South Side, Amsterdam, rejoiced in ’46
Returning service members were honored
By Bob Cudmore, Focus on History, Daily Gazette, 5-14-05
Saturday, November 16th, 1946 was a day for rejoicing on Amsterdam’s South Side as a testimonial dinner was held to honor some 400 returning servicemen and women.
“It’s remarkable to think that there were that many who served from the South Side alone,” said John Bianchi of Amsterdam, one of the honorees back then. Bianchi said that other parts of the city also sent hundreds to serve in World War II.
The South Side event to “pay homage to great accomplishments” and to welcome the troops back home was held at the State Armory, which today is a private facility, Diana’s Castle. According to a newspaper advertisement, there was a turkey dinner and dancing to the music of Butch Robertshaw’s orchestra.
The event was made possible by the numerous South Side merchants of the day, including Martuscello’s Food Market, Morini Brothers Coal, Baldine’s Confectionery, A.L. Collyer Hardware, Romano Wholesale Fruit Produce and the Armory Grill.
South Siders who made the supreme sacrifice, according to the advertisement, included Anthony Petitti, John Lenahan, Nicholas Foti, Samuel Riccio, Joseph Colistra, Marco Zumbolo, Andrew Zepetelli, Edward Meyers, Harold Premo, Peter Sanzen, Ralph DiCaterino, Alfred Agard and Frank Mercadante.
MORE ON PEPE’S BAKERY
The article on Pepe’s Bakery on Broad Street on Amsterdam’s South Side brought back happy memories to Darlene Gilligan. Gilligan came to Amsterdam in 1952 and she and her husband lived across the street from the bakery.
“I remember when they built the big brick oven,” Gilligan said. “It always seemed like a special day when the truck came with a new load of flour.”
Gilligan said: “On hot summer nights when it was too hot for people to be comfortable, the activity came to life as members of the Pepe family gathered, family by family. A long row of chairs placed across the sidewalk in front of the bakery was a backdrop for their little ones riding back and forth on tricycles or running races. The low chatter of conversation and the squeals of delight by the little ones as candy was passed around often went far into the night.”
Maryann Haskell, who grew up on the South Side, wrote that she remembered the smell of baking bread permeating the neighborhood: “It was difficult to carry the bread home, not because it was hot but because my brother and I would eat it on the way home. This was much to the dismay of our mother who was waiting for the bread for our Sunday meal.”
NEW EXHIBITS AT OLD FORT JOHNSON
A new exhibit at Old Fort Johnson focuses on the French and Indian War and William Johnson’s role in the Battle of Lake George in 1755, 250 years ago. A letter from British Major General Edward Braddock is on display augmented by explanatory panels that came from Johnson Hall in Johnstown.
The Old Fort will officially open for the season today. The regular tour hours are Wednesday through Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. through October 15th.
In June, an exhibit will open featuring watercolors of powder horns from the French and Indian War and paintings of historic scenes in the Mohawk Valley by artist Rufus Grider. Grider moved to Canajoharie to teach art in 1884 when he was in his late 60s and produced 2,000 drawings from that date until his death in 1900. Grider expert Alice Smith Duncan of Canajoharie is curator of the special exhibit.
Old Fort Johnson is privately owned by the Montgomery County Historical Society and is located off Route 5 at the intersection with Route 67 in the village of Fort Johnson, one mile west of Amsterdam.
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