Village has new welcome signs
By Erik Pekar
Looking back to the
April 27, 1923 issue of the Granville Sentinel, a North Granville establishment
was enjoying success: "The management of the Fairvale Hotel, North
Granville, was more than surprised at the crowd that patronized the dance
Friday night. Everybody had a good time and it was an entire evening of
pleasure. It is a very regretful notice that the dance April 30 will be the
last public dance as the business in the hotel has so increased that it will be
impossible to take care of the people at such functions. The new owners of the
hotel want the public to understand that the hotel is going to run clean and
free from roughness and will not tolerate drinking of intoxicants. The hotel
does not dispense any liquors and will refuse admittance to any who are under
the influence of drink. The next dance, which will be the last, will have all
the features of the two preceding ones."
While Granville had
a reputation during Prohibition, the Fairvale Hotel clearly did not want to
contribute to the activities that led to said reputation, as indicated by the
phrases "the hotel is going to run clean", that they "will not
tolerate drinking of intoxicants", and that the hotel "does not
dispense any liquors". Another interesting point to take away from the
quote is that the hotel was doing so much regular business to make the holding
of a public dance be a burden on the hotel's resources and hamper the ability
to serve those staying at the hotel and their regular patrons. Today, Granville
has no hotels, as the village hotels were lost to conflagration in the 1910s,
and the Fairvale itself burned in the 1930s. The present lodging situation in Granville
is a motel and two bed and breakfasts, all in the village.
+++
The following is a
sampling of personal mention items from the April 27 issue. At Lake St.
Catherine, "the ice went out of the lake Friday" (April 19). There
were new cars about in Pawlet: "C.L. Leach has a new Ford coupe and
Merritt Sheldon has a new Chevrolet touring car." A new building was going
up in Pawlet: "Floyd Sheldon has begun the erection of a building near
A.W. Brown's garage to house the postoffice, which Mrs. Sheldon expects to
occupy for the coming term." In Wells, a native of the town was soon to
start a new job: "The many friends of Clyde E. Smith are pleased to learn
that he has secured a lucrative position with the Standard Oil company of
Albany. Mr. Smith is one of our best young men and a son of Mr. and Mrs. E.J.
Smith." In Poultney, a major conflagration was averted: "Fire was
discovered in the tenement in the Matot block Monday. Before the hose company
arrived, prompt work with a fire extinguisher put out the flames".
It was a warm
weekend in Truthville: "Saturday afternoon the thermometer registered
eighty-four degrees in the village." Another new car in Hampton:
"Thomas Beers has purchased a new Ford car". A meeting in Raceville:
"The Aid society will meet at their room this week and dinner will be
served at noon. Mrs. D.F. Williams is hostess." A snowbird comes home to
the Lee District: "Clayton Potter, who has been passing the winter in
Florida, returned last week to the home of his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Hiram
Potter. There was a a business change reported from Whitehall: "George H.
Nichols, sr., has sold his grocery store, Main street, to John Quigley, who
took possession Friday of last week."
+++
Have you seen the
new signs welcoming people to the Village of Granville? These were installed
last Monday and Tuesday by the Granville village DPW at the road entrances to
the Village of Granville. The signs are a dark blue, with text in a cream
color, and read: "Welcome to the Village of Granville" and
"Colored Slate Capital of the World", in all caps, over four lines.
The typeface chosen to render the text looks good. The signs are installed at
North Street, Pine Street, Mettowee Street, East Main Street, East Potter
Avenue, and Church Street. A seventh sign was also made; this is planned to be
placed on Quaker Street. The new welcome signs are a nice addition to the
scenery of Granville. The village officials and the village DPW who were
involved with the project are to be commended for their efforts.
+++
Jen's Pit Stop of
Middle Granville opened for the 2023 season on April 21. As expected for a
season opening, the crowds were there and it was busy all day. The eatery is
located at 39 State Route 22A in Middle Granville, just east of where 22A
starts at Route 22. It is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. except on Sundays when it
opens at 12 p.m. With the opening of Jen's, both of the drive-in eateries in
the town of Granville are now doing business for the season. Spring is moving
right along.
+++
Another season
event makes its return next week. The Granville Lions Club will be holding
their summer furniture sale weekends. From their warehouses on Lions Lane
behind Main Street, they will sell discounted items, sometimes closeouts, of
the country's finest patio furniture. Starting May 5 and 6. They will be open
Fridays 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturdays 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. In past years, the quality
furniture has sold well. Best wishes to the Granville Lions Club, and that
their sales volume continues.
+++
Those who enjoy
looking for stuff at yard sales, and those who sell items in yard sales, mark
your calendars. Granville's annual event, the Great Granville Town Wide Yard
Sale, will be held next Saturday and Sunday, May 6 and 7. All residents of the
town and village are welcome to participate in holding sales; in the case of
village residents, the regular requirement of a yard sale permit is waived for
this event. There will be stands in front of the high school, which are
arranged through the Granville Rotary Club. The yard sale event has been going
on for over 20 years. All are encouraged to visit Granville next weekend.
+++
Early last week,
new crosswalk signs were installed at the crosswalks that did not already have
them along Route 149 through the Village of Granville. The signs were installed
at the following crosswalks: Main Street at the intersection of North and Church
Streets, at the post office, and at the rail trail; West Main Street at Maple
Street; Quaker Street, at Potter Avenue, the Granville Elementary School
driveway, and near the Village Plaza strip mall.
The idea had been
in the works since last fall, when Granville village DPW superintendent Scott
Mackey asked the New York State Department of Transportation about placing
crosswalk signs at the crossings that needed them. The people at the DOT
agreed, leading to last week's work. We thank the state DOT for their
cooperation with the Village of Granville, and commend all involved, as the new
signs will improve the visibility of all the crosswalks along Route 149 in the
village.
No comments:
Post a Comment