History Column
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35 Years Ago – September 1973
Final demolition work has been completed on the former Baptist church building at the corner of Church and East Main streets in West Winfield. This was the third disposal of church structures in the village since three denominations merged to form the Federated Church and to build one large church. The former Methodist Church on North Street is used by a local company for storage purposes and the former Congregational Church was demolished to make way for a new post office. A large-jawed crane leveled the red brick Baptist edifice and the pillared steeple in a cloud of dust, mitigated somewhat by streams of water from hydrants. For many it was a sad day, invoking memories.
40 Years Ago – September 1968
The Richfield Springs Central School District registered 1,112 students during the first two weeks of school according to supervising principal Benjamin Cizek, a slight increase over the 1967 enrollment. There are 552 boys and 560 girls in grades K through 12. Enrollment in the elementary school, K through 6, totals 642 pupils with 327 boys and 315 girls. This number includes all the Grade 4 pupils who attend the Schuyler Lake School where girls outnumber boys 47 to 43. There are 470 students enrolled in grades 7 through 12, in the junior and senior high school, with 245 girls and 225 boys. By and large the enrollment at the Richfield Springs Central School has been fairly steady over the past 10 years, running about 1,100 in grades K through 12.
50 Years Ago – September 1958
The Mohawk Valley Boating Association has made plans to take over the use of Deowongo Island in Canadarago Lake for the use of the association. A special meeting has been called for September 17 in the Citizens First National Bank building in Frankfort. The island is owned by James J. Byard, III, Cooperstown, with Mel Thomas as overseer. Byard has offered the use of the island for the club. The 700 by 200 foot island recently gave up some Indian artifacts to members of a state historical group. It will be necessary for club members to clean up the island, install sanitary facilities and provide a club house. Docks and landing places are planned for the owners’ boats. A water well was located by Lloyd Durand, well driller.
60 Years Ago – September 1948
Richfield Springs will have one of the 90 strategically located air markers to be erected by the New York State Department of Commerce in 53 counties of the state. It will be placed on top of the plant of the Shurkatch Fishing and Tackle Co., Inc. Only two other of these markers will be placed in Otsego County – one at Worcester and one at Morris. Commissioner of Commerce Keller said the air-markers installed at state expense will augment the state’s air-marking program which recently completed its 100th air-marker with the cooperation of local officials, civic and aviation groups.
75 Years Ago – September 1933
Another tragedy in the fair waters of Lake Canadarago culminated during the past weekend when the bodies of the young men, Hiram Whipple and Charles VanBuren Brownell were recovered. These unfortunate victims were drowned on Labor Day night. They had driven to Canadarago Park during the evening and there had joined the merry throng of dancers at this popular resort. At about 11:30 they were seen putting out in a borrowed canoe belonging to Lucius Cary of Richfield Springs. The night was beautiful and the waters of the lake scarcely ruffled in the light breeze that swept the surface. What prompted the lads to go out at this hour will never be disclosed. A double funeral service was held Monday afternoon at St. John’s Church. Hiram Whipple was born February 6, 1912. Charles VanBuren Brownell was born August 15, 1911.
100 Years Ago – September 1908
Local – Mrs. Sara Tawney Lefferts of the Cary Cottages, whose book for children, “Mr. Cinnamon Bear,” met with such instant success last year, is issuing another child’s book this month, called “The Christmas Letter.” She has a series of child verses in the Pictorial Review during the summer, accompanying the illustrations by Mrs. Florence England Nosworthy, that are very amusing and are imbued with the true child spirit. The continued dry weather is working great injury to the crops. Many wells, springs and creeks are about played out, and it is quite a serious matter to obtain water for stock.
Resources for this column have been provided courtesy of the New York State Historical Association Library.
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