Barney's Department Store

The Barney Block, completed in 1873, as it appeared in the 1880s. The staff is posed in front, along with the two hand carts used to move merchandise. Image from Larry Hart Collection. 

This blog entry is written by Library Volunteer Ann Eignor. 

Howland Swain Barney, originally of Minaville in Montgomery County, was a young man on the move. Arriving in Schenectady in 1833, he took a job clerking in the John Ohlen and Company store. He became a partner in 1849, and in 1855 he took over as sole proprietor. By 1856, he was well established as a Schenectady businessman and married Sarah Horsfall of the city. H. S. Barney continued to lead the store until his death in 1904.

Howland Swain Barney, the original proprietor of H.S. Barney Company. This photograph of Barney was taken around 1900. Image from Larry Hart Collection.  

The original Barney’s was 700 square feet. With constant expansion, the H. S. Barney Company occupied 100,000 square feet at its peak in 1958. The Barney Block was completed in 1873 and a new facade uniting the three separate store fronts was added in 1923, creating the H.S. Barney’s that many people remember.

An early interior photograph of Barney's taken by White Studios of Schenectady. Note the elaborate tin ceiling and the elevator in the foreground. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

Barney’s was known to carry “high class” merchandise. In the early 1900s it had purchasing offices in London and Paris. After a 1904 makeover, the store displayed ribbon, knit underwear, men’s furnishings, and more on the first floor. The second floor, which sold carpets and draperies, was well-lit and airy. The well-dressed woman could purchase a complete wardrobe including “silk petticoats in dainty shades.” Once purchased, items could be delivered to your home – first by horse and wagon, later by truck.

The Barney Company's stylish delivery wagon, ca. 1880. Image from Larry Hart Collection. 

Barney’s continued to prosper throughout the first half of the twentieth century until the growth of suburbia and the appearance of shopping malls doomed the city department store. In late 1973 Barney’s, as well as Wallace’s, went out of business, marking the beginning of the end of the department store as a fixture on State Street.

The prosperous Barney's department store on State Street, circa 1950. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

The Day the Circus Came to Town: Schenectady’s 1910 Circus Fire

Crowds exit from a fire in a circus tent at the Barnum & Bailey Circus in Schenectady on May 21, 1910. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Postcard Collection. 

This blog entry is written by Library Volunteer Mary Ann Ruscitto. 

It was May 21, 1910 when a spectacular fire destroyed the main tent of Barnum & Bailey Circus in Schenectady. According to many eyewitnesses, this Saturday afternoon was an afternoon of terror.

Robert Finn was 9 years old in 1910 and claimed that he witnessed how the fire began. Later in his life, he wrote a letter to the Schenectady Gazette with his recollections of the fire. Finn and his father were sitting on the top bench about five feet from where the fire started. They noticed that two men were laughing and joking and when one of the men raised his arm, his cigar touched the canvas and started the fire. Finn’s father grabbed him and they quickly jumped to the ground and got out of the tent. Other people claimed that a boy playing with matches was responsible for the blaze, while still others faulted a careless smoker who tossed a cigarette or match onto paraffin-soaked canvas.

Onlookers watch the blazing Barnum & Bailey Circus tent on May 21, 1910, at the circus grounds in Schenectady. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Postcard Collection. 

K. H. Schmidt also wrote to the Schenectady Gazette after seeing a story about the fire. In the letter, Schmidt remembered that it was a hot afternoon and he was 8 years old. He went with his grandmother, Emily C. France, to the circus and sat in the reserved section. He states that all at once a large group of workmen could be seen running into the tent yelling, “Fire! Fire! Fire!” And all at once everyone was trying to get out. Many slid down poles that held up the walls of canvas. Schmidt also remembered that the elephants were being lined up for the grand parade entrance into the tent. The animal handlers hurried them down to Van Curler Avenue (at the time, the circus grounds were located where Schenectady High School is today). Schmidt went on to say that in all the confusion, he lost his coat. His mother went to City Hall the next day, where all the personal items that were found at the fire were brought from the fire scene. All was not lost, for this little boy of 8 years old -- when he returned the next year to go to the circus -- still had his ticket stub from 1910 and was able to go for free!

Larry Hart reported in one of his Gazette columns, “For a scant 5 minutes on a May afternoon in 1910 the lives of nearly 12,000 people hung in the balance as the circus tent, which enveloped them, suddenly burst in flames and burned like a mammoth torch.” Miraculously, not one person was killed and only a few were injured.

Circus fire, Schenectady, 1910. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Postcard Collection. 

Hart goes on to say that it was published that the Barnum & Bailey Circus would arrive at the Edison Avenue freight yards at about 4:00 a.m. The customary parade was to leave the circus grounds at 10:00 a.m. The parade route would be down Rugby Road, over Union Avenue and down State Street, then over Church Street and up State Street to McClellan Street and back to the grounds. There were two shows scheduled, one for 2:30 p.m. and the other for 8:00 p.m.

The day did not go well for the circus right from the beginning. One of its circus trains arrived about 1:00 p.m., but it would take nearly 10 hours for the main portion of the big show to finally reach the freight yards. The delay was due to a grass fire along the railroad tracks outside of Rochester, which prevented the circus train from leaving after its last performance. When they finally reached Schenectady, there was difficulty getting the heavy wagons to the grounds due to Edison Avenue being widened and resurfaced. The wagons would be stuck axle-deep in soft dirt. Heavy planking and the elephants were used to pull the wagons out of the dirt with great difficulty. Due to the delay, the traditional circus parade was cancelled.

As the circus tent filled with nearly 12,000 people waiting impatiently for the 2:30 matinee show to begin, the ringmaster announced over his huge megaphone that there would be a slight delay of about 10 minutes before the show would begin. In the mayhem of waiting, someone asked a lady with her child and who had fear written on her face, what is the matter. She replied “Fire!”

Schenectady Gazette columnist Larry Hart went on to report that if it were not for the heroic efforts of Police Chief James W. Rynex, who was at the circus, the fire could have been disastrous. Rynex quickly brought together the dozen uniformed police officers that were on the scene, and recruited about 20 civilians to help maintain order. Chief Rynex’s rapid response helped keep the crowd calm, while at the same time exiting the people very quickly from the burning tent. It took 4 minutes after the first cry of fire to evacuate the tent of nearly 12,000 people.

Fire Chief Henry Yates responded to Schenectady's 1910 circus fire. This photograph of him dates from around 1905. Image from Larry Hart Collection. 

Animal trainers herded up uncaged creatures out of the animal tent to a distant lot far away from the fire scene. The trapper bell sounded in Station 6 at Eastern Avenue and Wendell Avenue at 2:48. In less than 2 minutes, the horse-drawn steamer from the fire station pulled into the circus grounds. Deputy Fire Chief August Derra was in charge of firefighters at first; Fire Chief Henry Yates then took over. The entire top of the tent was consumed in flames. The blaze was extinguished by 3:15, and the all-clear signal came an hour later.

To show its gratitude to the Schenectady Fire Department for its quick and efficient response to the fire, the Barnum & Bailey Circus gave Fire Chief Henry Yates the pick of the fire draft horses that pulled the circus wagons. The horse that was picked was assigned to Fire Station 3 on Jay Street; appropriately, they named him Circus.

"Good Food Without Frills": Nicholaus Restaurant in Schenectady

This photograph of the bustling intersection of State Street and Erie Boulevard, taken around 1935, shows Nicholaus Restaurant at left. Notice the building's signature bay window turret. Photograph from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection.   

This blog entry is written by Library Volunteer Ann Eignor.

Long a fixture in Schenectady, Nicholaus German Restaurant was first opened as a saloon by Louis Nicholaus in either 1883 or 1891, depending upon the source. Originally located at the corner of Ferry and Liberty Streets, the restaurant was soon moved into a building at the corner of Erie Boulevard and State Street. The restaurant continued to operate out of this location until it closed in 1975.

In the early days, only men were served at the restaurant and bar. For many years, the elegant mahogany bar remained a men’s enclave. One patron recalled that men ate lunch at the bar in the early 1950’s – a bowl of soup, bratwurst sandwich and a tall glass of double-dark beer was a full meal. He also remembered the bar as a “guy joint” where the barkeeps, Henry and Joe, and the customers freely insulted each other.

Image of the famous men's bar at Nicholaus Restaurant, taken in 1975. Photograph from Larry Hart Collection.

The restaurant, the premier location for German food in Schenectady, soon allowed women who entered through the “ladies entrance” directly into the dining room. A 1939 menu offered an extensive selection, including Hot Pigsnuckles (Hockey) with sauerkraut and boiled potato for 70 cents, Wiener Schnitzel ala Holstein for 90 cents, or Sirloin Beef Steak for $1.25. Mixed drinks went from 25 cents to 40 cents and a pitcher of Muencher Dark (German) beer cost $1.25.

Excerpt from 1939 Nicholaus Restaurant menu, showing German specials served at the restaurant. Image from the collections of the Grems-Doolittle Library. 

Loppa, a macaw parrot, was brought to Schenectady from Guatemala in 1907. Thought to be about 50 years old at the time of his arrival, Loppa died in 1936. The parrot freely roamed the saloon, the restaurant, and the outside environs. After his demise, Loppa was preserved by a taxidermist and was perched at Nicholaus’ until the restaurant closed. Loppa is now part of the museum collection at the Schenectady County Historical Society.

Dr. John Nicholaus poses with the stuffed parrot Loppa, long a mascot of Nicholaus Restaurant, in 1965. The parrot is now in the museum collection of the Schenectady County Historical Society. Image from Larry Hart Collection. 

Louis Nicholaus passed away in 1923 and was succeeded by his son Alfred. Louis’ younger son, Dr. John Nicholaus, took over the business in the 1950s until his death in 1968. The business operated on a lease arrangement for many years as patronage declined. Shortly after its closing in 1975, an explosion in a basement store room shook the building. It was feared that the building might need to be demolished, but that was not the case.

1960 composite photograph of the employees of Nicholaus Restaurant, with Alfred, John, and John's wife Margaret superimposed in the foreground. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

Maurice’s Readi-Food, known for its roast beef sandwiches and other deli sandwiches, moved in to the old Nicholaus building from 1976 until 2004. Since that time, the Nicholaus building has housed the Bangkok Bistro Restaurant and now Thai Thai Bistro. During its various incarnations, the Nicholaus Block with its distinctive bay window turret has remained a landmark in downtown Schenectady.

Patrolling Schenectady: Keeping Our City Safe Throughout History

Police used this two-horse hitch wagon to patrol Schenectady at the turn of the twentieth century. The use of horses expanded patrol areas. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

This blog entry is written by Library Volunteer Jane Falconer. 

Everyone is familiar with the sight of a police car patrolling the streets of Schenectady, but that was not always the case. A look back includes foot patrols, horse-drawn wagons, horses, motorcycles, and finally automobiles and even mountain bikes.

When Schenectady was first settled there were no patrols and no one guarding the settlement in February of 1690 when a raiding party of French and their Indian allies attacked, massacred the settlers and marched captives north to Canada. A Mohawk man, Lawrence, led a party to rescue the kidnapped settlers and convince them to return and rebuild the settlement.

The first night watchmen were appointed in 1788 through an act of the New York State Legislature. There were six who walked the streets of Schenectady within 3/4 mile of the Old Dutch Church (now the First Reformed Church) on Union Street between 9:00 p.m. and dawn. They received no pay, but were subject to a fine if they neglected their duties. One watchman was on duty at a time, and their equipment consisted of a staff approximately five feet long and a lantern. Their primary responsibility was to watch for fires and other disturbances. Ten years later, in 1798, Schenectady incorporated. The city was divided into two wards and the night watchmen were now designated as constables who were elected by the City Council. Each ward had 4 constables for a total of 8. For the first time they received payment in the amount of 37 and 1/2 cents a night, out of which they paid for the candles used in their lanterns as well as firewood for the station house. With an increase in numbers around 1817, they patrolled in pairs.

The New York State Legislature formed the Capital Police Force in 1867 to oversee law and order in Schenectady, Albany, and Troy. This continued until June 15, 1870, when the Schenectady Police Department was established by an act of the State Legislature. The new department consisted of a Chief of Police and Assistant Chief and eight patrolmen who worked twelve hours a day with one day off per month. The uniform of the day was a blue wool knee length coat with a high collar and two rows of brass buttons down the front. The hat was a Keystone or Bobby style cap.

This photo of the Schenectady Police Department was taken around 1890. Note the original wool uniforms worn year-round including the Keystone caps. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

Horse patrols were introduced in 1904. James Rynex was the first patrolman to ride a horse on rounds; in 1927, Ephraim Traver was the last. By that time, horses were restricted to Central Park and eventually sold. Along with mounted patrolmen, the two horse hitch “Black Maria” and horse-drawn patrol wagons were used. On the streets, patrolmen contacted headquarters with their whereabouts through the use of call boxes placed throughout the city.

1906 saw the introduction of motorcycles for officers on patrol and they were able cover a larger patrol area and respond to calls faster. There was a drawback to this faster mode of transportation -- their hats often fell off while riding, and this necessitated a change to a military style hat. The hats changed again in 1928 when the New York City Police Department changed to an eight-point cap as a way to commemorate the original eight members of the first Watch in Dutch colonial New Amsterdam (now New York City). The Schenectady Police Department followed suit and that style cap is still in use today.

An example of an early automobile used to patrol the streets of Schenectady, in front of the police station on Jay Street. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection.

Automobiles were first used in 1912, and 1937 saw the installation of AM radios in police cars. Those were replaced in 1943 with FM radios for clearer reception. Call boxes were upgraded to include voice capability and they were replaced with walkie-talkies in the 1960s in an effort to help the officers on patrol better communicate with headquarters.

These photos of patrol cars, taken in 1941 and 1987, show how Schenectady's police cars changed over time. Images from Larry Hart Collection.

Today patrols include mountain bikes in addition to foot patrols, motorcycles, and automobiles. After completion of the mountain bike training academy, officers can patrol in cars, on their bikes, or both. Their cars include bike racks so they can park their cars and bike their patrol zone. Currently there are two mountain bike patrols in downtown Schenectady.

Today's police officers have come a long way from the days of a carrying a staff and a lantern while patrolling the streets between dusk and dawn. However, the early days will always be remembered in the shoulder patch worn by the current members of the Schenectady Police Department. It depicts the statue of Lawrence the Indian that is located in the Stockade area of the city as well as the burning of the settlement on that long-ago night in 1690.

The current police department shoulder patch reflects the earliest days of the Schenectady settlement and the massacre of 1690. Image from Schenectady Police clipping file. 

History in Our Soles: The Story of Shoes Exhibit

Image of exhibit The Story of Shoes, open now through June 2014 at the Franchere Education Center, Mabee Farm Historic Site.

Shoes carry us through the world. A farmer pulls on his wooden clogs to head out into his field, a bride steps into a pair of satin heels on her wedding day, businesspeople slip on their shoes before going to work. What we put on our feet varies based on our age, occupation, and activities. Shoes can tell the people around us our occupations, our fashion sense, or our status in society. They may lace, tie, or Velcro, but each one of them has a story hidden in their sole. We invite you to step into the exhibit and experience pieces of our past, as told by these wonderful shoes.

You can learn more about what shoes tell us about history and daily life at the exhibit The Story of Shoes, now on exhibit through June 2014 at the Franchere Education Center at the Mabee Farm Historic Site in Rotterdam Junction. A sneak peek at the exhibit and some of the artifacts on display are included here. For more information about the exhibit, please contact our Educator/Assistant Curator Jenna Peterson or call 518-887-5073.

The shoes of Deborah Glen of Scotia -- made from satin and careful, slow stitches -- are indicative of clothing and accessories of a wealthy woman. Glen's matching dress is also on display. Image of exhibit The Story of Shoes, open now through June 2014 at the Franchere Education Center, Mabee Farm Historic Site.

Image of exhibit The Story of Shoes, open now through June 2014 at the Franchere Education Center, Mabee Farm Historic Site.

One of a number of pairs of women's wooden clogs on display. In the Netherlands, much of the country sits in low, damp ground. It is great for tulips, but not so good for your feet! As a result, many people wore clogs. When Dutch immigrants came to the New World, they brought the idea of clogs with them. Clogs keep the feet dry and warm, and keep your regular shoes from falling apart. Image of exhibit The Story of Shoes, open now through June 2014 at the Franchere Education Center, Mabee Farm Historic Site.

Shoes from H.S. Barney & Company in Schenectady. During the Industrial Revolution, shoe-making became quick and easy, and shoe sizes became standardized. The first American department stores opened in the late 1840s. Everything a family needed, in multiple styles, all in one place. Howlain Swain (H.S.) Barney arrived in Schenectady in 1836 and began to work in the dry goods business. In 1855, he purchased interest in Barringer & Company dry goods. By 1858, he bought out his partners and became the owner of the company, which he renamed H.S. Barney & Company. Barney’s remained in business through 1974. Image of exhibit The Story of Shoes, open now through June 2014 at the Franchere Education Center, Mabee Farm Historic Site.

Schenectady's Armories

Schenectady's second armory building, looking very inch the architectural bastion of strength and security. Image from Larry Hart Collection. 

This blog entry is written by Library Volunteer Victoria Bohm. 

There is a list of the arsenals and armories built in the State of New York from the Republican era through the Antebellum and Civil War eras in N.L. Todd’s book on New York’s Historic Armories. Albany had already two arsenals (1799, 1858) and Troy had the Fulton Market Armory (1830s) before the construction of Schenectady’s first armory. The first Armory was finished in 1868 for the 5th Division after the Civil War. Schenectady’s second Armory was built in 1898/99 for the 36th and 37th Companies. The third Armory, built in 1936, was used by both companies and the National Guard until it was sold in 2012.

Schenectady's first armory, constructed in 1868. Image from the Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

Plans and fund-raising efforts for the construction of new arsenals/armories in New York State was interrupted by the Civil War. Following the Civil War, Schenectady’s first Armory was authorized in 1866. The name of the architect is not known. Constructed to house Schenectady’s “Washington Continentals,” which, from 1859 through the Civil War was part of the 83rd Regiment, the first Armory found its champion in post-Civil-War Company Commander and State Assemblyman Robert Furman. He convinced the State to finance an armory for the Schenectady with $30,000 (a little less than half a million dollars in today’s account) approved on January 19, 1866. Furman, along with John W. Veeder and Judson S. Landon, were appointed commissioners to choose the site and get the armory built. They chose the rise above Crescent Park (now Veterans’ Park) near Nott Terrace and bought up the property of Civil Engineer Henry Ramsey in the process. The Schenectady Armory, completed in 1868 with its red-brick walls and slate roof, in overall design resembled the Utica 1862 Armory. In 1873/4, the Washington Continentals/83rd Regiment were joined by the new Citizens’ Corps; during the 1880s, both units were disbanded, separately mustered into the National Guard, and renamed the 36th and 37th Companies. They shared the Armory until its demolition for a new Armory, built in 1898.

Lobbying for a new, larger Armory began around 1880 and continued through the 1890s. State Assemblyman and then Commander of the 36th and 37th Companies, Austin A. Yates, managed at first to obtain only $5,000 for repairs to the existing Armory, but by 1897, he was granted $60,000 for a new Armory to be constructed by Barnes, Butts & Ingalls with architect Isaac G. Perry, who designed twenty-six arsenals and armories during the 1890s throughout New York State. This Armory was completed by 1898 and accommodated the troops from the Spanish-American War, specifically the 36th and 37th Companies, which had again been re-formed and re-named this time as Companies E and F in the 2nd Regiment (re-named the 105th Regiment). The building was also used for community activities, exhibitions, concerts, clothing and furniture sales, sports events such as wrestling, auto shows, and Boy Scout-o-ramas through the 1920s and 1930s. As early as 1913, there were recommendations from Federal Offices to demolish this second Armory for a third, even larger construction. However, nothing was realized until 1936.

The 1936 Armory under construction. Image from Larry Hart Collection.

Schenectady’s third Armory, the cornerstone of which was laid at 125 Washington Avenue in 1936, was completed in the Art Deco style and was 65,000 square feet. The interior was designed in what was them termed the “Tudorbethan” style. The Armory was designed by William E. Haugaard (1889-1948), New York State Architect from 1924-1944. Haugaard designed eleven other armories in the 1930s and 1940s. It was the headquarters for Companies E and F and the National Guard. The Armory was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995. Eventually the Washington Street Armory was closed, given over to the State Office of General Services. It was purchased by Legere Restorations in 2012. The company hopes to give the historic building a new life as a venue for concerts, trade shows, expos, and sporting events.

Aerial view of the third Armory, ca. 1980. Image from the Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection.

The East Front Street Neighborhood: A Family Remembrance

American Locomotive Company (ALCO) plant, ca. 1907. This view from across the canal (now Erie Boulevard) shows a number of houses on the eastern part of Front Street in addition to the ALCO plant. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

This blog entry is written by Library Volunteer Mary Ann Ruscitto.

Do you know where the East Front Street Neighborhood is? Well, most people don’t! This is a little neighborhood that is nestled between the Stockade and the old American Locomotive Company (ALCO) plant. It consists of the eastern part of Front Street, Jefferson Street, John Street, River Street, Monroe Street, Madison Street, and Mohawk Avenue. Here are my thoughts about our little neighborhood.

As I was surfing the web I came across a dissertation by Robert R. Pascucci titled Electric City Immigrants: Italians and Poles of Schenectady, New York, 1880-1930. This dissertation is posted on the Schenectady Digital History Archive.

I often wondered what East Front Street was like when my great-grandparents settled here. My great-grandfather, Nicola Ruscitto, came to America on June 15, 1901 aboard the Nord America that departed from Naples, Italy. The manifest from Ellis Island shows that Nicola was 22 years old and single (I believe that his first wife, Tulia Pizulo, passed away in Italy). It also showed Nicola was a carpenter, and that he had $20 in his pocket. He was going to see his brother Giuseppe in Schenectady, who lived at 8 ½ Jefferson Street.

Nicola (my great-grandfather) and wife Christina (nee Listorti) lived at 210 Front Street with their son Achille and his wife Carmela. His daughter Tulia (Ruscitto) Villano lived at 214 Front St. Gaetano and Carmela (Nicola’s daughter) Ruscitto lived at 205 Front Street. Yes, a Ruscitto married a Ruscitto! But the family says that they were not related. The village Patrella Tifernina in Italy where they come from had a huge majority of people who were Ruscittos.

My ancestors gathered often for family parties and picnics. Music was a big part of their lives. Marching bands would go down Front Street and through the city and they would love to watch. At gatherings, there was always someone ready to play the mandolin or guitar.

The above picture is a Ruscitto family gathering from around 1917-1918 with all the living descendants at that time. The reunion was held at Dente Hall (Gioia Ottaviano’s grandfather’s building, located at the corner of Front Street and River Street). It is something to see how my family has grown (as of 2006, there are 658 names on the family tree, and since then many more were added!). Back row (left to right): Christine Villano (Carmine), Christine Ruscitto (Scovello), Frank Joseph Ruscitto (Sr.), Vitoria DiLallo Mastrianni), Anna Ruscitto (Pacelli), William J. Ruscitto. Second row from back: Anthony Miano, George Dilallo, Nick Ruscitto, Albert Villano, Patsy Villano. Third row from back:  Dominic Lewis, Louise Miano, Julia Ruscitto (Matricardi), Louise Ruscitto (Guerriero), Mary Villano (Prysmont). Fourth row from back:  Gaetano Ruscitto, Carmella Ruscitto, Cristina Listorti (Rucitto), Nicola Ruscitto, Achille Ruscitto, Carmella Listorti (Ruscitto), Frank John Ruscitto Tulia Ruscitto (Villano). Fifth row from back:  Guiseppina Ruscitto (Lewis), Mary Luise Ruscitto (Vergine), Andrea Vergine, Giuseppina (Peppinella) Ruscitto, Michaelangelo Ruscitto, Frances Ruscitto (DiLallo), Alexander Dilallo, Nicholas Villano, Vincenzo Villano, Vincenza (Jane) Villano, Concettine Lewis. Front row:  Frank Lewis, Robert Lewis, Nick Ruscitto, Frank Ruscitto (my father and Uncle), Lawrence DiLallo, Edith Ruscitto, Josephine Ruscitto (Rykowski), Josephine Dilallor (Foley), Edith Villano, Guy Ruscitto, Tullia (Tillie) Ruscitto (Pacelli). Photograph collection of the author. 

According to the 1920 census, my grandmother Carmela was living at 205 Front Street. She was the head of household, as my grandfather died in 1917. She had three children living with her. Julia was 23 years old, Leonard, age 16 years old, Frank who was 14 years old and my father Nicholas was 11 years old. My aunt Julia Ruscitto Matricardi was an Electrical helper (interesting!). I can remember the stories she would tell us about working in a factory on Foster Avenue. I remember teasing her because she would always start with, “way back when I was a kid ...”

Boaters and waders deal with flood waters on Front Street at the ALCO plant in this photograph from the 1910s. Image from Grems-Doolittle Library Photograph Collection. 

In the 1930 census, it shows Achille and his wife Carmela living at 210 Front Street (this is now the parking lot for BL’s Tavern). Achille and his wife were 28 years old and Achille was a salesmen who sold fruits and vegetables. The 1915 city directory shows that my great-grandfather Nicola had a grocery store at 210 Front Street.

According to Pascucci, the decade of the 1880’s closed with the two immigrant communities, Italian and Polish, being similar in size. The count in the city of Schenectady contained 221 Italians and 196 Polish foreign-born residents. The city’s growing need for laborers was satisfied largely by immigrants. Large scale Polish immigration to Schenectady extended from 1890 to 1910. The peak of 4,315 foreign-born Poles was reached in 1890. That same year, the number of foreign-born Italians was 5,387. In 1930, Schenectady had 5,910 Italians and 3,648 Poles.

Interior of grocery store operated by Antonio Mele at 28 Jefferson Street, ca. 1910. Image from Larry Hart Collection. 

Italians settled downtown when they came to Schenectady, primarily in the Third Ward (which included the East Front Street Neighborhood). 3/4 of the Italian population in 1899 lived in workers’ housing that had been built by the locomotive works in 1848. Almost 80% of Italians had an address in the Third Ward. Most lodged on Front Street, Monroe Street, Jefferson Street, and John Street.

Pascucci tells how there was a varnish factory on River Street where 177 individuals were “herded together” and how families struggled to survive on a father’s salary of seventy to eighty cents a day! It tells that in the early 1900’s male boarders were found in 20% of all Polish households, and Italian boarders were a part of almost half of all Italian families. This could explain why there were so many tenement houses in our neighborhood. These tenement houses were similar in style to Uncle Ben’s, BL’s Tavern, and the rehab house located at the corner of Front and River Streets. The apartments did not have hot water and the bathrooms were located in the halls and were shared by all.

1894 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map showing River Street. The varnish works can be seen at the intersection of River Street and Front Street. Broom factories could also be found on River Street at that time. Image from Collections of Grems-Doolittle Library.  

As I continued to read Pascucci, it gave me insight into how our families struggled to survive. It tells how hard it was being in a new country and living through the depression. By reading Pascucci I can understand why people who did not live in our neighborhood might form the impression that our area was dangerous and poor. What they do not realize is that these immigrants were strong, hard working, family oriented people who were determined to make a new life in a new country.

Quite often I run into people whose families lived in the East Front Street Neighborhood or who grew up in the neighborhood. They are reminiscing about the old days, they say that they are just driving through the old neighborhood, and they can notice the changes and how nice the area looks! It is hard to put into words how our neighborhood was when my father’s family was growing up. I know that everyone was family. If someone was sick or their children were sick, the neighbors would pitch in to help get them through their hard times. If someone needed work done on their house, everyone would pitch in to get the task done.

I would like to share my father’s last request to me. He was very sick; he had bladder cancer. We kept him home as long as we could until it was too hard for him and we brought him to the hospital. One of the last requests that he asked me to do for him was to bring him outside. I bundled him up and helped him out the front door. He asked if I could help him walk to my neighbor’s house. They always had a bench in front and he wanted to sit there. We slowly made it to the bench and he looked at me and said, “Let me sit here alone for a little bit -- you go inside.” I knew what he was doing. He was taking in the sights of his beloved neighborhood. The bench was situated so that he could look up and down Front Street and up John Street. He was saying goodbye to the place he called home for 76 years.

In closing, I urge everyone to read Dr. Pascucci’s dissertation, and see how our neighborhood was a stepping stone in the city of Schenectady’s history, and how 80% of the immigrants that settled in Schenectady stepped through the streets of the East Front Street Neighborhood on their journey!