Curiosities of Elmira

Long known as the "Queen City" of New York's Southern Tier, Elmira has a colorful history to live up to that name. Strange events and offbeat characters populate the city's past. Eldridge Park once had a violent bear pit. The mysterious extinction of the Labrador Duck still baffles researchers today. Inventor Henry Clum, forgotten in time, was a pioneer of meteorology. From the bright lights of the city's lost vaudeville stages to the dark corners of the criminal underworld, Elmirans have found fame and infamy. Author Kelli Huggins takes readers on an immersive journey into the curious and unique past of Elmira.