January 30, 1961 New Post Office Opened

 “Postal service began Monday morning at Interlaken’s new post office on S. Main St.,” so begins the clipping pasted into Dewitt’s Diary for this date.

The snippet was the opening two paragraphs from an article in the February 2, 1960, Interlaken Review.

Ground for the new post office was broken in July 1960. Among those present for the event were Mayor D. P. Norton, Postmaster John Kellogg, Covert Town Clerk J.C. Wiggins, retired postal route carrier Joe Dickerson, Interlaken Review editor Duane Waid, Wheeler National Bank President Myron Bassette and Robert Rudy, owner and contractor for the project. (Interlaken Review, July 28,1960.)

Earlier that year the former Bergen home, most recently occupied by the Pell family, was torn down to make space for the building. The residence had survived the fire of 1880 which took out the buildings to the north.

The Bergen home circa 1900. To the left is the Robinson hotel.
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1179

The new post office replaced the one in use since 1908 in the former Case building. Shown below, the four rural route carriers with their vehicles, lined up outside the post office in 1934.

Interlaken Historical Society photo # 1155
Today the building on the right is gone, and the Case block is home to
Alarmtech and Gunblack

The new post office was dedicated on April 9, 1961, with a program at the school and open house at the Post Office.

From the 2001 American Legion Auxillary Birthday Calendar,
Interlaken Historical Society collection

Temporary repairs being made to the front of the
Post Office after an overnight motor vehicle accident.
Photo from the author's collection.

To see the articles on the new Post Office, click here

Dewitt’s Diary: Monday January 30, 1961

Temperature 6, clear southwest wind.

Another cold day. Snow blowing on the crust. We drove to Lodi this morning. I went to town this afternoon.

Temperature 12 more clouds, west wind.

The new post office is operating today.

January 29, 1944 Scrap Material Drive

The January 25^th Snippet opened with the question “How does the government finance a war?” Today our snippet focuses on what the community did to raise funds to support and encourage the boys and girls from home.

The headline of the article which led to this snippet reads: “Local Scrap Drive Set for January 29.” A second article, also on the front page notes “Rural Scrap Drive Jan 22 Through Jan. 31.” In the second article, John R. VanLiew, Rural Scrap Drive Chairman asked, “Will you take a little time to help a lad in the armed forces?...and at the same time assist our country in its need for scrap iron.” People were encouraged to bring scrap iron to the Town Building in Interlaken. If they happened to have a large amount, Mr. VanLiew offered to have it picked up. (Page 1 Interlaken Review Friday January 21, 1944.)

Under the headline for the first article is information about the items needed. At that time, 660,000 tons of waste paper was needed each month. One reason the need was so great in January 1944, only 500,000 tons were being collected, a shortage of 160,000 tons each month.

Tin was also essential to the war program, and there was no substitute for it. The article stated that the tin cans to be collected needed to be cleaned and flattened. When we think of today’s recycling with one container for all recyclables, we realize how much easier it is today.

The last item noted in the article was the need for turning in waste fats to local meat markets. In exchange, they received 2 rations points and 4 cents per pound of fat.

The proceeds of the drive were to be placed in the local service fund to help send The Review to those in service.

This was not the first scrap drive of the war effort. Jeanine and Joanne Blauvelt (daughters of newspaper owner and editor Fred Blauvelt) kept a scrapbook during the war, and it includes several photos of earlier scrap drives. The photos, dated October 1942, show piles of scrap at the corner of Main and Railroad, next door to the fire house. 

In the February 11, 1944, issue of The Review, Mr. VanLiew noted, “that the recent scrap drive has been very satisfactory for tin cans and paper but disappointing as far as scrap iron was concerned.” There had been a ton of tin cans, three tons of paper collected, but only two tons of iron.

M. C. Slaght was chairman for a Paper Salvage drive in June of 1944, and he reported that 10,830 pounds of paper were collected and sold for $59.56. This was added to other moneys being raised to send Christmas gifts to those in the service. The total at that time was $129.21. He also went on to say, “We hope to be able to raise this amount considerable before time to mail Christmas checks.”

In another report, this one by M. [Maurice] L. Patterson as secretary of the Interlaken Chamber of Commerce, listed the funds raised from an early scrap drive effort. Beginning in November 1942 when a fund was established at the Wheeler National Bank with the receipts from sale of scrap $236.00. October 1943 donation to the National War fund $50.00 and to the Boys in Service subscription fund $90.00. In March 1943 $25 was given to the Red Cross, and an additional $50 for the subscription fund. On May 1, 1944, the balance of $21 was turned over to the executive committee for the Subscription fund. (Interlaken Review June 24, 1944)

We know that these fund-raising efforts were appreciated; each week The Review published letters from the young men and women stationed around the world. Three letters from January 1944 all begin with appreciation.

McCaw General Hospital, Walla Walla, Washington.; Dear Editor: Today I was very happy to receive the good old hometown paper. News from Interlaken sure makes me feel good and I thank you for sending it to me and to the rest of the Interlaken boys who are in the service. (Manley Fowler, January 7, 1944)

England. Dear Fred and Lillian: I want you to know how much I appreciate the Review. When you are so far away from home there isn't a line you don't read. The length of time for its arrival varies. From four to seven weeks, but its all news to me. (Tom Bassett, January 7, 1944)

England. Dear Fred: After a long time this G.I. material is getting around to thank you and the others who make it possible for us in the service to get the hometown paper. (Morris Brown January 21, 1944)

Click here to see the complete letters. The Interlaken Historical Society also has a scrapbook kept by Esther Wyckoff which has all of the letters from camp if anyone is interested in reading letters from a family member.

Dewitt’s Diary: Wednesday, January 29, 1941 More snow in the night, temperature 24 this morning and 10 tonight at 4 o'clock. Snow flurries and cold wind from the north. A Mr. E Lantos is moving into the WAB [Wheeler Bassett] farm [across the road from Dewitt's].
Thursday 1942 George and I working in the woods, Cold and north wind.
Friday 1943 3 1/2 inches of new snow. Francis and I went fox hunting today.
Saturday 1944 Temperature 32 a little white on the ground and some colder. Worked in the woods again today. Some colder tonight. 

January 27, 1826 Town of Lodi Created

As will be discussed in detail in April, when the Town of Covert was created it was a much larger town, running from Cayuga Lake to Seneca Lake along a line roughly equal to today’s Route 96A.

As Mr. Morrison discusses in The Early History of the Town of Covert, during the fall and early winter of 1825, a petition was circulated in the western half of the town of Covert, seeking to form a new town. This petition, with signatures of 167 residents, was presented to the State Legislature. During the 49th session of that state body, legislation was passed on January 27, 1826, creating the Town of Lodi.

Morrison, page 25 includes the entire wording of the legislation (click here).

The dividing line between the two towns ran along the west side of lots 49, 59, 69, 82 and 94, which is today’s Lodi Covert Town Line Road, from Route 96A south to the Seneca/Schuyler County line.

The legislation does not state how the name “Lodi” was selected. It did include when the new town would become effective, “from and after the first Monday in March next” [March 6, 1826]. It also included the location and date of the first Town of Lodi meeting, “that the first town-meeting held there-in, shall be held at the house of John Ingersoll, in the said town, on the first Tuesday of March next. March 7, 1826). 

The third part of the legislation dealt with the poor of the two towns, Covert and Lodi. “And be it further enacted, That as soon as may be, after the first Tuesday in April next, the supervisors and overseers of the poor, shall…meet together and apportion the poor maintained by the said town of Covert.” Once the list of people being assisted by the overseer of the poor was determined the funds in the budget were to be shared.

It should be noted that with the boundary along current day Route 96A, the village of Lodi was split into the two towns, much like today’s Village of Romulus. Following a petition to the New York State Senate and Assembly, legislation was passed on May 5, 1837, which took lot numbers 36, 37, 38 and 39 from the town of Ovid and transferred them to the Town of Lodi.

1874 Town of Lodi Map as shown in the Seneca County Atlas for that year.

Not only does the original 1826 division change the Town of Covert, but it adds another layer to both genealogical and property research.

As discussed on January 8^th, we need to understand the changing geographical boundaries to locate census and land records. For the first two federal census people living in current day Lodi were part of the town of Ovid in Montgomery County (1790) and in Cayuga County in 1800. Looking for someone in the 1810 census, Lodi is still part of Ovid, now in Seneca County. By the 1820 census most of Lodi is in the town of Covert. The 1830 census is the first federal census to list residents in the Town of Lodi, (those living south of Route 96A.) Finally, in the 1840 census and going forward, if an ancestor is noted as “from Lodi” one only has to look in the Town of Lodi census records.

Many families are “from Lodi,” but until 1837 you need to check, and double check, sources to find and document exactly where they were located to gather the recorded information.

Dewitt’s Diary: Saturday January 27, 1962 Temperature 26 Cooler-Cloudy. I got up early to watch the man in space-shot-around-the-world on television. The man for the trip is John Glenn. A ex-marine corps pilot. Home is New Concord, Ohio. At 8:30 they are holding up the flight because of weather at Cape Canaveral Florida the place of blast off. He is 40 years old.

They called off the flight because of the cloudy conditions at the take off point. We drove to Trumansburg and bought the groceries. Light snow flurries. Ground white at dark. I called on Lantos this afternoon. Temperature 20 cloudy frosty snow falling.

January 25, 1946 War Bond Victory Dinner

How does the government finance a war? The answer depends on the decade you are discussing. For both World War I and WWII the government asked the people to help.

Throughout World War II, individuals, businesses and groups could purchase War Bonds. In addition to on-going sales, there were also seven War Loans and a Victory Loan. The fund-raising efforts ended December 31, 1945.

Lester Sparks, William Wheeler and Myron Bassette
outside the south entrance to the bank with a Defence Savings Bond sign.
Blauvelt WWII scrapbook, collection of the Interlaken Historical Society

On January 25, the Interlaken-Lodi Joint War Bond Committee held a Victory dinner at the Goodman Hotel. The report of the evening included a summary of when and how much funds were raised between the two towns.

The individual campaigns, the efforts before the US entered the war with Pearl Harbor, and funds raised between campaigns totaled $1,060,469.10.

The report given by Mrs. Jane King, Ladies’ Chairman of the Town Committee noted:

May 1, 1941, to Dec. 7, 1941           $ 27,232.50

          Sales to March 27, 1943         237,169.35

          2nd War Loan                          41,538.75

          3rd War Loan                           60,835.00

          4th War Loan                          89,668.47

          5th War Loan                           95,268.00

          6th War Loan                           98,529.75

          7th War Loan                         190,018.51

          Victory Loan                          128,748.35

Sales made between drives.                91,460.42

The Wheeler National Bank purchased over a million dollars in bonds, and with the “miscellaneous sales credited by the County Headquarters,” the grand total was $2,117,769.10.

Jane King and Myron Bassette who were involved in the War Bond efforts, 1943.
Blauvelt WWII scrapbook, Interlaken Historical Society collection. 

In addition to the local efforts and people involved, two members of the community were involved with the County Committee: Mrs. Esther Wyckoff, Ladies’ Vice-Chairman of County Committee, and Myron W. Bassette, Town Chairman, and Co-chairman of the County Committee

One couple used their war bond purchase as a way to honor Gen. Eisenhower. The letter from General Eisenhower to Myron Bassette dated August 4, 1945, thanked him and Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clapp for the war bond purchased in his Honor, and for the message the Clapps included with the wrapped pennies #1988-58. Click here to see General Eisenhower's reply.

Notes included on the pennies used to purchase a WWII bond.
Collection of the Interlaken Historical Society

Copy of the letter to Gen. Eisenhower explaining the bond purchased in his honor.
Collection of the Interlaken Historical Society

The Review article listed several people who would be speaking, noting that citations at many levels would be presented. Assisting in making it a festive “Victory” dinner, the music was provided by the Seneca Street Orchestra.

Dewitt’s Diary: January 25, 1945 Another bad day. Temperature 5 below. Snow blowing all day. Some of the highest banks I ever saw around here. About 7 below tonight and only a breeze blowing. Walked down to Earl’s [Wilson]. All highways blocked and railroads.

1946 Mild today B.H. [Bunny Haviland] papering the south upstairs room. Fixing floor and painting. Strong wind and snow flurries from the west.

January 22, 1975 Historical Society Newsletter Volume 1, Number 1

Interlaken Historical Society newsletter, Volume 1, Number 1, postmarked at Interlaken on January 22, 1975. Pat Patterson, with the help of others, especially Betty Ferrand, produced that first newsletter after attending a Regional Historians workshop.

At that time the membership was 31 members. A number of other people, societies, and libraries also received copies.

The front page included articles entitled “First Newsletter,” “A Mini History,” “Recent Acquisitions,” and “The President’s Report from 1974.” The newsletter was created with mimeograph stencils and the copies run at the Interlaken Reformed Church.

Over the years the style of the newsletter has changed as well as production methods. The letter sized mimeographed pages gave way to letter-sized printed pages created on the computer and then to the legal-sized booklet style now produced.

What has not changed, is the content of the Newsletter. There is still a president’s report, information on upcoming meetings and events, news from the Library, recent acquisitions, new members and historical features.

It is interesting, in reflecting on the newsletters, that Pat Patterson was editor for the first issue, and the most recent issue (October 2016 Volume 42, Number 2) features an article by Pat’s daughter Muriel Huttenbach on his many contributions to the Historical Society, the Library, the schools and the Community.

Several people have kept all of their copies of the newsletter, and the Interlaken Historical Society has a complete collection on file for people who want to do some research.

In 1994 Mr. Patterson suggested that the first 20 years be indexed and bound. Two volumes were created of ten years each with the index and are in the Hinman Library research room.

Click here to see the first page of Volume 1, Number 1.

Dewitt’s Diary: Wednesday, January 22, 1975

Temperature 31 cloudy and north wind.

We worked at big elm up by the spring. Cut limb off from old walnut tree below the spring. The old tree shows few bad limbs but is quite hollow but seems that is changed little since I was young.

It stands by the creek on west side of field above the orchard. Had plenty of nuts on it last fall. Many walnut trees on south side of creek now below the spring, many in old peach orchard, 6” to a foot in diameter.

Some snow fell but little amount. No sun, temperature 10 tonight.

January 21, 1981 Hostages Released

 Today’s snippet item is taken from Dewitt’s Diary and does not need any editorial discussion.

Dewitt’s Diary Temperature zero, clear and bright sun.

Ex-President Carter gone to Germany to greet hostages, fifty of them. They have been prisoners of Iran for 444 days.

Newspaper clipping attached to the diary page: Wiesbaden, West Germany—The 52 former hostages, safe in American hands at last and enjoying their first taste of freedom in 14 ½ months, settled into a U.S. Military hospital today and made their first telephone calls to families in the United States.

Put rack of wood piled just outside door inside wood shed. 113 eggs.

Please share your memories of this event in the comments below.

January 20, 1974 Fire Department Ambulance Service Begins

On January 23, 1974, one headline in the Ithaca Journal noted, “Ambulance Now in Use.” The story included a photograph of the 1965 ambulance that the Interlaken Fire Department had purchased.

A second article reported the “emergency vehicle went into service as of midnight, Sunday, Jan. 20. It can be summoned by calling 532-4444, any hour of the day or night.”

Raymond Hurlbut assisted with ambulance service for 37 years prior to 1974. As it was back then, so it is today, regulations and “sufficient and qualified help” are necessary for any ambulance service. The 1973 changes were effecting all communities, “a void in service being created…as local undertakers go out of the ambulance business.” 

“Members of the Interlaken Fire Department Ambulance Squad pose with the newly-purchased ambulance. From left are Joe Lincoln, chairman of the fund drive for the vehicle; David Eggersdorf, Dewey Albro, fire department chief; and Jeff Bond.”
Ithaca Journal article, Interlaken Historical Society Paper File collection

What did these dedicated volunteers do with two months lead time? When they learned Mr. Hurlbut was considering giving up the ambulance service, the department “took up the slack.”

That first ambulance was purchased for $800 from the County Ambulance in Ithaca. As with so many other aspects of the Fire Department, it was a community effort to have the ambulance ready to use.

Listed in the Ithaca Journal article were Ronnie’s Body Shop painting, Jim Fergus the lettering and Mr. Hurlbut donated the needed oxygen supply. At that time the ambulance was housed in one of the bays at the Village of Interlaken garage on Railroad Avenue, just around the corner from the Main Street Fire House.

Interlaken Ambulance at the fire house ca 1986.
Interlaken Historical Society Photo collection

From its beginnings in January 1974 until the last runs in December 2003, volunteers have given their time for training, maintenance, fund raising for new vehicles or needed equipment, and most of all, to answer the call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Mr. Patterson, in his 1976 volume Between the Lakes, The History of South Seneca County dedicated the book to Wheeler A. Bassett and the “members if the Interlaken Fire Department, both past and present.”

1976 Ambulance and members of the Interlaken Fire Department.
Interlaken Historical Society collection.

As a community, we owe this dedicated group of ladies and gentlemen a loud and lasting thank you. Even today there are members of the department who are trained, and renew their training, to help as Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). They are often first on the scene, using their training to evaluate and begin treatment. They also assist the ambulance personnel when the “rig” arrives, helping get the patient enroute to the hospital.

Several of these same EMTs and first responders also serve as instructors for Community CPR classes. While it may seem like an odd statement, it has stayed with me since first hearing it in class, and truly does sum up what the ambulance does best, “red lights and diesel fuel.”

EMTs and other first responders stabilizing patients while waiting for the helicopter.
Author's personal photo collection

January 17, 1919 A Diary Snippet

Dewitt's Diary Friday January 17, 1919
Fair and warm today. Played Basketball tonight with Rushville, Rushville 14 Interlaken 8 (some game).
Went to bed at eleven o'clock.
Rufus Blodgett and Fitch stayed with me all night and I took them to the 8 o'clock train in the morning. They were two right fine fellows.

January 15, 1931 Early Telephone Service

The Interlaken Review of January 18, 1931, included the obituary for Mrs. Nancy Symonds. The opening line noted “…Mrs. Nancy Dildine Symonds, 73, pioneer ‘hello girl’ of Seneca County...” An interesting comment until you read further in the notice.

In 1895 when telephones were first installed in Farmer Village, the equipment and exchange were installed in Mrs. Symonds’ home. Not only was this the first location in Farmer, but one of the first in this part of Seneca County.

For twenty-five years Mrs. Symonds operated the exchange, watching the steady increase in the number of subscribers, so that in 1931 there were over 400 telephones.

Even with her retirement as an operator in the early 1920s, she continued to supervise the local office. She was a member of the Telephone Pioneers of America and a life member of the New York Telephone Company.

It is a brief history of one person’s involvement in our community, and at that time most people knew the rest of the story.

For those of us who don’t know the history, I went looking in the Historical Society files and found an August 1961 article which provides more details on the early years of telephone service.

In the beginning there was the Seneca Telephone Company, which was locally owned. Mrs. Symonds not only had the equipment in her home, she was also the agent for the company. That title meant she operated the switchboard, employed relief operators, and took care of the financial arrangements.

Nancy Symonds' home, and home to the first telephone service
Photo ca 1940s, Interlaken Historical Society photo #1005

 On June 15, 1900, the Empire State Telephone Company took over. The Empire State Telephone Co., (a Bell Company) had its headquarters at Auburn. Supervision of the local exchange was under the management of Messrs. G. Paddock and F. Herendeen.

1900 also saw the first toll service. A special telephone was mounted on the wall and connected to the first toll circuit to serve the village. Then on August 20, 1900, a new switchboard was installed, which remained in service until the Symonds home was torn down in 1950. (A future snippet.)

Mergers and changes continued, in 1908 the Empire State Company was merged with the Central New York Telephone Co., with their headquarters located in Syracuse. In 1909 the Central NY Telephone Company merged with the New York Telephone Company.

During this same time the Trumansburg Home Telephone Co. had extended its lines into the Interlaken area. They established an office on the second floor over the local drug store. Marguerite Dowdle was the chief operator, with Sarah O'Reilly and Anna Mahoney as additional operators.

Telephone operators Margaret Dowdle and Anna Mahoney,
Office above the drug store 1914
Interlaken Historical Society Photo # 2284

In 1922, due to competition with the Trumansburg Company, the New York Telephone Co. sold its interests to the Trumansburg Home Telephone Co., which merged the two properties in both the Trumansburg and Interlaken areas. Walter McKeel of Trumansburg, was president, and J. K. Wheeler, Interlaken, treasurer. Mrs. Symonds continued as agent up to that time.

The employee roster included Jane Dowdle, Anna Mahoney, EIsn McEvoy, Marguerite Dowdle, Sarah O'Reilly and Lena Smith. After Walter McKeel died, Foster Owens of Jacksonville became president for a short time.

On January 1, 1927, the stockholders decided to dispose of their interests to H. H. Griswold, of Clifton Springs, who took over management of the company. One of the first projects was to remove the duplicate poles, cable, and wire throughout the entire territory. Another project was to improve the working conditions of the operators and make the necessary changes in the business office, not only to benefit the operators but the public as well. At the time the new management took over, there were approximately 225 telephones in Interlaken and 325 in Trumansburg.

And so we come back to January 15, 1931, and Mrs. Symonds’ obituary, “for a quarter of a century Mrs. Symonds operated the exchange which is still maintained in her home...While she actually retired from her position as operator more than 10 years ago, Mrs. Symonds acted as a supervisor in the local office until she became ill six months ago and was removed to her daughter’s home.”

Mrs. Symonds is buried at Lake View Cemetery lot 206 with other members of her family.

Sources: Interlaken Historical Society paper files, 1961 article on the telephone company. 

January 13, 1983 What Date Shall We Use? The New Firehouse

One of the challenges in preparing close to 200 snippet items for a one-year period is to find a date for each item. Such is the case of the new fire house, or should I say, when the equipment was moved to the new fire house on South Main Street.

If you have ever read the older issues of the Interlaken Review, you could often find a date based on the issue date and the comment, “…such and such happened last Friday.” By working back from the issue date, you knew that “last Friday” was the 29^th or whatever date it might be. By the 1980s and well before then, the paper didn’t have those detailed comments, and Facebook wasn’t around to have selfies and play-by-play postings.

An Interlaken Review article dated June 23, 1982, written by Valerie Bassett describes the “corner-stone dedication last Thursday night [June 16^th].” Rather than a cornerstone to be placed and dedicated the evening was “a time to thank all of the people who have stood by the project all these years.” At that time the hope was to be in the new fire house within four months. 

As is often the case with construction projects, the four months became six months. At the January 13, 1983, Village of Interlaken Board meeting the following was reported by then Village Trustee William Larsen.

FIRE AND POLICE Fire House is nearly completed and vehicles have been moved to new location. Charles Franzese from Hunt's explained liquidation damages would be assessed to the General Contractor including the cost of fuel oil needed for old firehouse due to delay in completion of the project. Larsen moved to approve change orders with an increase of $394.14 in the General Contract and an increase of $497.46 in the Plumbing Contract. Second by Bassette and carried.

Franzese suggested the Village retain $600 from the plumbing contract until shoulder of road is repaired to meet DOT standards.

As I looked at my list of dates and topics, June was filling up; but January didn’t have as many articles. Even without a true date for the move, we did have a date when the move was recorded in the Village Minutes. That would work for a “Snippet from the Past” date.

The 1983 Fire House was the third home to the Department. The first fire house was located at 8377 Main Street, later the law offices of Victor Mount, and today a private residence. What was the door to the truck bay now has a double window in it.

Interlaken Fire Department in front of the
first fire house 8377 Main Street. 

The second fire house, and one many recall, is now gone. It was at the corner of Railroad Avenue and Main Street. Originally it had one truck bay door, then sometime after 1944 the front wall was remodeled to allow two truck bay doors.

1944 Christmas photo greeting by Elizabeth Egan, I H S collection item

 

 

Fire house with two bay doors, June 1954
Interlaken Historical Society photo #1480

After those early fire houses, what were the features of the new building? Among the speakers at that June 1982 event, several comments about the new building were noted.

Mayor Thelma Peabody noted that the new building would be more cost effective. “The old firehouse was very costly to heat, even to a minimum temperature."  As for the cramped nature of the in-town location, she noted "The village owns the three-and-a-half acres around the building.” Fire Chief Leon Stannard commented on the five-bays and a more efficient set-up.

Photo from an American Legion Auxiliary Birthday Calendar
Collection of the Interlaken Historical Society 

Do you know the date when the equipment was moved? Or a memory of the old fire house? Click the comments line below to submit items and, once reviewed, they will be shared.

Click here to read the complete Interlaken Review June 23, 1982 article, and to see the January 13, 1983 board meeting minutes.