Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 4

Brett's Drugs, Jim's Coffee Spot

Main Street, South Side, Part 4

The next building housed The Lucky Strike Bowling Alleys, Haggerty Insurance, Bus Terminal, Luncheonette Travel Agency,  Grayhound Bus Lines, New England Transportation, Arrow Line and Blue Line Bus companies.. ( We had many ways to go to Norwich, Hartford and Providence) ,.The next building had offices and a labatory on the first floor and Toney's Hair Stylist on the second floor where I went to get my haircut. Fox's Sportswear was in the Capitol Theater Building along with Caron's Beauty shop and The Bottle Shop, Horn's Clothing Store and of course the marque and entrance to the best theater in town. (My friend Patty and I use to go to the Capitol on Sunday afternoon, go to eat at the Lucky Strike lunch counter and then go bowling. That made for a nice afternoon.) Upstairs there was a insurance office where I worked for years, a doctor, a dentist, Dr Mason (where I had all my teeth taken out), a lawyer (who had me be a witness whenever he needed one), The textile Workers of america, local #460 and The Council of Eastern Connecticut.

Lizee Jewlry

Arnold (Tin Sin) and Meehen Building

The Italian Garden came next.  It has been there since the late 1880's, in the same family.  I worked there as a waitress for many years. The Capitol Dinner was next door to Italian Garden. We called the diner Sputniks because the people that owned it had a last name like that. I used to stop there for coffee in the mourning. There was a shoe repair shop next to that and then The Metropolitan Life Building.

That was Main Steeet in the 1950,s and 1960's Someone in Willimantic decided that Willimantic needed an overhauling and they went through a large portion of the city knocking down building after building and calling it revitilization. They drew up a map showing what the restoration would look like but this did not come to pass and left a blank area called "the parcel." that once had nine streets, dozens of business and hundreds of families that call Willimantic home.

And now I ask: Where did all the people go?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 5

North Side of Main Street: Part 5

Starting on the North side of Main Street, going East we have Santa Lucia Grinder Shop and Groceries run by Remi and Lucy who were very famous for their grinders.  Roy Auto Parts and then The Willimantic Town Hall with all of its many offices including the mayor's, John Lesco who was the last mayor of Willimantic and he picked me for Cupid of Romantic Willimantic in 1983. The police station where, my father worked, at one time as a supernumery, was located in town hall.  At the the back end of the building was the town library where I spent a lot of time. It had a small room for children's books and I think I read all of them..  The adult books were in the back room.

Town Hall, Heller and Mazzola Buildings

At High Street was the post office and coming from school we  always went in the door at High Street, through the building and exited through the Main St door. Heller's building (Torn down and replaced by a parking lot,ed) was next and I worked in their office for many years.  My friend Patsy LaMort's paper store was in the building as was Moore;s Package Store. A guy named Rudy Polock lived in the building.  He was the grandfather of parachute jumpers or that is what he told me. Mazzola's building  (Now home to a popular breakfast  spot, ed) was next, at one time it was home to a grocery and an appliance store. Then Welch's Restaurant where a bowl of spaghetti was sixty cents and lobster was two dollars, if I remember correctly. I worked across the street and many days I ate a bowl of spaghetti for lunch. One day a custom said to me: "Do you know you smell of garlic?" So that ended my bowl of spaghetti days.

At Walnut St. was the Luncheonette and at lunch time when I worked across the street I use to run over there at twelve o'clock, wait tables because they were short of help. take a few minutes to eat and run back to my office for 1 pm.

Mazzola's Grocery Store

Terri's Kiddie Shop was next and then Menditto's Barber Shop, Callahan's, where we would stop after school for an ice cream sundae. Next was Jenal's Clothing for Women. Next came Pete's Tavern (later Tony's Barber Shop.) The Nathan Hale hotel came next, the Tread City Garage and Hathan Hale Drug Store and a record and radio store. Hooker hotel had Archambault Barber Shop, Hersant Development and Contos's Windham Card and News Store. Crossing over Bank St was the Willimantic Savings Institute Bank with offices upstairs.  Years ago the Teachers College was located on the upper floors.. Dr Rafferty, dentist, was the first dentist to tell me why whenever I got a tooth ache, all my teeth ached. He told me it was my "achilles heel" and whenever I got tired and rundown my teeth ached.

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Main Street Before Redevelopment, Part3

Hurley Grant, Footbridge, Curran's Terry's

Main Street, South Side Part 3


Sweeney Stationery, where we bought our school supplies, Smith-Keon Jewelers and Windham Pharmacy were in the next building. Upstairs there were many offices: Southwind Real Estate, Mustard Insurance, Healy Insurance,(where I once worked) Atwood Hypertrichcholy and Family Finance (that was managed by a very nice man who loaned me money to buy a bicycle when I was sixteen years old. I had a running account even though the company changed hands and names over the years for forty one years.(I could always count on them.)

The next building housed Ben's Eagle Shoe Store and Frank's Sundial Shoes and this was a family affair and I am still friends with the young Prague people, Ben and Jay. Next is the Franklin Building .   Singer Sewing Machine  is on the ground floor and law offices above. Then The Arnold Building (Know later as the Tin Sin Building, ed) with The Willimantic Camara Center, Arnold Insurance, Travelers Insurance, Charlie Shell Plumbing and Windham Under Price Clothing Store. Still on the South side of Main Street, (Now known as as the Meehan Building. ed) there were lawyers, accountants, insurance offices, Social Security, Selective Service, Adult Probation, another finance company and Western Auto, Dr Basden who use to make house calls and Beller's Package Store.  

Next was The YMCA where we went swimming and later took exercise classes. The Gem Theater, one of three movie houses in town, Colonial Studio Photos and Evelyn's School of Dance. In the Kimball Block was the Department of Motor Vehicles where I took my drivers test and got my first driver licence. T.V. Sales and Service, The Hartford Courant, a real estate office, a chiropractor and Hyde's Magazine Shop. Then A & B Poultry Market and Jim's Coffee Spot which was s very, very favorite spot for hot dogs and grinders each with there special Jim's sauce.  People are still nostalgic for that sauce. 

Next was the Air Force Recruiting office and Star Furniture Store. Sam was a true friend, one day my mother and I wanted to move but couldn't afford to pay $50.00 a room for movers.  We had four rooms of furniture.  I was walking by Star Furniture and Jesus' words came to me: Sell all that you have and come follow me." So I went into the store and made a deal with Sam. He took all of our furniture and gave me credit and brought all our old furniture to his store and delivered new furniture to our new apartment. (No carrying charges) and all I had to do was make a small monthly payment to him. He said he usually wrote numbers under second hand furniture but he wrote, "Claire" under mine.

Brett's Drugs, Jim's Coffee Spot

Main Street, South Side, Part 4

The next building housed The Lucky Strike Bowling Alleys, Haggerty Insurance, Bus Terminal, Luncheonette Travel Agency,  Grayhound Bus Lines, New England Transportation, Arrow Line and Blue Line Bus companies.. ( We had many ways to go to Norwich, Hartford and Providence) ,.The next building had offices and a labatory on the first floor and Toney's Hair Stylist on the second floor where I went to get my haircut. Fox's Sportswear was in the Capitol Theater Building along with Caron's Beauty shop and The Bottle Shop, Horn's Clothing Store and of course the marque and entrance to the best theater in town. (My friend Patty and I use to go to the Capitol on Sunday afternoon, go to eat at the Lucky Strike lunch counter and then go bowling. That made for a nice afternoon.) Upstairs there was a insurance office where I worked for years, a doctor, a dentist, Dr Mason (where I had all my teeth taken out), a lawyer (who had me be a witness whenever he needed one), The textile Workers of america, local #460 and The Council of Eastern Connecticut.

Lizee Jewlry

Arnold (Tin Sin) and Meehen Building

The Italian Garden came next.  It has been there since the late 1880's, in the same family.  I worked there as a waitress for many years. The Capitol Dinner was next door to Italian Garden. We called the diner Sputniks because the people that owned it had a last name like that. I used to stop there for coffee in the mourning. There was a shoe repair shop next to that and then The Metropolitan Life Building.

That was Main Steeet in the 1950,s and 1960's Someone in Willimantic decided that Willimantic needed an overhauling and they went through a large portion of the city knocking down building after building and calling it revitilization. They drew up a map showing what the restoration would look like but this did not come to pass and left a blank area called "the parcel." that once had nine streets, dozens of business and hundreds of families that call Willimantic home.

And now I ask: Where did all the people go?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

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Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 2

Main St looking east to Lincoln Square

Downtown, Main St., South Side Part 2

I would like to start with The Windham Grill Resturant which was at the railroad crossing. It was owned by two families and some of the children went to school with us  When I was very young my father worked as the chef at the Windham Grill and years later my aunt worked there as a part time waitress. I got written up in a book when a lady write about diners, all the trolley cars that were turned into lunch wagons on the tracks.when they closed down the trolleys

Willimantic had a unique piece of land in the middle of the road which had Main St on one side and Union Street on the other and had a gas station at the"V" that devided Main from Union Streets.On the north side of Main St was the Windham Gas Station and Martin's Radio and Martin's Home Alliances,Winham Grill, The Jillson House( Before redevelopment the Jillson House front faced Union Street ed) and Knights Service Station at the corner of Main and Jackson St. On the south side of main Street was The Eastern States Farmers Exchange (later Agway), Goettlick Furniture Store, Saba's Package (Later I use to stop in and talk to Phosy about baseball because he went to Windham High and played sports with my two uncles.)  Next to Saba's was The City Lunch. an early mourning resturamt and next to that Gene's Shoe Hospital where we got our shoe's repaired. Next was the Willimantic  School of Music. Then came The Willimantic Frozen Food Center, then Rosen's Dept. Store which we frequented often. On the same side the Jordan Building which housed the Jordan Hardware Store, WillimanticTrust  and many offices on the upper floors:  Sumner & Sumner Insurance offices, Potter & Kelly, lawyers, a beauty palor and The State of Conn. Employment and Unemployment office.(where I went for my first job afte  getting my working papers when I turned sixteen.) Willet Plumbers followed .Then Hurley's Men Shop, Wolmer and Case Jewelers, Fullerton-Fournier Women's Clothing. (This was like a New York store with seamstresses on premises) Then Wolmer Optometrists. (Where I was sent for glasses when I was sixteen years old and I never wore the glasses and ten years later I was sent there again. while applying for a new job and Dr Wolmer said my eyes were better and that happened one and a million) Then game The Internal Revenue Service, Lizee Jeweler's, Hurleys Boy Store, Gerry's Studio, (Mr Gerry was a friend of mine and looked back into his archives and found two pictures of my father for me, one picture was when he turned sixteen wearing his first pair of long pants as young boys in those days wore knickers and the other picture was of my father when he was a little older.  Mr Gerry was so nice to do that for me.) Hurley-Grant Co. was next. Some of the stores had steps in front a people, mostly retired older men would sit on the steps and talk to their friends.

Crossing past the footbridge.  we come Curran's Pharmacy which had a soda fountain.as a water fountain in front of Curran's. On hot summer days just about everyone stopped for a drink and even little children could get a drink as there was a cement step for them to stand on. We stopped for a drink every time we past bye.
Next came Weicke's Jewelers, Phil's Barber Shop, D&L Auto Accessories, and Hallocks Resturant. I worked there when I was seventeen.  Just about everyone on the street ate  at Hallocks. I got two jobs out of working at Hallocks from old customers years later. Next to the restaurant was Puritan's Clothing and the best thing was we were able to charge. I was able to buy my niece, Martha a beautiful white coat that she still has. Then there was Lorrain's Beauty Shop and Tubridy's Ladies Cloths where they also had a seamstress.There was Plotkin Jewelers, Cohen's Shoe Store, The Federal Land Bank. Eastern Conn. Farm Loans and the Sadd Block where we lived when I was nine. There were thirty six  families living on the upper floors.  Woolworths and Sears Roebuck was on the Main St.

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Willimantic, Before Redevelopment

Claire Mickle has been kind to share her thoughts, memories and recollections of what downtown Willimantic was like, before redevelopment, in the late 1950's. early 1960's.  If  you have memories to share please add to the comments section at the bottom of the page.  Now, Claire's memories in her own words.

South side of Main St  Introduction
For many years downtown Willimantic was family oriented. All of our families knew all shop keepers and business people and they all knew us. For years Main St never changed. I would like to show Main St. as it is very nostalgic. When people get togeather and say: Oh, "I remember this" or I remember that." This is Main St in the fifties and sixties.

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Ruth's Beef (Burgundy) Stew

(BURGUNDY)  BEEF STEW

1 ½ pounds stew meat cut into 1 inch pieces and covered with;

¼ cup flour

½ teaspoon seasoned salt

1 cup red burgundy OR beef stock

2 large cubes beef bouillon OR 3 small

1 cup water

1 onion, peeled and quartered

3 medium potatoes cut into sixths (peeled or unpeeled)

2 celery stems cut in bite-sized pieces

3 medium carrots cut into bite-sized pieces

1 Tablespoon seasoned salt

1 teaspoon EACH of parsley, rubbed sage,  and Italian herb seasoning

½ teaspoon rosemary

Place wet ingredients into a crock pot and then everything else.  Cook on high for about 8 hours or over night.  You can also place ingredients into a foil pan and bake it in your oven at 350 degrees for a couple of hours.  If you need to, add more broth or wine if it looks as if more liquid is needed.

This recipe can be altered by adding or deleting any of the veggies.  You can use mushrooms if you wish or even double the ones you like best.

This recipe freezes well and even doubles, triples, or quadruples well.  If making larger quantities, oven usage will be necessary.

Windham Education: What Went Wrong

What went wrong with Windham Schools? How did it go wrong? Why did it go wrong and who were the players responsible for it going wrong?

Twenty years ago our schools were an above average  school system.  Windham was the educational pride of Eastern Connecticut.  Neighboring towns sent their high school students to Windham's  high school. Today our schools have been taken over by the state and run by a special master while the town's board of education has been relegated  to observer status.



What comes first, dollars or sense, Part 1

Greenwich: So much so little, Part 2

Windham's school board, Part 3

Windham's board of finance, Part 4

Windham's town council, Part 5

Windham's students, Part 6

Windham Education: What Went Wrong, Part 7

Conclusion, Part 8

Windhamweek

Windham: Closing Down Transparency, 
Part 2 0f 3

Going through Town Council minutes on the Windham web site proves interesting. Sixty two meetings, 124 opportunities to speak ( 9- 21- 2009 to 12-. 6- 2011). Public hearings not included. The findings:

• Total comments: 605
• Early comments: 391 (2/3)
• Late comments: 224 (1/3)
• Most comments: July 20, 2010, 54 first comment session, 10 second comment session
• Heavy participation always occurred during the first comment session when controversial items were on the agenda: union issues, ballroom naming, drinking in town hall, wrestling club, Card Street, senior citizens issues, magnet school concerns. 
• Budget season 2011 saw a reversal in public comment.  More people spoke during the second comment session.  
• Budget season 2010, near equal citizen participation.

"We were finding that it was the same people coming to speak twice,” those councilors voting to eliminate the second comment period claimed. “This will encourage people to focus on what they have to say.” In fact: 

• (Nov. 2009-Dec. 2011), 81 citizens took advantage of both the first and second comment period at least once. Familiar names such as Stone, Santucci, Lary, Crane, DeVivo, Hoxie, Niles, Galucci, Fantolli, Montalovo, Veins, D'Auteille, Millard, Giordano, O'Brian, Jeffers, Doyle, Council members Iazetta & Underwood (who voted to elimanate the second public comment,) and Quercas.
• Of the 81citizens speaking twice, 64 offered different subject matter during late comment. 
• 14 contributor's repeated themselves to some degree.
• Three speakers definitely repeated themselves. 

The most recent buzz at town hall is adding a third polling place. Windham's voting results have sunk to embarrassing levels. The November 2011 municipal elections saw a turnout of less than 15% ... Budget referendums, even less. Our authorities say the convenience factor is a detriment to voter turnout.

But, convenience has little to do with voter turnout:

• Poverty and voter turnout go hand in hand. As poverty rates increase, voter turnout descends. When you don't know where tonight's supper will come from or how your fuel bill will be paid, voting is quite trivial.
• When government shuts down citizen participation and stymies public engagement government suffers.
• When government becomes hearing-impaired and forgets how they got where they are ...When government considers their position a God-given right ... ... we are on the brink of government breakdown and moral  bankruptcy.

Maybe someday a third polling place will be required, but first our councilors must change their tune. The town council should offer citizens increased -- not fewer -- opportunities to participate in policy-making and to provide town government with the benefits of their collective expertise and information.  Public engagement enhances government's effectiveness and improves the quality of its decisions.

Government must be tuned toward a bi-lingual format.  We are currently shutting out hundreds of voters and potential leaders.

For once politicians must serve the town first, not their party. Our government cannot withstand power plays.  Yes, we know that one party controls town government, they always have.

In 2009, then state representativeWalter Pawelkiwicz concluded a speech for a Main Street substance abuse center dedication with these words: "Windham, may be the the second poorest  town in Connecticut, but we have heart."

Heart ain't going to do it, nor is closed government going to solve Windham's problems:

• We need leaders with integrity and intellectual honesty.
• We need politicians who respect their political opponents, treat their constituents like adults, and promote openness and transparency in government.
• We need leaders with compelling ideas -- and the ability and vision to turn those ideas into action.
• We need leaders who can see beyond the next election cycle and who have the political courage to lay the foundation for Windham's future success -- even if it means making unpopular decisions today.
• We need leaders who are willing to work with those from across the aisle to get things done.
• Most importantly we look for men and women who are not afraid to challenge their party’s leadership when that leadership is putting politics and partisan mudslinging above what’s best for  us all.

And so, Councilmen Krich, DeVivo, Underwood, Kevin Donahue, Rivera, Christel Donahue and Iazzetta ... when did it happen?

When did you grow too big and stop caring about the people who elected you? When did you see them as a herd of the needy that comes to you to find purpose in life? Oh come on, if you keep up this attitude, the herds of people will soon start disappearing. And what are you without your little people ? Who will consider you the authority that you pretend to be if there is nobody to listen to you?

Listen to us. Respect us. We'll do the same.


Tomorrow, Part 3 of 3

Windham Voters don't vote

Attributes of a good listener

Transparency in government

What makes a good politician

Uninformed voters

Free Speech Protecting your rights