This year marks the 25th anniversary of the release of James Cameron's Academy Award-winning film Titanic. Which got me wondering... of the 2,240 passengers aboard, were any of them Central New Yorkers?

Most people know the ship was headed to New York City, but a few of its passengers were scheduled to continue further Upstate. Among the survivors, two men were headed to Central New York, and a 27-year-old Londoner wound up living in the Syracuse area for the remainder of her life.

Titanic Rescue
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MARY DAVIS

London-born Mary Davis was a second-class passenger aboard the Titanic, scheduled to visit her sister in Staten Island. She was one of the 706 people who were lucky enough to find space on a lifeboat, which the Titanic was famously under-equipped with.

Davis' grandchildren said she didn't speak of the Titanic much, but would cry when she did. She passed away in the Syracuse area on July 29th, 1987 at the age of 104. Many claim she was the oldest survivor of the disaster.

TITANIC The Artifact Exhibit
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SIDNEY STUART CLARENCE COLLETT

(Geez, maybe it was the weight of having four names that brought the Titanic down.)

Collett, also a second-class passenger, was sailing to visit his parents in the small Cayuga County town of Port Byron. He managed to "Billy Zane" his way onto a lifeboat by saying he was taking care of two young ladies.

Collett apparently "moved around a lot" to avoid being drafted into World War I. He reportedly told people surviving the Titanic was the closest one should ever come to death in a lifetime.

TITANIC The Artifact Exhibit
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REGINALD HALE

Reginald Hale was born in England, but emigrated to Auburn, New York in the early 1900s. He worked as a groundskeeper and gardener at an Auburn retirement home. After visiting England he hoped to return to Auburn, but died in the tragedy.

His body didn't follow the Titanic to the bottom of the ocean, however-- it was actually recovered from the water about a week after the sinking. But even still, Hale was buried at sea.

The three above are just a few Titanic passengers with Central New York ties. You can read more about additional survivors from the area at this link.

Scuba Diving To These Brilliant Shipwrecks In The St Lawrence River- Thousand Islands

Have you ever wanted to scuba dive shipwrecks in the St. Lawrence River? Here's a few to check out in the Thousand Islands of the New York and Canadian border.

Scuba divers allegedly call the 1000 Islands the “Caribbean of the North” due to all the amazing places to check out. The Saint Lawrence River has been the main shipping route between the Great Lakes and the Atlantic Ocean for centuries. That means you're able to see that history in the ships that line the bottom. According to South Eastern Ontario, divers can generally see 50 to 60 feet in front them most of the year, and 60 to 100 feet in the fall time. 

From wooden schooners to War of 1812 battleships to modern-day freighters, over 200 vessels met their fate here."

There are all sorts of local businesses and more that can help train you, or charter you, on these dives if you're interested. You can read more here.

Here's a list of some of the coolest dives to check out:

Lake Erie’s Most Unique and Visited Shipwreck the Indiana

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