The Chatham Press | October 2025

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A monthly paper about the people, places and things that make Chatham and the surrounding towns so special OCTOBER 2025

4–5 What’s on the ground?

16 – 17 At the Fair

23 Echoes of Winans

28 - 29 Along the Harlem

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The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 2 The Chatham Press June 2025 Page 2

this and that For the Press appeal, thanks to: Roxanne Powell Carol Calvin New Concord Bed & Breakfast Ellen Guarino Robert & Lorna Moran Siobhan Connally Bruce & Irene Waldorf Jeanne Westover Jeanette Wilber George Sperry & Kathleen Larson Mark Schrader Annette & Bill Dennis James Renfro Joseph Wildermuth George Sperry & Kathleen Larson Eva & Marlin Ford Nick & Mary Nickles Joyce Snow & Don Campbell Doris Witthoft David DuBois Joanne Currier Lillian Giraffa & Nathan Adelman Colleen & Dennis Dodge Barbara Iuviene Barbara & Frank Hover Dianna & Steve Cummings Susan & Bob Donohue Gloria Autrey Rachel Charron Lisbeth & J.P. Gontier Susan Acciani Susan McGrath Joan & Jim Murray Helene & Tommy Annas Wayne Rose Elizabeth & Dave Chapman Susan Efrimidis Lorna & Dennis Moran Nancy Vazac Jackson Don “Busher” Akin, Sr. Betty Jo & John Sundstrom Cathy & Edward Welch Betty Lou Rohloff Vohr MD Michele Atallah & George Benson Mary O’Connor Elke & Bill Durden Elaine & Lou Gerrain Mike Hartman Stephen Oberon Ali Willhite Robin & Bob Julian James Renfro John McGowan Donna Casey Joanne Currier Eva Ford Judy & John Staber Tom & Ellen Callahan Rita & Keith Lashway Joyce Snow & Don Campbell Jane McCulloch and family Mark Schrader John & Alethia Lee Dianna & Steve Cummings Betty Burfeindt Lilllian & Nathan Adelman Helene & Tommy Annas Larry Unger Mike Franks Bill Huggins Patricia Donohue Don Wilkinson III Cynthia & Bob Richardson Susan McGrath Carol Pinkowski Lisbeth & J.P. Gontier Betty Gaupman Mac & Rosalie Nickles April Dunavin Kelty James Renfro Joanne & Thomas Murphy William Miner Roxanne Powell Dennis Moran Susan Efremidis Wendy Ponkos Bob Bowes Nancy Vazac Jackson Meredith & Jim Simmons Alexandra Willhite Hunter Dry Aidan Willhite Logan Kraham Maren Kraham Bryan Kraham Carol Ublacker David DuBois James Renfro Dawn Green Ellen Guarino Elizabeth Hurley in memory of Dick Dorsey Judith Kohler Vicki and Jim Keeler Martha McMaster & Sheldon Evans Susanne & William Opalka Patricia Dorsey Lisbeth & J. Pierre Gontier John Weaver Louise Gilbert Elke & William Durden Jane Rose in memory of Dick Dorsey and all his great stories John Berninger Don ‘Busher’ Akin Helena Long Lloyd Tipple Dave Dobrosielski

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A candid appeal to our readers We take our hat in our hand in an appeal for your financial support. Advertising revenues sustain the Press. But ad revenues fluctuate and in some months fall off. Our nostalgic voice is popular with thousands of readers. The paper flies off the shelves. Since we have no pay wall to prevent one from scooping up the Press, some folks take multiple copies. To change the business model now to charge for it would be unfair and confusing. The Press’s independent journalism takes time, money and hard work to produce, distribute and increase circulation. We want to keep our product accessible and in print for all, something you can hold in your hand and treasure. So here’s our pitch: If you like our reporting, please support it with a one-time contribution by check of $10, $25, $50, $100 or more, so our future will be much more secure. Thank you for understanding our truthful appeal. – Rich Kraham

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JIM GARVEY

ames W. Garvey (February 26, 1966 - August 27, 2025) passed suddenly on August 27, 2025. James is survived by his son, Kyle Kolb, and brother, David Garvey. Garvey graduated from Chatham High and went on to serve honorably in the U.S. Navy. He was the former Third District Commander in the American Legion, member and post past commander of Post 42, and had also served as Columbia County commander and on various committees at the state and national level. He was a member of the Ocean Fire Company #1 of Chatham Fire Department and had served in various positions over the years, as well as many other groups. Garvey was an IT administrator at Questar III, and a lover of NASCAR and music. He is shown here giving remarks at Chatham’s Memorial Day services on May 31, 2025.

PHOTO CREDIT: RICHARD E. LINDMARK

VIETNAM-ERA VETS

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ast month, we published a list of veterans that had served during the Vietnam War era, a list that coincidentally Jim Garvey had a large part in helping compile. At that time, we asked that anyone aware of names that had been inadvertently omitted from that initial list to send along an email to jdd.press@gmail.com Keep those names coming. BRIAN SIMMONS • GEORGE KERNER JEANNE WESTOVER • FRANK FRATELLENICO

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The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 3

history

The Searchers Connecting to history can involve a fair amount of sweat equity, but the end result can be rewarding and highly illuminating. By David Harrison Jr., Austerlitz Town Historian

David Smith, arguably the searcher with the largest collection, now in his early 60s, lives on Pratt Hill Road just outside of the Spencertown hamlet. An East Chatham native, he settled here over 40 years ago and raised two daughters with his wife, Cindy, whose family is from Austerlitz. He is now retired and when not spending time with family, spends his leisure time fishing -- and searching. Using his tool of choice, a metal detector, David has been exploring Columbia County sites since the early 1990s. Visiting his home, you first notice his work shed which displays a remarkable collection of relics, most of which were discovered in the Austerlitz-Spencertown area. One of his largest and heaviest finds are the late-1800s iron wheels from a horse-drawn logging wagon he found partially buried in a creek near Green River. He hired a relative to dig them out and today they stand proudly along his driveway. Other treasures in David’s collection found in the Austerlitz-Spencertown area, to name only a few, include a Hammered Cob (hundreds of years old), a 1730 King George II Half Penny, 1805 Liberty Coin, a 1899 The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 4

Barber Dime, several early 1900s dog tags, a vintage “train engine” whistle, 18th & 19th century silverware, a 1913 Rochester, NY Elks Club medal, and a George Washington commemorative watch fob (circa late 1800s– early 1900s). He has also found many musket balls, 18th and 19th century belt & shoe buckles, rings, buttons, pipes, necklaces, badges and so on. When asked which item is his favorite, he smiles and says it’s really impossible to decide — there are too many to choose from.

Harold Lobdell, Jr., also in his early 60s, now lives on Pratt Hill Road in the same house he grew up in. He manages a large cattle and sheep farm in Ghent and is an avid hunter, fisherman, and relic finder with a particular talent for spotting arrowheads in open fields. Harry’s mother is Mitzie “Howes” Lobdell and their family goes back many generations in town. Harry began metal detecting in the early 1990s with David Smith. Part of his collection includes relics passed down through family

Scott Mesick, Harold Lobdell, David Smith • 1893 Indian head penny, David Smith



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efore the American Revolution, before the Town of Austerlitz had a name and official borders, the community we now know as Spencertown was already forming. In 1756, seventy-five settlers -- many from Haddam, Connecticut -- purchased 27,792.5 acres of land for 230 pounds in “New York currency,” a transaction formalized with the Mohegan Indians believed to be based in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. Among those early settlers were 12 members of the Spencer family, eventually giving rise to the name “Spencers Town,” ultimately shortened to Spencertown. The settlers organized themselves into a proprietorship, a common practice for establishing new settlements during that period. Their first meeting took place on May 31, 1757, during which a committee was formed to divide the land into “selling lots,” typically of two 100-acre parcels. Following the establishment of the “Spencers Town” settlement, the area --particularly Spencertown, but also the Austerlitz and Green River valley areas -- gradually developed, each at its own pace, into communities sustained by mills, sheep farming, woodcutting, and charcoal production. The Town of Austerlitz was officially organized in 1818, and its population peaked in 1820 at 2,355 residents, compared to the current population of about 1,650. Centuries later, the past still lingers -- tucked in attics, old barns, stone foundations, buried in fields and along the banks and submerged in creeks. These artifacts, lost or discarded long ago, are being unearthed by a group of local men I call “The Searchers.”

1881 invoice, Scott Mesick

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Scott Mesick, a skilled finish carpenter in his mid-60s, grew up on Elm Street in Spencertown and lives there today. He has two adult sons who also live in the area. Scott’s family dates back many generations in town and his interest in searching for things started when he was a young boy and realized he was drawn to finding old bottles. He credits his father, Ed Mesick, with inspiring him to take “searching” to the next level. In the late 1950s his father found a 19-inch-long cylindrical shaped smooth stone “roller” while walking along a creek bank in town -- later determined by the NYS Museum to be over 2,000 years old and used to grind wheat, corn and other food items. That artifact is now part of Scott’s collection. Some of Scott’s own discoveries -- all over a century old and from the AusterlitzSpencertown area, include an iron wagon wheel shoe once strapped to a wheel to slow or anchor a wagon on steep hills, a livestock branding rod, a metal coin bank and a rare “Devil’s” inkwell, both from the late 1800s. Also, a cast iron “Sambo” cap gun (circa 1880s), homemade horseshoe hinge (mid1800s), Knickerbocker and Hallenbeck soda bottles (both local companies active in the late 1800s), and the components of an early glass copper-zinc battery type device believed to be a “Daniell Cell” invented in the late 1830s to generate electricity using sulfuric acid. Scott has also found original Palmer & Sawyer purchase invoices dated 1881, from a business that once operated in the same building that later became his grandfather’s auction house, formerly the Palmer & Sawyer general store at the corner of Route 203 and Elm Street. When asked to name his most interesting find, Scott points to the iron cast “Devil’s” inkwell. I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention another person, Max Cane. Although he doesn’t live in our town, he is an active and respected searcher who has found many relics here and in other areas and even donated a few for display in our History Center. “The Searchers” ...from colonial coins to stone tools used thousands of years ago, the curiosity and commitment of these men have played an important role in preserving the history of the Town of Austerlitz. They walk where others overlook and dig where others pass by. Their efforts help ensure the heritage of our town, spanning indigenous settlements, colonial homesteads and vibrant communities, their finds reminding us that history isn’t just in books or museums -sometimes, it’s beneath our very feet. •

Iron Log Wagon Wheels, David Smith

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members, items like a flintlock pistol, a set of vintage jail keys and a stone axe head -later dated by the New York State Museum to be 4,000–6,000 years old -- found by his grandfather, Frank Wolfe, in the early 1900s on family property in the Spencertown hamlet just off of Route 203 while planting an apple tree. His own finds include a 1748 Spanish Reales discovered in a field where baseball games were played in Spencertown in the early 1900s, a military commemorative ribbon (late 1800s–early 1900s), 18th century handmade nails, half of a spoon mold from the mid-1800s, and a glass electric insulator common in the late 19th century. Harry’s most remarkable skill may be his intuitive arrowhead hunting, an ability that has earned him notoriety as a top arrowhead finder in the area. Since the late 1990s he has located dozens of Native American arrowheads, some thousands of years old, by picking a specific area and simply walking fields and along creek banks—often spotting pieces mostly invisible to the untrained eye. In addition to particular arrowheads, Harry considers the Spanish Reales one of his most interesting finds.

Rare Devil’s inkwell -- late 1800s, Scott Mesick

Cap pistol circa 1880s, Scott Mesick

Vintage dog tags, David Smith

Gettysburg High Water Mark of Rebellion commemorative badge, David Smith

Various finds The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 5

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 6 The Chatham Press June 2025 Page 6

a look back

Chatham High

Class of 1975 assembles

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he event was held at Jackson’s Old Chatham House on Saturday, September 6. In addition, there were a couple informal pre-events. Eight classmates gathered at the Chatham Fair the weekend before. Five classmates went on the Dutch Apple Hudson River Cruise on Friday afternoon, September 5. At Jackson’s, 47 classmates were in attendance, along with 18 spouses and family members, for a total of 65. Josh Hermance’s wife, Kathy, made a class quilt that was raffled off to raise $650 for a donation in honor of Josh to the American Heart Association. Holly Renner Calyer won the quilt. There were several anonymous donors who contributed to the event, to include a $500 donation to the Chatham High School on behalf on the Class of 1975, for general supplies in support of the teachers, donations to lower the per person price of the event, and a donation to purchase everyone the 1st round of drinks.

Class of 1975 members in attendance at Jackson’s:

Jack McGrath, Russell Cartwright, Josh Hermance, Cindy Law Weldon, Rita Schermerhorn Akin, Pat Mesick Abitabile, Tami Mullins, Diane Whiteman, Bonnie Davis, Debbie Gould Danforth, Dal Valentini, Holly Renner Calyer, Peter Shunney, Guy Hughes, Mark Groudas, Maureen Carty, and Christy Loomis McManus. Also, Steve Nieto, Jeff Modleski, John Young, Lynne Pinto, Jan Dodge Nieto, Ed Klinger, Donna Moore Coon, Margaret Wenk, Conrad Coon, John Carty, Steve Pinto, Mike Pierce, Rick Kring, Sue Clegg, David Patnaude, Wayne Whiteman, Carrie Borghi Reardon, John Craft, Greg Diskin, and Sandi Studley. Classmates reported chatter of a big birthday bash in a couple of years, about the time the majority of the class turns 70. Rumor has it that this event will be held as a road party, complete with Boone’s Farm Strawberry Hill Fruit Wine. • The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 7

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education

Miles Wheat “I try to create the conditions in which good things happen,” says second-year Chatham High Principal Miles Wheat, a gardener off-campus.“I can’t make plants grow. I can’t make community grow. But I can create conditions for them to grow in.” By Jesse DeGroodt

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self-described “pedagogy nerd,” Chatham High School Principal Miles Wheat “loves teaching. I really like putting together a well-crafted lesson and seeing the understanding in the classroom shift from the start of a lesson to the end.” “There’s an aspect to teaching and running a school that’s about building a learning community. This is why I’m confident AI will never replace teachers,” he said. “Humans create our understanding together – we learn things best when we’re learning them together, when we’re talking to each other, when we’re working with a trusted mentor or teacher. A skilled teacher in any discipline is going to engage students in question-and-answer discussion, engage students in talking to each other and working on problems in pairs and trios and groups.” Wheat, who replaced longtime Principal John Thorsen, entered his second year at the helm in September. “There were a lot of things about coming to Chatham that felt like a good fit for me. Chatham wants to do some of the same things I’m really excited about,” he said.

Cell phones

An immediate issue facing school administrators and instructors heading into the 2025-26 school year involved the recent state mandate that cell phones no longer be allowed in school. In Chatham, cell phones in the classroom were already banned, and if one was spotted, it was remanded to cell phone jail for the remainder of the day. As to the ban on cell phones in the school at all, speaking in the days prior to the September opening, Wheat said, “It will be a shock, but I think that shock will wear off. On balance, I think it will be good for our school community and for our kids.” Wheat hails from West Winfield in Herkimer County, where he attended Mount Markham, graduating in 1997. He attended Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania, earning a degree in environmental geology, and subsequently worked as an environmental chemist for four years, testing for PCBs “mostly for the redevelopment of brownfield sites.” Wheat said he enjoyed that job but began to recognize its repetitive nature – “I came to the realization that the part of that job I enjoyed the most was when a new employee would be hired and I got to teach them the job.” With that, Wheat acquired his master’s degree in environmental education at Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. Wheat started teaching in schools around the Boston area, such as Framingham and Worcester, before moving further west to North Adams, and later Great Barrington, then eventually back to upstate New York into the Chatham district. “I loved teaching middle school, loved teaching high school. In high school, I taught biology, chemistry, environmental studies, anything the school needed me to teach. After seven years in the classroom,” Wheat said, he began to notice how the organization functioned as a whole, and how to “build a culture in a school. I learned an important lesson in when to open your mouth, and when to keep your mouth shut. I went into my principal’s office and began to share some of

these thoughts on how our school could do its culture-building work better, and walked out an assistant principal.”

Administration

Wheat pointed out that many school administrators come to administration via the teaching route. “The needs of a classroom are unique. You can’t really learn about them except by doing it. On the other hand, it is starting a whole new career,” he said. After a stretch during which he “toggled back and forth between middle school and high school, when I saw this job opening, I was ready to be back in a high school, and it was back in New York state, which I was kind of looking for. There’s something about upstate New York that felt like coming home. The air feels different. It’s hard for me to put my finger on and describe it, but I really like the culture around here.” “I really like it when schools go well, when teaching works,” he said. The community and the “strength of the traditions Chatham carries” gives Chatham something of an advantage over some other districts in which he’s worked, Wheat said. For instance, last Arbor Day, the entire school gathered together to play a game they called

“human foosball” – with everyone sitting on the floor and assembled in rows, a giant beach ball was thrown out in their midst and the game was on. “It was a hoot. Experiences like that help students build a sense of community and attachment to a place, and makes it much more likely they’re going to bring the best parts of themselves to school and put some work in.” A current focus at Chatham High is on the “attendance issue,” which does not make the school unique, Wheat said. Before the pandemic, the national standard for chronic absences was “around 15 percent. Postpandemic, it’s currently sitting at about 26 percent, and Chatham is not immune. Improving that attendance rate is one thing we’ll be working on going forward.” “One of the things that’s engaging about being a principal is that your day might consist of getting into classrooms, engaging teachers in good conversation, or there might be a student assembly, or it might be Arbor Day, or you might come in and there are all sorts of things happening and there are fires to put out and anything you had planned is out the window,” said Wheat. “What I like about it is that variety and the sheer number of people I get to know.” •

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 9

tradition

An institution in the heart of Old Chatham

By Siobhan Connally

When Iggy and Dina Vardi purchased Jackson’s Old Chatham House last year from the restaurant’s fourth-generation owners, Barry and Leya Jackson, they knew what they were getting into, even if they didn’t really know “the business.” For instance, they knew if they didn’t have Prime Rib at the top of the menu, they could be in hot water. “We’ve always said that we’re not making any changes, but we’ll make improvements. Prime rib will always be on the menu. We have no intention of getting run out of town,” Iggy laughs. Now that they’ve had some time to get their bearings, we sat down with the Vardis to get a sense of how things are going. How did you come to be in Columbia County?​

“So, my wife’s father has a farm about two miles down County Road 13. She’s been coming up here for 40 years. I’ve been coming up here for about 35 or 36 years, since I met her. I’ve always known the area, but we were never really here full-time until last Labor Day.​

Was Jackson’s a restaurant that you frequented?

We would come every now and then, but not that often. We’d come with my father-inlaw when he was part of the [Old Chatham] Hunt. Or for the blessing of the hounds. I guess, probably later on, we came a few times. But yeah, we weren’t, like, regulars here. But we knew the place. We knew its history... From what I understand, Cornelius Roosevelt, Theodore Roosevelt’s grandfather, had a hardware store here. Roosevelt was a stagecoach stop for the stagecoach between Boston and Albany. But also, we knew the Jackson family opened the current establishment in 1943, and it has been in operation ever since. That seemed amazing.

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 10

​ hat made you decide to take W on a restaurant?

I had never been in the industry before. It was just your typical story: I was in corporate America for 30 years, and it was fun, but then things started changing. I could just tell that, you know, the writing was on the wall. It wasn’t fun anymore. And then just everything kind of aligned.​ We actually sat right here – me and my wife, and our two adult daughters – about a year before it came on the market. And I said, ‘I’d love to own a place like this. It was a busy Saturday night, and I remember the exact table we were at. And one of my daughters says, ‘Why don’t you buy it, Dad’? I said, because families don’t put places like this on the market. This is a third-, fourthgeneration place. You don’t find places like this on the market. ​And then a year later, literally, a year later, I’m hiking in the Catskills with, interesting enough, someone I met previously, who lives in Valatie, and my daughter called and says, ‘Dad, I’m at Poppy’s for the weekend, and I just saw a For Sale sign at Jackson’s. ​Iggy describes it as a “Wow” moment.

“I start looking into it. And now, here we are, a couple of years later, working harder than we’ve ever worked before and loving it. In the beginning, probably for the first six months, we were working seven days a week. But we take a little more time off these days . ... Now it’s about six and a half days a week,” he laughs. ​“ We have great people here that definitely make it a lot easier, especially coming in, not knowing the business. And it’s very rewarding. You know, wake up in the morning, energetic, looking forward to coming to work. You know, people say, ‘Oh my God, the restaurant business is so hard.’ But I think everything’s hard. I don’t know what’s not hard.”

One Step (Ladder) at a time

​In the beginning, Iggy and Dina made a point to be visible in the community. They personally worked on refreshing the building’s curb appeal, painting the exterior, and adding a few new plantings in the garden. They wanted to get to know the customers, but also, and most importantly, they wanted Jackson’s patrons to get to know them. ​“ We painted the wall. We painted the

improvements acknowledging they hew closely to rustic feeling of Jackson’s. “We needed a new walkway into the restaurant because the tiles were cracked and dusty and we wanted to give guests a solid impression. And the banquet room floor was kind of bouncy, almost like a bounce house, so we ripped the floor up, replaced all the joists and struts and now it’s a brand new floor that will last for another 200 years,” said Iggy. ​Regulars barely noticed other enhancements that include some new and refinished tabletops, structural repairs, and kitchen upgrades. They updated the water system and installed a permanent generator after a storm knocked out power during the early days of their tenure. ​“Irony has it, though, once you put a generator in, you never need it. But other people have lost power, and they come here. Barry and Leya, always told me that when we do lose power, we’ll always be one of the first to come back online because the linemen need a place to eat while they work.” ​Iggy and Dina have other plans, too. ​This winter they hope to replace the worn carpeting in the main dining room with a hardwood floor. They also want to refurbish the backside fireplace in the main dining room. Eventually, they plan to upgrade bathrooms, although they will retain their hunting-dog charm labels: “Setters and Pointers.”

A Community Hub

fence. We did a lot of work ourselves in the beginning. And while we could have paid people to do it, I thought it was important to do it ourselves so we could really have skin in the game. It was important to let our customers, and our guests, know that we’re doing this work because we didn’t want to be absentee owners. We wanted them to know that we’re all in. It’s hard work, there are a lot of moving parts, but it’s also been rewarding and fun. Every day brings a new surprise. Some endearing, some all-engrossing. ​“As the owner of a restaurant, you really have to be the jack of all trades. Especially a place like this, because the building is so much older and it’s been around for a while, and there is a lot that needs maintenance and repair. I’ve learned so much about our well,, so much about our electric, just all these crazy problems I never knew about are now mine to solve. I think the one thing that I really realized is that no matter how bad it gets, it’s

just a temporary moment in time. You fix it, and we move on. ​“ When we didn’t have water a few weeks ago, I thought the well was dry. It wasn’t. We had to shut down for a day on a Wednesday. The next day, Goold Wells came and checked the well, and said there’s plenty of water. It turned out to be a piece of electronics on the well pump. He replaced the part, and Boom! Water within two minutes. ​“At the moment it was happening it seemed like the world was ending. I’m saying, “Oh, my God, my wife’s gonna kill me. What did I do?” But I took a moment and realized it’s just never as bad as it seems. So I think that’s probably the thing that surprised me the most is the ability to realize the worst things don’t necessarily come true. You just have to trudge through it, and in the end, it always works out.”

Good Change

Customers have so far embraced the

“We’ve met so many people who tell us, ‘Oh, this is where I had my first job; or my first date, or my first kiss. I got married here, had my rehearsal dinner here, or my confirmation here. I had this here, I had that here. So many people. and so many stories. And that’s when we realized that we were right in our decision to make improvements, but not changes, because this is really unlike so many other places. We have been to thousands of restaurants all over the world, all over the country, all over New York, all over the place. We’ve never been to a place where the guests have such a connection with it. Jackson’s an institution. ​I have customers who come in, literally, five days a week, same time, every day. Others come in two or three times a week for dinner, and it’s really the center of Old Chatham. ​But, more than its picturesque location, the restaurant is a community hub. It’s not just the familiar chef and waitstaff, most of whom have stayed on; or the longstanding traditions, like their Saturday morning Bloody Mary Club; but also Jackson’s Old Chatham House is one of the few banquet halls left in the county that has an operational restaurant and bar attached.

History and Family Forward

Just beyond the bar, there’s a picture of Barry and Leya Jackson’s grandparents. “That picture is the Jacksons’ property, but they agreed to leave it with us as long as they feel comfortable. I know that once they want it back, I’ll have to put a picture of my grandparents up there. People just love that story.” In fact, one of the things Iggy and Dina have changed is the “swag.” “On the back of our t-shirts it now says, ‘Jackson’s Everyone’s First Something.’ That’s our new motto because although this building is almost 200 years old, and the business is nearly 80 years old, the people who come here also have a history with us.” •

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 11

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The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 13

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The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 14

education

Advancing Your Writing Skills Following June graduation from Chatham High, the writer has done a bang-up job turning out stories for the Chatham Press. We were curious as to how she got so proficient, so quickly. By Vivienne Murphy

F

or the longest time in school, writing was something that came naturally to me. Whenever I had to write an essay for English class, I usually just followed the prompt, wrote down whatever came to mind in a somewhat organized structure, and I could easily get high scores almost every time. When I wrote, all I had to do was follow a simple mental checklist: identify a theme, find evidence, and analyze. As long as I ticked every box, my teacher would be satisfied with my work. This simple strategy worked for me in English class all throughout middle school up until sophomore year of high school, when the only skill I learned was how to comprehend a story and form a basic argument. Then, I transferred to a new school that offered AP classes, and I realized there was more to writing than just proper grammar and expressing coherent ideas. In Pre-AP Literature, which I took in my junior year, after we read a book, play, or memoir, we would then have to write an AP-style timed essay. The prompt would be vague, perhaps something along the lines of “Identify a time in the novel where a character experienced a turning point and analyze the author’s use of the turning point in the overall story,” and we would have one period (approximately 40 minutes) to write our essay response.

Panic

The first time I saw a prompt like this, my instant reaction was panic. My mind went completely blank, and everything I had learned about how to write an essay was suddenly useless. The first book we read in class was “Huckleberry Finn,” but despite how much I enjoyed this book, I simply could not put my brain in the right place to come up with something that made sense to me in the little time I had. At the end of the period, I was not proud of what I had written, nor was I proud of the grade I received a week later. This was when I knew there was a stark difference between the kind of writing I had been taught and the kind of writing I would be expected to do in AP classes, college English courses, and beyond. Throughout my junior year, I learned how to make complex connections between even the shortest piece of literature or poems to relevant concepts in the real world or throughout history. I realized that higher-level writing should create a pathway for me to find my own voice as a writer and overall as a person who is capable of providing complex commentary on societal and emotional issues. I worked hard to improve my writing skills while analyzing literature, and this dedication extended into my senior year, when I moved up to AP English Literature and Composition. In this class, I analyzed extremely complex novels such as The Bluest Eye, spoke in thought-provoking class discussions, and put my writing skills to the ultimate test during timed AP writing prompts. After these writing tasks, I had the opportunity to read over my teacher’s feedback and practice my writing independently, giving me a sense of confidence in my writing I had never felt before. Not every student wants to take AP-level classes in high school, so many students end up taking four years of standard high school English instead to meet general graduation requirements. Oftentimes, the

regular English classes get to read many of the books that are included in the AP Literature curriculum, so it is a great option for students who want to improve their literary and writing skills but don’t want the stress of taking an AP class. There is no doubt that non-AP English classes can produce fully capable writers, but it is the state-administered exams such as the New York State Regents that bring many students down to a level of writing that does not set them up for success in college. This is because the goal of such tests are to pass, not to excel, and in order to pass, students are taught to narrow down their thoughts into one, common writing structure that everyone else will also use.

Breaking habits

Even after two years of AP English and significant growth as a writer, I still struggle at times and know it will take more practice to reach the level I aim for. I sometimes slip back into the formulaic habits I learned early on, which shows how hard it is to break away from ingrained writing conventions. Writing should never be a formula one must follow in order to meet a list of requirements or fulfill a basic rubric. Writing should be a vesicle for human

thought, imagination, and emotion, driven by our own personal experiences and, in the case of literature, the works of other people. Standardized testing promotes conformity and mediocrity when it comes to writing, and doesn’t allow students’ individual voices to shine through. Since most high school English courses in New York state are specifically made to prepare students for the poorly designed English Regents, it is unlikely that the work they will do in class will be intellectually challenging or stimulating. Not only does this fail to prepare students for college, but it may also cause them to resent English, writing, or general academics in the future. Overall, learning to advance your writing can be difficult in high school, especially when instruction focuses more on passing state tests than on developing real communication skills. As New York begins to drift away from statemandated exams like the Regents, more space can be made for English curriculums which encourage students to find their own writing style. If more high schools prioritize teaching writing skills in English classes, students will be better equipped with a vital tool that supports success in higher education and in any career path they choose to pursue. •

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 15

community

AtThe Fair Rich Lindmark captured sights from the 2025 Columbia County Fair.

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 16

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 17

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establishments

A hallowed institution

Slattery’s was once the hub of East Chatham, and Packy made sure it stayed that way, stocking items ranging from ice cream to paint as well as handling fire calls along the way.

Patrick “Packy” Slattery keeps an eye on the inventory.

Slattery’s in the mid-20th century.

Y

ou talk about your local institutions. Look in the encyclopedia. There’s Slattery’s Store in East Chatham. “This was,” said Jeff Modleski, who worked for Patrick H. “Packy” Slattery, Jr. at the store in the mid-1970s, “a general store in the truest sense of the word. Packy took pride in the fact that he had a wide array of merchandise. If he didn’t have an item in stock, he would get it.” “It’s hard to imagine there were items he didn’t have,” Modleski continued. “He stocked groceries, dairy, frozen foods, ice cream, a full line of tobacco products, hardware, paint, boots, shoes, and ice he bagged himself. He sold sharp cheddar cheese cut out of a 30-pound wheel wrapped and aged in muslin cloth – Packy took pride in the fact that he could slice the cheese firsthand into onepound increments, usually within an ounce of his target. And the list goes on and on.” According to the youngest Slattery brother, Jim, who now makes his home in Ormond Beach, Fla., the store’s beginning dates back to 1797, or two years after the Town of Chatham came into existence. Patrick Sr. and Elizabeth, parents of Patrick Jr., Joseph, Francis, and Jim, “moved back from New York City in 1911 and bought the local store and the house next to it, and named it Slattery’s Store. Packy joined the store business as a partner at an early age and his name became recognized as one and the same with Slattery’s Store.” Prior to the Slattery family running the store, it’s estimated that around 1841 a gentleman by the name of Obadiah Palmer opened a store in the building, eventually to be succeeded as owner by his son, Ephraim. Upon Ephraim’s death, the store was purchased by Charles H. Johnson. With the addition of his son, Edward, the store became known as C.H. Johnson and son. Since the sale of the store by Packy Slattery in 1976, it has passed through the hands of several owners. In 2008, scenes for the movie “Taking Woodstock” were filmed there.

Slattery’s to the right back in the day...way back in the day.

In 1933, said Jim, the Slattery family built a garage and service station in the hamlet. In later years, brother Joe joined Packy at the store “when back problems no longer allowed for work at the family garage business. Two other brothers, Francis and I, did not return to rejoin them when they returned from military service.” The store hours were from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., with shorter hours on Sunday, Jim said. Adding to Modleski’s list, Jim said his brother also sold lunch pies, cookies, cakes, wallpaper, gas cans, oil lamps, barn lanterns, kerosene, garden tools, plants in season, light bulbs, electrical parts, floor sanders to rent, work clothes, shirts, pants, and gloves. The store also sold gasoline until the garage was built, he added. Francis “Brooklyn” Howe, who delivered milk for Breeze Hill Dairy for 24 years, used to say his largest milk volume deliveries were the First National in Chatham and Slattery’s, Jim said. “When we were kids, my brother, sister, and I would pick blueberries and sell them to Packy for ten cents a quart. Then we’d buy our goodies and go home,” said East Chatham’s Anna Young. Ah, yes. There’s one scheme I know very well. As young innocents, Jeff Modleski and yours truly would scour the East Chatham roadsides for returnable bottles, which we would then redeem at Packy’s for two pennies a piece. Our yield would then be magically turned into some combination of Tootsie Rolls, fireballs, or those little wax bottles with the colored sugar water. Good times. “When I was young and we lived on Rock City Road in Chatham Center, either Packy or his father would deliver our groceries,” said Sheila Shaw, who eventually lived and raised her own family across the road from Slattery’s. “We would put our grocery order in the

mailbox, and the mailman would take it to the store. He might even deliver the groceries and take the money back to the store.” “Packy was very kind,” Shaw said, which Young echoed: “It was a pleasure to go there. He was always so gracias.” “The store was a great place to find out what was going on in town, and what was going on with America’s favorite baseball team, or at least the store’s favorite baseball team, the New York Yankees. Other workers included Lloyd Van Vliet, Howard ‘Porky’ Huber, and John Blake. And then there were the regulars: Scott MacFarland, from Don Hills Feed Store; Hermie Lapier; Don Wadsworth, who owned the gas station across the street; Keith Shaw; Charlie Briggs, who ran the post office; and dozens of other people who utilized one or more of the services Packy offered,” said Modleski. In a Chatham Courier article published in conjunction with the sale of the store in 1976, Packy “recalls when the store was a gathering place for evening gossip sessions around the stove to thrash out village affairs, the good ol’ days, national problems, hunting and fishing tales, and endless games of checkers.” At Fair time, Packy was quoted, he “remembers when gypsies would enter the store in a group, and while one engaged a clerk in conversation, the others would do a great deal of gratis shopping.” All who recall Packy Slattery noted that he extended credit, in particular, helping families “through the Depression years,” Jim said. Packy also took fire calls and “gave the siren alert until the county system took over.” Added Shaw, “You’d dial 5411, and Packy would ring the whistle. He might even take his white apron off and go to the fire.” “He was quite an amazing fellow,” said Modleski. • This story originally appeared in the August 2010 Chatham Press. The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 19

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The Chatham Press June 2025 Page 20 The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 20

sports

Becoming one on the gridiron It’s a new era in Chatham High football, as the Panthers have merged with the Ichabod Crane Riders program to become CIC Football.

Top, CIC Coach Tom Call thinks it’s a first down. Bottom left, CIC Coach Jordan McComb addresses the offense. Bottom right: Brushing up on special teams.

By Jesse DeGroodt

H

eading into the inaugural season, head coach Tom Call, who has helmed the Riders for the past eight years, and associate head coach Jordan McComb from the Chatham side, combine to lead the new roster. Home games alternate between Ichabod Crane and Chatham High. In October, It helped that the decision to unite the two programs was made months ago, rather than being dropped on them at the last minute, agreed both coaches. “From our perspective,” said Call, “the transition has gone really well. In my eight years as a head coach, this is probably the closest group I’ve had. If the merger hadn’t happened, we probably would have pulled up 9th and 10th graders to field a team. You can’t build a program that way.” Instead, the new setup enables the program to now field junior varsity and 7th/8th grade teams. Call also coaches varsity basketball at Ichabod Crane, but says it was his experience as the junior varsity hoops coach when “the varsity went on its title run. Seeing how they did that was very beneficial to me as a coach.” For the Chatham kids, the merger “is better than no football at all. They want to play,”

said McComb, whose day job finds him in the special education department at Chatham High. He described himself as a “very competitive person. I try to lead by example.” Call said CIC plans to run a “more spread offense with a gap scheme.” While they intend to throw the ball relatively often, “you win by running the ball. If you run the ball well, it sets up the pass. I think our skill guys are set up to pass ball a little more. But we will have to protect the quarterback.” Added McComb, “These guys like the physicality of it.” For senior cornerback-wide receiver Bronson Haner, a Chatham student, bringing the two programs together “is great. It’s created a lot of energy, and the bigger numbers gives us a chance to compete.” A varsity baseball player at Chatham, Haner says he “loves football. I’ve been playing since Pop Warner. I take pride in trying to create turnovers. One of my strengths is communicating with other players in the secondary. I’ve been working on my footwork. The small details will make the big difference.” Junior fullback-linebacker Liam Wasson, an Ichabod Crane student now in his third varsity season, prefers to play on the offensive side of the ball. “My strengths are as a blocking

running back and short inside runner. I was in favor of the merger. A lot of these guys I also played with in Pop Warner.” Chatham High senior Sean Harrington, who describes himself as “hard working and bringing energy” on the field, lines up as a defensive end and tight end. “I try to improve the people around me, setting the tone for people behind me. I think we’re all good with the merger. We’ve been feeling out how we work together.” “The key to is our season is, will we still healthy?” said Call.

The 2025 CIC Football roster:

Avery Ackerly, Cody Alessi, Brayden Ames, Sam Antalek, John Brusie, Brody Cassivant, Breidyn Dahlberg, Maddox Dallas-Wright, Charles Faria, and Mark Farrell. Also, Adam Geel, Parker Grey, Trent Grimmel, Brayden Haberek, Bronson Haner, Noah Hanson, Sean Harrington, Matthew Kafka, Aiden McShane, Aidan Meenagh, Tommy O’Neil, Jaxon Phillips, Thomas Pierro, and Liam Wasson. • For those interested in sprucing up their team spirit presentation, visit accustomapparel.com/ pages/cicfootball The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 21

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learning

Education and community all in one place A half-century on, Claire Winans’ playgroup is going strong and growing. By Barbara Peduzzi

F

ifty-plus years ago, Chatham mother of five Claire Winans felt isolated and started a playgroup. That grew into Family Survival of Columbia County, which over the years became The Family Resource Centers of Columbia County. Today, parents sometimes still feel isolated, or want to keep their children from that feeling. Many bring them to Family Resource Centers in Hudson or Valatie, where preschoolers play, learn and socialize, while the moms and dads play with them, and also share observations, feelings and more with each other. Executive Director Linda Andrews is as active as the children, showing off the newly painted space at Christ Church Episcopal in Hudson, leading the youngsters in song, talking with parents about their child’s progress. Outlining recent history of the organization, she reflects, “It is amazing it has lasted 50 years.” After closing during Covid-19, their funding “suffered tremendously, but we’re piecing it back together.” Grants from various area sources play a large part in keeping the Center open. Providing programs for young children is an especially important function, she said, “Just to have a place to go with little ones, if they can’t afford day care.” Play groups are the core of the program, she noted, giving a boost in a quality environment to learn through play before children go to Head Start or pre-K programs. About a dozen kids, with one or both parents, usually meet in Hudson; the Valatie site had up to 20 a day during the summer. The program runs Monday through Thursday, Andrews’ goal is to add Friday, “Parents keep asking for it.” The largest of three play rooms at the church holds a padded set of steps to climb on, or, as Laila did, fall off of. She climbed right back up to the highest point. There are also things to ride and jump on, play mats, games, books, wooden train tracks to make layouts and trains to push around them and much, much more. A sensory box in a smaller room holds fall things to create with. The morning begins with unstructured play, then the children gather in a smaller room for “Circle Time,” a combination of fun and learning. They sit in a circle as Andrews welcomes each by name, with a song. She points to “A” on an alphabet chart and coaches them, saying “A is for Apple,” leads them in the alphabet song, then chanting days of the week, months of the year, and the number and letter of the week. “A” coloring pages are left on a table. After the lesson, a song encourages the children to “clean my hands, top and bottom,”

Executive Director Linda Andrews leads the Alphabet Song, as children learn letters, numbers and more during Circle Time.

before a snack of apple, cheese, cracker and juice. Andrews reads aloud as they eat.

Importance of community

“It’s so important to have community,” Andrews notes, “to keep from feeling isolated.” The program intent is to empower and support parents, and develop their children up to age five. While the assortment of programs highlights children, there are things for parents and others as well. One example is peer-to-peer groups starting this month, which will talk about topics parents choose, focusing on things they find they have to work through. A recent partnership with Valatie Rescue Squad offered workshops in CPR for children under five-years old and choking. There have also been CPR classes for the staff.

No limit

A wide range of area population is served, Andrews said. “Not just one particular race or financial status.” A recently launched literacy program brings children to local libraries throughout the county. In Head Start programs at Taconic Hills, Valatie, Hudson and Columbia County Children’s Center at Columbia-Greene Community College, youngsters read a book, focusing on the characters and their feelings, and then do a project connected with the story. A recent one had them making sand slime at the Roe-Jan Library. Many attend MonRay’s Literary Voyage program. Called Mr. Purple because of his dyed beard, the father and grandfather leads the program which has grown from once a month to once a week. Children’s abilities are assessed as they take a “picture walk” to make predictions about the story. Each gets a copy of the book at the end. With Columbia Opportunities, the Center held a two-week play group this year, next

year with more funding they hope to provide six-weeks. “Summer is hard, when parents have both older and younger kids at home,” Andrews noted. As far as attendance, “Just come, just walk in, registration is always open.” Funding for all projects is an ongoing search. Donations are always welcome; those made the refreshment space possible. They could also help with getting air conditioning. Andrews considers herself a success story for early age programs; as one of eight children of a single mother she had pre-school at the Family Resource Center and feels that “changed the trajectory of my life.” She is the only one of her siblings to graduate college and holds a master’s in Early Childhood Development. “I love doing this in the community I grew up in!”

Praiseworthy

Youngsters and parents alike enjoy many things about the Center, but several had similar answers. Amelia said, “Climbing,” while Beckett and Laila both said their favorite part is “coming with my mother.” Wesley’s dad, Ben, said they started coming last year, and both like the socializing and meeting new people. “I love Linda and everything about this place,” Theresa raved, “I don’t know what I would do without it, especially Circle Time.” Shaniel was there for the first time, “I heard about it and wanted to try,” while Jahayah exclaimed, “I just met Shaniel,” adding, “I love the community with other children, love story time. There is a lot of enrichment for children.” Fun, learning, enrichment, meeting new people. It would seem that what Claire Winans started 50 years ago is fulfilling her hopes of eliminating isolation for adults and children alike. • The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 23

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history

HistoryBits At the movies

In a bit of spring 1976 news from The Chatham Courier: “It was none other than Bruce Hallenbeck of Kinderhook, who wrote and directed that excellent mystery opus, ‘Fear is the Color of Darkness’ heard on WGY Monday night. And on Saturday, March 6, the NBC GO-USA Show will do the Bicentennial story, ‘Sybil Rides Again!’ Don’t know if WRGB (Channel 6) will screen it, but hopefully they will because Clint Whittemore, Jr. of Chatham, assisted with the screening; another Chathamite, Bunny Francis, has a small speaking part, while Art Frederick, Scott Fiero, Dave Kimok, Bill Gleason and Punky Wichmann all appear in the film.”

Off the rails

The derailment of ten Boston and Albany freight cars on Saturday, May 5, 1973, blocked Chatham’s Main Street crossing for ten hours. Cars near the scene of the wreck “were peppered with flying debris, and many windshields were broken.” There were, however, no injuries. On the heels of the accident, with many suspicious that excessive speed had contributed to the accident, village Mayor Jack Mesick ordered the Chatham Police Department to monitor the speed of freight trains as they passed through. “If we determine that the 30 MPH speed limit is being exceeded, we will proceed against the railroad and seek the arrest of those responsible for violations,” Mesick said.

Chatham High Class of 1961 Senior Officers. STANDING: Robert Mooney, President. SEATED: Alice Rothmann, Treasurer; Mary Rothmann, Vice-President; Sandra Cooper, Secre­tary.

props master, oftentimes riding the train into Chatham to scour the local shops in search of the necessary stage accoutrements.

‘Operation Digout’

‘The Dalmations’

Following their years at Chatham High, members of the Class of 1961, known as “The Dalmations,” went on to work in a myriad of fields, including owning a travel agency (Gwynne Harles Balson), and working as a computer operator (Patricia Shay Carl), back in the days before most had any real knowledge of computers. After eight years in the Army as a nuclear power reactor operator and health physics technician, David Collins went on to earn a BS in Radiological Health from Manhattan College. Laurie Waltemath Piersall spent her working life as a nurse. Bob Mooney taught school for 33 years. Ghent’s George Herrmann has spent decades operating his own refrigeration and heating business. Nancy Hug wound up in Daly City, California, and worked for a law firm for 29 years. Jeanette Grimes Johnson became an ordained Methodist minister and served as associate minister at the Payne AME Church in Chatham. Dan Keller, an avid fisherman, worked for 37 years with NYSEG. Reid Nelson retired in 2008 after 40 years as a senior systems analyst with Albany Medical Center Hospital. Charlie Siter retired as project coordinator for the Columbia County Highway Department. For its senior play, the class presented “Mother Is A Freshman” on December 17, 1960. The varsity baseball team, with Coach Jack Havlik at the helm, finished its season with a record of 16-2, capturing the county and Sectional championships. Named to the National Honor Society were Margeurite Knebel Frangillo, Nancy Hug, Elmo Dunavin, Margaret Moore Larkin, Alice Rothmann Demarest, Priscilla Losee Sherman, Elisabeth Kipper Mooney, and Sandra Cooper Baseheart.

Streisand (circled) at age 15 in “The Desk Set” at the Malden Bridge Playhouse, 1957.

Streisand at the Playhouse

It was mid-July 1957 when The Chatham Courier made note of the coming of “William Marchant’s delightful comedy, ‘The Desk Set,’ which opens at Maiden Bridge on Tuesday, July 23, under the direction of John Hale.” “Emily Cobb has the leading role, created in New York by Shirley Booth, that of Bunny Watson, head of the research department of a television network. She is a girl with encyclopedic knowledge, who could easily be champion on a quiz show. Paul Bressoud plays the efficiency expert, the boss’s nephew, who believes in machines and installs an electronic brain called Emmarac, which he insists will take the place of any number of human brains.” “Jeannette Randall, Ruth Washburn and Natalie Helms are the girls in the research department, who abet their boss in her battle of wits against the machine. Val Palmer adds romantic interest to this office warfare. Others in the cast, particularly in the riotous office party, are Henry DeShields, Byron Whiting, Peggy Kearns, James Stockham, Barbara Streisand, Carole Freedman, David Weber, Merryman Gatch, John McElveney, and Mort Ginsberg.” At this point in Streisand’s young career, she was known by her given name of Barbara, later to become Barbra. Streisand also served as the Malden Bridge Playhouse’s

“10-Inch Snowfall Blocks Highways, Closes 4 Schools” blazed a late January 1963 Chatham Courier headline. “’Operation Digout’ was undertaken this morning by Columbia County residents, the aftermath of a lashing storm, the worst of the season, which deposited from eight to 10 inches of snow in the area.” “The storm, which had a mild start yesterday afternoon, became fortified by high winds during the late evening hours and below zero temperatures in the early morning hours. Several schools in the area canceled sessions for today, but students who were scheduled to take Regents examinations were asked to report. Berlin, Ockawamick, Roeliff Jansen and Germantown Central Schools called off classes, but New Lebanon, Chatham and Ichabod Crane Central Schools held schedules as usual.” “The Columbia County Highway Department swung into action shortly after the storm had its start and under the direction of Superintendent Bernard J. Kelleher’ worked throughout the night to clear county and state roads. Hindered by winds and the freezing temperatures, the crews comprising 95 men, 35 snowplows and eight salt trucks, through their all-night effort had most of the main highways passable by morning. They cleared 251 miles of county and 231 miles of state highways.” “However, despite the tremendous task carried out by the Highway Department, many motorists experienced difficulty in getting to work this morning because of slippery road conditions and snowdrifts in driveways. State Police at the Claverack and New Lebanon stations reported that traffic was unusually light during the evening hours. Motorists received an advance notice of hazardous driving conditions and were requested not to make any unnecessary trips.” •

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sports

Chatham girls tennis gets underway Coach Kate Lynch and her four players are prepared to take on the conference on the courts this fall.

Hazel Michalek, Bailey McShane, Samantha Silver, Norah Sotherden

By Jesse DeGroodt

W

ith two veterans and two newcomers to the game, in late August Chatham High varsity girls tennis Coach Kate Lynch was busy preparing her squad for the upcoming 2025 schedule. Last season, the Lady Panthers finished second in Section II team sectionals while participating as a fourperson team. Lynch, heading into her 22nd year teaching in the Chatham school district and now in her third year coaching the Lady Panthers, is herself a topnotch tennis player who enjoys imparting her knowledge of the game to rookies and longtime players alike. Of her quartet of players, the returnees are seniors Samantha Silver and Norah Sotherden, while junior Bailey McShane and sophomore Hazel Michalek are new to the sport. At this stage, she said, “it doesn’t take long for the new players to improve. They get better quickly. I’m thrilled they’ve put themselves out there and don’t give up on themselves. It’s good to see them stick with it. It’s a good group of kids – they’re all very supportive of each other.” “For Bailey, she’s been taking lessons and she has some good basics. I’m seeing real potential in her to be a strong player. Hazel is new to the game and is working on building her confidence. I’m seeing a lot of progress and I look forward to seeing her progress.”

Hazel Michalek

“Norah,” Lynch continued, “brings positivity. She’s shown incredible growth in the short term. She’s a consistent player. I’m excited to see the progress she’s made.” Silver, she said, took up the game last year and “she’s made great progress. She’s a natural athlete. She picked it up quickly.” For Silver herself, as a beginner “it was a little rough at first, a big adjustment. I take lessons and I hit with my mom a lot – she played for LeMoyne in college. I try to keep my head up when I’m losing and not playing well.” A member of the 2025 Chatham girls varsity softball team that captured the state championship, she said, “That experience has helped me a lot.” Silver plans on attending pursuing an undergraduate degree in mechanical

engineering, school to be determined. Fourth-year member of the tennis team, Norah Sotherden also competes on the school track squad, as well as being part of the award-winning Chatham robotics team, for which she has served as off-season captain. In addition, she has been involved in the Shakespeare & Company program at school. “Tennis is my thing,” she said. “I’m an aggressive player. I tend to hit balls really hard. I try to play up at the net, to force myself to dial it back.” Sotherden intends to study environmental conservation and sustainability “at a school in New York somewhere. I want to keep it local.” After playing soccer for eight years, Bailey McShane decided to give tennis a try after “Sam [Silver] recruited me. I started taking lessons this summer. They’ve gone well. I’m glad I joined our team – I like tennis a lot.” McShane described herself as “artsy, musical.” She plays trumpet in the school band and is an inductee of the Tri-M Music Honor Society. Hazel Michalek attended a tennis camp and “enjoyed it. It’s a fun game. I like hitting, and I’m good at hitting it hard. I’ve been practicing my forehands and backhands.” Michalek is a member of the Columbia & District Pipe Band as a bagpiper. She plans to be a veterinarian. The girls play a 12-game schedule that concludes in early October. •

PHOTO CREDIT: JOHN SHEA

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 27

railroading

Along the Harlem to Chatham When it came time to do the Christmas shopping, the author’s grandmother took the train north to Chatham’s Main Street.

Harlem engine and crew from this undated photo.

By George Benson

W

e moved to Philmont the summer before I started fourth grade at Ockawamick. My parents had bought a house on Maple Avenue across from New Street and Bob Bowes’ and Oliver “Larry” North’s houses. Four features of the house immediately intrigued me. The second floor had no hallway. You could only get to rooms through other rooms, including the bathroom. It was a perfect playground for my brother and I although I know my parents rued the lack of privacy. Second, halfway up the lot a gigantic maple tree grew where I climbed for the challenge and refuge. Third, the lot sloped up the hill bordering on the Harlem Railroad line. In the winter it provided the perfect sledding path down to the driveway, although on numerous occasions we would overshoot the sidewalk and skid into the street, alarming drivers more than the sledders. Finally, the lot ended at the railroad which passed through a cut in the hill at milage marker 119. Our scout troop was also 119 and I spent hours wondering if it was serendipity or planned.

Getting started

The Harlem Line started in 1831 as a New York streetcar company. To start they had $50 shares of stock totaling $350,000. In 1890, a state law set a maximum fare of three cents per mile after an initial fare of five cents. The city refused to permit steam engines below Fourteenth Street in the city due to the soot and noise, so the original cars were pulled by horses much like the canal boats on the Erie Canal, which had been completed in 1825. Because level ground was a practical necessity,

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 28

Chatham Union Station in the late 1800s.

the Yorkville Tunnel and the Murray Hill Tunnel (actually, a rock cut) were created. The line ran from City Hall to the village of Harlem. The lower section was eventually transformed into an electric trolley line and then a bus route, but the northern part grew into the Harlem Line. Originally there was interest in building a rail line from New York City to the nineteenth century industrial powerhouse Poughkeepsie. Although in our modern age we think of the Mississippi as the American river workhorse the Hudson laid claim to the title earlier. Steamships carried people and goods to Albany with connections to the Erie Canal to

move goods west. Robert Fulton and Robert Livingston built the North River Steamboat for trade between New York and Albany. The Hudson River was called the North River by the Dutch and even now some maps label the Hudson below the Tappen Zee as the North River. In 1798, Livingston and Fulton were granted an exclusive right to river travel by New York State for 20 years. It included a time limit on the length of trips, so the steamship also had sails for extra power when needed and to cut costs. The initial 1807 voyage took 32 hours of travel time with a 20-hour stop at Clermont. The return took 30 hours with a one-hour stop at Clermont. The average

speed was five miles per hour. In 1824, the Supreme Court terminated the arrangement because of the interstate commerce clause after being sued by the governor of New Jersey. Because early developers were intimidated by the lobbying power of the steamship companies, they initially avoided competition by developing the Harlem Line in eastern New York rather than along the river. However, the steamships were seasonal due to winter freezing and railroads eventually prevailed. Eventually the New York Central followed the river to Albany.

Up the line

In 1847, the line was completed to Mount Kisco and Croton Falls and in 1850 to Dover Plains. In 1888, a Chatham newspaper reported “Reminiscences of Other Days” signed “A Veteran”: The inhabitants of the primitive and rural section between Dover Plains and Chatham were astonished to see many boarding houses (shanties) built of hemlock wood put up along the line of road, indicated by little square numbered stakes driven into the ground. These shanties accommodate from 25 to 50 Irish laborers, who used to work for 75 cents a day and their board. They used to sleep in bunks around the side of the room, and sometimes the shanty had a floor, but oftener the carpet was mother earth. On the completion of the road in February,1852, so that passenger and freight trains could begin to run, many of the people along the line looked at a locomotive for the first time, for they had never ridden a foot on the rails, although they could have done so by going over into the Housatonic valley. In 1852, the Harlem Line was extended to Chatham which was already on the Albany and West Stockbridge Railroad line.

Chatham’s Union Station was opened in 1887 on the Boston and Albany Railroad (B&A). During this period many small local railroads were consolidated into bigger systems. The Harlem Line was also used as an alternative to the New York Central when flooding, rockslides, mudslides or snow blocked the line. The Copake, Hillsdale, and Chatham stations were essential for tourism. Children came north for summer camps in the Berkshires and Copake areas. Even day Adjacent to Hudson Avenue in the Village of Chatham, a Harlem passenger train rolls past the current site of the Chatham Fire Department in this undated photo. hikers used the line to visit areas. Wealthy New Yorkers had estates and summer cottages or visited the spas. Winter weekend ski trains took people near the local ski resorts as late as 1960s.

Demise of Old Eli

The Great Blizzard of 1888 was part of my folklore growing up. New York had 22 inches of snow and Albany had 48. Near Coleman Station in Dutchess County, a narrow channel through the bedrock was plugged with snow and the railroad sent “Old Eli” to clear the path. The plow sat on a six-wheeled car and was pushed by five locomotives. It was designed to throw snow Old Eli in better days. up and not to the side. The train impaled itself into the snow. All the engines derailed, and the lead engine exploded, killing five men. My grandparents lived in Dover Plains overlooking the train station. My grandmother’s annual December dilemma was where to do the holiday shopping. Poughkeepsie was the closest, but it was an arduous car trip with the poorest shopping. The Harlem Line provided better options. A pampering ride would deliver her to Manhattan in the morning and a return the same evening. But her favorite option was the Harlem trip north to Chatham. She always said everything she needed was in the pleasant day spent on Chatham’s Main Street 50 miles away. •

Old Eli came to its demise near Coleman Station during the Blizzard of 1888.

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 29

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community

Bachrach never planned to be a librarian Nonetheless, Director Hanna Bachrach is now guiding the future of the Chatham Public Library. By Barbara Peduzzi

G

rowing up in Chatham, Hanna Bachrach was “a big reader. I went to the library often.” Little did she know those frequent visits were the start of her journey to becoming the director of the Chatham Public Library. Originally, being a librarian at all was not in her career plans, but her college work-study put her in the library for four years. Then, after college, she landed jobs in college, public and New York City high school libraries, “And I loved it.” Those jobs led to realizing it was the direction she wanted to go and she returned to college for her master’s degree. Bachrach then came home to the Chatham library, until “life came along,” and she stopped work to concentrate on her children. Now that they are older, she is “very happy to be back. I really love the people.” She started a year ago as interim librarian, which became permanent in January. The variety of libraries she’s worked in have had similarities and differences. Bachrach loves how “in this town, the library serves as a community center in ways larger cities couldn’t. We can gear all the programs and resources to the community.” While noting that all libraries hope to do their best, “I think here we’re able to do that in a unique way, to be really responsive.” Credit for that, she feels, goes to patrons giving some of the best suggestions for programs to include. A first step upon returning was to talk with staff and patrons to find out which programs had become most loved over the years, and be sure to keep them. One cited was the “Ukelele Jam” on Saturdays, while others are yoga and qigong classes. “Miss Becky’s (Rebecca Klein) children’s programs are an institution,” Bachrach enthused. The pre-school story hour, library play group and Shake and Shout Storytime are all beloved and well-attended. Generations have come through those, she mused. “I watch someone who came as a child bringing their children to those.” Bachrach plans to keep the loved parts, but also bring new ideas, and is looking towards collaborating with the community. For example, the Library Walking Club, which visited various area spots, has joined with Columbia Land Conservancy, exploring one of their sites the third Friday of each month. A new idea, sprung from conversations with staff and community members, was the display of people’s collections. “We asked around, ‘Do you collect anything you’d like to share with the community?’” The responses were exhibited in a case on the downstairs level, with information on why and how the collector started, “A lot of people came to see and enjoyed those.” These will start again in January. Similarly inspired, “Community Experts” weekly talks beginning this month will bring in people to share their expertise in a wide variety of topics. At least seven or eight people will share their depth of knowledge, from digital art to Braille to estate planning to ballet. “I’m really interested in ‘listening well’ to community people, to patrons, to see how we can be a forum for them,” Bachrach said.

The library is taking a balanced approach to the growing trend of ebooks, “We’re not counteracting it.” They continue to actively build the collection of physical books, which “people check out all, all the time.” A growing ebook collection comes from a couple of resources; she explained that people can get them through the library website, or an app which they buy books for. The Mid-Hudson Library System is a valuable source for both print and audio books which are not currently available in Chatham. Bachrach praised their connection with MHLS as expanding options not easily obtained by themselves. As far as what the future holds, Bachrach admitted, “I don’t have a ‘ready to go’ plan, but see my role here as wanting to guide this job into the future based on the needs of this community. I don’t think that will stem from my ideas alone, but from the staff and community also.” She feels she has begun that, and wants to do more. “Makes perfect sense, let’s give it a try,” was the reaction to a patron’s suggestion that they, and others, would like to visit with friends and neighbors. It has grown into a weekly Tuesday

morning social hour. “There are games, but it’s more just to get together, especially in colder months. It’s nice to have a place to talk books, but also what’s going on in their lives.” She proudly showed off “one really exciting thing, in collaboration with Secret Stories at the Maker Space in Kinderhook. They go into the community with mural painting, and came to lead the project in the teen/ community room downstairs.” The walls are covered with bold designs, done when they got the kids to do original art work: “They had such a great thing going!” Over the summer things for kids were offered almost every day; she repeated, “Miss Becky is amazing!” Making origami, and a Ghent Band concert were also on the schedule. To keep up with what is planned each month, she encourages everyone to follow the library on Instagram (@ chathampubliclibrary) and Facebook (“Chatham Public Library, Chatham NY”), or join the mailing list. For someone who never planned to be a librarian, Hanna Bachrach is proving her worth as library director. •

The Chatham Press | October 2025 | Page 31

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