In 2017, a national auction gallery offered a formerly unknown painting depicting the Great Fire of Utica in 1837.
This historic blaze destroyed the western side of the 100 block of Genesee Street, the heart of Utica’s growing business district.
The rediscovery of this painting sparked Patrick Reynolds, the Oneida County History Center Director of Public Programs, on a historical investigation, revealing a fascinating and scandalous tale of a family of printers involved in illegal activities spanning international borders.
The History Center is inviting the public to a presentation of Reynolds’ findings, “The Curious Case of Moody Peabody and the Great Fire of Utica,” on Saturday, February 28, 2026, at 2 pm.
Located at 1608 Genesee Street in Utica, the Oneida County History Center is a private 501(c) (3) not-for-profit educational institution dedicated to preserving the history, heritage, and culture of the Greater Mohawk Valley for present and future generations.
This event is free for History Center members, with a $5 suggested admission for non-members.
Read more about Oneida County.
Illustration: An oil on board painting, “The Great Fire of Utica New York of the Year 1837.”
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