Annals of the Beaver River

Behind the bar in the present Norridgewock Lodge in the hamlet of Beaver River, NY sits an ornate, nickel-plated antique cash register. Berdett “Bert” B. Bullock purchased it in 1907 from the National Cash Register Company for use in his Norridgewock Hotel. Bert had his name cast onto the cash register cover as proof of his pride in ownership. Bert’s cash register still works, but is no longer in use having been eclipsed by newer technology. It survived the 1914 burning of the original hotel, and several transitions of ownership and location. Today it serves as a totem for Bert’s role in that heady first era of the settlement of Beaver River from 1894 until 1915.   I laid out the history of the original Norridgewock Hotel in my blog post of 06/08/2021. This post will complement that story by describing the lives of Bert, his wife Julia and their only son Clyde. Along the way, I will clarify and correct the history of that era at Beaver River Station based on recently uncovered sour...