Talks
Available Presentations for Groups & Schools
With over 600 presentations to area groups, schools, and organizations, Gerald Smith has become a popular favorite as a presenter for decades.
The cost is $50.00 per program, and there is a wide variety of topics available. Unless otherwise noted, all presentations are PowerPoints, last 35-45 minutes, and the presenter provides his own computer and projector.
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More presentations are available, upon request.
The ABCDs of Hotels
From the Arlington to the Sheraton and beyond, take a journey through some of the notable hotels of the region.
All the News that Was Fit to Print
For over 200 years, newspapers have been a part of the area. Take a trip through the pages of history b looking at some of those newspapers and their impact on our region.
At the Movies
The story behind many of our movie theaters from both the past and the present.
Baby Boomer Memories
From the arrival of television to man walking on the moon, experience the changes in the community that shaped the baby boomer generation.
But What Do You Mean My Photograph is Copyrighted?
Lecture on how and when you can use historical photographs.
Dead Men Walking
A tour of Binghamton's oldest cemetery and its stories of politicians, businessmen, disaster victims, and colorful characters.
Follow the North Star
Follow the path taken by escaped slaves as they made their way through the Southern Tier enroute toward freedom.
From Bars to Boutiques
A walk though the pages of history in this storied street less than 2 miles long.
From Farm to Factory and Beyond...
Take a trip through time, as we look at the history of Broome County -- from the earliest time to the arrival of the new millennium.
A Good Five-Cent Segar
A look at the late 19th and early 20th century, and how Binghamton became a center for cigar manufacturing with over 70 factories in operation.
The Irish in Broome County
From the arrival of the Irish in the 1980s to the present, this ethnic group has played an important role in the area's history.
I'm Going to Make You an Offer You Can't Refuse
Learn about the Loomis Gang and the Mob Raid in Apalachin in 1957.
Marching Along
Sarah Wakeman, who served as a male soldier, and the war's effects on Broome County.
On the Seamy Side of the Street
Based on the book by the same name, this is a fun look at murderers, embezzlers, madams and other interesting people.
Portraits in Time
Learn about the history of the community through the portraits of many of its famous residents.
Ride the Painted Ponies
The story behind the area's six carousels, their history, and significance.
Rob the Rich and Give to Yourself
Learn about Andrew Horvatt, who embezzled millions from his own bank and impoverished thousands of immigrants in the community in the 1930s.
Sweeping Across America
Based on the book of the same name, learn how residents from Broome County or would come to the area have played important roles in significant American events -- from the Revolution to the Cold War.
That Happened Here?
More colorful characters from Broome County's history are described in this talk based on the book by the same name.
Vanishing Schools
From one-room schoolhouses to schools from the 1920s, many former schools have been reused as homes, apartments, and even a beauty salon.
Which Way E-J?
A look at the Endicott-Johnson Shoe Company, its founder, George F. Johnson, and its impact on the community.