It seems that there is no end to Weedsport area “Do you remember” items. How about these?
Van's Tavern, operated by Jack Van Dusen, and after he retired, remember the bike shop he operated out of his home at the intersection of Cottle Road and Route 31B?
Perhaps you will recall Ed Robinson's “Bug Beater” service, one of the first commercial helicopter services in the United States. How about the many iterations of the Riverview Hotel? Many, I'm sure, will remember Eva Oliver's Produce stand, or John DeWispelere's Berry Hump farm. Going back a bit, who can recall “Jumbo” Hanlon's pool hall, or his slaughterhouse for that matter?
Can anyone forget Earl “Smitty” Smith and his “Wee Ranch” right in the center of the village? Don't forget his satellite operations: The “Lone Star Farm” where cattle dealer Francis Gross later operated and farther North on Route 34 the “Echo Valley” farm. Speaking of Smitty, how about his beautiful dancing palomino which led every parade in the village for many years. No discussion of Smitty would be complete without mention of Spiegel “Speedy” Millis his long-time hired man who made the rounds of the farms daily on a well worn Ford 8N tractor.
Who can remember Fred Burlingame's Day-Lee photo service on Maple Park? Even Maple Park which was later changed to Station Road is gone! Who can recall Walt Gallup's, or Frank Wood's greenhouses? Perhaps Curry Appliances, Skvoraks Store, the Market Basket grocery or Albert Lanphere, Furs and Hides will strike a memory. Who remembers when the Weedsport Village DPW garage was on South Willow Street, or the various iron bridges around town carrying different railroads over other railroads, or streets?
Speaking of iron things, who remembers better than I the iron catenary towers which remained for more than 30 years after the trolley went out of business in 1931? I remember them very well because shortly after I started driving, I clobbered one on what is now Weller Road. It didn't even scuff the tower, but the Ford was never the same! It required a “new” used radiator and it sported a purple right front fender until I sold the car. Can you imagine in this day of traffic and bustle through the center of the village waiting for one of the long s-l-o-w freight trains on the West Shore to clear the crossing on Seneca Street beside the Catholic Church? Traffic would be backed up to the river bridge.
Speaking of trains, does anyone recall the “Beeliners”? They were self-propelled diesel railcars that ran by themselves from Buffalo to New York City several times daily on the New York Central Railroad.
Even after regular passenger service was discontinued in Weedsport, Assemblyman Charles A. Cusick continued to ride the Beeliners back and forth to Albany. Did anyone swim in Ball's Creek, or the “quarry on Monroe Road?
Many, I'm sure, will recall Donetta Lansbury's gift shop and Frank Drabels Septic Tank Service. Who remembers the huge Sears Roebuck, or Montgomery Ward catalogs received annually? How about Allen Lanphere riding his bicycle, fair weather or foul from his home on Green Street to the boat house at the bridge over the Seneca River. His job was making the daily rounds from mosquito point to Cross Lake refueling the kerosene fired buoys on the canal. Perhaps a few will recall the apple orchard at the corner of Ryan Road and the Weedsport Sennett Road.
I recall with fondness the newsy columns written by Thelma Mappes in the Cayuga Chief which were a microcosm of our community.
How about the Salisbury family's pet burro Pedro who lived so long that he had to be “grandfathered” into the “no livestock in the village” law?
I'll save the rest for another time, but some recent departures from our scene include Carl's and Big Guy's Tavern, Otis Jorolemon and Sons Farm Implements, Fult's Furniture and the Village Diner. More another time.
Denny Randall is the past president of Old Brutus Historical Society
Perhaps you will recall Ed Robinson's “Bug Beater” service, one of the first commercial helicopter services in the United States. How about the many iterations of the Riverview Hotel? Many, I'm sure, will remember Eva Oliver's Produce stand, or John DeWispelere's Berry Hump farm. Going back a bit, who can recall “Jumbo” Hanlon's pool hall, or his slaughterhouse for that matter?
Can anyone forget Earl “Smitty” Smith and his “Wee Ranch” right in the center of the village? Don't forget his satellite operations: The “Lone Star Farm” where cattle dealer Francis Gross later operated and farther North on Route 34 the “Echo Valley” farm. Speaking of Smitty, how about his beautiful dancing palomino which led every parade in the village for many years. No discussion of Smitty would be complete without mention of Spiegel “Speedy” Millis his long-time hired man who made the rounds of the farms daily on a well worn Ford 8N tractor.
Who can remember Fred Burlingame's Day-Lee photo service on Maple Park? Even Maple Park which was later changed to Station Road is gone! Who can recall Walt Gallup's, or Frank Wood's greenhouses? Perhaps Curry Appliances, Skvoraks Store, the Market Basket grocery or Albert Lanphere, Furs and Hides will strike a memory. Who remembers when the Weedsport Village DPW garage was on South Willow Street, or the various iron bridges around town carrying different railroads over other railroads, or streets?
Speaking of iron things, who remembers better than I the iron catenary towers which remained for more than 30 years after the trolley went out of business in 1931? I remember them very well because shortly after I started driving, I clobbered one on what is now Weller Road. It didn't even scuff the tower, but the Ford was never the same! It required a “new” used radiator and it sported a purple right front fender until I sold the car. Can you imagine in this day of traffic and bustle through the center of the village waiting for one of the long s-l-o-w freight trains on the West Shore to clear the crossing on Seneca Street beside the Catholic Church? Traffic would be backed up to the river bridge.
Speaking of trains, does anyone recall the “Beeliners”? They were self-propelled diesel railcars that ran by themselves from Buffalo to New York City several times daily on the New York Central Railroad.
Even after regular passenger service was discontinued in Weedsport, Assemblyman Charles A. Cusick continued to ride the Beeliners back and forth to Albany. Did anyone swim in Ball's Creek, or the “quarry on Monroe Road?
Many, I'm sure, will recall Donetta Lansbury's gift shop and Frank Drabels Septic Tank Service. Who remembers the huge Sears Roebuck, or Montgomery Ward catalogs received annually? How about Allen Lanphere riding his bicycle, fair weather or foul from his home on Green Street to the boat house at the bridge over the Seneca River. His job was making the daily rounds from mosquito point to Cross Lake refueling the kerosene fired buoys on the canal. Perhaps a few will recall the apple orchard at the corner of Ryan Road and the Weedsport Sennett Road.
I recall with fondness the newsy columns written by Thelma Mappes in the Cayuga Chief which were a microcosm of our community.
How about the Salisbury family's pet burro Pedro who lived so long that he had to be “grandfathered” into the “no livestock in the village” law?
I'll save the rest for another time, but some recent departures from our scene include Carl's and Big Guy's Tavern, Otis Jorolemon and Sons Farm Implements, Fult's Furniture and the Village Diner. More another time.
Denny Randall is the past president of Old Brutus Historical Society
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