Part V : Somers Historical Tidbits

Please see tip, pledge and subscribe buttons below or send tip via venmo at @Rich-Monetti

Class Trip

Slideshow Somers High School

Please see tip, pledge and subscribe buttons below or send tip via venmo at @Rich-Monetti

America comes to Somers

In 1923, the circus actually came to Somers - the Hollywood version. For D.W. Griffith’s America, the filmmaker decided upon Somers to shoot several Revolutionary War scenes. A distinct New England feel to the surroundings, the many Somers extras certainly helped in that regard and blended in with the 1000 soldiers, who the US War Department supplied. One among them was Jonathan Wainwright. He fought besides General Douglas MacArthur at Bataan and Corregidor. As for the players, Lionel Barrymore was the main star attraction and took up residence in the Elephant Hotel.

Summer Break

Life imitating art, regular people began choosing Somers as a summer escape. They watched the farmers milk cows, went fishing, traversed the backwoods, and on the back porches, feasted on all the local homemade cakes and pies. The less fortunate got a gasp too. The Baptist Fresh Air Fund hosted hundreds of kids, and on Route 100, the St Luke’s Parish House is a reminder. It remains connected to the back of the church and is pictured below.

House on the Water

Shenorock Lake, Lake Purdy and Lake Lincolndale were all created by damming local streams. As a result, cottages were built lakeside, and wealthy New Yorkers purchased and built country estates. So the word out, Ruth Underhill took advantage with her home and started drawing an income from paying customers on Pines Bridge Road. Artists were her clientele of choice, and James Thurber was among the guests who joined in and utilized the nearby brook for recreation. There for the art too, his sketches were sometimes used as background for dart game play.

Town Hall Comes Home

From 1898 to 1927, Town Board meetings were held at Tompkins Hall in Lincolndale and rent was $50 per month. So the town became buyers. $20,000 was the cost to acquire the Elephant Hotel, and the Bailey family relinquished control. The vote was 82-43 in favor, and the trunks swung in for their first meeting on March 29, 1927.

The Depression for Better or Worse

Yes, men lost their jobs, homes were foreclosed and families had to move in with each other. But there was some relief. The Federal Emergency Administration of Public Works provided funds, and in 1938, the Somers Central School district was able to build its first building. The middle school on 202 served students K-12 and was designed by Lewis E. Ballade of Primrose Street. Recreationally, motorcycle climbs on the hill behind Ivandell Cemetery provided a respite and drew people from all over. In turn, Johnson’s Garage on Route 202 emerged and became known as one of the best motorcycle repair shops in the nation.

In addition, the Elephant Hotel played host to numerous plays and musicals, while Mr. And Mrs. Simeon Brady built a golf course on what is the IBM complex. The couple were devout Democrats, hosted party dignitaries, and reportedly, Eleanor Roosevelt once made the trip.

World War II Over There and Over Here

Jasper W Booth died at Normandy. He was the first Somers soldier killed in the war. Alongside, Joseph M. Towey was shot down over Leyte, Thomas Wilson of Amawalk was killed in Burma and George Perrault and Anthony Scaramellino of Granite Springs were killed on Iwo Jima. At home, the war was here too. A third floor room at the Elephant Hotel was used as a control center, and the Knopf property on Orchard Hill Road was a 24 hour a day aircraft spotting location. Manned by volunteers, there was actually action. On one occasion, the spotters reported a suspicious plane that was forced down, and the cargo contained footage of industrial plants in Connecticut and reservoir layouts in Westchester and Putnam Counties. Even more invasive was a communication system that was intended to make contact with German Spies on Long Island. As such, the Knopf daughters identified flashing lights that were coming from the ground. The authorities zeroed in on an unoccupied home in the Wood Street Area, and it was found the roof could be swung opened to a high powered search light. The end result was nine German spies identified and arrested.

Please Like Somers Sports on Facebook