Ben's Bridge - who is Ben and why is a bridge named after him?

I hope you have had a chance to read my Our Towne Bethlehem article about the Selkirk Rail Yard. If not, here's a link - go quick because a new article will be up for January.  http://www.ourtownebethlehem.com/

The cover photo is of a young girl on Ben's Bridge.  As I type this, the bridge that carries Old School Road over the rail yard is coming down and the legacy of Ben Giovannetti will be lost.

Old timers remember it being called Jericho Bridge.  While the Jericho place name is no longer recognized, the little hamlet once boasted a small community of farm families and a one room school.  Today's Jericho Road, Route 53, once continued from 9W over the bridge and on to South Albany (another little recognized hamlet) and South Bethlehem. You can follow Rt 53 on a modern map connecting Jericho Road, Old School Road, and South Albany Road.

In the late 1980s and early 90s there was an effort to close the Jericho Bridge, and a counter movement by residents to keep it open. The bridge was saved. and in 1993 it was renamed  to honor Ben Giovannetti, unsung bridge hero.

To read more about the controversy, pop on over to the Spotlight archive at the Bethlehem Public Library and search on "Jericho Bridge"
  http://www.bethlehempubliclibrary.org/localhistory/spotlight.asp

Sadly, just 25+ years later, despite the objections of many, Ben's Bridge will shortly, if not already, be no more.  Curious? Check out the I Care About Ben's Bridge Facebook group for photos.

Erlenwein and Simmons Road

This is for the woman I met at the Delmar Farmer's Market on Saturday. I am sorry to admit I forgot to get her name or contact info.  She asked me about the pillars at the entrance to Simmons Road in Glenmont.  One has the name Erlenwein on it.  "Who or what is Erlenwein?" she asked.

The entrance to Simmons Road.

The connection is through family - as many connections are in doing historical research.

According to the obituary I found, Mrs. Katherine L. Simmons of Glenmont was the wife of Harry Simmons, and the daughter of Martin Kramrath and Catherine Erlenwein Kramrath.

The obit is from the Knickerbocker News, January 27, 1941

To make a nice neat story, I am going to assume that Katherine and Harry Simmons are the ones the road is named after.  So, Erlenwein is her mother's maiden name.  Now I am filled with more curiosity.  Which house was theirs? What are the other names on the pillars?  Why did they put those names on the entrance pillars? Time for a road trip to Glenmont!

Henry Hudson wait....what??

While searching for images of Henry Hudson for a talk I am giving today - this came up.  Yes, that is a Pokemon card.

And this line came up on a biography website:

Place of death: In or near the Hudson Bay, Canada.

That's right, in or near the Hudson Bay. Which is correct, just an odd way of phrasing it. On his fourth voyage of discovery, Hudson and crew were forced to spend the winter in the subarctic on the shores of the bay that would bear his name. Ill-prepared, low on food, it was a harrowing experience.  Come spring, what was left of Hudson's crew refused to keep exploring, set Hudson and others adrift in a small boat and then headed back to England. Hudson was never heard from again.  And the few starving men that managed to limp back into port were all tried for mutiny.  So, an interesting turn of phrase that hides a tragic story.

Rupert Wiltsie: A Bethlehem Veteran

In honor of Veteran's Day, I give you these snapshots of Rupert Wiltsie of South Bethlehem.






The son of George and Ada, Rupert Wiltsie was born  May 21, 1889 in South Bethlehem. He enlisted at Albany on April 4, 1918 and served with the 308th Field Artillery. This unit fought during the battle of Saint-Mihiel (Sept 12-15, 1918) and the Meuse Argone Offensive (Sept. 26 until the Nov. 11, 1918 Armistice.) Both of these are in France. He was discharged at Camp Dix, NJ on May 26, 1919 with the rank of private 1st class.



After the war, Wiltsie returned home to South Bethlehem. He was living there with his parents during the 1925 NY census where he was listed as a fireman at the quarry (Callanans). By the 1930 US census, Wiltsie was married to Nettie, living in Ravena and still working at the quarry - now as a well driller.

Note the handwritten "Back from France" on the top picture.

Then and Now: 895 Delaware Avenue UPDATED with airplane info

While tidying up my digital files this morning, I came across this snapshot.  It is a building I see every time I come out of the Bethlehem Y.  And yes, there appears to be some sort of aircraft on the right.  Maybe someone out there knows the story?


UPDATE on the airplane:

Henry Klett bought the plane from the military after WWII.  He flew it home and when it was not air worthy any more, he placed it in front of the Klett Company. Klett instructed pilots during the war and used a similar basic trainer at Dos Palos Airport in California.  Dos Palos was activated June 24, 1943 as a U.S. Army Air Forces primary (level 1) pilot training airfield.

Here's a now photo - thank you Google!

Getting distracted at the Smithsonian - A Clarksville quilt

Per usual in my pursuit of historical inquiry, I am distracted by the National Museum of American History's searchable website.  Did you know a unique piece of Clarksville history somehow found its way to the Smithsonian?

The picture below really doesn't do it justice so follow this link for a lovely color photo.  http://americanhistory.si.edu/collections/search/object/nmah_556249

It is a red and white embroidered coverlet from 1922 that was probably used as a fundraiser for the Clarksville Reformed Church.  Each of the 48 flowers has 12 petals covered with various names and inscriptions.  Most petals are simply names or signatures.

Here's what is written on the petals of one flower:

Rev. Boyce
Pastor
Peggy
His wife
Rex
Their dog
Clarksville
Reformed
Church
Fair
Dec 8th
1922

Another flower has only two names, Clara Weidman and Faith Weidman along with beautifully embroidered flowers within the flower petals. Right next to Clara and Faith's flower is one that is clearly an  advertisement - carefully written out on each petal is the following:

The
Lowest
Priced
Fully
Equipped
Automobile
Gardner
Wright
Chevrolet
Motor Cars
Economical
Transportation

Remember this is 1922!

Go to the website above and zoom in and around on the petals and you'll find lots of Bethlehem/New Scotland family names like Houck, Slingerland, Relyea, Pangburn and Glenn just to name a very few.

And yes, I know Clarksville is not in Bethlehem, but what a wonderful snip-it of local history.

And just because I can, here are three old Clarksville postcards.

Mid Century Bethlehem at the library

Head on over to the Bethlehem Public Library to take a look at the exhibit I just installed today.  Mid Century Bethlehem features Bethlehem images from the 1950s and 60s.

Like these two guys...

and this gal...

(This young woman is Diane Hunter and I hadn't had the picture up on the wall for two minutes before someone stopped by to say they remembered her from high school.)


Or how about this street scene...

See more pictures at the library!
The show will be up for the month of October, which just happens to be Archives Month.