Evidently, the fall of 1986 was the season for history questions. In fact, it seems that we asked so many that we had great trouble sorting through them all. Therefore, in order to try and make sense out of what now does not seem to make sense, we are resorting to relating the questions and answers together without regard for when they actually appeared. We can but hope it will make more sense than it seemed to make in 1986.
Question: Our curiosity was aroused by a remark made at a village board meeting referring to the old village dump at the end of South Avenue, a dump we remember being called Gruby’s Dump. We wonder if there were any other “ancient” refuse sites scattered in or about the village. Does anyone recall?
Answer: And, for our final historical note this week, Jane Frey feels that there was at least one, if not two dumps at the end of Spring Street in what is now woods. We have been exploring in that vicinity and would concur with Jane.
We even did a bit of digging in the refuse piles and unearthed several valuable artifacts in the process. Question: Charles Byrnes offers a most difficult question for Cooperstown historical scholars. “Who was known as the Great Dane from Iowa and why does this name prompt recall at the present time?” If anyone has any idea, please let us know.
Answer: Harvey and Katherine Christiansen, Fly Creek, remember the Great Dane of Iowa, the wrestler mentioned here several weeks ago, who took part in the opening of the second A.C.C. Gym. His name was George Jepsen and his family eventually settled in the Medcalf Hill area of Pierstown. We also received this information: Ellamae Hanson of Pierstown called with information on Medcalf Hill mentioned in last week’s column.
The hill was named for Abel Medcalf who originally purchased 46 or 47 acres fromWilliam Cooper and today includes what many still refer to as the cauliflower farm. Question: Our Cooperstown historical question this week concerns Dafners Jewelry Store. Does anyone remember where this establishment was and when it was there? Please let us know.
Answer: Dafner’s Jewelry Store was located on Main Street in the Cooperstown Theater Building. As one facesthe theater one notices that there are two small shops located on either side of the main theater entrance.
Dafner’s Jewelry Store was located in the right hand shop. Henry Dafner, who was the brother of Mrs. Bernard Carr, came to Cooperstown from Rochester and opened his store in 1931. Mr. Dafner operated his business here for several years and then returned to Rochester. We thank both Mac Preston, Elm Street, and Agnes Butler, Walnut Street, for calling to tell us of Mr. Dafner.
Question: While Agnes was talking to us about the jewelry store, she wondered if anyone has any pictures of the inside of the dance hall located at the foot of Pioneer Street in what is now Lakefront Park. We confess that we have seen pictures of the outside of the building, but we have never seen any interior views or shots of people dancing there. If such pictures exist, please let us know.
Answer: The dance pavillion at the foot of Pioneer Street was built, we believe, in 1902.
Does any reader remember when the structure was razed? Since we received no answer to that question, we wrote the following: So far we have found no specific date for the demolition of the Pavilion which stood in what is now the Lakefront Park at the foot of Pioneer Street. We have determined that the building was razed in the early 1930’s. Does that sound reasonable?
Question: Perry Hotaling, Chestnut Street, recalls that when he was growing up here there was an aged people’s home at 78 Fair Street which is located just to the north of the old paddock grounds.
At least Perry remembers that there used to be many elderly individuals sitting on the porch of 78 Fair during the warmer weather. Yet, he has never run across any reference to such an institution. Does anyone else have recollections of the place? Please let us know.
Answer: We have encountered what may be a possible answer to the question posed last week concerning the house at 78 Fair Street. From 1873 until 1916, this house was the Christ Church Charity House which was “devoted to...the good of the poor of said village” according to George E. DeMille, author of “Christ Church, Cooperstown, New York, 1810-1960.”
No doubt the residents of the charity house sat out on the porch in warm months and thus Perry Hotaling would remember them as he grew up.Question, or perhaps morecorrectly information: On occasion we are asked to give a list of homes in the village which have names, such as Woodside Hall, Riverbrink, Lakelands, Pomeroy Place, Greencrest, Byberry Cottage, Fernleigh, Edgewater, Water’s Edge, Greystone, Averill Cottage, Crooked Cottage, Closet Hall, and Beefsteak Castle, also called Forestview. Several homes with names have been demolished, Sunnyside, the Orchards, Marcey Hall (which was located just outside the village), Holt-Averill and Rockmere are only a few of these. Neither list is offered as a complete one so if any readers are able to add to either list, please let us know.
Answer, or perhaps more correctly more information: We have added two names to the list of houses mentioned several weeks ago. Ed Whalen called to remind us that the Cooper Motor Inn was known as Willow Brook when it was a private residence. Ed also noted that his home, 46 Chestnut, is called Brookside on several of the older maps of Cooperstown.
Since these history questions seem to have a developed a life of their own, we think we must conclude with our 1986 trip for the time being. Granted there is more history from 1986 to go, but we really think it is time to take a break.
PLEASE NOTE: Comments regarding this column may be made by mail at 105 Pioneer Street, Cooperstown, NY 13326,by telephone at 547-8124 or by email at cellsworth1@stny.rr.com
Columns
In These Otsego Hills: 1986 comes to a close...for now
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
Last week, my mother made the 25-hour plane trip out to Thailand to visit her son, me, after nine months of having only choppy Skype sessions and scattered emails to give her an idea of what I look and act like since having left home last August.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: World traveler calls Euro-Tour experience of a lifetime
While I've had a great time throughout my entire exchange, I can say hands down that the month of April brought me the best memories of my exchange if not some of the best of my entire life. What kind of wonder would bring me to say this? Simple. Euro-Tour.
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Maryland port attacked
Havre de Grace, May 3. "This morning, a little after the break of day, a British armed force, under cover of armed vessels which anchored in front of this town ... landed below a small breast work which had been roughly thrown up, and in which were one 9 and two 4 pounders, manned by 50 militia.
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Memoir reflects on 'roller-coaster life and career'
Apparently, the third time wasn't the charm. The way Reynolds described him, the third husband was worse than the first two combined and that's saying a lot. Eddie Fisher literally walked away from Reynolds and their two infant children to chase a sex goddess. At least he got his just desserts when Elizabeth Taylor tossed him aside for Richard Burton.
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Imagine what might have been ...
A while back we got a telephone call from a reader of this column wanting to know why we had not written a column in support of Otsego Manor continuing to be owned and operated by Otsego County. And even though we have followed the debate over this issue in the newspaper, we readily admitted we did not feel we knew enough about the situation to take a stand.
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Herpes virus brings harness racing to a halt
I've been going to harness horse race tracks my entire life. My family has been in the business for years.
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Time, if not traffic, moves on ...
It is with sadness we note the passing of two people who we have known since moving to Cooperstown in 1982.
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Canadian capital captured
Dear Sir, I have just returned from Fort Niagara, where I saw a Captain of the United States' navy. He is just from little York, the capital of Upper Canada, and gives the following account, which is confirmed in official dispatches from Gen. Dearborn to Gen. Lewis ...
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Local Voices From Around The Globe: Exchange is like a life in a year
All exchange students realize the credibility of this statement. Like all lives no exchange is the same, all are incredible unique exchanges. The metaphor of life, from baby to old age, extends to every part of the exchange.
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Movie depicting legendary Jackie Robinson does not disappoint
Going to the movies is not something I do often. I can count the number of times I have gone on my fingers, unless you include trips to the drive-in. And even so, it took me years before I made it to one of those -- going for the first time two summers ago.
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'Dubious' about weather, Hawkeyes 'suitable' nickname
Unfortunately, it seems to us that this spring has, thus far, been anything but spring like. In fact, we are still more than happy to stay bundled up in our polar fleece.
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'Who's on Worst?' reveals the ugly in baseball
The Baseball Hall of Fame celebrates the greatest players, managers and owners from our national pastime. Any of us who have watched Major League baseball have inevitably seen some of these immortals practicing their craft. But we have also likely witnessed a sample of their opposite brethren, players who shouldn't have been in the Major Leagues. Has there ever been a definitive source that "celebrates" the non-accomplishments of the worst that Major League baseball has to offer?
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Swallow talk and bluebird vigilance
I assume the swallows have returned to Capistrano. They have returned to Hawthorn Hill as well.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Life in Hungry has taken a turn for the better
I can truthfully say spring has finally arrived in Hungary. It's almost time to wear shorts and sandals, for summer will be just around the corner. This brings me great happiness and great sadness, my adventure is coming to a close. Really what a time it was, I don't think I can compare it to anything else.
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The importance of speaking up ...
Over the years we have come to understand that, in writing a weekly column, it is not possible to always please everyone. And such was the case with our column that ran at the end of March in which we wrote about our experience as in inpatient following a total hip replacement.
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Public schools created
The Common School Act of 1812 marked the start of New York's public school system. Much of the credit for this was due to the radical Otsego County politician Jedediah Peck (1747-1821). To quote the NY Education Department:
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Book takes readers on path for equal rights
One of the most troubling aspects of our history is race relations. It takes a long time to achieve true equality in a society when the heritage of one ethnic group is slavery and Jim Crow laws. Even today African Americans are more likely to be stereotyped as athletes than doctors, lawyers or entrepreneurs. The path to a "color-blind" nation is still a work in progress.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Experiencing India at every new turn
Come, sit down. Hold this and, wait ... ah, there you go. Obeying these commands, I found myself seated on the pavement, wearing a turban and attempting to make sounds out of a recorder-like instrument for the black cobras in the baskets not two feet away from me.
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Will I be American or will I be Thai today?
When would someone have the ability to present themselves as a native of a country of their own choosing? When they’ve lived eight months as an exchange student, of course!
Continued ... - Second host family makes Hungary feel like home
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Local Voices From Around the Globe: Mother's visit was a benchmark for this year
