We recently received generous donations for the Historians Podcast yearly fund drive from John Woodward, an anonymous donor, Bob Burns and Thanks to Scott Lorenz.  We have raised $3735.00.  We still have a long way to go to reach our $7000 goal by year’s end.  Please donate online here: The Historians Podcast, organized by Bob Cudmore  Or send a check made out to Bob Cudmore to 125 Horstman Drive, Scotia, NY 12302.

Wednesday, September 27, 2023-From the Archives- Episode 99, February 21, 2016-David Fiske is author of “Solomon Northup’s Kindred: The Kidnapping of Free Citizens before the Civil War.”

Thursday, September 28, 2023-From the Archives of Focus on History from the Daily Gazette-Tragedy at the laundry 

Friday, September 29, 2023-Episode 494-Highlights edition #5-Christopher Gorham with the story of FDR aide Anna Rosenberg; Gregg Ficery tracing the origin of the National Football League; Scott Shane chronicling the life of Thomas Smallwood, an African American who named the Underground Railroad and interviews from the 2015 Fort Plan Museum conference on the American Revolution.

In 1954 city had a celebration

By Bob Cudmore

   In July 1954, Amsterdam observed its 150th birthday with a ten-division parade.

   The Sesquicentennial, as it was called, was a joyous and raucous event that took place at the beginning of the end of the city’s prominence as a carpet-manufacturing center.

   One float in the parade was a flying carpet. Within a year, Bigelow-Sanford, one of the city’s two major carpet makers, was moving out of town.

   The sesquicentennial booklet contains a description of a dramatic spectacle called “Horizons” that played for seven nights that July at Mohawk Mills Park, today’s Shuttleworth Park. 

   Starting with the Mohawk Nation, the pageant showed scenes through Amsterdam’s history through the end of World War II with an optimistic conclusion about the future.  The final scene predicted that America is “certain to make the Atomic Age the age of Utopia.”

       The booklet features pictures of two queens of the celebration.  Dorothy Wozniak was Miss Amsterdam Sesquicentennial and Nancy O’Meara was Miss Mohawk Valley.

   One of the features of the 1954 celebration was creation of over 60 neighborhood chapters of the Brothers of the Brush, who did not shave, and Sisters of the Swish, who were long dresses.  Amsterdam’s many taverns were among the sponsors of these social clubs that held a kangaroo court, dances and otherwise engaged in revelry. 

   According to Tony Pacelli’s history book, “Past and Present,” the kangaroo court was at the corner of East Main Street and Vrooman Avenue.

   “If any member broke a rule, such as shaving or a change in costume they went before a judge and jury and were fined,” Pacelli wrote.  “I recall a friend of mine was to buy a keg of ale, another bought candy for the youngsters.”

   Harriet DePaulo was chairwoman of the Sisters and the chairman of the Brothers was Clement Ciulik. 

   The names of the chapters were indicative of the high spirits of the sesquicentennial season, which lasted about ten weeks and included a huge parade. 

   Sisters of the Swish chapters included the Swishers of Veddersburg, Jezebelles, Dizzy Dames, Flora Dorettes of Florida and the Gabby Ups.    

   Organizers produced a 50-cent souvenir program for the sesquicentennial.  There are fascinating stories in the sesquicentennial book giving details on businesses and institutions that existed in 1954.

       One advertisement entitled “This Is My Story” tells of Felix Dylong’s meat market at 39 Milton Avenue:

       “I came to Amsterdam in December, 1906.  As a young boy I looked for the golden opportunity, as did millions of others.  My first job was at the Sanford Carpet Mills.  I worked sixty hours a week at ten cents an hour.

       “I entered the U.S. Army March 11, 1914 and served through the Mexican trouble and World War I.  I was discharged in June 1920 with the rank of first sergeant.

       “Being the son of a small business family, I always dreamed of one day owning my own business.  In 1924, I bought the meat market business from my former employer.  In 1931, I purchased the building and expanded the store.  From 1924 to 1954, the store has been remodeled three times.  My older son, Felix, Junior, on completion of his military service is a partner in the business: Dylong & Son, dean in making Polish kielbasa.  Don’t just guess, buy the best.  Through our doors pass the nicest people in the world and we do appreciate them very much.”

Mohawk Valley Weather, Tuesday, September 26, 2023

56 degrees in The City of Amsterdam at 4:12AM 

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