Hudson in Faraway Places

Recently, the friend of a Gossips reader was traveling in Africa. While on a South African Airways flight, browsing the October issue of in-flight magazine, Sawubona, she discovered--amid articles about luxury travel, the delights of Zambia, and Africa's appetite for luxury--a five-page feature about Hudson, in which our little city is called a "microcosm of cool." Amazing!

Remembering Meg Carlon

On Saturday, November 15, friends are invited to the Hudson Opera House from 4 to 6 p.m. to remember Meg Carlon and celebrate her life. In the words of Timothy O'Connor, "If you knew Meg at all, you're invited." It was Meg's wish that people get together and tell stories about her. She also wanted lots and lots of photos. Come with your stories, no matter how small, and your pictures, if you have them, to commemorate Meg.

Shopping on Warren Street

Today, Gossips returns to the scrapbook of Hudson history created by Walter First in 1991 for his children and grandchildren. What follows are First's memories and musings about the retail businesses in Hudson--past, present, and future.

"MOM & POP" STORES--SHOPPING MALLS--WAL-MART--ANTIQUE SHOPS

Hudson's downtown improvements [as part of Urban Renewal] came after the end of World War Two, when many of the immigrant children left home to start families of their own, or in search of economic opportunity elsewhere. Another migration began, but from one part of America to another. The "Mom and Pop" stores, and the founders were also departing--from aging and the changing social-business environment. The movement was first, up-town in the City, an example: The Atlantic and Pacific food chain, with a small store on several street corners, consolidated into one big market at North Seventh. The Schaefer Chain did likewise as Grand Union and located on Union Street Extension. In the late 1950's, First National Foods, from Springfield, Mass., came to Hudson's upper Warren. The so-called "Dime" stores, Woolworths, Newberrys, and Kresges, were booming on Main Street; and Saturday night was the "Big Night" here when everyone from the County came to Town.

The big step that put the finish on the small enclave and downtown stores began in the early 1960's, with the Shopping Mall growth along Route 9, in the Town of Greenport. The City merchants could not compete, and closed or moved into one of the Centers. Every family had an automobile, and the parking facilities provided easy access. The big chains packed a variety of merchandise equal to dozens of "Mom and Pop" shops into one building; and at cheaper prices. Along came the "fast-food" franchises to take out the local coffee and restaurant places.

All these market changes occurring throughout the Hudson Valley, from Albany-Troy, south to include Catskill, Kingston, Poughkeepsie, Beacon, and Newburgh. And now WAL-MART comes along to clear out the strip malls; and the City streets are replenished with Antique Stores, who (some people say) will revive the Valley's downtown business districts.

Time will tell.

Time has told, and the story is one of successful revival--at least as far as the business district in Hudson is concerned. The most recent account appeared recently on Strolby: The best small shops in the world: "A Stroll Down . . . Warren Street in Hudson, NY."

COPYRIGHT 2014 CAROLE OSTERINK
PHOTO CREDITS (top to bottom): Evelyn and Robert Monthie Slide Collection, Columbia County Historical Society; Rowles Studio Collection, Historic Hudson, Inc.; Strolby

Touring Olana

See Olana as you have never seen it before. Watch this aerial video by Michael Nelson.

Eerie Similarity

This is a still from Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977).

This is the handicapped ramp and stairway of the PARC Foundation's linear park, connecting Warren and State streets. What fate might befall those who venture to the top in the dark?

Thanks to Peter Jung for the photograph of the illumined ramp

Back to the Robert Taylor House

Last weekend, our attention was drawn to the Robert Taylor House by an extreme roofing repair job being done without a building permit or a certificate of appropriateness. (The house is included in the locally designated Union-Allen-South Front Street Historic District and, if that weren't enough, is an individually designated local landmark.)

We were reminded then of the owner's thwarted desire to move the two-hundred-year-old house to the 200 block of Union Street. The chief reason for wanting to move it was the perceived undesirability of its current location. Recalling that brought to mind the following picture, discovered in the Evelyn and Robert Monthie Slide Collection at the Columbia County Historical Society. Probably taken in the early 20th century, it shows the house (at the lower left) in its setting before the now abandoned Kaz warehouses were constructed.

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From One Galvan Building to Another

Back in January, when the Galvan Foundation acquired the COARC building in the first block of Warren Street, there was speculation that the alternative learning program known as "The Bridge" would eventually move into that space, although Eric Galloway said at the time there was not a specific plan and mused "it is unlikely that we will keep the structure as it is in the long run." 

Today it was announced in the Register-Star that the speculation has turned out to be true. "The Bridge" is moving down to Warren and First: "Bridge program to expand, relocate."

The question inevitably arises: When "The Bridge" moves down the street, what new use is in store for the building at Warren and Fourth that school now occupies?

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More TEDxHudson Revisited

Another TED talk, presented at the seminal TEDxHudson event, can now be viewed on YouTube.

Charlie N. Ferrusi: A crown that marked the crossroad: Being queer, affirmed & blessed

The Word on the Armory

A month ago, Gossips reported that work had ceased at the Armory, which is to be the new location of the Hudson Area Library as well as housing the senior center and the after school program Perfect Ten. Today, the Register-Star reports that work at the building--inside and out--has resumed: "After five-week stoppage, armory work starts up." The source of information for the article, written by John Mason, is Fifth Ward supervisor and Galvan spokesman Rick Scalera. 

TEDxHudson Revisited

If you missed it, or if you just want to relive it, many of the TED talks from TEDxHudson can now be seen on YouTube.

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.: Our rivers' keepers

Lisa Dolan: Fostering literacy in one fell stroke

Greg Quinn: Black currants--the forbidden fruit

Chris Johnson: How banning the African drum gave birth to American music

Guillermo Fesser: 100 miles from Manhattan

Bruno Pasquier-Desvignes: Social integration through art

Stephanie Monseu: Why I ran away from the cirkus to join a town

Jamie Bennett: Bed, Bath & Beyond: The arts in community planning and development

Katharine Millonzi: Agrotourism--a marriage of assets and opportunity

Coss Marte: From kingpin to entrepreneur

Eliza Nagel: The boy in the box--advocating for incarcerated youth

Jack Lindsey: Big acts of charity in a small town

Kat Dunn: Stirred with a tail feather--cocktails and the art of listening

One Race Settled . . . Maybe

Didi Barrett just released the following statement:

Despite a very tough climate for Democrats, I am very pleased that I will continue to represent the people of the 106th Assembly District. We look forward to adding to our victory with the counting of the absentee ballots. I am grateful to all our supporters and friends and look forward to getting back to work for our community. 

Election Results

Gossips, weary from working as an election inspector from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m., is now at home, making up for an extended absence from the ancient and beloved William, and leaving election coverage, at least for now, in the very capable hands of Sam Pratt: "2014 Election Results."

Today's Assignment

Local Comment

Reacting to an article in the New York Times, Hudson's own Scott Baldinger shares his thoughts about the race between Sean Eldridge and Chris Gibson to represent New York's 19th Congressional District on his blog, Word on the Street: "Race to the Middle." 

More Election Prep

The Albany Times Union recommends voting for Brian Howard as state senator for the 43rd District: "Our picks for Legislature." 

How Things Once Were Done

This item appeared in the Hudson Evening Register on the day before Election Day in 1900. Imagine the crowd gathered in the courtyard in front of the building that was until recently the Register office, waiting for the results to be projected on a screen.

Photo courtesy Historic Hudson

Election Prep: Editorial Opinion

Tomorrow is Election Day. In the unlikely event that you are still undecided or may simply need to be persuaded that it's important to show up at the polls, Gossips recommends reading Parry Teasdale's editorials in Columbia Paper: 

EDITORIAL: Barrett for Assembly 

EDITORIAL: Howard for state Senate 

EDITORIAL: Eldridge for Congress

Two Hudson Artists

Upstate Diary has interviews with two Hudson artists: Earl Swanigan and Laetitia Hussain.

Returning to the Scene

Gossips went back to the Robert Taylor House this morning to check on the state of things. A temporary roof is now in place, and there is no hint of what may have happened to any of the original building fabric that was removed.

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Tweed Ride Today

Despite the chilly wind, Tweed Ride Hudson is going forward today. At 2:30 p.m., the riders will assemble at the foot of Warren Street in their tweeds and plaids on their vintage bikes and set off to cycle around Hudson. The map below shows their route.

You still have time to pull your plus fours out of the closet and join the ride. Failing that, position yourself along the route to glimpse of the riders as they pass and cheer them on.

Photo of the cyclists in last year's Tweed Ride is by Val Shaff

Football in Hudson

The 2014 football season at Hudson High School ended this weekend, and the occasion inspired a reader to share this picture of the Hudson High football squad in 1897.

The only player who has been identified in the picture so far is Charles Robert Weinman, who is seated at the far right.
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Learn About the Shakers

For 160 years, from 1787 to 1947, the Shakers at Mount Lebanon--right here in Columbia County--were the largest utopian society in America. The Shakers have been described as "America's earliest and most notable utopian, vegetarian, feminist, millenialist, pacifist, communist, capitalist, herbalist, and spiritualist modernists."

This evening from 5 to 7, you can learn more about the Shakers and Mount Lebanon and celebrate the publication, by Skira Rizzoli, of The Shakers: From Mount Lebanon to the World at Jeff Bailey Gallery, 127 Warren Street.  

And the Winners Are . . .

Two people tied for first place in the Kook Spook costume contest at the Half Moon last night: Lisa Durfee and Ken Polinskie. They are shown in this picture with Musty Chiffon. Durfee is the tree; Polinskie is Queen Kong.

Activity at the Robert Taylor House

People living nearby on Allen Street and Tanners Lane raised the alarm. The roof was being stripped off the Robert Taylor House, a locally designated historic landmark, often thought to be the oldest surviving house in Hudson, now owned by Galvan Partners.

There was cause for concern. Removing the roof was the way the "disassembling" of 900 Columbia Street began, and it is known that Galvan Partners, who also owned 900 Columbia Street, questioned the efficacy of restoring the Robert Taylor House in its present location and back in 2012 were determined to move it to Union Street. By 10 a.m. this morning, the roof on the east side of the house was entirely gone, along with the two shed dormers, exposing the second floor rooms. Only the rafters remained.

Robert Taylor House in 2010

A message left for Craig Haigh, code enforcement officer, yielded an answer in a couple of hours. Haigh told Gossips that the code enforcement office had no prior knowledge of the project, and no building permit had been issued. He also said that, since the situation had come to his and the mayor's attention, he had been assured that what was happening at the historic house was just a "temporary fix."
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