A Town Hall in reno, a Hall of Mirth in limbo

The following excerpts from The Millerton News were com- piled by Kathleen Spahn, Vivian Sukenik, Nancy Vialpando and Rhiannon Leo-Jameson of the NorthEast-Millerton Library.


91 years ago: March 23, 1933

‘Worst Sleet Storm in Years Tears Down Power Lines’: The Harlem Valley has just experienced one of the worst ice storms in years and power lines are down in all sections of the valley [...] During the storm, cables were pulled off the insulators on the 33,000-volt line running from Smithfield to Pulvers Corners.

‘Millerton Dogs Win Prizes at Providence’: Three white collies from Millerton journeyed to Providence, R.I., last Friday [...] The collies were owned by Miss Ursula Densen and Miss Constance Bard [...] the three Millerton collies were quite fortunate in securing three first prizes to add to their laurels.

‘Westinghouse Display Truck in Millerton’: [...] W.L. Nisbet arrived in Millerton from New York City with a display truck of Westinghouse merchandise [...] the complete assortment of merchandise is being exhibited at the store of J.B. Reed & Sons.

50 years ago: March 28, 1974

‘Town Hall Work Nearing Completion’: The renovation of the North East Town Hall on Maple Avenue is nearing completion, according to town supervisor Frank Perotti. The Town Board will hold its first meeting there in May [...] Supervisor Perotti asks that citizens make tax-deductible gifts to help pay for the decorating and furnishing [sic] the Town Hall. He has made the first gift by donating a vacuum cleaner.

‘Edward Downey Admitted to Practice Law’: Edward Downey of Millerton was sworn into the New York State Bar Association on Wednesday, March 20, in the Second Appellate Division Courthouse in Brooklyn, NY. Downey is admitted to practice before the courts of New York state. He is associated with the law firm of Davis and Trotta in Millerton, and is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gus Downey who reside in North East Center.

25 years ago: March 25, 1999

‘Millerton Says Hello to Dr. Kristie Schmidt’: The Millerton community is on the move, medically speaking, as a new doctor associated with Sharon Hospital plans to open her office in the village next week [...] A fully renovated office [...] awaits its April opening. The entire space was gutted and replaced with a neatly refurbished interior. [...] “By keeping the overhead low, I can give more personalized service and spend more time with patients,” Schmidt said.

Her affiliation with Sharon Hospital could translate into benefits for the whole town. Sharon is the best medical option for Millerton residents due to its proximity and high quality of care, according to Schmidt. The only other hospitals in the area are in either Great Barrington, Massachusetts, or Poughkeepsie, a long drive away.

“It’s important to have a Sharon-based doctor in town,” she said.

She plans to have evening and weekend hours, catering to working people and weekenders.

‘Hall of Mirth Still in Limbo’: The fate of the former grange building on Route 22 in Millerton is still in legal limbo while a judge’s decision is on appeal. [...] The ZBA stated a clubhouse would be permitted in the disputed zone, but only if a special permit is obtained. The use of the building as the grange pre-dates the town’s 1977 zoning code.

The views expressed here are not necessarily those of The Millerton News and The News does not support or oppose candidates for public office.

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