Re-blogging abount Abolition & the Underground Railroad

I don't generally do this, but since I don't have much new to share, I thought I would re-blog a couple of items that might be of interest due to our Underground Railroad connection here in Easton/Greenwich. I hope to be back on track when my office is finally moved next week.

Sojourner Truth:
Olivia Twine writes, "[t]he unveiling of the Sojourner Truth statue in the town of Esopus, NY where the abolitionist  preacher was held a slave as a child, was a remarkable experience. I’ve lived in the Hudson Valley County of Ulster all my life and have never witnessed the 'owning' of the shameful past of slavery before.  Truth’s statue in the Esopus hamlet of Port Ewen represents the only statue in the world of a child slave at work, according to Ulster County Historian Anne Gordon.
Although Truth was well known in her time, her status as an emblem of northern slavery is coming to light on a broad scale. That the people of Port Ewen honor a former slave who left Ulster County and never looked back, that children run their hands over her bronzed back to feel the welts of the beatings she endured here, that the town supervisor proudly describes her as 'a child of Esopus,' suggests that we as a people are ready to move to the healing phase of a sordid aspect of our history..." Read more here.

Harriet Tubman:
"On November 8 and 9, 2013, Cayuga Community College in Auburn, NY will host Harriet Tubman: No Longer Underground, a two-day symposium marking the centennial of the death of Harriet Tubman in 1913..." Continued here...

A little find...

I have mentioned a few times over the 3 years I have been writing this blog that I, occasionally, get little surprises when I walk into my office. Today was one such day. Town Clerk, Elaine Kelly found a nugget of history while going through some papers, & placed it in my office. (The old one, because I am still working on moving upstairs.)

At first I wasn't going to write about it, because I didn't see anything about it in my quick reference guide, Tim Tefft's Our Century: An Account of Local Twentieth Century History gleaned from the pages of The Greenwich Journal and Salem Press. However, while doing some research to answer a few e-mail queries, I happened to open right up to the marriage record of one LeRoy Grant Towns. Mr. Towns is the very man, this nugget of history concerns. He married Esther Vivian Varney on December 13, 1920 in the town of Greenwich. He was listed as a 23 year old chauffeur, born in Bristol, NH. His bride, a housekeeper, was from Glens Falls.

Resignation of Constable Towns

There is no indication why Mr. Towns decided to resign his post on November 11, 1947, but he also included his badge in the envelope. Off to search the Gaylord catalog for a box to store it in.

Constable of Greenwich NY badge circa 1947

Write it Down

Any of you that came to the Underground Railroad Tour of Greenwich in June will remember the message from tour guide Cliff Oliver, "Write it down." He gave us this nugget of advice because many members of the Congregational Church involved in the Underground Railroad left written records of what happened, what they did, how they helped with the cause. Without this first hand documentation, we as historians would be in the dark as to the involvement of the citizens of Greenwich & Easton in the Abolition Movement.

Just some of my personal diaries

Did these citizens have a sense of their part in history? Is that why they took pains to record their part? In this particular case, I think so. But what about us? Do we realize our unique place in history? As an historian, I think I do. I keep a diary; a daily account of my everyday life. I also keep a number of journals; including ideas for embroidery patterns, poems, prose, ramblings & musings about various topics, an exercise log, etc. I also have 2 blogs, this one & one that is an extension of my embroidery design journal.

May 8, 2011 diary entry of Tisha Dolton

What about you? Do you journal or blog? Are you a diarist? If so, do you have a plan for what becomes of your writings & records? In my official capacity as Town Historian, those records belong to the citizens of the town & will stay in the custody of the Town of Greenwich, but what about my person records? I've been thinking about this more & more, as I completed my Information Science degree & while I was interning at the NY State Archives. Where would be the best repository to entrust my records? The Gill Room? My Alma Mater, & if so, which one? Hmmm...

Diary entry of February 24, 2007- Tisha Dolton

July 15, 2005 diary entry of Tisha Dolton

As you can see, my own diary entries are nothing earth-shattering, but they are my own. They provide a look into my life as a single parent, raising her daughter in the same house with her parents in rural, upstate NY. If my diaries were the only ones to survive, would this paint an accurate picture of history?

Diary entry of July 5, 2004- Tisha Dolton

If you want your story to be told, "Write it down." (Then preserve it in an archives.)

My visit to Gettysburg

After a lovely 2 days in the nation's Capital, my sister & I drove to Gettysburg National Military Park for a visit. Being a Washington County girl, I had to see the monument to the 123rd New York Infantry, 1st Brigade, 1st Division, 12th Corps of the Army of the Potomac. The gentleman at the desk at the Visitor Center had a book of all the monuments, but go knowing the regiment you are searching for. I was able to search on my phone & get the location. I am providing it for you below...

123rd NY monument is between stops 13 and 14

Quoting the monument... "The 123rd N.Y. was enlisted in Washington Co. in Aug. 1862 mustered into the U.S. service Sept. Joined the Army of the Potomac and was engaged in the battles of Chancellorsville and Gettysburg. In Sept. 1863 transferred to the Army of the Cumberland and was engaged in the Campaign of Atlanta the March to the Sea and the Campaign of the Carolinas. Mustered out at Washington at the close of the war June 8, 1865."

My ticket to the museum inside the visitor center

Here are my pictures taken on Thursday afternoon, 8 August 2013.

123rd NY monument on Slocum Ave in Gettysburg NMP

123rd NY left flank marker at Gettysburg NMP

Gettysburg NMP information marker regarding 123rd NY

Service panel on 123rd NY monument

History panel on 123rd NY monument

Battles the 123rd NY were engaged in

Last panel stating location of the line

Back side of the 123rd NY monument 

Front view of the 123rd NY monument

Closeup of top of the 123rd NY monument

Notice the castle-like look of this monument here at the feet of the recorder of events (possibly Clio). A number of the NY monuments throughout Gettysburg look like castles. It did not appear that any other sate used this kind of imagery in their monuments. Something to look into...

If you have never been to Gettysburg NMP, I highly recommend it. & be prepared to spend to whole day.

123rd NY Monument in Greenwich NY

This is our monument to the citizens of Greenwich, NY who fought in the Civil War. Erected in 1916 for the Grand Army of the Republic Post 326. I took this image during the Underground Railroad Tour in June 2013.

Other websites to checkout regarding the 123rd NY monument:
123rd NY history
Huletts Current blog
Stone Sentinels
Historic Marker database

Another woman to research curtsey of the Mowry clan: Ann Caroline Holmes

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I recently came across the obituary of Ann Caroline Holmes (nee Mowry) & her husband Henry Holmes. The Holmes' were involved in both Abolition & Temperance & were founding members of the Free Church which used to sit on Main St, across from the Rough & Ready Firehouse. Cool, right? But, she was also a nurse during the Civil War. The following is a quote from the obituary

In 1864, moved by her country's needs and the sufferings of its sick and wounded defenders, she hastened, in company with Miss Prudence Fitch of Battenville and Miss Phebe Bernard, now Mrs. F. A. Gale of this village, to the hospital at Frederick City, Maryland, where she served for three moths as head nurse, with her companions and assistants. Here her business, energy and experience in the care of the sick, and her cheerful disposition were of greater value and the soldiers, turning to look after her as she passed along, said her presence was a ray of sunshine and called her "Mother."^

 I got excited yesterday when I located her on page 85 of the book Emma Willard and Her Pupils: Or, Fifty Years of Troy Female Seminary, 1822-1872 on Internet Archive. How unsatisfying that it neither mentioned her service during the Civil War, nor her aid in the fight for Abolition & Temperance. It simply mentioned who her parents were: William & Lydia (nee Whipple) Mowry, who her husband was & how many kids they had. So disappointing.

The unusual bit in the obituary was regarding her physical description. Apparently she resembled her so much that she was mistaken for Elizabeth Cady Stanton!

Elizabeth Cady Stanton- suffragist*

*image from Accessible Archives
^People's Journal. February 11, 1875

Another sister for Chester: Almeda Arthur Masten

A couple of months ago I came across a bit of information that interested me. When I decided I wanted to blog about it, I realized that I had no idea where I found the tidbit. That meant I had to re-trace my cyber steps.

I quickly found a copy of the Spindle City Historic Society newsletter  from 2009. The parenthetical statement read "Masten was married to Almeda Arthur, the sister of Chester A. Arthur, the 21st president." The article in question is a quick 2 paragraph history of Cohoes Music Hall founded by James H. Masten (husband of Almeda) & William Acheson. A quick catalog search at my new job (Rensselaer Public Library) revealed a dissertation about the music hall from 2008 & a history of Cohoes by an Arthur H. Masten, both available at the Albany Public Library. I will be visiting the local history section there in the coming weeks to see if there is any information on Almeda lurking in the pages. (I'll keep an eye out for anything to do with Mary & her anti-suffrage group as well.)

Now what about the author? The one who wrote a history of Cohoes? Arthur H. Masten is the son of Almeda & James. He was a lawyer & local historian who wrote a few books. Aside from the a fore mentioned volume, Arthur also penned The Tahaws Club: 1898-1933 (1935) & The Story of the Adirondac (1923). His papers regarding these publications are in the collection of the library at the Adirondack Museum. Upon looking at the finding aid for the younger Masten's papers on the NY State archives website, there doesn't appear to be much in the way of personal documents. However, it may be a worth a trip to Blue Mountain Lake. I'll have to give them a call.

Another trip I should make is to Albany Rural Cemetery where Chester, & his wife Ellen are buried along with, you guessed it, Almeda & James Masten, as well as, Mary & James McElroy.

James H. and Almeda Arthur Masten grave stones*

As is the case with researching 19th century women (& many other time periods), primary source material can be hard to come by. Women rarely left behind evidence of business transactions unless they were widowed. Often times women are referred to by their married name in official records. In Almeda's case that would be Mrs. James H. Masten. Luckily I know her husbands name & I should be able to find her, should she be listed in a record.

I am hoping through finding records on her husband & son that it will enable me to find out more about her & the life she lived.

*Photo taken by Don & posted on Find a Grave. To view the original: http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=111135305

For the Love of History: A Reluctant Historian

As I was boxing up office supplies, books, artifacts, & records today, with the help of my mom, I started thinking about why I became an historian. It wasn't some "higher calling." I hadn't fantasized about it when I was a kid. I kind of fell into it. It took my by surprise, hence why I consider myself a reluctant historian.

Boxing up and moving

I always wanted to be a "rock star," well a singer, at least. I would dance & sing around the side yard, which I can see from the picture window as I write this. I pretended I was on Kids Incorporated, where I was in love with Ryan (Lambert). Martika & Mario Lopez were my other 2 favorites, even though Mario was only a dancer. I sang songs by Wham!, Taylor Dayne, Paula Abdul... I was very upset when the show went from Saturday mornings on NBC, to the Disney Channel in 1986. Even though the village of Greenwich got cable in 1981, my house could not get cable until 2013 (Yes, this year folks).

I started ACC as a voice major & had a great time. I learned a lot & made some great friends, many of whom I am still friends with today. When it came time to transfer to a 4 year school, I also had to pick a major, as I had convinced myself that voice was no longer an option. I chose history, because I could study music history, art history, women's history... Everything has a history!

One of my classes at SUNY New Paltz was called Hudson Valley Culture. It was basically a local history class centered around the lower Hudson Valley. It was the 1st time I really learned about a very specific region & I loved it. Then my parents came down for a visit & we went to Samuel F.B. Morse's home, Locust Grove. Taking that tour & walking those grounds solidified my love of history & old houses & the people who lived in those houses.

After I graduated with a BA in History, everyone asked what I was going to do with my degree. "Teach?" was the usual. I never wanted to be a teacher, I wanted to work in a museum. Well, tour guides & curators are teachers. So, the joke was on me. I taught, I mean worked, in a bunch of different museums, but I tried to stay true to my original interested. I spoke about women, music, art. I learned about architecture & furniture styles. I loved the houses & miss them like old friends I don't see very often.

Many people, when asked what their favorite time of work is, would say quitting time. When I worked in a house museum, my favorite time was the morning, unlocking the doors, turning off the alarm, walking through the rooms opening blinds, shutters & curtains. Walking up the stairs to the bedrooms, where everyone would have been getting ready for the day. The dust motes dancing in the sunshine. The promise of interested visitors.

I felt some of that today as I began moving from my old office on the main floor, to my new office upstairs. The Town Office building used to house the Washington County Home for Aged Women & walking through those rooms that house board rooms, a food pantry & the clothes closet, I could still imagine the women in their rooms. I wonder how many women stayed in my new office over the years?

I still sing when I can, weddings & funerals. I torment my daughter by singing along with her One Direction CDs when we drive in the car together. & I am developing a program involving music & the suffrage movement. I hope to sing it for you someday.


I apologize if this is not what you have come to expect for my blog. One thing I like about them is that, no matter the subject, blogs are personal. It's like journaling to a specific audience, that you hope is listening.

The state of New York State historic markers in Greenwich

You've seen the blue & yellow roadside markers around the area. Greenwich even has a few brown & white ones. But we don't have very many.

The state started the historic marker program in 1926 to commemorate the sesquicentennial of the Declaration of Independence. The program continued, with state funding, through 1939. This explains why so many of the markers relate to the American Revolution, like the 2 below.

Located on Dix Bridge Rd in Clarks Mills

 

 

There are other historical markers around the town, but they were not put up by the state. State funding was removed from the program, but it was not abandoned. The state just decided that the municipalities should foot the bill for these expensive roadside sentinels. 

At the corner of Woodlawn Ave & Fisher St near the school

The Washington County Historical Society put up some markers, like the 2 below.

Near Dix Bridge at Hudson's Crossing in Clarks Mills

George Washington marker on US Rte 4 just before County Rte 77

Then we have some other markers. Like the plaque in Battneville put up by the Ondawa-Cambridge chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR). It is inserted into a stone wall & is nearly impossible to read from the road. The sign is easier to see, but it is still not a historic marker. Susan B. Anthony & her family need a proper marker at their former home.

"EARLY HOME OF A GREAT WOMAN" the plaque reads

Sign outside the house on Route 29 in the hamlet of Battenville

& what about those brown & white markers? Aside from being ugly, they are harder to read than the blue & yellow ones. Who put these up, & when?

Not a very descriptive marker- along US Rte 4 near the Washington marker

Located at the intersection of County Rte 77 & Lick Springs Rd

The long & short of it is that we could erect some more historic markers in the town without shelling out our hard earned cash. The William G. Pomeroy Foundation has an historic roadside marker grant program. Starting on August 1, 2013 the grant application will be available for our region (APHNYS Region 5). If we choose a site or 2, & provide all of the necessary paperwork, we could receive the funding.

Any ideas? I was thinking the Anthony home in Battenville, the Main St. former site of the Free Church, founded in 1937 by Hiram Corliss, or the site of Union Village Academy.

 

Brief history of Eddy Plow

A few years back I received an email with pictures of an Eddy Plow. The owner felt the need to paint (gasp) the metal & display it on their lawn. (BTW... don't paint antiques/ historical pieces until you talk to an expert.) The second image shows the business stamp. "___ Plow Co Greenwich N.Y."

Plow in question

Plow from Greenwich, NY

Perry Miller was the first to manufacture plows in the Greenwich/ Easton area. According to Mrs. B.F. Sharpe, in History of Greenwich NY, Mr. Miller "made the second cast-iron plow in the country" (p. 12). By 1830 his sons Hill & David were no longer in the plow business.

Enter Corinth (Saratoga County) native Walden Eddy (b. 1807). Mrs. Sharpe writes on pages 12-13

In 1832 Walden Eddy began the manufacture of plows, having a pattern which became justly celebrated afterwards  as the old "Rough and Ready wrought iron beam," and it is believed that from this source have originated all the wrought-iron plow-beams in the country. Mr. Eddy also invented a shovel plow that has large sale.

 The plow works was located in the village of Greenwich (at the time of founding, Union Village), but on the town of Easton side along the Battenkill. The three-story building still stands & has been renovated recently by Patrick Brereton.

In an article from the Greenwich Journal, date January 19, 1983, the population of the town is listed at about 1,000 when Eddy started making plows in 1832. Lack of convenient shipping (no canal on the Battenkill, no railroad until 1870), & lack of the latest technology are lists as reasons for the floundering foundry with Mr. Dyer. Enter Abram Reynolds, & a few years later, Samuel Langdon. Eddy, Reynolds & Langdon did rather well & then Mr. Eddy bought out the other 2 men. I'm assuming this was so he could bring his sons into the fold, because in 1881 Oscar H., Walden G., & Fred W. entered the business, & the name was changed again to W. Eddy & Sons.

Based on this same article, it appears that the present three-story Eddy Plow building was build in 1892 with 60 feet of frontage to Eddy St & incandescent, electric lights powered by their own plant. It even has a full basement "considered one of the finest in Washington county." The building had a showroom, moulding room, plow mounting & grinding room, as well as blacksmith, forge, machine paint & finishing shops. The article says the plow work employed 40 men including William McCall (head of the moulding room) & W.T. Liddell (business manager).

Apparently the "rough & ready" trademark is "NO. 4 s". In 1891 they introduced a steel reversible level land plow, & in 1892 a one horse plow with patent draft rod, perfect for gardening, & orchards. They were also selling an improved marker for corn & potatoes, a hilling plow, also for potatoes, rye thrasher, land roller, & horse hoe & cultivator, among other things. At one point they even made & sold bicycles.

Eddy Plow Works Calendar 1931

In 1908 the business was incorporated . A major fire in 1918 cut production & business fell off. On October 10, 1923, the Greenwich Journal reported that the W. Eddy Plow Company filed for bankruptcy at the federal court in Utica, NY.The fire had hurt business, but the Great Depression mad matters worse. Liabilities were listed at $79,072 (using the Consumer Price Index this is the equivalent of $1,060,000 in 2012). According to the Greenwich Journal, the plow works was sold at auction in December 1923 to Mac Finn of Saratoga Springs, NY for $16,500.

References:
"W. Eddy & Sons: An Enterprise of Greenwich Sixty- Years Old, The largest Implement Manufacturers and Dealers in Eastern New York." Greenwich Journal. January 19, 1893. 
"Plow Company Files Bankrupcy Petition." Greenwich Journal. October 10, 1923.
"Mac Finn Purchaser of Eddy Plow Plant." Greenwich Journal. December 19, 1923.
Gill, I.V.H. The Greenwich Community of 1850. 1953.
Sharpe, B.F. History of Greenwich. Greenwich, NY: Commonweal Press. 1909.
Tefft, Grant. The Story of Union Village, Volume 1. Greenwich, NY: Greenwich Journal. 1942

Whipple City Days are coming!

The 34th annual Whipple City Days  event is a local tradition. This year I will be in Dorr Park (Main St & Cottage St) with (hopefully) a number of other groups representing local & regional history.

So, I thought I would share with you some memorabilia I have in my office.

Button from Whipple City Days past

Program from the 1985 Whipple City Days

Below you can see the entire program from the 2nd Whipple City Days June 24th- 28th, 1981. The parade, road race, craft fair, & music in Mowry park are still present all these years later. Also, the ever popular Greenwich Free Library Book Sale! (My personal favorite.)

1981 Whipple City Days program

1981 Whipple City Days events

What happened to the tennis tournament & the revolutionary War encampment? Oooo, & the bike race!

The Greater Greenwich Chamber of Commerce will put on a great event. Hope to see you there!

Download this year's event schedule here.

St. Joseph's Cemetery

As I was snapping some pictures at Greenwich Cemetery last week, I realized I had never been in St. Joseph's Cemetery before. & it is just across the road. So, after work, I drove over & snapped some pictures there. I didn't realize how large it was, & that you can see the high school. I use to run cross country (for Schuylerville) around the cornfield on the other side of the cemetery fence.

Now for a bit of background provided by Joseph L. Shannon, who wrote Saint Joseph Parish Greenwich, New York in 1978. This book is available for research at the Greenwich Free Library & Crandall Public Library in Glens Falls (all copies are non-circulating).

History of St. Joseph's

Albany Catholic Diocese established April 1847
Visitation Catholic Church, Schuylerville founded 1847
St. Patrick's Catholic Church, Cambridge founded 1853
St. Joseph's Catholic Church founded 1870

The plethora of mills in the area brought immigrants to rural areas upstate.  In 1865, 80,000 of the estimated 134,000 Catholics living in the area covered by the Albany Diocese were Irish immigrants (Shannon, p.8) escaping the Great Potato Famine. When the Greenwich Dunbarton Mill opened in 1879, many of the 200 workers were Catholic (Shannon, p.4).

Shannon states "After the Mass of 24 January 1869, which marked the opening of the Mission of Greenwich, until the first Mass offered in the building now call "St. Joseph [sic] Church" 24 July 1870, the Fathers from Cambridge held services in various places in Greenwich" (p.15-16). The only other option was to travel to Mass in Schuylerville, Hudson Falls, Salem, or Schaghticoke.

St. Joseph's first resident pastor & proponent of the Temperance Movement, Fr. Thomas A. Field, was the one who set about founding the St. Joseph's Cemetery. Shannon writes "By Deed,  dated  6 November 1881 (Book 91, page 30) Fr. Field purchased for $1,000 two parcels of land, one  of sixty-seven acres and the other of one acre on the northern edge of the village of Greenwich from Charles Stevens and his wife, Sarah A. Stevens" (p.44).

Some of the artistry on the tombstones in St. Joseph's

The first burials (& tombstones) appear to be transferred from other cemeteries as the deaths predate the founding of the cemetery. The oldest date is 1863 (Shannon, p. 45).

Well, St. Joseph's is just a peaceful as Greenwich, except for the neighbor's dog who decided to bark at my car. But even (s)he didn't sound too upset by me being there.

St. Joseph's Cemetery, Greenwich, NY- 10 May 2013

The Greenwich Cemetery

We have 32 cemeteries in the Town of Greenwich, the largest is, of course, the Greenwich Cemetery nestled between Main St & Cottage St. Over 10,000 people have been interred in this peaceful spot & the Greenwich Cemetery Association does a great job of keeping it nice.

I've never found cemeteries to be creepy, or scary. I've always found them tranquil, thoughtful. As an historian & lover of history, I have been to many cemeteries. My sister & I visited Lincoln's tomb in Springfield, IL when we traveled across the country in 1995. (Yes, we rubbed his nose.) I keep meaning to go to Albany Rural Cemetery to visit Chester A. Arthur's grave.

However, most of the time, I go to a cemetery to look at the graves of non-famous people, like my relatives, or random people with interesting stones. Typical iconography like weeping willows, winged angel heads & urns are typical on early New England headstones. I saw a number of these in Salem, MA last fall. A good example of the willow motif can be found here in Section F.

Greenwich Cemetery May 2013

As a kid, my younger sister & I use to ride our bikes over to the Riverside Cemetery in Fort Miller. There are a number of large pine trees shading the ground, plus it was next to the Hudson. It was always cooler there, so it was the perfect spot after a hot, dusty bike ride. Reading the stones made me appreciate my life a bit more, especially when we noticed the markers of children who died young.

Before my daughter started school, she & my mom use to visit my dad while he was working at St. Mary's Cemetery in South Glens Falls. She would lay under the trees on a quilt & say the trees were talking to her. They we eat lunch, picnic style, then head home.

The idea of picnicking at a cemetery may seem odd to some, but it was very common in the 19th & early 20th centuries for many of the reasons I have stated above.

Cemetery picnic early 20th century

If you are looking for ancestors buried in local cemeteries, check out the books put out by Historical Data Services. The Greenwich Free Library has non-circulating copies in the Gill Room. I also have a few of them in my office for research, so stop by on a Friday morning.

Also, check out Find-A-Grave. It is a very useful website to locate burial information throughout the country.

Greenwich & Johnsonville treasure

Yet again, at a loss for what to blog about this week (not because nothing comes to mind, but because too many do & I can't choose), an envelope on my desk this morning provided the answer.

A train ticket collector in California sent me 2 Greenwich & Johnsonville Railway Company tickets! They are tiny & stained but otherwise in great condition. Based on the information in David F. Nestle's book Rails Along the Battenkill: A History of the Greenwich & Johnsonville Railway (Is the title a play of Drums Along the Mohawk? I digress.) I can estimate the dates of the ticket...

The oldest ticket is numbered 20791 & has the signature of J.H. Thompson who was Superintendent in 1897. The other ticket is numbered 26824 & signed by J.H. Mc Daniels. Mc Daniels was Superintendent from at least 1901-1912.

Greenwich & Johnsonville Railway ticket c. 1897

For more information I highly recommend Nestle's book. It is very readable & has quite a few interesting images of engines, bridges, maps & railway ephemera like tickets & schedules. I have referred to it before, but now I am actually reading it!

Highly recommended book on the G&J

 

Happy Anniversary

I just wanted to say that today marks my 10th anniversary of being the appointed Town Historian of Greenwich!

Thank you all for your questions, comments, likes on Facebook... Inviting me to present a program to your students, or group...I really appreciate being able to serve this wonderful community for the past 10 years!

Sesquicentennial in Greenwich: 1959

Sesquicentennial Banner - Greenwich, NY 1959

In 1959 the village of Greenwich, NY hosted an elaborate Sesquicentennial celebration, complete with two parades, & a pageant called "Whipple City Grows."

Front page of Whipple City Grows and ticket stub

The schedule of events is listed in the center of the program above.

Saturday, August 1, 1959 was Sesquicentennial Parade Day which included the parade from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. & the Queen's Ball at the high school from 9:00 to midnight.

Sunday, August 2, 1959 was Religious Dedication Day with all of the local churches hosting special services in the morning & an interfaith service at 8:00 p.m.

Monday, August 3, 1959 was Youth Day- filled with baseball, softball, swimming, & an "Outdoor Street Dance."

Tuesday, August 4, 1959 was Agricultural Day featuring a hay ride, square dance, old-time farm equipment & exhibits by the Farm Bureau, Soil Conservation, the Grange, 4-H, & others.

Wednesday, August 5, 1959 was Ladies' Day (sorry fellas). This included a luncheon, a reception, a dinner for Lt. Governor Malcolm Wilson, a fashion show, & the crowning of the "Sesquicentennial Queen." 

Thursday, August 6, 1959 was Homecoming Day with open houses at the various churches & fraternal organizations like the Independent Order Of Fellows. 

Friday, August 7, 1959 was Industrial Day which included guided tours of local industries. Plus, the final judging of the "Brothers of the Brush" beard growing competition ended with a shaving contest!

Saturday, August 8, 1959 was Fireman's Day. The week of festivities concluded with the Washington County Fireman's Parade at 2:00 p.m. & the final of 4 performances of "Whipple City Grows"!

Sesquicentennial book and Washington County VFA Convention Program

Housing Committee badge

Some Housing Committee documents still survive. Then, as now, there was little accommodation for out-of-town guests. So, the committee members were in charge of finding housing for people coming to town for the week long celebration. Marion Harrington was the Housing Committee Chair.

Wooden nickels- one with the Sesquicentennial logo 1959

When we held the Town of Greenwich Bicentennial in 2003, & the Village of Greenwich Bicentennial in 2009, I looked into having wooden nickels done, but the funds just weren't there. I did have a wooden nickel collector call me though. The gentleman told me that he would buy a bunch of them if we decided to do it so he could trade & sell with other wooden nickel collectors! (Who knew...)