FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Mysteries in our Histories

STAMFORD, NY – Putting a little mystery in our history, the State Route 10 Corridor Historians would like to invite you to listen to some tales about real-life (or maybe not quite real-life) mysteries that have occurred in Delaware and Schoharie Counties from Summit to Bloomville.

The program will be held on Sunday, March 25 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Frank W. Cyr Center in Stamford; no charge for admission and plenty of parking is available.

Have you heard about:
• The 1895 drowning… that wasn’t, in Summit?
• Bloodstains in the ballroom in Bloomville?
• The story of the husband in the well in Jefferson?
• The long list of peddlers that have gone missing?
• The lady with the lantern at the Hobart Inn?
• The Impossible Suicide?
• Spook Woods?

Bring a tale of your own to share, if you dare.

Two local authors will also be present: Karen Cuccinello, who wrote “Schoharie County One-Room Schoolhouses” and Margaret Kenyon, who authored “Kortright Invites You”, an updated history of the Town of Kortright.

Light refreshments will be available. Get historical – join the historians on March 25 from 2 to 4 PM at the Cyr Center, 159 West Main Street, Stamford. For more information, please visit http://catskillmtns.org/mysteries-in-our-history/

[Show as slideshow]

Many of us remember Blondey’s, a former restaurant/bar in Hobart, NY that was very popular. Below is a terrific article written in 1976 about the history of Blondey’s.

We want to present the article as genuine as possible so click on the Image for a larger view and enjoy this wonderful walk down memory lane!

George Yamada, a former Hobart resident, is part of a group of 40 Japanese-American veterans from World War II who is going on an Honor Flight Trip to Washington, DC from October 31 through November 3. He is a member of the U.S. Army’s 442nd Regiment and Military Intelligence Regiment who will receive Congressional Gold Medals in a special ceremony at the Emancipation Hall in Washington’s Hilton Hotel. On September 2 of this year, President Obama had asked for special permission from Congress to award a group of these men the Congressional Gold Medal and his request was granted. All of Congress and every Senator in the country have been given invitations to join in this historic event.

More than 4,000 people are on the list to witness this historic ceremony. However there is room for only 1,250 people, and of that only 600 will be seated. An overflow room will be available for family and friends not allowed into the event for reasons of space or security, and from there they will be able to watch the live feed. A special gala dinner will be held the following day to honor the recipients. While in Washington DC the men will also attend a special WWII ceremony, with 600 veterans expected to attend.

The 442nd was made up of just Japanese or Japanese-American men. At the time it was thought to keep them all together so they could be easily watched for signs of treason, etc. However, no act of treason was ever committed by any Japanese-American in this country. The 442nd has the honor of being the most-decorated unit in the history of wars in this country to this date.

As the journey is both an Honor Flight and a Congressional Gold Medal trip combined, it is an extra-special event. In addition to the Japanese-American veterans headed to Washington, DC from Washington, Oregon, Iowa and Utah, one person will accompany each of them, and many will have family members with them as well.

George will be accompanied from Spokane by his daughters, Linda Kern and Patty Marinos, and will be met in Washington, DC by a third daughter, Cathy Rappleyea and son-in-law, Glenn Rappleyea of Hobart. The group will spend an extra two days touring DC before heading back to Spokane.

Linda confides, “We all had to jump through hoops with paperwork for the Secret Service, but we are still not sure if Obama will be awarding these medals or not, as we continue to get conflicting reports. We are hoping that these men will, in fact, receive their Congressional Gold Medals from their Commander-in-Chief, President Obama.”

After the war, George married his wife, Suzie, and the couple began their life together in Spokane. In 1953 they moved to Hobart, where he worked for the Rich Hatchery, helping to determine the sex of day-old chicks, a secret technique who was known to the Japanese and few others. He also sold insurance on the side. The couple had six children, Cathy, Linda, Jerry, Patty, John, and Greg. The family originally lived in an apartment in the home of the Taylor sisters, Ruanna and Frances, on River St., but after Greg’s birth moved to more spacious quarters in the former Episcopal rectory on Maple Ave. They moved to Spokane, WA in 1976, after the closing of the Rich hatchery.

Last year Jerry’s son, Nathan Yamada, was accepted into the first-year class of Marine ROTC’s at Arizona State University, leaving his grandfather “proud beyond words.”

George will be celebrating a birthday on November 3 — his 88th birthday. For the Japanese this is an extra special day, as it is two number 8′s together. Each 8 represents an unending line which means life, a double 8 means a good long life! (If, in fact, President Obama awards George his Congressional Gold Medal as planned, Patty is planning on asking the President to lead the Happy Birthday song for her dad!!)

More information is available on the WWW.Nationalveteransnetwork.com, or by looking up “Congressional Gold Medal.” More details about Honor Flights may be found by looking up the phrase “Honor Flights” as well.

Peg Kenyon displays book to bookstore owner John Mahoney during a recent book signing at Liberty Rock Books. (Photo by C. Schoen)

After many months of canvassing local residents, searching town records, and perusing old newspapers, Margaret Kenyon’s book, Kortright Invites You, is finally in print and available from a number of sources, including Liberty Rock Books in Hobart, which sponsored a book-signing event on September 3.

The book is subtitled “A Pictorial History of the Township of Kortright, Delaware Co., NY.” Using photographs and historical materials from the Town of Kortright records and archives and items from family collections of current and former community members, Kenyon has created a book on the history of the Town of Kortright which will provide a valuable research tool for generations to come.

In speaking of her book, the author said “I have worked on it since August of 2010. My main inspiration was to honor my uncle, Wilber Haynes, who currently serves as the Kortright historian.” The book was dedicated not only to Haynes, Kortright Town Historian since 1995, but also to the late Josephine McDougall, who served in that position before him, Erma MacArthur, Hobart Village Historian since 1992, and her sister, Evangeline MacLaury, who was historian of the Town of Harpersfield from 1966 to 2002.

The author credits several Kortright residents for helping in her search for information, including Karyl Hunt Eaglefeathers, JoAnn Rockefeller, Melanie Snyder, and Jill Hunt Walch. The book includes copies of article from local newspapers, maps, family and business records, recollections of their school days by area residents, photographs loaned by many families or winkled out of old yearbooks, and material from town files, among other sources. In creating the book, Kenyon worked with Decker Advertising and a firm in Georgia that specializes in this type of book.

The book includes sections on “Tour Our Town,” “Visit District Schools,” “Remember Past and Present Businesses,” “Honor Our Heritage of Faith,” “Reflect Upon Those Who Came Before,” and finally, “Celebrate Kortright History.”

Included in the first section is information on the Kortright Patent, information on early settlers, township roads and “hollows,” and photos of the hamlet. In the section on schools, the book displays pictures of the one-room schools within the township as well as the current South Kortright Central School. Former students recall their school days in short “memories.” The recently-closed Allen Center is also included in photos of the former Andrews Estate.

The modern town hall is contrasted with previous buildings which served that purpose, and photographs of the Bloomville Hotel, Sheffield Farms creamery, Snedecker’s Dance Hall, Coan’s Opera House and Dance Hall, a menu from the former Coach Lamp Inn, information on the Provimi veal packing plant, the old grocery and the post office.

The religious aspect of the township is reflected in photos and information on the many churches in the township: the Gilchrist, North Kortright, and the West Kortright Presbyterian churches — the latter now the West Kortright Center — the Bloomville Methodist Church and St. Paul’s Episcopalian Church, as well as a picture of a Memorial Day celebration at Riverside Cemetery.

Former residents of the township are recalled in one of the sections, with information on Andrew Lyon, William D. Ceas, the Doonan brothers and newspaper publisher S. B. Champion. Pictures also display long-ago baseball teams and family reunions. One of those included probably never lived in the township, but is forever a part of the town’s history, Elizabeth Kortright Monroe, wife of the nation’s fifth president, James Monroe, and a descendant of the original owner of the Kortright Patent.

The section on Kortright history includes photos of Emergency Squads, Fire Departments, the town’s first snow plow, a covered bridge, and selections from John Raitt’s “Ruts in the Road.”

It is available from the author, as well as at the Kortright Town Hall, Sal’s Traditional Meat Center (Bloomville Grocery), Adams Bookstore in Hobart, and at the Delaware County Historical Association for immediate purchase. In addition to the book signing event sponsored by the Hobart Book Village, another signing is planned to take place at the Hobart Historical Society building at a later date.

For those who would like to purchase the book directly from the author, she may be contacted at by e-mail at margaretkenyon@hughes.net. Her mailing address is 12830 Turnpike Rd., East Meredith, NY 13757. Her telephone number is (607) 278-5458. The cost of the book, including shipping and handling, will be $24.95.

One half of a telegraph set used by the J. B. Rich store

One half of a telegraph set used by the J. B. Rich store and the late Wallace H. Rich. It was located in his home on the River Road, and connected to the store, which was across from the present-day Coffee Pot, nearly three miles away. A demonstration was given by Mr. Rich’s great-grandsons, David and Kevin Jensen at the Hobart Historical Society’s open house during the Hobart Horseshoe Festival. (Photo by C. Schoen)

The Horseshoe competition started early in the day

The Horseshoe competition started early in the day on July 23 during the 10th annual Hobart Horseshoe Festival. Despite unusually high temperatures, the activity was fast and furious, with 19 teams competing for the championship. First place winners were Brian Pashley of Hamden and Rick Pashley of Franklin, followed by Chris and Kim Pashley of Walton in second place, and Shawn Kelley of Hobart and Ray Lasherof Gilboa in third place. (Photo by C. Schoen)

HEAT CANNOT STOP HORSESHOE FESTIVAL

Despite unusually hot weather, the 10th annual Hobart Horseshoe Festival drew a large number of visitors who watched the horseshoe tournament, visited the many vendor booths, enjoyed the variety of food booths and the entertainers, and chose a plastic duck for the traditional duck race on the Delaware River.

Although only 19 teams competed this year, compared to the usual 25 teams, activity at the horseshoe pits was fast and furious. First place winners were Brian Pashley of Hamden and Rick Pashley of Franklin. The Pashley family continued its success with Chris and Kim Pashley of Walton coming in second. Third place winners were Shawn Kelley of Hobart and Ray Lasher of Gilboa.

As for the duck race, the winner was one of the vendors, Kathryn Gilson. This race is traditionally a 50-50, with the winner taking home half of the proceeds, with the other half going to the Hobart Civic Assn., sponsors of the Festival.

Entertainment this year was entirely new, and included a Sweet Adelines group from Oneonta, known as Upscale. They entertained visitors in many locations, acting as strolling singers. A magician, known as Magic by Michael, entertained both youngsters and adults with a series of tricks and banter. Music was provided by P-Squared, two young men who played drums and keyboard by the side of the river.

Another unusual entertainment was provided by David and Kevin Jensen, sons of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Jensen, and grandsons of Mr. and Mrs. Wallace Rich. They demonstrated use of a historic telegraph set up in the 1880’s in the home of their great-grandfather, Wallace H. Rich, and used to communicate with the J. B. Rich store in the village, about 2 miles away. The demonstration took place at the Hobart Historical Society building across Cornell Ave. from the Community Center. The Society held its annual open house in connection with the Festival, to give returning alumni a chance to pour over its collection of scrapbooks and other memorabilia.

In addition to the magician, entertainment for the younger set included games set up by Barbara Doyle and some young men from Phoenix House, face painting by members of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, and the petting zoo of Charlie Reinshagen.

Exhibits included farm equipment displayed by Bill Coleman and a collection of wood carvings set up in the historic cabinet at the Community Center by Glen Kaufman. The latter remain on view to visitors to the building.

The Festival is traditionally held on the fourth Saturday in July, and is open to any vendors who wish to participate. Parking is free and the area is handicapped accessible.

Another dead tree bites the dust as workers hired by the village cut up the trunk and prepare to haul away the remains

Another dead tree bites the dust as workers from Gunther Tree Service cut up the trunk and prepare to haul away the remains, as part of the village’s tree removal program. Trees removed were either those considered a liability threat to the village, or were done at the request of homeowners, who reimbursed the village for the expense. A total of 33 trees were taken down, 14 of them for private individuals.

After trees were removed, the next step was grinding down stumps