Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Daily Update
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Daily Update
...from 50 to 75 houses were constructed on land that once was part of the old Vedder farm.
Little Hollywood in Amsterdam
By Bob Cudmore
Paul Russo, who now lives in Johnstown, grew up in Hollywood, sometimes called Little Hollywood. That was the name for a residential neighborhood in Amsterdam apparently built primarily for middle managers employed at Bigelow Sanford Carpets.
Little Hollywood is off Locust Avenue and connected to Forest Avenue by Second Avenue, which bridges the North Chuctanunda Creek.
Russo wrote, “Many of my neighbors were employees of Bigelow Sanford; however that was probably true of any neighborhood in Amsterdam.”
The streets are not named for movie stars but for American presidents: McKinley, Harrison, Garfield, Taft, Roosevelt and Hayes. Interestingly, there is a Hollywood Road in the vicinity but not in Little Hollywood. Hollywood Road is near Amsterdam High School off Miami Avenue in the town of Amsterdam.
John C. Gilston, a descendant of the family that owned the John J. Turner & Sons construction company, said that the Turner firm built Hollywood. From 50 to 75 houses were constructed on land that once was part of the old Vedder farm.
Gilston said the project is mentioned in journals kept by one of John J. Turner’s sons, Richard E. Turner. John J. Turner died in 1924. Richard took over the construction business following the death of his older brother John P. Turner in 1927 and kept a detailed journal for many years.
Richard E. Turner, who was deaf, headed the firm until his death in 1940 at age 56. He was owner of the Amsterdam Rugmakers baseball team and an accomplished photographer. Richard and his brother Thomas A. Turner are credited with building Wilbur H. Lynch school, the Century Club and other Amsterdam landmarks plus the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs.
In earlier years, skilled workers from the Turner firm spent four years renovating the mansion owned by the carpet-making John Sanford family on Church Street, now Amsterdam City Hall. Turner construction crews also built Bigelow Sanford’s Clock Building, the trolley car power station in Tribes Hill and a number of buildings for General Electric in Schenectady and Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
STONE QUARRY
Russo said, “I'd also like to find out a bit of the history of the abandoned stone quarry (where I played as a kid) off of what is now Second Avenue Extension. That area was just a cinder path when I was young. I remember being quite upset with my mother when I found out that she had signed a petition requesting that the path be paved to provide access to Forest Avenue.”
Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Long and short of it and podcast "39 Minutes"
From the Archives-July 9, 2021-Episode 378-Ann Maria Bullock Schram of Amsterdam, was a volunteer nurse in the American Civil War. Montgomery County NY historian Kelly Yacobucci Farquhar discusses her research on Schram’s life.
Thursday, February 24, 2022-From the Archives of the Daily Gazette—Collette manufacturing
Recently appointed Amsterdam city historian James Marks has been researching the Collette name for Dybas and came up with a major product improvement credited to Clarence Collette.
“An Evening with Solomon Northup”
Featuring living history re-enactor and photographer Clifford Oliver Mealy
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation
This Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 7PM
Born a free man in 1808, Solomon Northup was an African American abolitionist and musician who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841, while living with his family in Saratoga Springs. With the help of friends, Northup was rescued in 1853 and his story and experiences were the subject of his book, 12 Years a Slave, which was made into a movie in 2013.
www.saratogapreservation.org or call (518) 587-5030.
This virtual program will take place through Zoom and Facebook Live for a suggested donation of $10 or more and half of all proceeds will be donated to Cliff for his recovery efforts.
Down the Page
February 24, 2016
Bob Cudmore and David Fisk
Episode 99-David Fiske is author of “Solomon Northup’s Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War.”
Friday, February 25, 2022-Episode 411-Jim Coulthart is an aviation historian. He has a collection of WWII aircraft incidents, and accidents with ties to Central New York.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, February 22, 2022
...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...
* WHAT...Flooding caused by rain and/or snowmelt and/or ice jam
continues to be possible.
* WHERE...The western and central Mohawk Valley, southern
Adirondacks, Lake George area, and southern Vermont.
* WHEN...From 1 PM EST this afternoon through Wednesday evening.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- The combination of some snowmelt and 0.75 to 2.00 inches of
rain Tuesday into Tuesday night will lead to rises on rivers
and streams. Some localized flooding is possible, especially
in the vicinity of existing ice jams.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood
Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared
to take action should flooding develop.
Mohawk Valley News, Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Daily Gazette
FMCC’s Family Empowerment program removes barriers for single parents
As a single parent, studying at SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College full-time is a sacrifice for Amsterdam resident Jessica Bortell. It…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Amsterdam eyeing elementary after school programs for fall
AMSTERDAM — Elementary schools in the Greater Amsterdam School District are expected to begin...
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Northville selects new superintendent
https://www.leaderherald.com/
View all episodes
By Bob Cudmore...from 50 to 75 houses were constructed on land that once was part of the old Vedder farm.
Little Hollywood in Amsterdam
By Bob Cudmore
Paul Russo, who now lives in Johnstown, grew up in Hollywood, sometimes called Little Hollywood. That was the name for a residential neighborhood in Amsterdam apparently built primarily for middle managers employed at Bigelow Sanford Carpets.
Little Hollywood is off Locust Avenue and connected to Forest Avenue by Second Avenue, which bridges the North Chuctanunda Creek.
Russo wrote, “Many of my neighbors were employees of Bigelow Sanford; however that was probably true of any neighborhood in Amsterdam.”
The streets are not named for movie stars but for American presidents: McKinley, Harrison, Garfield, Taft, Roosevelt and Hayes. Interestingly, there is a Hollywood Road in the vicinity but not in Little Hollywood. Hollywood Road is near Amsterdam High School off Miami Avenue in the town of Amsterdam.
John C. Gilston, a descendant of the family that owned the John J. Turner & Sons construction company, said that the Turner firm built Hollywood. From 50 to 75 houses were constructed on land that once was part of the old Vedder farm.
Gilston said the project is mentioned in journals kept by one of John J. Turner’s sons, Richard E. Turner. John J. Turner died in 1924. Richard took over the construction business following the death of his older brother John P. Turner in 1927 and kept a detailed journal for many years.
Richard E. Turner, who was deaf, headed the firm until his death in 1940 at age 56. He was owner of the Amsterdam Rugmakers baseball team and an accomplished photographer. Richard and his brother Thomas A. Turner are credited with building Wilbur H. Lynch school, the Century Club and other Amsterdam landmarks plus the Gideon Putnam Hotel in Saratoga Springs.
In earlier years, skilled workers from the Turner firm spent four years renovating the mansion owned by the carpet-making John Sanford family on Church Street, now Amsterdam City Hall. Turner construction crews also built Bigelow Sanford’s Clock Building, the trolley car power station in Tribes Hill and a number of buildings for General Electric in Schenectady and Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
STONE QUARRY
Russo said, “I'd also like to find out a bit of the history of the abandoned stone quarry (where I played as a kid) off of what is now Second Avenue Extension. That area was just a cinder path when I was young. I remember being quite upset with my mother when I found out that she had signed a petition requesting that the path be paved to provide access to Forest Avenue.”
Tomorrow, Wednesday, February 23, 2022
Long and short of it and podcast "39 Minutes"
From the Archives-July 9, 2021-Episode 378-Ann Maria Bullock Schram of Amsterdam, was a volunteer nurse in the American Civil War. Montgomery County NY historian Kelly Yacobucci Farquhar discusses her research on Schram’s life.
Thursday, February 24, 2022-From the Archives of the Daily Gazette—Collette manufacturing
Recently appointed Amsterdam city historian James Marks has been researching the Collette name for Dybas and came up with a major product improvement credited to Clarence Collette.
“An Evening with Solomon Northup”
Featuring living history re-enactor and photographer Clifford Oliver Mealy
The Saratoga Springs Preservation Foundation
This Thursday, February 24, 2022 at 7PM
Born a free man in 1808, Solomon Northup was an African American abolitionist and musician who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in 1841, while living with his family in Saratoga Springs. With the help of friends, Northup was rescued in 1853 and his story and experiences were the subject of his book, 12 Years a Slave, which was made into a movie in 2013.
www.saratogapreservation.org or call (518) 587-5030.
This virtual program will take place through Zoom and Facebook Live for a suggested donation of $10 or more and half of all proceeds will be donated to Cliff for his recovery efforts.
Down the Page
February 24, 2016
Bob Cudmore and David Fisk
Episode 99-David Fiske is author of “Solomon Northup’s Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War.”
Friday, February 25, 2022-Episode 411-Jim Coulthart is an aviation historian. He has a collection of WWII aircraft incidents, and accidents with ties to Central New York.
Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, February 22, 2022
...FLOOD WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON
THROUGH WEDNESDAY EVENING...
* WHAT...Flooding caused by rain and/or snowmelt and/or ice jam
continues to be possible.
* WHERE...The western and central Mohawk Valley, southern
Adirondacks, Lake George area, and southern Vermont.
* WHEN...From 1 PM EST this afternoon through Wednesday evening.
* IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers,
creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...
- The combination of some snowmelt and 0.75 to 2.00 inches of
rain Tuesday into Tuesday night will lead to rises on rivers
and streams. Some localized flooding is possible, especially
in the vicinity of existing ice jams.
- http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
You should monitor later forecasts and be alert for possible Flood
Warnings. Those living in areas prone to flooding should be prepared
to take action should flooding develop.
Mohawk Valley News, Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Daily Gazette
FMCC’s Family Empowerment program removes barriers for single parents
As a single parent, studying at SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College full-time is a sacrifice for Amsterdam resident Jessica Bortell. It…
https://dailygazette.com/
Amsterdam Recorder
Amsterdam eyeing elementary after school programs for fall
AMSTERDAM — Elementary schools in the Greater Amsterdam School District are expected to begin...
https://www.recordernews.com/
Leader Herald
Northville selects new superintendent
https://www.leaderherald.com/