Amsterdam History Stories | Memories of Mary Cudmore

Historic Views of the Carpet City

Amsterdam, New York

"I was very impressed with your tape on carpet city," Kirk Douglas

Historic Views of the Carpet City: Amsterdam, New York - is a WMHT TV documentary on the history of Amsterdam. (Available online from WMHT)

The rise and fall of the carpet industry in the Northeast and America's ethnic diversity are chronicled in Carpet City, co-produced by WMHT documentarian Steve Dunn and Amsterdam native Bob Cudmore.

When the 84-minute production premiered, it set a fund raising record for a WMHT local history production, raising over $30,000.

What the Critics Say

The city of Amsterdam gets an almost epic treatment.
-Albany Times Union

This film is rooted in history, but also in nostalgia.
-Phil Drew, The Troy Record

WMHT's Steve Dunn, who co-produced the documentary, said: "As we got into it, I decided to immerse myself and go all the way. I wasn't going to do a half-baked job on this. I decided that we'd look into every corner." The documentary, which was shot last summer, does just that. -Mike Lisi, The Schenectady Gazette.

Viewer Comments on the Amsterdam History Documentary

I was very impressed...with your tape on carpet city.
-Kirk Douglas, Beverly Hills, California

I want you to know how much I enjoyed the carpet city program. I'm 90 years old and I have lived in Amsterdam since 1922 so I have many memories that were refreshed by the TV program. -
-Mary Burnham, Amsterdam

In the past, when I tried to tell others why I liked Amsterdam so much--especially as a place to grow up--I often found it difficult to effectively put that in words. Now, with the documentary, we have something that captures that spirit and sense of pride and place.
-Henry Madej, Albany

Thank you for the wonderful chronicle of Amsterdam.
-Audrey Kupferberg, Amsterdam

What a fantastic job. Thanks for the memories.
-Tom Ciulik, Marietta, Georgia

The caring, sensitive and all-inclusive portrayal of the life of the city--past and present--has left an indelible mark and inspires continuing hope for the future.
-Rev. Martin DeRose, Albany