him.  Thank you for a Thanksgiving gift that we all appreciated and will share with the next generation who will come to know their great grandfather through our stories, pictures and video clips.

Re: Rod Carr 1972 News Clip
Just a quick note to say I can’t believe how many phone calls and emails I’ve received regarding my old WNYS-TV video clip. It was heart-warminng, really.
Warmest regards,
rod carr

Re: “The Spirit Of Homer” – 3 Country Video Clip
My name is … and I’m writing to you from Western Japan. I just wanted to offer you my deep appreciation for posting the video about Homer, New York. I’m from the neighboring town of Cortland. That small general store was known as Clarke Brothers and the shop’s owner is my dad, Phil Clarke. It was truly amazing to see our little family store again after so many years (we closed it in ‘97). It was even more amazing to see my dad when he was only 58. (He’s still going strong at the age of 86).
You did me and my family a great service and we all thank you very much. Take care. I hope all is well with you and yours.

Re: Sweetheart Market Video Clip
You made my day. I saw my mom, Liz Hanmer, in one of the videos smiling away as she always did. Melted my heart. I lost her August ‘07 and this was a nice surprise. I’ll try to gather up Sweetheart Market items I have – take pictures of them and send them along for you to share. Again, thank you for making my day!!

I’ve added over 40 video clips of old local commercials and news footage to the site. I’m a little burnt out after uploading that many at once. So, instead of giving my thoughts on the clips I’ll just give the links to the updated pages.

Syracuse News Clips

Syracuse Commercials

STM Showboat Clips

Syracuse Nostalgia Main Page

Thanks,
HAM

As I mentioned before, I’ve recently been going through a large collection of old Beta and VHS video tapes. I’ve posted the first clips from these tapes - two different episodes of STM Showboat. STM Showboat was a kid’s show that aired on WSTM, Channel 3 in Syracuse, in the late 80s and early 90s. Click here to go to the page containing the videos.

One thing I noticed about these tapes is how much better the quality of the Beta tapes are as compared to VHS. Beta was definitely a better format. It’s too bad that because of some stupid reasons that VHS became the standard format. The STM Showboat clips are from old VHS tapes, and you can see how poor the quality is on those. Once I start posting clips from Beta tapes, you will certainly see a big difference. These tapes are over 20 years old, and they look like they were taped yesterday.

Anyway, I’ll probably be posting more commercials and news clips from these tapes in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks,
HAM

Syracuse Nostalgia

Penn Can Mall

I just wanted to let everyone know that I do have some updates coming soon. I’ve been getting several items from Jason Beard (who has a large collection of Syracuse memorabilia) and will most likely be getting more in the near future. I’ve already posted some of the things I’ve gotten from him (most recently some stuff from WSTM’s Saturday Showboat). However, some of the items I’ve gotten from him will not fit in their own category, so I’m waiting until I have enough things to make a “various items” page.

I’ve also just recently purchased a large collection of Beta tapes, and have just started to go through them. It will probably be quite awhile before I start posting any clips from these tapes. I’ve only checked out a few so far, and they seem to include a mix of HBO movies and broadcasts from local channels. I have already found a Switz’s commercial and a Marketplace Mall commercial, so I’m hoping there will be more cool local footage on some of these tapes.

Here’s a fun fact about Penn Can Mall that I hadn’t heard before:
Rich Borosky recently sent me an e-mail to let me know that the Penn Can Mall jingle (two versions of this are posted near the top of the main Penn Can Mall page) was also used in 1975 for a department store in Buffalo called AM&A. Since Penn Can opened in 1976, I have to assume that the jingle was used for AM&A first. Rich was also nice enough to send me a copy of the AM&A jingle. Click on the link below (or right-click and save) to check it out.

AM&A Department Store jingle

Just a reminder - I am still looking for contributions for the site. If you have any Syracuse area memorabilia - including photos, documents, audio or video, please send me an e-mail at theaudacityny@lycos.com.

Thanks,
HAM
Penn Can Mall
Syracuse Nostalgia