ACTRESS KATHLEEN BELLER, THE CROTON CONNECTION

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

BY SPECIAL REQUEST, KATHLEEN BELLER, THE CROTON CONNECTION...

Click on the Summer 2007 edition of THE CROTON HISTORIAN (the quarterly newsletter of The Croton Historical Society) for a quick bio of the actress.

Known best for her performance in PROMISES IN THE DARK with Marsha Mason (directed by Jerome Hellman, 1979) for which she was nominated for a Golden Globe, Beller also starred for two seasons in the television series DYNASTY.

Click on the US Magazine cover. More info here.

SPEAKING OF DYNASTY, YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY THIS POST HERE

PART ONE--INDEX TO THE EVERYTHING CROTON SERIES: "THE CROTON CONNECTION", POSTINGS THRU 2017

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

BY SPECIAL REQUEST, AN INDEX TO THE EVERYTHING CROTON SERIES..."THE CROTON CONNECTION"...THRU 2017, PART ONE--STAY TUNED FOR PART TWO:

--ACTOR PETER STRAUSS, CROTON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--ERIC KNIGHT, THE CROTON CONNECTION, LASSIE; more here and HERE

--FILM, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES, HAROLD RUSSELL, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--LITTLE ORPHAN ANNIE, HAROLD GRAY, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--FOLK SINGER WOODY GUTHRIE, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--ACTRESS LENORE ULRIC, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here and here

--PRIZEFIGHTER JACK DEMPSEY, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--CANDID CAMERA's ALLEN FUNT, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--OSCAR LEVANT, PIANIST, COMPOSER, ACTOR, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--FLOYD DELL, HESSIAN HILLS SCHOOL, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--SINGER ALAN LOMAX, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--MAX EASTMAN AND CHARLIE CHAPLIN, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--MEXICAN MURAL ARTIST DIEGO RIVERA, HESSIAN HILLS SCHOOL, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here 

--FRED GWYNNE, THE MUNSTERS(!), THE CROTON CONNECTION; BENNETT CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC, Croton Shakespeare Festival; more here

--KATHARINE HEPBURN, CROTON RIVER PLAYHOUSE, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here 

--ACTOR HOWARD DA SILVA, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

--SILENT SCREEN MATINEE IDOL FRANCIS X. BUSHMAN, CLIFFORD HARMON, THE CROTON CONNECTION; more here

UPDATED: SEE PART TWO OF THE INDEX HERE

CONGRATULATIONS TO HOLY NAME OF MARY'S FATHER NELSON

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

Congratulations to Holy Name of Mary's Father Nelson--who became a citizen on March 22nd at the White Plains courthouse.

Your editor first became acquainted with Father Nelson through his work with the Spanish Ministry (click on the photo).  Many parishioners also have high praise for his WELLSPRINGS lecture series at Holy Name. 

FOR MORE ABOUT HOLY NAME OF MARY, visit holynameofmary.org

DUKE ELLINGTON, THE CROTON (POINT) BEACH CONNECTION

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

We love making interesting finds about Croton's history...here's the latest....

For quite some time, we've been coming across items in various newspapers (from the Daily News and Tarrytown Daily Record to cite just two examples)  about Croton Point Beach Dancing and Music by The Georgia Syncopators. (Click on the photo.) The ads are mainly from the spring and summer of 1922.   

Intirgued, we set out to discover more about THE GEORGIA SYNCOPATORS.  Imagine our surprise to discover that this was one of the aliases used for DUKE ELLINGTON & HIS ORCHESTRA!!!!  Read more here

So was Duke Ellington ever at Croton Point?  We like to think so...but will continue to search!

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY:
--THE TOP 3 ARTICLES ABOUT CROTON POINT FOR 2013 AT EVERYTHING CROTON; click here

THE ORIGINAL RECYCLERS: CROTON IN WWII, SCRAP METAL AND PAPER DRIVES

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, or houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

MORE FROM THE ORIGINAL RECYCLERS--Croton in World War II...Scrap metal and paper drives, The American Legion, Croton Lions, Fred Niles etc. Courtesy of the outstanding archives maintained by the volunteers of THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Click on the images below.

TINW: WELCOME CANTOR LAUREN PHILLIPS FOGELMAN

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

A NOTICE FROM TEMPLE ISRAEL: After an extensive search and selection process, we are thrilled to announce that Cantor Lauren Phillips Fogelman has accepted the invitation to serve as our cantor at Temple Israel of Northern Westchester beginning on July 1, 2018. For additional info, contact tinw.org

1942 ZERO MOSTEL, THE CROTON CONNECTION: MOSTEL TO CELEBRATE WILLIAM GROPPER BIRTHDAY, HARMON PLAYHOUSE

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

MORE COURTESY OF THE OUTSTANDING ARCHIVES MAINTAINED BY THE VOLUNTEERS OF THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY:  1942 ZERO MOSTEL, THE CROTON CONNECTION: MOSTEL TO CELEBRATE WILLIAM GROPPER BIRTHDAY, FAMOUS ARTIST, HARMON PLAYHOUSE--CLICK ON THE IMAGES BELOW. 

FOR MORE ABOUT CROTON'S WILLIAM GROPPER and other Croton artists of the day, click on the link http://everythingcroton.blogspot.com/2016/02/1940-croton-artists-to-exhibit-at.html

VINTAGE CROTON: PICK PRODUCTS AND THE BRICK SHIRT HOUSE, 1983, BY SPECIAL REQUEST

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON. 

TWO REQUESTS your editor and the elves were able to answer at last:

1) A reader asked about a ceramic shop that closed shortly after her arrival in Croton--but couldn't remember the name--we believe it was PICK PRODUCTS (click on the 1983 ad ABOVE courtesy of THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY). It was owned by Paul and Mary (nee Villani) Picciano, one of the original founders of THE CONCORDIA BAND and a member of Chemical Engine Company.

2) We also had a request for anything on THE BRICK SHIRTHOUSE (the latter was two words not one)--click on the ad, also from 1983 and also courtesy of THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY; there's not much out there--we were able to locate this from a Galveston 1989 paper: "Dec 20, 1989 - That ploy seems to work for one of Baron's favorite businesses, The Brick Shirt House in Croton-on- Hudson, N.Y. Originally it was named because it moved into a red brick building and we sold T-shirts," said owner Henry Haase"

Many thanks as always to the volunteers of THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY; more info here

VINTAGE CROTON--DECEMBER 1945, THE TIGER RAG

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

Courtesy of the outstanding archives maintained by the volunteers of The Croton Historical Society, AND BY SPECIAL REQUEST--MORE OF THE TIGER CUB, DECEMBER 1945 prepared and edited by the students of Croton Harmon High School. Click on the images below.

YOU MAY ALSO HAVE AN INTEREST IN THE TIGER CUB, APRIL 1945; click here

MORE ABOUT CROTON'S OWN LOUIS A. BRENNAN

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON. 

As promised, more of the great Lou Brennan, courtesy of the outstanding archives at THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY. Click on the photos below. See and read more here

Become a member of THE CROTON HISTORICAL SOCIETY TODAY; download the membership form here 

For more about the Louis A. Brennan, Lower Hudson Chapter, NYS Archaeological Association, visit their website at http://www.lablhc.org/

 

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY...COURTESY OF CROTON UNITED, PHOTO ALBUM, ARCHAEOLOGY DAY 2017 AT CROTON POINT PARK, here

 

A LOOK BACK AT CROTON'S UNITED CIGAR STORE

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

At Everything Croton, we try to answer all requests--here's an old one--a request for "anything on the old UNITED CIGAR STORE on Riverside before the highway". Click on the images below, courtesy of the outstanding archives maintained by the volunteers of The Croton Historical Society.

FOR THOSE WHO DON'T KNOW:  United Cigar Stores was a chain of cigar stores in the United States that in its first quarter-century grew to nearly 3,000 shops. It eventually became part of the corporation that bought Marvel Comics and its parent company Magazine Management from their founder in 1968. Read more here.

YOU MIGHT ALSO ENJOY A LOOK BACK AT WINKLER'S; more here

CLOSE-UP

THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, THE FAIRPORT HERALD, 1888, THE CROTON CONNECTION & MORE

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools, our houses of worship--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON.

A fascinating article from THE FAIRPORT HERALD, 1888, featuring Dr. Underhill, those luscious grapes, the Croton River, Pierre Van Cortlandt, the Manor house, the now long-gone shad population, Major Andre, assorted members of the Teller family, and their recollections of GENERAL GEORGE WASHINGTON etc.. Click on the images for HOURS WITH THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE REVOLUTION

REMEMBERING NANCY WALKER

Who died this date in 1992---American actress and comedian of stage, screen, and television. She was also a film and television director (most notably of The Mary Tyler Moore Show, on which she also made several guest appearances). During her five-decade long career, she may be best remembered for her long-running roles as Mildred on McMillan & Wife and Ida Morgenstern, who first appeared on several episodes of The Mary Tyler Moore Show and later became a prominent recurring character on the spinoff series Rhoda. She was also remembered for the Bounty Paper Towel commercials; click on the photo to see Walker in 1975.  Read more here

NANCE'S COFFEE, A 3/24/18 UPDATE, MOVING FORWARD PAST THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY OF TERRY'S ACCIDENT

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON. 

As many of you know, NANCE'S COFFEE/THE COHENS closed in September of 2017 when the MTA gave the contract for the space to another bidder. This, despite well over thirteen hundred petition signatures--and the intercession of many local political figures--among them, then Mayor Dr. Greg Schmidt, candidate for county legislator Bob Outhouse, Senator Terrence Murphy, etal.

By way of a quick history, the New York Central Railroad leased the coffee stand to the Marafito family in 1966. The family had been diligently serving the riding public from then until last year. When Theresa Fiorentino perished on the railroad tracks in 2008, the community of Croton grieved as we had lost one of our own.

Sean Cohen has placed an update on the petition site:

Mar 24, 2018 — We want to thank each and every one of our supporters in this battle we fought. It is more important for us to move forward and keep other legacies and dreams alive for Terry. Unfortunately the Marafito Family lost their bid and had to leave the beloved train station after 51 years. But Linda (Marafito) Odubayo Thompson has rewritten Terry's memoir. READ MORE HERE

HOLY NAME'S "ART DECO MARY"

Welcome to Everything Croton, a collection of all things Croton--our history, our homes, our issues, our businesses, our schools--in short, EVERYTHING CROTON. 

One of the first churches your editor heard about when arriving in Croton was the large and very imposing Holy Name of Mary on Grand Street in the historic Upper Village.  

That's because your editor has always been a fan of both French and American Art Deco style, and a friend insisted that I just had to check out the only "Art Deco Mary" statue she had ever seen. 

The statue graces a niche in the stone facade high above the main entrance.

The church she said, was quite beautiful, with traditional painted statuary and stained glass windows of high quality, but....the exterior statue of Mary above the entrance was pure art deco--in line and form--especially the eyes, costuming and head piece. 

Make sure to take your telephoto lens she added.

And your editor did. And she was right. Again, click on the photos to see this most unusual Blessed Virgin.

p.s. As it turns out--and thanks to the volunteers at The Croton Historical Society, your editor learned that the church was completed, dedicated and opened in 1929.  You can read more about that by clicking here.

That puts Holy Name's "Mary" squarely up front with the Art Deco style (which, by the way, originated in France just before World War I, and had an important impact on architecture and design in the United States throughout the 1920s and 1930s).

So the next time you're passing Holy Name of Mary, look up...for a very serene yet thoroughly "moderne" rendition of the Blessed Virgin....and no, we don't know who the artist was.  Stay tuned....

YOU MAY ALSO ENJOY A LOOK AT ONLY SOME OF THE STAINED GLASS WINDOWS AT HOLY NAME here

MORE FABULOUS VINTAGE WEBSITES, FINDS, ETC. FROM EVERYTHING CROTON

Something old, something new....Two pulp movie star magazines from 1957 with fabulous ads, SAYONARA AND A SUMMER PLACE--very "racy" and important films for their time--for various reasons. 

And of course for Easter fans, just a small portion of the 2016 village from Matthew Und. Love the "design-lines" on the roofing of the two putz houses. CLICK ON THE PHOTOS AND ENJOY.

We continue to receive so many requests for help in finding patterns/templates to make your own cardboard putz houses--once again you are being sent to the BEST place around--with hundreds of patterns and templates (not for commercial purposes) conveniently located in one place--and of course some of the best advice at Cardboard Christmas Dot Com - Click on the link: https://bit.ly/LeAUdF

ALWAYS WORTH ANOTHER LOOK: VINTAGE JAYLINE TINPLATE BUILDING, SUBURBAN STATION, with working bell http://bit.ly/1N0AnL2

Our friends at European Film Star Postcards are always on the hunt for some rare and interesting postcards--and have come up with some beauties! Click on the link for more from 2016 http://bit.ly/23QLnPo

LUCY'S SPRING PUTZ HOUSES & PROJECTS HERE

FABULOUS PUTZ HOUSE REPRO BY PUTZINVT HERE  

REMEMBERING THE OUTER LIMITS--and The Twilight Zone and more too--includes a fab collection of vintage trading cards--go HERE

AND IF YOU LOVE TRAINS, this is the place to go https://bigindoortrains.com/

AND HERE'S A WONDERFUL FIND--TRAIN TIME: 'Mother's Nightmare' Marx No. 400 Wind-Up Engine with Baking Soda 'Smoke' and Bell