Cheri Smith, SHS71 - greenpointcamp@hotmail.com
City Now: Wyoming County, NY

The Old Pioneer - when we could drink at 18!!! Pudgies on North Main - Oh, God, roast beef with butter and BBQ sauce, and 16-ounce Buds, and taking the guitars and making a campfire on Seeley Creek.... and playing football on the river bottom at the end of Milton Street...and skating on Miller Pond... And playing with my band, Journey's End, with Jerry and Carl Falletta and Donnie Montgomery... oh yes, THOSE were the days...

Mary Spencer Sullivan, Sayre HS 1969 - maryasull@hotmail.com
City Now: Seattle WA

When I was a child my parents would take me to Eldridge Park where I loved to see the dragon boat! The park seemed so HUGE to me back then! I would go with my mother to Iszards and that was such a treat! I felt really special when we went in there and had lunch in the Tea Room. In high school, my friends and I would go to The People's Place to buy jeans and all the latest fashions. I saw Tommy Hilfiger in there once. I still have one of their purple plastic bags with The People's Place logo on it! We used to go! to the Arnot Mall a lot too! I went to Corning Community College as well so I would frequent many of the stores from Elmira to Corning. I loved the Twin Tiers!

Harold Boyd - hp409boy@aol.com
Hangouts: Rosar's, Nick's, Rustic's, Paul's
City Now: Tye, TX

What a site and all those places mentioned brought back plenty of memories. I lived on Westside Ave a few blocks from Eldridge Park. I roamed the park for several years, East Hill where Mark Twain's study was for years. I remember the Reformatory and the years of riding down the hill on sleds and ice skating. West Hill was where we went swimming in the Reservoir and we roamed nearby Woodlawn Cemetary.

I remember the Center Street Swimming Pool, now gone. Skating at Joycrest, Millers Pond, Elmira College pond, fishing at the lake in Eldridge Park and the many softball games there. I remember Ward LaFrance, and also the American LaFrance, on the Southside a block away from where my grandparents had a corner store that catered to the men who made the firetrucks. I lived across the street from Number 10 School and then we got a new one, J. Sloan Fassett where I went til the sixth grade. We then moved to Millport that summer.

Mom and Dad bought a restaurant and motel there. In April every year we had hundreds of fishermen that fished Catherine Creek across the road (Route14) there. I went to school in Horseheads til I graduated.

To everyone who wrote of their favorite places, I remember many of them. I was home in 2001 and how many of these memorable places are history. Horseheads has changed, now gone is Frostie's, Bell's Grocery, Grand Union, Rosar's, Paul's on Grand Central, the A&P off Route 17. Westinghouse, the Rand, the Eclipse and Ward La France.

Thank you to all that have posted the memories, places. What a site. My dad worked at the Reformatory for 27 years, Mom worked at Artistic Card, Rosenbuam's and other stores in Elmira. Again, thank you all for the memories.

Joseph Potter, SHS 60 - sknyrettop@aol.com
City Now: Horseheads

I remember the Keeney Theater, free passes in the popcorn. also who can forget Woody Woodhull & his accordian sing alongs. Stage shows at Eldridge Park, The Peanut Man, Popcorn Truck, Dunn Field Knot Hole Gang, girl softball with Mighty Mouse - playing hide & seek, kick the can - THOSE WERE THE DAYS!!!

Lee, EFA 72 - Elaray2003@gmail.com
City Now: I'm now in suburban Philadelphia

The Record Shop on Water St. where you could buy 45 rpm's, Rose, Kimball and Baxter, where my aunt used to work, Mark Twain's Study, Loblaw's Market, A & P food processing plant, Arnot Mall was just "The Mall." Mohawk Market had the best Half-Moon Cookies.

Victor Webb, EFA 77 - vicwebb@charter.net

I grew up on the Southside, and I remember pizza and subs at Pudgie's Pizza before it became a chain. The Southside Sub Shop, Turk's that had the greatest soda fountain, Ann and Walt's Restaurant, but, the greatest of all my childhood memories and of Elmira is Karem's Giant Market, because they were such good solid friends of my family - Sam, Carl, Kadeen, Albert, Mable, and Rita. I wish to thank them (even though most of them are gone now) and their families for their friendship and kindness and their influence in helping to make me the person I am today. I will never forget them.

Marjorie (Phelan) Erion-Johnson, Leeds ND - mjj149@yahoo.com
School: Horseheads High School 1968

The A&P Grocery Store on Main Street in Elmira. My dad, Martin Phelan, was the manager there for many years. He started working there when he was 23 yrs old and had to retire at 65 due to a back problem. He opened many A&P stores in Ithaca, Painted Post, Horseheads Plaza. I sure miss so many places in the area Harris Hill, Curley's Chicken House - went there on Sundays after church - M&M Hot Dogs. Oh yeah, memory lane.

Suzanne Opdyke Ray - gazebo553@stny.rr.com
School: HHS 58

We lived on College Ave. at the entrance to Center St. Pool. My best friend Patty Tamara lived across the street. We would either walk or take the bus, in front of my house, and go to the Colonial or Keeney theater every Sunday. I remember walking by the Langdon home, now Langdon Plaza, and thought it to be dark and scary. We loved the Popcorn Truck before the movie. I loved the Iszard's Tea Room, lunching with my grandmother every week. I miss the stores, Rosenbaum's, Gorton Coy, Iszard's, The hat dept. at Iszard's. Loved the'big' Steele Memorial Library.Thought my church, Trinity, was so beautiful! inside. I took the Pheobe Snow to visit my aunt in NJ. Such an elegant train compared to the old passenger train we took earlier. Joined KE Sorority. Went to Friday Nighters at the YMCA. Went to a wedding reception in the Mark Twain ballroom. Loved the M&M Red Hots and banana splits at Woolworths. In the '40's the family days at Harris Hill for a good game of baseball, quates and picnic all day. Grove Park for class picnics from GWS. Carr's Cozy Corner for candy.Rossi's Bakery had the best jelly donuts and half moon cookies. I roller-skated to school and all over. I could tell you where all the 'slate' walks were in town. Ice-skating at Elmira College pond and snow sledding at the Reformatory hill.Skating at the Grotto now Joycrest.Going to Bolla's soda fountain where Chuck and Junker's was. Going to Parker Field to football games. I remember what a gentleman Ernie Davis was in school. No racism back then. I walked 2 mi. everyday to EFA on Lake Street. No school buses then. Pork barbque at the PigPen, where Wernicks is now. Also, Hat's Tavern neon lights on the roof, back of what is now Hill's Plaza. I loved 'Green Spot' beverage in the Heights. Nothing could come close to Lovell's Ice Cream. Well those were the days and the happiest of my life.

Jim Chely

Does anyone remember Ace Horsey. He was a photographer by trade and was a regular on the bar scene especially during the 70's. Does anyone remember the saying he had on his business card...something to the effect: ------- "hair in place - smile at the birdie - photo by ACE."

Myron Finch, Elmira Heights - gold89wing@aol.com
School: SHS Class of '50

Schmick's Ice Cream on Broadway, Cole's Lunch (great hots), Pitt's

Carol Spaziani Edward, Attica - spaz2524@aol.com
School: Notre Dame

Whenever I visit Elmira I think about so many places and things - Iszard's, Rosebaum's, the Gorton Coy, the Peanut Man, the Popcorn Truck (the best popcorn ever, Harold's Army and Navy, and Rossi's Bakery for the best fruit tarts.

SuSam Cary Channell - smeSamiam@yahoo.com
Schools: Horseheads, Elmira Southside
City Now: Panama City Beach FL

When I was real little, my parents would drop me off with grandpa (Harry Cary) at Cary's Pharmacy on E.Church Street while they would shop at Iszard's downtown. Uncle Art gave me my first matchbox, a yellow dump truck. Afterwards we all would go to Banfield Baker's Pet Shop to see the monkey. When I was grown, I hung out downstairs of People's Place (Tommy Hilfiger's) with my then boyfriend, Blair Savercool, the luthier who created guitars for the stars that came to Elmira College to play.

The parties at Seeley Creek were amazing, but none rivaled the ones off Maple Ave. with the beer trucks and live music! Charlie Langdon (Mark Twain's grandson) may remember when Rush came out with his theme song, Today's Tom Sawyer...., yep, we had to do it!! Fitzben's 25th Reunion was a smash with the Fitzben National Band playing.

Other memories include walking the rollercoaster after close at Eldridge Park. Old Frank the farmer up on Veteran Hill in Horesheads probably the last pioneer. Horseheads town square was paved all in red brick and remained that way for quite some time. My other grandfather, Harold Chamberlain, was the steward of the Elmira Correctional Facility and his wife, Ethel, used to make corsets for the ladies that partied at Rorick's Glen.

Debbie Bement - djbem22@excite.com

The Red Barn was a favorite hang out during lunch and after school . Went to school at Parley Coburn and Southside. Remember Newberry's "Pop the Balloon for Ice Cream."

Tina Brand, Elmira - tknoll1@stny.rr.com
School: Thomas A Edison High School

I really enjoyed going through all the different places all the people have shared. Some I remembered & others I didn't. Was great going back in time! Now I have a question with hopes of someone out there remembering. Years ago there was a dairy store next to Curly's Chicken House on Lake Rd. anyone know the name of the dairy store? In the Fifties it was called Tastee Freeze.

Diven Plaza years back had a few stores that were in the same building as Barker's Department Store, anyone know what stores went into the former Barker's after it went out? I do remember Cavaluzzi's Pizza as I was growing up. Oh boy, that was awesome! I also remember getting a slice of pepperoni pizza from Pudgies on 14th St in Elmira Heights for 21 cents & that was including tax. I remember a pack of cigarettes in the machines was 55 cents wow!! Postage stamp 6 cents. Gas 39 cents a gallon.

Jim Samuels - james.samuels@carestreamhealth.com
School: HH Highschool Class of '71
City Now: Rochester, NY

The annual autumn ping-pong ball drop, sometimes from a helicopter, sometimes a small plane, in the Grand Union Shopping Plaza. WELM radio on Upper Lake Road with their contest of Who Took The L Out Of WELM, which it turned out was HHDs High School's own Music Director, Joe Crupi. During the contest a group of individual's known as Murphy's Marauders went about replacing the 'L's throughout the region driving the radio station frantic as listeners called in saying the had found the 'L.'

Jimmer Donovan, HHds - jdon862877@aol.com
School: EFA 66

Every place on this site I remember. I grew up in the Sixties - had more fun on North Side 8th Ward. We did so much without any money - still had a great time - baseball, football, basketball, swimming in Newton Creek. Showing off for the girls at Center St. Pool, meeting all our friends at Eldridge Park, making out, watching free movies, block dances. So much to do. We fished Brick Pond all day. High school between 62 and 66 was a blast. Wouldn't want to be a teenager anywhere else. Hike up on East Hill. Slide down The Quarry. So many good times. Downtown on Saturday. Dances at night. Fire works on July 4th. And great baseball at Dunn Field. Can go on and on. Elmira was the place to be in the Sixties.

Foy June Lusk Wimer - wimer2001@yahoo.com
School: SHS
City Now: Palmyra VA

First real job --Christmas time at Markson's Men's Store on Water Street. First perm at The Gorton Coy Beauty Salon in 1954. "It's OK to owe Ray" Ray's Jewelers, Ferguson's Dancing School upstairs They put on a big show every year at the Keeney next to the Regent Theater - watched a lot of Roy Rogers at the Regent. First Thanksgiving Dinner out at the Langwell Hotel. They had a nice piano player in the lounge. Did anyone recall the Strand?

Ted Johnston, Elmira - tjohnston@stny.rr.com
School: SHS 1978

Martin's Hardware Store on South Main Street - the small store that had everything you needed. Chemung Electronics - I remember spending hours in that store to find the perfect stereo needle to listen to albums and 45 records. Down the street was Josephson's Plumbing - if they didn't have it nobody did. Going into Mad Man Dewey's, pouring yourself a beer and buying an appliance. What a great site, good memories here.

Cheri Smith - greenpointcamp@hotmail.com
Hangouts: Maple Lawn on the road to Wellsburg, 'The Place' (after we were 18, of course), The Old Pioneer and bonfires (and other activities!!!) at Seeley Creek.

Left Elmira in 1971 and never moved back. Come to visit fairly often... not too far away - up near Letchworth State Park for the past 20 years. Of course, who could NOT remember Harris Hill Overlook? Lag's on Water Street, of course, the french fries and gravy at The Dixie and bowling at EBC.

Peggy (Butts) Woodard, Texas - Peggy@centurytel.net
Hangouts: Hot Dog Johnny's on Lake St. behind Ernie Davis School in the late Sixties

I was born and raised in good old Elmira NY. Left in 1995. Have been back for vacations every year since. Still have two sisters and a brother there who keep a good eye on my mother (Marion Butts). I had the best childhood growing up in Elmira. Beecher School, Ernie Davis, EFA. The friends I had and some great times. Brand Park Pool, Stemmerman's, Benedict's, Joy Crest, the Old Hayloft, the ice cream man on a hot summer afternoon.

There was a some of some kind of store almost on every corner. The jobs I had and people I met are great memories. The Iron Bar, my summer job at Center Street Pool, Howell's Box, Tom Sawyer Motel.

I love Texas, but very glad I got to grow up in Elmira and my dearest friend from the start - Sandy Thomas - lost touch but never forgotten.

Dave Terwilliger, SHS 80 - yamaha994@breakthru.com
City Now: Elmira

Can any one remember Zack's Bar on South Main Street and Zarro's Pizza Store and the good old 11th Ward?

Tom Raub. EFA 54 - tom.raub@myfairpoint.net
City Now: Colchester VT

I grew up on upper Sullivan St on the eastside of Elmira. I spent a lot of time at Grotto Park, now Joycrest. I worked there as a skateboy while in hearly high school. Used to race there on Sunday evenings. I am surprised no one has mentioned the Royal Dairy across from EFA. It was a great place for a quick school lunch and also cones, sundaes, and milk shakes. I was a soda "jerk" there my senior year at EFA. Skating on the Brick Pond in the winter and fishing there in the summer. Also lots of time spent fishing and swimming in Newtown Creek. Capitol Theater on Saturday afternoon for the serials. Lovell's for sodas and Caplan's store across the street for penny candy.

Bob Kennedy, Reading Center - rpk91642@hotmail.com
School: Trott Vocational, Niagara Falls

Does anyone remember Turck's Soda Fountain on South Main, Elmira Glass on Partridge St., The Hopkins Sign Co. on Partridge St., Elias's Market on S.Main St., Parley Coburn School, Southside High School, Elmira Warming & Ventilating on Pennsylvania Ave., Remington Rand (Typewriters), Rossi's Bowling Alley, or Dixie BBQ ?? AAAAAAH! The "GOOD old days". Crime was almost non-existant and kids played freely in the neighborhoods without fear.

Dave Fife, EFA 68 - davidfife@yahoo.com

Does anyone remember the "Dog n' Burger"? A little A-Frame restaurant you could go into and order with an intercom-type arrangement. I believe there were two of them. One was in the approximate location of behind Bulkhead Hardware, and, if memory serves me correctly, there was one in Horseheads at the approximate location of Enterprise Rental Car

Yvonne (Teyssier) Fields, Austell GA yvonnemfields@comcast.net
School: SHS 1960

The Dixie BBQ just off Broadway, then my very first job was at JJ Newberry's at 16 yrs old. Going To St. Mary's Church. Pudgie's Pizza ( my cousins through marriage) My cousin John Santulli from the EFA and going to his games when he played basketball. He was so good. He used to be a pin setter for the Bowling alley off of Copley St??? It's been so long ago I have forgotten some of the names of the streets. I rememeber the horse pulled milk wagon and how the horse knew just how far to go and the next house that the man was delivering to, and he knew each address to stop while the man jumped on the wagon grabbed the milk, ran to the house and the horse would move on and then stop and wait. Man......I loved it. Fifth Street. Friday nighter's dances where I worked hanging coats for admissions to the dances. Going to Sam's when I got a little older ( snuck in a visit or two ahead of time.) I went to Edgeworth School and then SHS. Lived on Robert Street and Marion Street. Wow talk about a memory trip. Loved Eldridge Park, Vinnie's Grill and Restaurant where we had fish fries every Friday night after Dad and Mom came home from work. Going to Lib's Supper Club and dancing till it closed. It was a family gathering almost every weekend. Eat a wonderfully made dinner, and dance. All the Aloi's are my family. St. Joseph's Hospital where I gave birth to three of my children. Howard Johnson's in Horseheads had the greatest "Indian Pudding" among other things. I've lived in Georgia for 32 years, but have visited several times and have many fond and loving memories of friends and family. Miss and think of many, many folks that I loved then and love now. This is a great site sent to me by my cousin Fran Aloi.... Thanks Cuz. Mom worked at Remington Rand for years until they closed down. Dad worked at Moore Business Forms. I loved the German Bakery close to St. Patrick's Church. They had the greatest Boston Creme Cake, chocolate eclairs, and on and on - worked at the Thatcher Bottling Company.

Carol Edwards, Attica - spaz2524@aol.com
School: Notre Dame
Hangouts: Carr's Cozy Corner

Carr's Cozy Corner was the best with my friend Kathy Ross. Harold's Army and Navy Store had the best clothes ever. Most of all the old neighborhood (N. Main St.). Lots of great memories.

Editor's Note: A little further north on Main - my personal favorite, Mustico's Restaurant.

Ben Barletta, Hummelstown PA - Jaminbenb@aol.com

I never lived in Elmira, but my grandparents and some other relatives did. My grandparents were Benjamin and Julia Spahalski and owned the old Allendale Dairy on College Ave. They lived on Underwood Street. I remember going there on family vacations and making friends with their neighbor kids, and meeting up with aunts, uncles and cousins for Sunday dinner after mass at St. Casimir's.

I also remember spending time at the dairy, I was very young at the time, and I'm sure my older brother would know much more, but being at the dairy is very vivid. I also remember walking under the railroad bridge to Eldridge Park! I remember riding in the boat on the lake, and the airplane ride and of course the Carousel! I remember there was a time when you could get the brass rings, and when hitting the chute for the brass rings would change the lights on a panel.

There was a Guiness world record broken there, by two people that rode on a swing, I remember seeing that swing after they were finished. I also remember the old shooting gallery, and couldn't wait untl I was even slightly old enough to shoot the .22's! I don't recall if I ever did. This past Fall I took a ride through Elmira to try to relive some of the memories, and couldn't believe how many things were similar, and how many things were so different! Jean's Beans is still there! How funny! We drove through Eldridge Park, and I can't believe how little the lake is, it used to seem so big! I also went by the building that housed the dairy and was surprised to see it still standing. Walking through the parking lot brought back some memories of the last 60's-early 70's when we used to visit.

Linda VonRapacki, Omaha NE - lvonrapack@yahoo.com
Hangouts: Pitts and Chuck's Restaurant

Does anybody remember the Roxy Drive-in...I have read all of the "remembered" lists. And I agree, all of them are special, but the Roxy was the place in the summer of 63, 64, 65. Does anybody remember the spot on Water Street at Christmas where they had a spread of food and you could just choose... it was free for all the customers. I can remember going there with my father every Christmas when he would take me shopping.

Jackie (Donahue) Holtz ND56 - jhh1109@verizon.net
City Now: Freehold NJ & Hector NY
Hangout: Cappy's across from St. Pat's

Great site. I grew up in Elmira. St. Pat's, Catholic High and Cappy's all together. And Louie serving up coke behind the soda fountain. Great memories. It wasn't big but we could go to the pond at Elmira College and skate until our toes were froze. The trees in the parks as we walked through downtown. Elmira was a beautiful city to grow up in.

And I thought that I was the only one around to remember the horse drawn milk wagon!

Bill Johnson, Winterhaven FL - wjoh101088@verizon.net
Hangouts: Turk's & John's Pool Room

I cherish the summer that that Ed Black, Pokey McMullen and I all worked at El-Cor Ice Cream Stores on Hoffman St, Walnut St. and Main St. We used to spend lots of time swimming off the intakes on the Chemung River. We also did lots of canoing at Sam's Boat House near the dam, just above Main Street Bridge.

Brian Williams, New York City - brian.williams@nbcuni.com

What a great place to grow up. As far as I knew, our small, beige three-bedroom ranch house at 927 W. Church Street was the center of the world. My dad worked at Corning Glass, and my mom was an actress in Elmira Little Theatre. Sunday morning mass at Our Lady of Lourdes, school at Hendy Avenue (where Kervin Abner was the widely-feared dodgeball ace), and milk across the street at Shornsteimer's Dairy. I'll never forget the day their house burned down...nor will I forget the night when the sky was glowing orange over downtown...during what became known as the "Cash Electric" fire.

How about the chicken at Curly's! ...the ground beef pizza at Moretti's, expensive (rare) family dinners at Pierces? My best friend Andrew Lipson (anybody know where I can find him?) and I used to walk downtown to Newberry's and Kreske's. Andrew's dad was Danny Discount ("your friendly family store on Elmira's South Side"). Steve Christy once played my request on the air -- and meeting Carl Proper was like meeting Cronkite back then.

How about ice cream cones at Smithome Farms on the road to Corning? My mom made radio commercials for Deister and Butler jewelers with best friend Cy Leveen -- who along with Kay Brady was a pillar of Little Theatre in town. I remember the Speedrome, People's Place, the Pioneer Market and walking along the dike. Joey Chitwood's Auto Thrill Show came every summer -- and my dad would fly out of town on Mowhawk DC-3 tail-draggers on business trips.

We got our car at Elm Chevrolet and shoes at the Bootery, and shopped for a special Christmas gift at The Gorton Coy and Iszards. My! father was happiest at Dunn Field...my mother was happiest at Horrigan's after an opening night. I can't quite understand how my life became so blessed, and I find it hard to believe that my picture is among those on a sign at the entrance to town. I do know it's an extraordinary honor to welcome people to the town that was my home.

Sue Goldfarb Muir - Milton, New South Wales Australia - bobbysue4@hotmail.com

I graduated from EFA in 1954. My dad owned Lou's Variety on Hoffman Street. I was so pleased to see he got a mention. I have so many memories of Elmira... Iszard's Tea Room, Mark Twain Hotel and their Mexican Sundaes. I always go back to Elmira when I am in the USA. I have enjoyed going down Memory Lane with this website. Elmira was a great place to grow up.

Janet (Goss) Myers, Liburn GA - jmyrs804@aol.com

Hi, We lived at 1007 Maple Ave . I went to Riverside . My brothers went to Southside in 1958 thru 62 - John and Dwight Goss. John was a center on the football team and other sports. Dwight was in drama, Latin club, etc. They hung around with Bucky Level, but cannot remember the rest of their friends. I was just a kid in those days. I played with Carol Tanner and Susan Utter. Coach Wazniak lived next door to us. I remember skating on Miller's Pond. We all would swim at Memorial Pool. Dwight, one time, when we went to the movies dumped a box of popcorn on people's heads from the balcony. I remember Dairy Queen and getting ice cream there. We went to the Presbyterian Church down town. I loved exploring that church. My Dad was branch manager for International Harvester then. I liked Elmira have a lot of fond memories from there. Have not talked to anyone since we left in 1962 so don't know anyone there now. Thought maybe someone who reads this might have known my brothers. Long ago.

Bob Guild, ND 77 - BobGuild@stny.rr.com
City Now: Montour Falls

I grew up on the Southside on Spaulding by Luce Street. All my mom's family lived close by and were Italians. I went to grade school at St. Mary's and still remember all my teachers. It was great!

I remember going to see the Elmira Pioneers with my uncle Bill Davis, who was actually invited to play for the Yankees but stayed in Elmira to work for The American LaFrance. My grandmother lived right next door to the LaFrance on Erie Street and I still remember how facinating the beautiful fire trucks were as I watched them through the big chain link fence. Once in a while when we were shooting baskets the ball would go over the fence and I'd sneak over and grab it and get a closer look at the huge trucks.

My mom worked for the Remington Rand for about 50 years. I remember playing Little League baseball by the Rand at Sutton Field. How about Johnson's Cut Rate at the corner of Maple Avenue and Luce for toys and candy. Used to go get groceries with Grandma at the A&P on Erie Street. There was also Elmira Discount and Fay Drugs, Ray, the Barber on Miller Street. My grandpa worked at the Chemung Foundry. I remember some great restaurants -- The Sirloin Room on Water Street, Morretti's in the "PATCH", The Palms Italian. How about Vinnie's?

There was a little corner candy store by St Mary's on Mt. Zoar but I can't remember the name. Chamberlain's Dairy was great, because they had that milk with the cream on top. My dad would get upset because I'd drink the cream and all that was left was the yukky skim! I really miss the old Elmira. We will always have those memories.

Larry Hicks, SHS 61 - lhicks42@twcny.rr.com
City Now: Trumansburg

I have not heard Edgeworth School on the Southside. There was Wytock and Clark Texaco gas station at the end of South Main Street where I worked after school. The neighborhood where I lived had a switch yard (Erie-Lackawana) with a real roundhouse. I lived on Robert Street next to these switching yards where, at nite, you would hear the train cars hit as they were being made up. It sounded like thunder all nite long. At that time the engines were steam driven and would spin their wheels when they started moving the trains. Everyone had clothes lines in their backyards to hang up wet clothes and they would get covered with coal dust from the steam engines.

Does anyone remember the YO-YO Man that used to come to the store on Main Street by Edgeworth School to show us kids all kinds of tricks with YO-YO's? I worked at American LaFrance for a number of years (apprenticeship program). You have a great site and lots of memories. Thank you very much.

Martha Viele, EFA '44 - flakefromfla@yahoo.com
City Now: Clearwater FL

Does anyone remember the Strand Theater on Market St.? We were there the day Pearl Harbor was attacked. When we came out, there was a sign on the Star Gazette building close by that had the news of the attack. Does anyone have a picture of the Strand? I have been trying everywhere I can think of to get a picture, but nobody seems to have one. I have pictures of all the others. This is a great site! It makes me homesick.

Charles F. Kakritz, EFA 50 - Freddy7@stny.rr.com
City Now: Pine City

Patsy Clate's Ice Cream & Magazines at Lake St. & Washington Ave. Planter's Peanut Store at the corner of Main and Water Streets. Now it can be told, I was the only "Mr. Peanut" Elmira ever had. They had a custom made black WOOL suit made for me. I think about it during these hot summer days. Wearing the suit with the huge paper machae "Mr. Peanut" O hot it was in there. But I had a job paying minimum wage, 50 cents an hour. Those were the days.