Do you remember the column that I wrote several months ago: “Do You Remember?”
It generated more phone calls and notes than probably all the others combined. Not being one to fault success, here's another dose.
Do you remember being able to go down the street to Sloan or Chapman Lumber to pick up a 2 by 4, or whatever else you needed along those lines without having to run to Auburn?
How about stopping at the Brutus Roller Mill for some chicken feed?
Who recalls the Skadan & Kerns Shirtwaist factory on South Street? The building was torn down in 1974 to provide additional parking for the fire department.
Speaking of the fire department, who remembers the 1928 LaSalle Pumper, the 1925 Sanford Pumper, the 1937 Dodge/Cayasler pumper, or for that matter the 1939 Autocar tanker, which had previously been owned by the Socony Vacuum Oil Company and was driven by Dan Fisher out of the Weedsport terminal near the barge canal for many years.
Does anyone recall that the apartment building on Graham Street used to be the site of the Charles Cusick Cigar Factory, and a later that building and its successor after a fire was the Whitman & Robinson Corp., producers of the first “Bobcat” tractor?
How many remember going out into the fields during World War II and picking milkweed pods, which were dragged to school in large gunny sacks and dumped in a small mountain on the bus garage floor. This was the governments answer to the shortage of Kapok, the product of a tree grown in the Philippines which was used to stuff life preservers. We were all sure that we had saved some drowning sailor's life since there was no kapok available until after the Japanese were evicted from the Philippines.
Who has ever seen a “Barr” typewriter? Everyone in town refers to the “Purple Monkey” as the Barr Typewriter building. Over the years, there were many products made there, from Norden bombsights to baby strollers, but has anyone ever seen a “Barr” typewriter?
Does any one recall the long slow freights on the West Shore Railroad that used to tie traffic up? Can you imagine it with today's traffic?
How about going to Zimmer's Weedsport Theatre on a Saturday afternoon and for a quarter being able to see a double feature, a newsreel, a couple of cartoons and perhaps a Pete Smith one reeler, or maybe a serial. Between features you could go to the attached drugstore and get a small bag of popcorn for 10 cents, or a large one for 15! You could also enjoy some of “Pop” Zimmer's homemade ice cream, although trying to sneak it back into the theater would generally bring a sharp rebuke from the tiny, but feisty “Gramma” Zimmer.
How many can remember being able to buy jewelry or get it repaired at L.L.Compson, Jeweler?
Did your family have a running tab at Harry Tanner's IGA? The tab would be added throughout the week as kids were sent to the store for one thing or another and would be settled on Saturday.
Who recalls Clint Hazzard, the iceman with his Studebaker truck?
How about Percy Short who had the NYSEG truck at home with him so he could respond to emergencies - boy, those days are gone forever.
I sit here trying to remember some of the local businesses around just 50 years ago.
How about: Coyle's Bakery, Weedsport First National Bank, D.C. & C. G. Jones Insurance, Holihan TV, The Howe Agency, Kelley Funeral Home, Christopher & Wright Mobil Products, The Erie Fish Fry, Dr. P.J. Doran DVM, The Weedsport Hotel, Colvin Dairy, Guy H. Lanphere Chevrolet, Bill Vess Richfield Service, Leroy Washington Tires, Manley Erb Upholstery, M.J. Almstead Optometrist, Al Simkulet's Shell Service, Fancher Follet Coal & Gas, Otis Jorolemon & Sons, O'Hara's, Borst Brother's Coal, E.H. Hazer Plumbing.
Also, Blumer Supply, Pete Pysnack's Weedsport Liquor Store, C.E. Miner Ford, James L. Compton Electrician, Bill's Servicenter & Sporting Goods, Jean's Specialty Shop, The Winton Shoppe, Whitman's Hardware, Fult's Furniture, Geo. E. Wethey LP Gas, George & Madeline's Luncheonette, Baran's Weedsport Supermarket, Seger's Flower Shop, Van's Tavern, Mc Wethey Tire & Battery, Eddie's Bar & Grill, GLF Egg Marketing, Frank Campbell's Texaco Service, Weedsport 5 & 10, Donetta's Gift Shop, Kinney Funeral Home, O'Hara & Cuddy Meats, Harris Buick Pontiac, Fred Rowe Barber Shop, Edith LaPlante's Luncheonette, Kenny Heffernan's Meat Market, The Keystone Grill and many more.
Try making your own list, forward it to me, and I'll include it the next installment.
Denny Randall is president of the Old Brutus Historical Society in Weedsport . He can be reached at drandal3@twcny.rr.com
Do you remember being able to go down the street to Sloan or Chapman Lumber to pick up a 2 by 4, or whatever else you needed along those lines without having to run to Auburn?
How about stopping at the Brutus Roller Mill for some chicken feed?
Who recalls the Skadan & Kerns Shirtwaist factory on South Street? The building was torn down in 1974 to provide additional parking for the fire department.
Speaking of the fire department, who remembers the 1928 LaSalle Pumper, the 1925 Sanford Pumper, the 1937 Dodge/Cayasler pumper, or for that matter the 1939 Autocar tanker, which had previously been owned by the Socony Vacuum Oil Company and was driven by Dan Fisher out of the Weedsport terminal near the barge canal for many years.
Does anyone recall that the apartment building on Graham Street used to be the site of the Charles Cusick Cigar Factory, and a later that building and its successor after a fire was the Whitman & Robinson Corp., producers of the first “Bobcat” tractor?
How many remember going out into the fields during World War II and picking milkweed pods, which were dragged to school in large gunny sacks and dumped in a small mountain on the bus garage floor. This was the governments answer to the shortage of Kapok, the product of a tree grown in the Philippines which was used to stuff life preservers. We were all sure that we had saved some drowning sailor's life since there was no kapok available until after the Japanese were evicted from the Philippines.
Who has ever seen a “Barr” typewriter? Everyone in town refers to the “Purple Monkey” as the Barr Typewriter building. Over the years, there were many products made there, from Norden bombsights to baby strollers, but has anyone ever seen a “Barr” typewriter?
Does any one recall the long slow freights on the West Shore Railroad that used to tie traffic up? Can you imagine it with today's traffic?
How about going to Zimmer's Weedsport Theatre on a Saturday afternoon and for a quarter being able to see a double feature, a newsreel, a couple of cartoons and perhaps a Pete Smith one reeler, or maybe a serial. Between features you could go to the attached drugstore and get a small bag of popcorn for 10 cents, or a large one for 15! You could also enjoy some of “Pop” Zimmer's homemade ice cream, although trying to sneak it back into the theater would generally bring a sharp rebuke from the tiny, but feisty “Gramma” Zimmer.
How many can remember being able to buy jewelry or get it repaired at L.L.Compson, Jeweler?
Did your family have a running tab at Harry Tanner's IGA? The tab would be added throughout the week as kids were sent to the store for one thing or another and would be settled on Saturday.
Who recalls Clint Hazzard, the iceman with his Studebaker truck?
How about Percy Short who had the NYSEG truck at home with him so he could respond to emergencies - boy, those days are gone forever.
I sit here trying to remember some of the local businesses around just 50 years ago.
How about: Coyle's Bakery, Weedsport First National Bank, D.C. & C. G. Jones Insurance, Holihan TV, The Howe Agency, Kelley Funeral Home, Christopher & Wright Mobil Products, The Erie Fish Fry, Dr. P.J. Doran DVM, The Weedsport Hotel, Colvin Dairy, Guy H. Lanphere Chevrolet, Bill Vess Richfield Service, Leroy Washington Tires, Manley Erb Upholstery, M.J. Almstead Optometrist, Al Simkulet's Shell Service, Fancher Follet Coal & Gas, Otis Jorolemon & Sons, O'Hara's, Borst Brother's Coal, E.H. Hazer Plumbing.
Also, Blumer Supply, Pete Pysnack's Weedsport Liquor Store, C.E. Miner Ford, James L. Compton Electrician, Bill's Servicenter & Sporting Goods, Jean's Specialty Shop, The Winton Shoppe, Whitman's Hardware, Fult's Furniture, Geo. E. Wethey LP Gas, George & Madeline's Luncheonette, Baran's Weedsport Supermarket, Seger's Flower Shop, Van's Tavern, Mc Wethey Tire & Battery, Eddie's Bar & Grill, GLF Egg Marketing, Frank Campbell's Texaco Service, Weedsport 5 & 10, Donetta's Gift Shop, Kinney Funeral Home, O'Hara & Cuddy Meats, Harris Buick Pontiac, Fred Rowe Barber Shop, Edith LaPlante's Luncheonette, Kenny Heffernan's Meat Market, The Keystone Grill and many more.
Try making your own list, forward it to me, and I'll include it the next installment.
Denny Randall is president of the Old Brutus Historical Society in Weedsport . He can be reached at drandal3@twcny.rr.com
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