Red Devil Ramblings

We were pleased to discover Paul Tallerico’s pictures on Facebook showing views, old and new of Peekskill. The number of pictures is approaching 1,000 at this point. They are sent in by anyone who has something to share.

The link below should take you right to the photo albums. You may want to add a few of your own or comment on those that have been uploaded so far.

I am getting a kick out of all of them and some have mentioned Downtown Peekskill in years gone by and listed a couple of the stores that have come and gone and those that perhaps still remain. Sometimes the comment is, “Can’t remember the name of that store on South Street . . . ”

In order to facilitate and stir up everyone’s memory I have complied a partial list of the Peekskill businesses as I remember them. I am sure that there are more that I have forgotten to include:

Benskys Stationary; Skolskys; Picones; Pisanis; Wards Hosiery; Genungs; Howlands; JJ Newberry; Thom McCann Shoes; Jones; Kittingers; Tullers; Karl Ehmers; Kurzhals; Capital Glass; Colonial Resteraunt; Millers; Memos; Marathon; Sioles; Washington Tavern; Paris Shop; Windsor Dress Shop; Amorosis; Peekskill Fish Market; Offenbachers; Alimonti Barber Shop; Busy Corner Drug Store; Rexall Drug Store; DeChristophers; Big Scott; Peekskill Food Center; Arthur Weeks Jewelry; Faulkners Optical; Mohican Meat Market; Peekskill Meat Market; Wellers Men’s Clothing; Gibbs Clothing; Peekskill Diner; New York Resteraunt; Busy Corner Drugs; Hudson Grill; Ulm Bros Funeral; Dorsey Funeral; Nardone Funeral; Genes Army and Navy; Peekskill Theater; Colonial Theater; Paramount Theater; Sears Roebuck; Montgomery Ward Catalog Office; Silver Lake Market; New York Crockery; Doherty’s Music; Center Diner; Moes Stationary; Lockwood Motors; Bills Market; Frenchys Pies; Peekskill Paint Supply; DiRubbos Floris; Highland Bakery; Baxters Pharmacy; Marios; Dain Lumber Company; Highland Laundry; Bertolines; Monument Liquor Store; Old Dutch Mill; Epicure; Harveys; FWWoolworths;Paramount Beauty Salon; Robinsons Flower Shop; Rizzuto Motors; B&F Furniture; Circle Mens Shop; Post Grill; Rosoffs; Empire Market; Peekskill Rollerdrome; Fosters Clothing; Bonnie Brook; Rubenfelds; Markoffs Shoes; Dunlaps Music; Eagle Market; Dean Ferris Flowers; Voughts Furniture; Tuttles Paint; Posey Motors; Creed Lumber Co; Shultes Department Store; Arnolds Tavern.

In the 30′s Saturday night was a big downtown event. Families could be found walking the streets doing their shopping after payday and sometimes just to walk around and say hello to neighbors. Peekskill indeed was a “Friendly Town” during those years.

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=112353205450059

Well that’s what Sat. Night Live TV show recently said in a featured imitation lampoon of Gov. Patterson. The LoHud page and others have received many comments criticizing SNL for its lack of knowledge, even to the fact that Peekskill is not in the northern part of the state. I have not personally been in Peekskill for a few years but I found that the term “A Friendly Town” still applied when I was visiting friends. How about you? Have you found it to be much changed since your high school days?

Dear Jack Burns,

Once again, a heartfelt thanks for your latest (May) column about Peekskill High School, etc., etc.

I usually write a thank you note to Jack, and comment about the events, places and names in his column. I also write comments which are added to his articles on his “Gateway To The Hudson Highlands” Blog.
This month I decided to write the usual letter and send it to him, but instead of duplicating much of my comments, from now on I will write to Jack and post the same letter on my own Blog, “Red Devil Ramblings”.

Jack you start out writing about World War 2 and this being Memorial Day, it is appropriate for all of us to pause in our daily lives and remember those who have served and are still serving our country. And in particular those who were wounded on the battlefield and those who made the ultimate sacrifice that we may enjoy the freedom and life that is ours today.

My own thoughts go out to John “Shagger” Walsh who perished in Belgium while undertaking a night river crossing. Shagger was one of the most popular guys in the class of 1940. A great athlete in football and a champion miler on the track team. He held the mile record for Westchester County for a period of time and I don’t know when or if it was ever broken. Whenever I visit my own website and the “Fallen Heroes” pages, I think of Shagger and what a shame that such a bright young man never got the chance to enjoy a full life.

Also from my class another gave his life, Gilbert Singer. Gilbert was an extremely smart and attentive student who excelled in every class he attended. He was a quiet and unassuming lad who was well liked and respected. While Shagger was in the Army, Gilbert chose the USNavy and all I know is that he lost his life while serving on a Destroyer. A park is named after him. Details for both Gilbert and Shagger can be viewed on the “Fallen Heroes” link, along with all of the others from Korea and Viet Nam.

Then to a complete change of pace Jack, you switch to the PHS play of “Guys and Dolls”. That brought back memories of the Garrison Players who did a wonderful job many years ago. Henry “Tip” Dain played the part of Sky Masterson, Milt Powers was Nathan Detroit. My memory does not go beyond those two but being good friends with both Milt and Tip, we naturally took in both shows. Milt Powers had one of the best tenor voices that I have ever heard. He was the lead in Amhal and the Night Visitors, another Garrison Players production. His son Jeff played the part of the crippled boy who was cured by Jesus.

Milt also played the King in “The King and I” (I have heard several titles) Linda Donohue was in that one also. Milt auditioned for the Fred Waring Glee Club, didn’t make the cut but what an honor anyhow. After retiring to Cape Cod he was a lead singer with the Chatham Chorus which was a semi-professional group who actually went on the road with several concerts annually.

You mention that the Middle School is nearing completion, I had heard about the delays and bankruptcy problems. Yes, pictures would be nice but Xerox copies do not reproduce well at all on the computer. If you have film copies to send I will return them after scanning them into the site. While you are at it a picture and text about the bridge over Central Avenue would prove interesting to us out-of-towners.

Hopefully, I will not need a list of the graduates as we have been lucky enough to have someone in the graduating class loan us a complete Yearbook and I put all of the individual pictures on their own class page, along with email and hometown addresses.

Then you also make note of the music director at PHS, John Hahn. I had written to him several months ago to inquire if there was a recording of “Hail To Our Colors” anywhere to be found. He said at the time that they were constructing a recording studio and that would be a project to undertake. He later on said that it had been completed and that he was going to send me an audio CD disk with the song on it. However, I am still waiting and hoping to get it as I can use that as background music on the PHS pages. If you see him again, perhaps you can add a gentle reminder.

Actually our work- for the month of March started when in March we received numerous photos from Kathi and Jim McCormack, the official photographer – complete with names. covering the Feb 19th Peekskill Day in Jupiter, Fl. We put them in a presentable slide show that can be accessed from the Peekskill Day Pictures pages.

The Class of 1951 also got together for a group photo – unfortunately we do not have the names of those grads. Although we were not able to attend, we are told that the event was a huge success – as it always is. Almost 300 people attended the outdoor picnic lunch and found opportunities to greet old friends and make new ones.

Rick and Eileen Baisley, along with Lou and June Pugliese were once again the co-hosts this year. They did a terrific job in getting a program together and a followup

containing the names of all attendees was the contribution of Bill, Jack, and Marilou Salicco. Everything has been published. Check out the pages. and you will see that if you are around this area in 2010 you will want to take in this annual get together.

Along came March 9th and Peekskill Day in Tarpon Springs, FI., at Anderson Park. Although the crowd was much smaller this year, at least Doris and I were able to make that one okay. Bob McArdle. 1955: Richard “Digger” Vogt. 1950, and George Martin. 1954 organized the picnic, under a nice pavilion, as usual. We were able to take our own set of pictures which have been published, along with the guest list from Bob McArdle. Both of the “Days” are annual events and details can be seen on the web pages as we receive them for the year 2010.

There were two really nice side benefits for the webmasters. First Jim McCormack noticed that we still needed the 1935 Yearbook to make our collection virtually complete back into the 1920′s. He sent me a note that his aunt, Mae (Graber) Tompkins had a 1935 book. He called her and she agreed to loan it to us for scanning and publishing. Ms. Tompkins lives in “The Villages”, a part of Lady Lake. Fl.. some 19 miles frorn my home here in Tavares. She asked me to drive up to get it and return it, which I agreed to do. While there I learned that Ms. Tompkins, at age 92, bowls twice a week with a team, and plays cards 3 times weekly. We had a nice

time talking about olden days in Peekskill. She showed me a group picture of over 100 people who had attended the Peekskill Day in Tarpon Springs in 1985.

At the Tarpon Springs Day I met “Digger” Vogt. who showed me an article that he had written entitled. “Finktown USA”. Finktown was, and maybe still is, a neighborhood in Peekskill. Digger had written about his boyhood days there and his memories of the Dain Farm, etc. There was a art show at the Peekskill Museum of watercolors by local artist R. Barthelmes covering scenes from Finktown. His article may have been part of it. We have included a special page for Finktown, U SA. Digger has written to me again and said he is sending a second article entitled “Finktown in the Winter”. That will be added to the Finktown link.

Also this month we were pleased to receive another tome from Jack Burns as an addition to his “From The Streets of Peekskill” Blog which we host, along with other Blogs. Jack formerly wrote a column for various newspapers and magazines and now treats us to his own reminisces and current observances of Peekskill. This one unfortunately dealt with a raft of obituaries and his association with those people and their families. Jack’s style is unique and his memory of past names and events is nothing short of astonishing to me.

Finally, we asked PHS if there was an existing musical rendition of “Hail To Our Colors” which could be added to the pages. We received word that there was – and a musical CD would be sent to us. We are hoping it does not fall through the cracks and we will indeed be able to add music to part of the pages at some point in the future.

The 118 year old Centennial Fire Company headquarters, located on Water Street, nearby the Railroad station, came to an ignoble end on August 21, 2008, just before noon. After much controversy about the building, Peekskill spent $150,000 in grant money to prepare the building to be moved and preserved as a Historical Building. The State Historic Preservation Office was prepared to assist with $1 million more. The move was prompted by the State’s DOT necessity to rebuild 4 bridges along the route 9 overpass. Preliminary findings indicate that a hydraulic lift failed, the building titled and just collapsed. No injuries were sustained.
Two of the Centennials lost their lives in 1918 Fleischmann’s fire. The present Centennial Company is located on Washington Street. The Company is trying to locate and obtain the good luck shamrocks which were displayed at the entrance.
We don’t know how long this link will be available but there are articles and videos available at

http://www.lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/200808220230/NEWS02/808220358

If anyone has any comments to add we will welcome them.
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THANKS FOR THE INFO. TOO BAD ABOUT THE BUILDING–I SURE WOULD LIKE TO HAVE ONE OF THOSE BRICKS –I REMEMBER THAT PLACE WELL.  MY DAD HAD SOME COLUMBIAN HOSE BADGES , GOT IN TOUCH WITH JOHN CURRAN  AT THE PEEKSKILL MUSEUM  AND SENT THEM TO HIM HE SAID THEY WOULD GO IN A DISPLAY CASE ,THAT GOOD BECAUSE AT LEAST THEY CAN BE SEEN AGAIN. OH OF ALL THINGS I GOT AN OLD VAN CORTLAND DAIRY MILK BOTTLE AT A YARD SALE IN VIRGINA!! I LIVED JUST DOWN THE STREET ON HARRISON AVE. THE BOTTOM OF IT SAYS PEEKSKILL,NY–SMALL WORLD HUH!   KEEP IN TOUCH            ALEX ASTRAB
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Hey Ron,
I know the old fire house inside and out because my dad (Henry Lounsbury) worked there for many years as did my brother Francis (Skinner).  My son Jim told me about the moving of the firehouse and its falling.  I told him to get a brick of the place and save it for me.  It brings back lots of wonderful memories of the old Peekskill.
I must remember to send a contribution to you for all your work on the web pages. Thanks
Margaret (Lounsbury) Chichitano
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good stuff once again Ron…here’s a youtube link to a news story about the Centennial Fire House collapse – Dan Modica

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Thanks for the heads up.  Re: the fire house- – Bob Nowak
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thanks for the info…I check out the “local” news on North County News.com and LoHud.com….saw the firehouse fall on a tv clip…..I have been gone from Peekskill for over 60 years but I still like to see what is going on back there…..most all my family is gone from there and very few “friends” are still around. –  Don Kuritzky
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Yes it was funny the firehouse on CNN.  I had just seen the movie
Unfaithful with the closing shot [with the fake Police Station] by the
Union Hotel!
Jeanette Voss

It was back in the early 1990′s that I received an email message from Bob Howles, which in essence said, “Hey Ron we both have a web page dedicated to the Peekskill High School graduates.   How about we link our two pages?”

And although we never did meet face to face, that began a friendship and also a joint venture that  lasted until 2005 when Bob found it necessary to give up his end of the Peekskill High Alumni web pages.

We agreed to link our two pages and shortly afterwards decided that having two Guest Books and duplicate obituary notices, etc. did not make sense.  So we decided that we would maintain our separate pages but divide up the content between us.  As it turned out, Bob was using a web tv server which did not permit him to publish pictures so it followed that I would do the class pictures and everything associated with them and Bob would maintain the individual Class Directory pages with the addresses and obituary notices.  Both web sites at that time were the so-called “free” sites from GeoCities.  We continued with that division of labor until 2005 when Bob told me that his health had deteriorated to the point where he could not longer do computer work.  Reluctantly, rather than abandon the site, I decided to take over his share.   It meant a complete makeover of the many pages that Bob had been managing which was no small task.

Since that time the Alumni site has grown tremendously and we have given up on GeoCities as a web server.  The pages now are leased through Net Fusion and have no advertising content.   In order to make that huge leap I enlisted the aid of my daughter Lynn who created the format and successfully transferred most of the content to the new site.  Lynn maintains a constant presence now and has recently added the Forum, Blog pages, Slide Shows, etc.  When the time comes she will take over the entire operation – so we expect the Peekskill High Alumni site will continue indefinitely.

But getting back to Bob Howles,  I responded to Bob’s email in 2005 -  but I never heard from him again, despite making several attempts by email and snail mail.  It was not until yesterday, July 21, 2008 that I had an email message left on my answering machine from his classmate, Phillip Keimig that he had learned that Bob had died.  He is buried in Tompkins Corners, Put Valley.

I know that others were involved but I believe Bob was the inspiration behind the All Classes Reunion that was held in 2000.  There are many pictures included on the Alumni pages attesting to the success of that grand idea. The Alumni pages participated to a large degree in getting the information out to the graduates and contributed to the huge turnout that the several days events consumed at Depew Park, The Armory on Washington Street, and various resteraunts.  He also participated in creating a “Peekskill Hall of Fame” which (although I have tried to contact people who were involved in that process) is no longer being continued as far as I know.

I have no knowledge of Bob’s family but if any of them do browse these pages, we offer our condolences.

Ron Abbey, Webmaster

I have just posted up Jack Burns’ letter under his BLOG, “Gateway to the Highlands, May, 2008″ and it stirred up some memories of my own. Peekskill, it seems to me, was always big on parades. I also can remember an open touring car that carried one or two Civil War veterans along Washington Street an along to the Monument Memorial Column on Highland Ave. That was a long, long time ago. The parade routes included Washington Street in those days. We lived on Washington Street, right around the corner from Franklin Street. Everyone had a front porch in those days and it was great to sit there and watch the marchers go by with the bands playing and the flags flying. I guess the traffic got too heavy or the marchers got winded. The earliest parade that I can remember participating in was when I was in the 5th grade at Franklin Street School. I have a picture of my class, which for some unknown reason showed us all dressed up in Dutch boys and girls traditional dress. I remember running back to the school yard when it broke up as we knew that there would be ice cream cones waiting for us. Later on I marched with the Boy Scouts of Troop 1 and finally as a member of “The Truck” hook and ladder fire company. I must say we looked splendid in our marching uniforms and traditional white hats!! I’ll bet they still are the best in the parade.
Of course in the later years most of the parades ended up in Depew Park which was probably a better idea. Still, even when they changed the parade route, as an adult I lived on Liberty Street where various bands and marchers would form up in front of our home and we would be treated to their warm up sessions, they couldn’t wait to start marching and playing so we got to listen to a lot of good band music.
I often visit my own “Fallen Heroes” web pages http://www.peekskillhighalumni.net/html/FallenHeroes-html/fallen_heroes.html and spend time reading again about those young men who gave the full measure and lived such short lives. John “Shagger” Walsh, Gilbert Singer, and Al Rasmus were in my Class of 1940. I knew “Red” Roe who was in the class of 1938. They and many others were killed in WW II. We also honor those from Korea and Viet Nam. If there are any additions to be made from the Gulf War and now Iraq, I do not know of them. Hopefully there are none to be named. Not all of those named on the pages were graduates from PHS but they must have been from the Peekskill area. We would really like to hear more about them from anyone who had even a brief encounter with these brave young men.
When I first heard that there was an internet address where I could send the names of Viet Nam casualties and receive the “rubbings” from The Wall, I put an email letter together with all of the names. I not only received the rubbings that you see on the Viet Nam page but also a personal letter from the lady who (strictly as a volunteer and without any payment) said that she was doing them as a group and was overwhelmed by the number of casualties from Peekskill and wound up in tears before she could complete the task. I have visited The Wall several times. Anyone who has stood beside it is humbled and not able to speak. It is a common sight to see a person simply put his or her hand on a name and just bow their head in silent prayer.
On a trip to Great Britain I visited the cemetery in Cambridge. That one is dedicated to American airmen who were lost, many of which are simply listed as missing in action. Even found the band leader Glenn Miller listed there. We visited Coventry where the cathedral/church was totally destroyed and there is a mounted extremely burnt and charred large wooden cross which was salvaged and mounted as a memorial. The churches in Britain and Europe are replete with monuments to the casualties from the immediate region. We saw the remnants of the pillboxes on the cliffs of Dieppe as a grim reminder of what those brave soldiers faced on D-Day
More recently Doris and I walked the paths of the now completed tribute to all World War 2 veterans in Washington DC. It is truly magnificent. There are always many people walking the pathways but there is an overpowering stillness, except for the sounds of the fountains. posted 6/2008-Ron Abbey

While doing some maintenance work on the website I opened the Class of 1930 and read again that a cornerstone had been laid in that year for the “new” PHS. It even listed the items that were placed in the cornerstone. So I am wondering now, if that cornerstone is still a part of the new complex that has been built on the site? If not, what happened to it? And what happened to the contents? I do recall that someone had written to us and expressed concern about the murals and would they be preserved. A couple people had suggested that the bricks be sold as mementos or included someplace else and the origin noted. Does anyone out there have a clue? If so, we would like to hear from you.
Along those same lines, what about the Drum Hill High School (Junior High School). I know that the beautiful building itself has been restored as a Senior Housing Facility. But if it changed hands after being a public school, and I seem to remember that there was a cornerstone there also, did the cornerstone remain with the building or was it and any contents removed.
We had an email from Doug MacDuff (1966) who told us that he is now the webmaster of the Peekskill Museum web page. I have written to him as to whether the Museum has any input about these cornerstones.

Ron – -

PS. Doug replied that the Museum does not have any connection with the cornerstone and he would like also to know what is planned for the preservation of the cornerstone and the murals.

We have just posted a bunch of pictures that we received from Rich Baisley and  also from Jim and Kathi McCormack.  It took awhile to get them all in order and we may decide to make them into a slide show rather than having them appear on the pages as they are right now. Take a peek you might see some old friends http://www.peekskillhighalumni.net/html/jupiter_2008_page_one.html
The annual Jupiter get together has been taking place for several years. That is on the East Coast. There is also an annual Peekskill Day held on the West Coast but we don’t seem to get any feedback from those that attend that gala annual event. If any of you can give us any information about who to contact we would appreciate it.
On the other hand, is there a Peekskill Day any place else other than Florida?

Ron Abbey, webmaster