Looking For Railroad Jack: A Historians Search for a Long-Lost Canine Celebrity w/ Kelli Huggins

In the 1880s and 1890s, there were few dogs as famous as Albany, NY's Railroad Jack. Along with his contemporary, the Postal Service's Owney, Jack captivated the public with his train-riding antics. When he died in 1893, his body was taxidermied and, subsequently, lost from the historical record. This talk will explain what Jack and fellow animal celebrities tell us about the history of the Gilded Age and will explore attempts to figure out what happened to him.

Kelli Huggins is an historian, museum professional, and artist with a penchant for the bizarre and forgotten. Her current book project is about canine celebrity in the 1800s, focusing on Railroad Jack and Owney, two real-life, famous train-riding dogs. She has a BA in History and American Studies w/ honors from Siena College in Loudonville, NY, and received a Master’s in History from the University of Delaware. M.A., in 2013.

She presented this program during the 8th Annual NYS History Month Lecture Series as an independent historian who has worked as a Social Media Specialist, [Fenimore Art Museum and The Farmers’ Museum, Cooperstown], an Education Coordinator, [Chemung County Historical Society, Elmira, NY], and is also currently an Adjunct Professor of History and Public History, Elmira College, Elmira, NY.

 

Discover more from Kelli: https://kellihuggins.com/

 

This program was recorded on October 19th, 2023 and was free to the public.

 

The Friends of Schoharie Crossing are a non-profit support group for the historic site. If you would like to make a donation to support their efforts, or wish to become a member, please visit:

https://the-friends-of-schoharie-crossing.square.site/

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