Buried, and uncovered, by Dry Brook

Buried, and uncovered, by Dry Brook

Jan 16, 2012 | Tin Horn

The waters were cruel in our region late last summer. They claimed buildings, land and one precious life, and left a legacy of ruin that will take months, even years, to repair. But the flood also uncovered a bit of the past in a section of Dry Brook on the property of Gene Rosa.

Submerged water wheel that once ran a Dry Brook sawmillChiseled hole in old streambed for post of sawmill

The rusty remnant of an old water wheel bears mute testimony to the many mills that once thrived along Dry Brook, as well as to the power of the tempestuous creek that regularly destroyed them. Lester Rosa remembers hearing about this one. It powered a sawmill on his grandfather William Vermilyea’s farm (on the sharp curve 3.5 miles up Dry Brook Road from Arkville), where there was also a blacksmith shop and forge on the flat. Lester, who dug up artifacts from the blacksmith shop while gardening on the site over the years, speculates that the water wheel may have been made at that forge.

Water wheel jutting out of pool in foreground; former streambed to right

Lester’s paternal grandfather, Andrew Rosa, who died in 1915, was a sawyer who worked at this and other mills. It’s not clear whether it was abandoned before or after being washed off its moorings by some flood in the past.

It was one of no less than five sawmills that are depicted on the Beers map of 1869 on the Middletown end of Dry Brook – no doubt many more took advantage of the water power further up the stream in the Town of Hardenburgh. In 1869, this site belonged to Orson Allaben, a physician who helped develop Margaretville, served in the NYS Assembly and started a school. He also apparently dabbled in small industry. An article in the Nov. 26, 1948 Catskill Mountain News about the history of Arena (Lumberville) said this: “As in the case of (Asa) Grant, many of the wealthy men owned sawmills in connection with their other interests. One of them was Dr. Allaben of Margaretville, who owned several such mills in the various hollows of the section.”

Lester Rosa said deeds to his grandfather’s farm referred to it as the “Allaben Logging Reserve.”

Can you add information to this story? Write to us!

Chiseled hole in streambed for post of mill building

What’s going on here?

What’s going on here?

Jan 4, 2012 | Tin Horn

Mystery photo, What’s happening here?

The image above is one of 21 glass plate negatives found above Miller’s Drug Store in Margaretville years ago and donated to the Historical Society of Middletown by Al and Naomi Weiss. Several of the negatives were scanned and restored by Ed Kirstein of Roxbury. They were printed and framed by the Historical Society in 2007, and can currently be seen at Fairview Library’s conference room where the Historical Society will mount rotating historical displays.

What do you think is happening in this photo? What covered bridge is that in the background?

“Coming out of the ball smiling,” — is this the same event?

Is this postcard image, provided by Lynda Stratton, the same event? Is the clothing of the same era? Perhaps a daredevil sailed down the river in a flexible ball of some sort? Maybe the retaining wall at right (upon which the photographer must have been perched) offers a clue as to the location.

“A Whisper in Time” at Fairview Library

“A Whisper in Time” at Fairview Library

Jan 4, 2012 | news archive

January 3, 2012: An exhibit of nine framed photographs taken at the turn of the last century is now on view at Fairview Public Library, Walnut Street, Margaretville.

The library is open Monday (except holidays), Tuesday and Friday 12:30-5, Wednesday 12:30-7, Thursday 11-5 and Saturday 10-2:30.

The images were among 21 glass plate negatives found above Miller’s Drug Store years ago and donated to the Historical Society of Middletown by Al and Naomi Weiss. Several of the negatives were scanned and restored by Ed Kirstein of Roxbury. They were printed and framed by the Historical Society in 2007, and can be seen again at the library’s conference room through March 1.

The photos, taken by an unknown photographer, offer us a “Whisper in Time.” They show the Village of Margaretville from a couple of different perspectives, and Main Street, when horses and wagons were the principal means of transport.

One image shows a group of Native American woman and children, believed to have been an “attraction” at the Margaretville Fair in 1903. An unidentified group of hunters hams it up for the camera in another photo, while a dapper man with cane and pocket watch, and a handsome couple in formal pose, are also captured for all time.

There is also a mystery photo and visitors are welcome to offer ideas on exactly what they think might be happening there!

Man with horse and wagon, Margaretville Main St., c. 1903

Man on street, c. 1903

Ethel Bussy remembers the Flood of ’50

Ethel Bussy remembers the Flood of ’50

Nov 20, 2011 | Tin Horn

Mystery photo, What’s happening here?

Floods have always been a part of the history of Margaretville.

A devastating flash flood, called “the rain makers flood,” supposedly caused by chemical seeding of the clouds over this area to make rain after an extended period of dry weather, was one of the worst in the history of this area. It occurred on November 21, 1950. There was great damage not only in Margaretville but in Arkville, (Fleischmanns) and throughout this section. The damage done to roads alone were estimated by Middletown officials to run over $1,000,000. The loss to our village was fixed at $500,000. In some places on Main Street there was as much as six feet of water. People were rescued from their homes by boats.

Leyden Smith’s gas station, Bridge Street, nearly ruined in 1950, was destroyed in the 1996 flood. Photo by Bob Wyer, courtesy DCHA

The newly built Delaware Valley Oil Co. and service station of “Denny’s” on Bridge Street, owned by Leyden Smith, was badly damaged, the extent estimated to be $34,000.

An area field director for the American Red Cross was sent to this village to help plan the rehabilitation of families who lost possessions in the flood. The Methodist Church remained opened all night to feed volunteers and house approximately thirty people who were forced to flee their homes.

From History and Stories of Margaretville and Surrounding Area, by Ethel Bussy, 1960

Listening at Thanksgiving

Nov 20, 2011 | Tin Horn

The 4th Annual National Day of Listening, promoted by Storycorps, is Friday, Nov. 25. Ignore the hordes of holiday shoppers and offer the best gift of all to someone you care about – the gift of your time and attention. Use a digital or old-fashioned cassette recorder, your telephone, or a pen and paper to record the stories of an elder family member or a friend. Asking a few questions or offering open-ended statements can get the ball rolling. Here are some ideas (stolen from the current issue of the AARP newsletter!)

  • I remember my parents (grandparents) as being ___
  • I wanted to grow up to be a ___
  • My favorite activity at school was ___
  • My first job was ___
  • My most memorable meal was ___
  • My proudest moment was ___
  • I am happiest when ___
  • The most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do was ___

Well, you get the picture — siblings, chance encounters, accidents, favorite books or music, claims to fame – the sky’s the limit. Have fun! For inspiration, visit www.storycorps.org.