"Historians' Corner"

June 20, 2008

PHOTO: Leland Joyner shares this photo of his 4th grade classmates dated June 14, 1929

Sandy Creek High School, District 9 school board members: H. L. Wallace (President), Don A. Colony, Charles Salisbury, Howard Baker, Roscoe Sargent, Maurice Prescott, L. F. Hollis, R. W. Shaul and E. S. Root.

The pupils pictured are: Ira Back, Ealph Bacon, Harwood Bentley, Oscar Bettinger, Robert Coon, Harwood Corse, Mildred Dunn, Betty Edgett, Ruth Ellis, Bruce Hagan, Melvin Heslop, Harwood Jennings, Helen Joyner, Leland Joyner, Philip Kelley, Bob Killam, Charles Lounsbury, Virginia McCaulley, Florence Miles, Albert Miles, Kenneth Murlin, Graydon Moore, Lewis Ridgeway, Miriam Saint, Emily Scoville, Leon Scoville, Frances Stevenson, Leona Towne, Virginia Wilcox, Norma Wilder, Lester Zufelt.

The teacher was Mabel K. Carnrite.

The Oswego County Fair dates are Wednesday, July 2 through Sunday, July 6.

We will serve cake and punch on July 4th about noon at the Oswego County Fair to celebrate 130 years of Sandy Creek Village incorporation. The location on the fairgrounds is to be announced.

Ann Robbins's 4th grade students have been studying the Revolutionary War and currently the Civil War. I have been asked to speak to these 4th grade students about my job as historian and will showcase some veterans of the Civil War from our town.

Stevens Cemetery (the last abandoned cemetery) book is nearing completion. Work on the map showing the location of each stone is being developed.

Wesleyan/Boylston/Sandy Creek Cemetery: A team of people will assemble to make quick work of photographing and documenting this cemetery.

This is the time of year when genealogists travel to other areas to do research. I encourage visitors to call ahead, get an appointment, and bring all pertinent research materials. Many libraries and historical societies are operated by volunteers and hours may be limited for research.

I will be in my office on Fridays from 9am until 4pm. I can be reached by phone at 387-5456 x 7 (home phone 695-2820) or by e-mail at historian@sandycreekny.us. Appointments may be made.

June 27, 2008

PHOTO: Bellinger's Bakery

This great picture shows the Bellinger Bakery on North Main Street by the bridge. I have included the following history of this site in my column before but just recently found this photo and felt the need to repeat the history again.

For years the original double structure was the property of William H. Cotrell, pioneer boot and shoe maker. Mr. Cotrell owned the land from the creek south to the Main Street-Harwood Drive Corner. His business was a direct outgrowth of the tannery built in 1827, which supplied the quantities of cured leather which Cotrell needed.

By the 1870s, the south block housed L. A. Baldwin's Book Store, and by 1889, the main floor of the north building was the home of the Sandy Creek News. Folklore says that employees of that era retained fond memories of fishing in the mill pond by running a pole and line out a handy north window. Aldrich's Meat Market was in the basement and the Martin Thomas billiard room was on the second floor. The south block contained the bakery of F. L. Bishop when in 1893 fire destroyed the two blocks, separated only by six feet of open stairways.

Mr. Bishop immediately rebuilt the double block pictured, and maintained his business there for many years. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Bellinger ran the bakery from 1920 until Mr. Bellinger's death in 1944.

The north half of the building was occupied by Green's Model 5 & 10 Cent Store. Later, it was the Woodard Meat and Grocery Market and Hugh Birdslow also had a grocery there. Mr. and Mrs. Niles Burkhard purchased the block from Hobart Lester in the early 1950s, when they opened their business. The house directly to the south was the home of Mr. and Mrs. Tiff and was originally part of the Cotrell holdings.

The Oswego County Fair dates are Wednesday, July 2 Sunday, July 6.

We will serve cake and punch on July 4th about noon at the Oswego County Fair to celebrate 130 years of Sandy Creek Village incorporation. Join us at Heritage Hall at 1 pm.

Stevens Cemetery (the last abandoned cemetery) book is nearing completion. Work on the map showing the location of each stone is being developed.

Wesleyan/Boylston/Sandy Creek Cemetery: A team of people will assemble to make quick work of photographing and documenting this cemetery.

This is the time of year when genealogists travel to other areas to do research. I encourage visitors to call ahead, get an appointment, and bring all pertinent research materials. Many libraries and historical societies are operated by volunteers and hours may be limited for research.

I will be in my office on Fridays from 9am until 4pm. I can be reached by phone at 387-5456 x 7 (home phone 695-2820) or by e-mail at historian@sandycreekny.us. Appointments may be made.