BRIARCRIER
Dec. 13,
2013, Friday, 12:15, The Briar's Restaurant, Briarcliff Manor Rotary
Club.
TODAY
IN HISTORY
1769:
Dartmouth College in New Hampshire receives its charter.
MEETING
LEADER: President Anne Cargill
PLEDGE:
Anne Cargill SONG: Sy Yuter
PRAYER: Rev. George Higgins
HAPPY
THOUGHTS: Anne, we made $1600 on auction; Mark, sorry for
repeated emails. Other happy thoughts but not correctly recorded.
ROTARIANS
PRESENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS: 16 Rotarians present. Ernie,
grapefruits in Monday at Recreation Building lower level, and each
member responsible for at least five cartons.
GUESTS:
Rev. George Higgins, Rachel's dad; Karen Smith, co-president of
Briarcliff-Scarborough Historical Society.
SPEAKER
AND SUBJECT: William Sharman on Old Briarcliff.
SUMMARY
OF TALK
Bill
Sharman came to Briarcliff when he was four and here another 83
years. He is the oldest living resident of Briarcliff Manor. He is an
architect and graduate 1950 of Cornell University, School of
Architecture. Bill remembered his memories and antics as a youngster
living in Briarcliff, walking or bicycling to many places. He sewed
buttons on laundered jackets by the Briarcliff Laundry. The history
of Briarcliff Manor is given in Mary Cheever's book, which is
available for sale by The Historical Society. The area was first
known as Whitson's Corners. Walter Law, the founder of Briarcliff
Manor in 1902 with only a small number of residents, did not like
street names. So the only street in Briarcliff is Stratfort Street
near Macy Road. In early years there was only one traffic light in
the village, near the Sleepy Hollow Country Club. Also, Briarcliff
was a speed trap, especially on Route 9A. There were three other
ways to get to the village: by North State Road, Route 9 (the
Albany Post Road) and via the railroad. The Fire Department was
started before the village and was always voluntary. He mentioned the
old timers, Police Chief Arthur Johnson, Village Inspector
Max Vogel and some of the old Fire Department chiefs. The
Ambulance Corps was and still is part of the Fire Department. He went
to elementary and high school where Atria is today. He remembers
attending dancing class in sixth grade. There were sports for boys
and girls. He played in the orchestra. During World War II most
Briarcliff men served in the army. Some things never change, like the
Memorial Day parade. He remembers skating on the village pond (then
much larger than the pond at Law Park). There was also a skating pond
on the golf course. There were apple orchards, and on Long Hill Road
a pump for fresh water. The village pool was the first municipal pool
in the county. The tennis courts are still there. He remembers
playing ball on donkeys.
This
Friday, Kristen Linder on Art
Elinor
Yuter, Reporter
Rachel
Leihbacher, Expediter
