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...we had at least six feet of snow in our driveway except for a small area that was cleared out by the wind.
The 2022 Historians Podcast fund drive is off to a good start! Thanks to the donors who have contributed $1,000 so far toward our $6,000 goal. Our most recent donation was from Amsterdam Reads. For more information or to donate online click here, https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-historians-podcast-2022 Or send a check made out to Bob Cudmore to 125 Horstman Drive, Scotia, NY 12302.
Thursday, February 10, 2022-From the Archives of the Daily Gazette
Winter of 1958
By Bob Cudmore
Ralph Bohlke of Ballston Spa has vivid memories of the February 1958 snowstorm that isolated rural Mohawk Valley families for two weeks or more. For four days a U.S. Army helicopter was used to evacuate isolated families and bring in food, fuel and medicine to Charleston and other towns.
Bohlke lived on the border between Princetown and the town of Florida in the hamlet of Scotch Church. The hamlet was named for Scottish settlers who came there at the end of the Revolutionary War and built a Presbyterian Church. A cemetery near the former church has gravestones dating back to 1802, some of them for Revolutionary War soldiers.
Bohlke was 13 years old in 1958. Snowed in for seven days, relief arrived in the form of a Schenectady County plow that eventually got to Bohlke’s home on Route 160. That evening, a Sunday, produced another big snowfall and they were snowed in for another seven days. Relief finally came about day sixteen from a town of Florida plow.
Bohlke wrote, “The snow was almost even with the telephone lines in Scotch Church because I remember touching them with my hand in front of the church.
“I remember that there was so much blowing snow that it was the only time in my life that I could not get out the front or back door. There was even a porch on the front door, but the snow was still blown up against the door so we couldn’t get outdoors. We had a wood shed attached to the back of the house with a dog door. I climbed out of the dog door to get outside.”
New Print Story this Weekend
This Saturday, February 12, 2022- Focus on History in the Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder-World War II soldier Alton Swann of Gloversville fought in the Philippines and was a Japanese POW for three years.
Bohlke and his mother Genevieve stayed home in Scotch Church to make sure the furnace kept working. His father, Harley Bohlke, stayed in Amsterdam with an aunt, Elizabeth Folmsbee on Guy Park Avenue, as he had to operate his business, Mohawk Cleaners & Dyers, on the old Cedar Street.
Bohlke wrote, “I remember digging a tunnel out to the road in the driveway. When my father came home after the two weeks, he had a black bear hat on and when I first saw it I wasn’t sure who or what was coming through that tunnel. Fortunately it was my father with groceries in both arms.
“We had at least six feet of snow in our driveway except for a small area that was cleared out by the wind. My father and I spent a half day with our tractor and a scoop. We only got about 50 feet cleaned out and decided it would take us two more days to get to the road. “
Bohlke’s father called a friend at Rotterdam Septic in Rotterdam Junction to come with a front end loader to clear out the driveway.
Bohlke said, “As kids, we loved the two weeks off. We played basketball in Aucompaugh’s barn and did a lot of tobogganing. We would go right over apple trees, going airborne, and crash into the snow. Since there was so much snow, we would just go right into the snow and get buried. You could not sleigh ride as the snow was too powdery and too deep. Those were the days.”
There were about 100 rescues in rural Montgomery County in February 1958. Grateful families provided plow operators with coffee and sandwiches and even full meals. Some farmers had to dump their spoiling supplies of milk. Amsterdam city schools closed for a week.
The spring of 1958 brought major flooding along the Mohawk River. After that, the Army Corps of Engineers built retaining walls along the south side of the river in Amsterdam.
Tomorrow, Friday, February 11, 2022
Episode #409
James Kirby Martin is executive producer of the documentary Benedict Arnold: Hero Betrayed. The film is based on Martin’s 1997 book Benedict Arnold Revolutionary Hero. The documentary is streaming on several TV platforms, narrated by Martin Sheen and stars Peter O’Meara. Three men from the Mohawk Valley area created the documentary: Niskayuna native Chris Stearns, Saratoga Springs native Tom Mercer and Fort Johnson native Anthony Vertucci.
The New York State Canal Corporation, through the Reimagine the Canals initiative, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor are launching a new competitive grant program to support tourism and recreation along the New York State Canal System.
https://eriecanalway.org/resources/grants
The 2022 program will provide funding to support tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements, and events. Grant funding is open to counties, municipalities, units of local government, not-for-profit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Thursday, February 10, 2022
Today
Snow showers likely before 9am, then a chance of rain and snow showers between 9am and 10am, then a chance of rain showers after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. East wind 6 to 14 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight
A chance of rain and snow showers before 8pm, then a chance of snow showers between 8pm and 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. West wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday
A slight chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 42. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Thursday, February 10, 2022
Daily Gazette
NY school mask mandate continues at least 3 more weeks
ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday lifted her mask mandate for businesses, effective Thursday, but left it in place…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Governor lifts mask mandate for businesses, retains it for schools
ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday lifted her mask-or-vaccine mandate for businesses...
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Pharmacy opens inside The Family Counseling Center in Gloversville
by Andrew Waite
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob Cudmore...we had at least six feet of snow in our driveway except for a small area that was cleared out by the wind.
The 2022 Historians Podcast fund drive is off to a good start! Thanks to the donors who have contributed $1,000 so far toward our $6,000 goal. Our most recent donation was from Amsterdam Reads. For more information or to donate online click here, https://www.gofundme.com/f/the-historians-podcast-2022 Or send a check made out to Bob Cudmore to 125 Horstman Drive, Scotia, NY 12302.
Thursday, February 10, 2022-From the Archives of the Daily Gazette
Winter of 1958
By Bob Cudmore
Ralph Bohlke of Ballston Spa has vivid memories of the February 1958 snowstorm that isolated rural Mohawk Valley families for two weeks or more. For four days a U.S. Army helicopter was used to evacuate isolated families and bring in food, fuel and medicine to Charleston and other towns.
Bohlke lived on the border between Princetown and the town of Florida in the hamlet of Scotch Church. The hamlet was named for Scottish settlers who came there at the end of the Revolutionary War and built a Presbyterian Church. A cemetery near the former church has gravestones dating back to 1802, some of them for Revolutionary War soldiers.
Bohlke was 13 years old in 1958. Snowed in for seven days, relief arrived in the form of a Schenectady County plow that eventually got to Bohlke’s home on Route 160. That evening, a Sunday, produced another big snowfall and they were snowed in for another seven days. Relief finally came about day sixteen from a town of Florida plow.
Bohlke wrote, “The snow was almost even with the telephone lines in Scotch Church because I remember touching them with my hand in front of the church.
“I remember that there was so much blowing snow that it was the only time in my life that I could not get out the front or back door. There was even a porch on the front door, but the snow was still blown up against the door so we couldn’t get outdoors. We had a wood shed attached to the back of the house with a dog door. I climbed out of the dog door to get outside.”
New Print Story this Weekend
This Saturday, February 12, 2022- Focus on History in the Daily Gazette and Amsterdam Recorder-World War II soldier Alton Swann of Gloversville fought in the Philippines and was a Japanese POW for three years.
Bohlke and his mother Genevieve stayed home in Scotch Church to make sure the furnace kept working. His father, Harley Bohlke, stayed in Amsterdam with an aunt, Elizabeth Folmsbee on Guy Park Avenue, as he had to operate his business, Mohawk Cleaners & Dyers, on the old Cedar Street.
Bohlke wrote, “I remember digging a tunnel out to the road in the driveway. When my father came home after the two weeks, he had a black bear hat on and when I first saw it I wasn’t sure who or what was coming through that tunnel. Fortunately it was my father with groceries in both arms.
“We had at least six feet of snow in our driveway except for a small area that was cleared out by the wind. My father and I spent a half day with our tractor and a scoop. We only got about 50 feet cleaned out and decided it would take us two more days to get to the road. “
Bohlke’s father called a friend at Rotterdam Septic in Rotterdam Junction to come with a front end loader to clear out the driveway.
Bohlke said, “As kids, we loved the two weeks off. We played basketball in Aucompaugh’s barn and did a lot of tobogganing. We would go right over apple trees, going airborne, and crash into the snow. Since there was so much snow, we would just go right into the snow and get buried. You could not sleigh ride as the snow was too powdery and too deep. Those were the days.”
There were about 100 rescues in rural Montgomery County in February 1958. Grateful families provided plow operators with coffee and sandwiches and even full meals. Some farmers had to dump their spoiling supplies of milk. Amsterdam city schools closed for a week.
The spring of 1958 brought major flooding along the Mohawk River. After that, the Army Corps of Engineers built retaining walls along the south side of the river in Amsterdam.
Tomorrow, Friday, February 11, 2022
Episode #409
James Kirby Martin is executive producer of the documentary Benedict Arnold: Hero Betrayed. The film is based on Martin’s 1997 book Benedict Arnold Revolutionary Hero. The documentary is streaming on several TV platforms, narrated by Martin Sheen and stars Peter O’Meara. Three men from the Mohawk Valley area created the documentary: Niskayuna native Chris Stearns, Saratoga Springs native Tom Mercer and Fort Johnson native Anthony Vertucci.
The New York State Canal Corporation, through the Reimagine the Canals initiative, and the Erie Canalway National Heritage Corridor are launching a new competitive grant program to support tourism and recreation along the New York State Canal System.
https://eriecanalway.org/resources/grants
The 2022 program will provide funding to support tourism infrastructure and amenity improvements, and events. Grant funding is open to counties, municipalities, units of local government, not-for-profit organizations and federally recognized Native American tribes.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Thursday, February 10, 2022
Today
Snow showers likely before 9am, then a chance of rain and snow showers between 9am and 10am, then a chance of rain showers after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. East wind 6 to 14 mph becoming west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Tonight
A chance of rain and snow showers before 8pm, then a chance of snow showers between 8pm and 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 20. West wind 7 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
Friday
A slight chance of showers after 4pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 42. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
Mohawk Valley News Headlines, Thursday, February 10, 2022
Daily Gazette
NY school mask mandate continues at least 3 more weeks
ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday lifted her mask mandate for businesses, effective Thursday, but left it in place…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Governor lifts mask mandate for businesses, retains it for schools
ALBANY — Gov. Kathy Hochul on Wednesday lifted her mask-or-vaccine mandate for businesses...
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Pharmacy opens inside The Family Counseling Center in Gloversville
by Andrew Waite
https://www.leaderherald.com/