May 16, 2013
Program: The Blum Shoe Factory
Reply
Author Archives: chadschuster
Business Member Profile: Five Star Bank
Five Star Bank of Dansville is one of Dansville Area Historical Society’s NEW business members for 2013. They provide personal and business banking as well as investment services. A bit of their history is listed below
A proud past. A bright future.
Our roots go back to the 1850’s when Wolcott Humphrey founded a small community institution named the Wyoming County Bank. Mr. Humphrey’s plan for success was to focus on two things: the customers and the communities in which they lived.
The bank he formed would become the flagship bank of what is today’s Five Star Bank, which now includes three sister banks, each with its own rich history in financial services—The National Bank of Geneva, First Tier Bank and Trust, and Bath National Bank.
Over one hundred and fifty years later, our focus on customer and community hasn’t changed. We have earned a reputation for fairness, integrity and dedication to community. With the devotion of excellent people, we have built a company with solid equity and a strong heritage.
Today, the bank boasts $2.6 billion in assets and does business in 15 contiguous counties in Western and Central New York. We offer our customers the service and convenience of a network of more than 50 branches and a quickly expanding ATM network.
We are proud to be there for you, our customers, wherever, whenever and however you need us. We are Five Star Bank.
Five Star Bank 152 Franklin Street Dansville, New York 14437 (585) 335-2080 https://www.five-starbank.com/
On this date: American Legion buys old Baptist Church
April 4, 1938
Daniel Goho Post 87 of the American Legion in Dansville, New York was established on June 16, 1919 during its organizational meeting. The constitution was written and an application for a charter was signed by 39 men. This was the first post in Livingston County, NY. At that time they had no place to call home as meetings and other events were held in various building around the village. Sponsored events included high school concerts, Boys State program, Scholarships, American Legion Baseball and Boy Scouts.
In 1938 they found a home of their own when they purchased the abandoned Baptist Church at 34 Elizabeth Street for $500 owed in village taxes. After renovations done mostly by Legionnaires the new quarters was dedicated on July 18, 1938.
Business Member Profile: Wayland Free Library
We would like to thank the Wayland Free Library for renewing their business membership to the Dansville Area Historical Society in 2013. There support is very important to us.
Wayland Free Library 101 W. Naples St. Wayland, NY 14572 Phone: (585) 728-5380 Fax: (585) 728-5002
Website: http://www.gunlockelibrary.org/HOME/tabid/242/Default.aspx
Wayland Library History: http://www.gunlockelibrary.org/HISTORY/tabid/280/Default.aspx
Visit them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Wayland-Free-Library/131772610023
Bombs Away! — April 25, 2013 7:00 P.M.
Image
West Sparta Spaghetti Dinner and Pie Auction
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Noon – 4:00
West Sparta Methodist Church 8747 Redmond Road West Sparta, NY 14437
For info call 335-5094
Adults – $7.00 Children under 12 – $4.00
Business Member Profile: The Star Theatre (Est. 1921)
Supporting those, who support us, is the idea behind this series of posts.
Originally opened June 4, 1921, the Star Theatre in Dansville, NY is a single screen old fashion movie theatre. The first shows were black and white silent movies until 1927 when “Talkies” were first shown. It has a full service snack bar that serves the best popcorn in the area. It has been owned and operated by the Schmidt family since 1994. At the end of last year they reopened again after a week installation of a new digital projector and sound system.
There are not that many old theatre’s like this left and we are very fortunate to have this one as part of our Downtown Historic District on Main Street. We hope you will see your next movie at the historic Star Theatre in Dansville.
1st run movies through age 18 $7.00
Adults age 19 – 61 years of age $8.00
Kids with 62 years of experience $7.00
Military/College ID $7.00
Matinee shows all admissions $6.00
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Star-Theatre/106642715134
Movie Info at 585-335-6950
The DAHS would like to thank the Star Theater for continuing to be one of our business members for 2013.
Available for sale is this Hometowne Collectible (wooden replica) of the Star Theatre for $15.00
For additional info on our Hometowne Collectible series click here
2012 in review
Here is a great summary of 2012 provided by WordPress.com.
Here’s an excerpt:
600 people reached the top of Mt. Everest in 2012. This blog got about 4,300 views in 2012. If every person who reached the top of Mt. Everest viewed this blog, it would have taken 7 years to get that many views.
On this date: Dansaire Corp. builds first (and last) airplane
Jan. 26, 1947
Dansaire Corporation, which had settled in Dansville, hoped to make Dansville the home of the first real “family-type” plane. It was called the Dansaire Coupe.
Assembly of the airplane was completed Jan. 10, and on that day the engine was run for the first time. Since that time numerous taxi runs and several minor adjustments and alterations have been made.
Dansaire Corporation believed their new plane—the Dansaire Coupe—had corrected many of the things inherently wrong with the small personal plane. The loudest objections to small planes have been the cramped, small cabins and the difficulty getting in and tout of these cabins. This difficulty is experienced mostly by women and admitted by some men. Most small personal planes preclude a man from taking his wife and child on trips because of lack of seating space. And tiny baggage compartments limit the amount of luggage permissible for week-end trips.
Dansaire Corporation was to put on the market a personal plane which had corrected all these inconveniences and therefore must appeal to the whole family. It would offer (1) a large roomy seat up-front, wide enough for three grown people; (2) a door, larger than most car doors (45 Inches high and 50 inches wide), to permit getting into and out of the cabin with ease, and (3) a baggage compartment large enough to meet the needs of a family or the needs of a golfing threesome, golfbags and all!
As reported in the Dansville Breeze on Jan 23, 1947 Mr. White, president said plans are being made at the present time to exhibit the Dansaire Coupe at the New York Aviation Show to be held in New York City the first week in February. Publicity released in connection with this show will spread the name of Dansaire and Dansville from coast to coast, Mr White added.
Following CAA licensing of the plane for experimental flights, the red and creme plane made several trial flights. A Bell Aircraft Corporation test pilot was at the controls. The plane was disassembled and shipped to the National Air Show in New York City and was then trucked to New York City by W. B. Griswold.
George White, also announced that the public was being invited to a showing and demonstration of the new Dansaire Coupe, at Dansville Municipal Airport Sunday, March 23, 1947.
On this date: Tractor trailer crashes into Maxwell House Coffee Shop
January 18, 1961
Genesee County Express January 19, 1961
Signs at the top of Wayland Hill warning truck drivers to shift to lower” gear before descending apparently are not the solution to the run-away truck problem.
For the second time in less than six months death and destruction rode a truck down Wayland Hill into Dansville shortly before noon. Whereas fate had stayed death’s hand on the previous trip, this time it was allowed at least one victim. Killed in the spectacular crash which demolished two Main St buildings was Kenneth R. Sutphin, 23, of Rising Sun, Md. driver of the tractor trailer carrying a 20-ton load of galvanized steel sheets.
Eye Witness Accounts of Crash
BY LEE SCHUSTER (Clement Leo Schuster)
“I was only a few inches from that truck. Thank the Lord I’m still here. I had my hand on the front door of the restaurant and was starting out when I saw the truck coming.
I guess I must have jumped back into that little coat room by the door as the truck came smashing through. “I don’t remember anything else until it was all over. The cab and trailer shot right by me—only inches away—taking the doorway with it. Flying glass, I guess, gave me this small cut on the cheek and my glasses have a small chip. It was miraculous that it missed me. How do you explain a thing like this “First thing I thought of was Doris Conway who had gone out just ahead of me. I understand she saw the truck coming, grabbed her children and ran toward the bank I guess she is pretty upset—so am I, it came so close.”
BY VERNON LENT
“I was having coffee in the restaurant and all of a sudden there was an explosion — at least it sounded like one. I thought an airplane had crashed into the building. I didn’t see the cab at all, when I looked up, just the trailer. “I looked down and Irving Anderson of Swains was on the floor. I picked him up and then went over to see if anyone was under the trailer. Gas was running out but there was no one there. I later learned Anderson had a broken ankle. He said it probably was broken when the explosion—that’s the only way to describe it—knocked him off his stool.
“There was complete confusion in the restaurant. I heard Doris Conway screaming in the back of the building. She had gone out the front door with her children only moments before the crash and must have walked around back. I called her husband, Bob, and he came right down. She was really shook up — that truck must have just missed her and the kids. Everything was confusion. It was terrible.”
BY TED SMITH
“That’s the third one I’ve witnessed and I don’t want to see any more. Another 15 seconds and I’d have been clobbered myself. I had just delivered the mail in the Grant store and was on my way to the Dansville Auto Parts store when I saw this truck come shooting down the street dragging this car (Reilly’s) right alongside it. It just seemed that the car was dragging it toward the curb. There was an awful explosion as it struck the coffee shop. I didn’t think that poor driver could ever get out of that alive. It was awful. Why doesn’t the state do something?”
BY GEORGE KARNS
“I was lucky. My car was parked just a couple doors down the street from the restaurant and I had just pulled away from the parking meter when people started running up Main St. I heard a crash, I ran back and the truck had smashed through the two stores. I got out just in time.”
Hospital Lists Richard Reilly As ‘Critical’
Most seriously injured of the four living victims is Richard Reilly, 46, of 8 Hessier Ct. whose condition is listed as “critical” by Dansville Memorial Hospital authorities. Reilly was driver of one of the four vehicles smashed in the crash. Reilly’s injuries are listed as fractured ribs and collarbone and a possible punctured lung. His car was demolished. Witnesses said the truck apparently out of control, sped into the village with horn blaring, passing the Main and Clara Barton Sts. intersection without mishap.
Before reaching the Ossian St. intersection, however, the tractor trailer clipped a truck driven by Anthony Marks of McCurdy Rd. The driver then swerved left in attempt to avoid the Reilly car, which was making a left turn into Ossian St. After that collision the truck smashed into a parked car owned by Dr. Angelo M. Carlucci of Sonyea.
The truck, dragging the Reilly vehicle along with it, careened about 300 feet down Main, jumped the curb, plowed into the front of the Maxwell House Coffee Shop and through a wall into the Dansville Auto Parts store where a heavy upright beam halted its structive progress.
Before jumping the curb near the restaurant, the truck rammed and demolished another parked car owned by Walter Sorg of 7 Clay St. Reilly’s vehicle caught on the corner of the restaurant as the truck crashed into the Maxwell House Coffee Shop followed by the Dansville Auto Parts.
Dansville Breeze Jan. 24, 1961
We Need Action It is high time the collective voice of a frightened and terrorized Dansville be heard in Albany or in some city where lies the responsibility for eliminating the curse of runaway trucks on Wayland Hill. The death toll from runaway trucks now stands at five. Why the number is not 55 only God knows.
