Not so many years ago when I first moved here, there was a beautiful turreted brick store on the northwest corner of the courthouse square. It was destroyed by a fire only a few months later, and while covering the event for the newspaper, I learned a little about the building's history.A few decades earlier it had been the offices of one Charles Halleck, former U.S. House Majority Leader, and a close personal friend to President Eisenhower. In 1962, ex-pres Ike came to this little town to personally endorse Halleck for re-election. The speech he delivered on the courthouse steps had all the pomp and fanfare that normally surrounds a presidential visit, and still has locals talking like it happened yesterday.
Browsing links recently, I came across the full text of that speech via the Eisenhower Memorial Commission. Love what you can find online these days.
Speaking of online resources, have you seen our own Gen. Robert H. Milroy Civil War Collection?
Also, check out this front page pdf of a special section from the Sept. 12, 1962 issue of the Rensselaer Republican (local paper). If you want the whole issue, it's 38M in size, but you can download it here. (Love our new microfilm scanner!)
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