Inventions, Discoveries and Ideas
Things purported to be invented in Jefferson County
Chloroform - Dr. Samuel Guthrie of Sackets Harbor used it for anesthesia.
The percussion pill, for firearms- Samuel Guthrie
The safety pin - Walter Hunt.
A practical sewing machine- Walter Hunt
The brown paper bag- Taggart
Shredded wheat- not invented in Watertown, but the machine that made it was
The Hitchcock lamp (with a wind-up fan in the bottom to cut down on smoke)- Robert Hitchcock
The hooded t-shirt
The railroad sleeping car - invented by Theodore Woodruff
Bedsprings- James Liddy
The fountain pen
The Eames vaccuum brake- (Fred Eames)
Car Freshner 'little-trees'
Croghan Bologna
Philadelphia Cream Cheese (in Philadelphia, NY; but there is some debate as to whether it really was invented here or actually in the Catskill region)
The original yo-yo idea (Maybe not.. check out this link Who Invented The Yo-Yo])
Thousand Islands Dressing (mayonnaise with chili sauce and seasonings - chopped pimentos, green peppers, and onion).
Lifesavers - Edward John Noble lived in Gouverneur; he owned the Beechnut Fruit Company and invented Lifesavers.
(Maybe not .. .Check out this link Life Savers Candy History])
Also to note (this is the best place I could find for this) a 'B' Horror movie was filmed at Boldt Castle back in the early 1980's. "Fear No Evil" was a vision of Writer/Director Frank Laloggia.