By Mary Hoar, President Emerita Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, August 29th
August 29, 1941: The Westchester Grand Jury began examining the “Elks Deal,” protested by several Yonkers leaders. The club had defaulted on its mortgage, interest and back taxes; instead of foreclosing on the property, the city purchased the building from the club. Those protesting the deal claimed the lodge got favoritism because many powerful political leaders and city officials were members.
August 29, 1947: President Harry Truman appointed Class of 1912 Yonkers High School grad Major General William Draper, Jr., to be Under Secretary of the War, making him the school’s highest ranking living alumnus. He served in this capacity for less than two months; the Department of War became the Department of the Army, making Draper our first Under Secretary of the Army. He left the position February 1949 to rejoin Dillon, Read & Co. and was called the “Wall Street General.” President Dwight Eisenhower appointed him as the first US Ambassador to NATO in 1953, a position he served in for just three months. While at NYU, the Woodworth Avenue resident won several oratorical contests.
Tuesday, August 30th
August 30, 1926: After a police chase over several city blocks accompanied by gun fire, Patrolmen Thomas Coombs and John Baldwin captured two men who robbed and assaulted a man in front of Holy Rosary Rectory. Coombs heard the victim’s weak cry for help from Woodworth Avenue, called for additional police assistance and apprehended the men at Ashburton and Park Avenues. They stole $210 from the Glenwood Avenue victim.
August 30, 1953: The Yonkers, Oklahoma, Post Office was no longer in existence! Founded by George Herriot Lowerre, son of one of oldest Yonkers families, the community was named after his hometown. Seven years earlier, it had 69 residents; most of whom traveled by bus to Yonkers to celebrate our 1946 tercentennial. Most of the hamlet was flooded for a dam, and many of those who visited us had lost their homes.
August 30, 1956: The Yonkers Keys left Yonkers and flew to Bismark, ND, to compete in the National Junior American Legion Baseball competition.
Wednesday, August 31st
August 31, 1639: Native Americans sold Nepperhaem (Yonkers) to the Dutch West India Company.
August 31, 1914: Isadora Duncan’s sister Elizabeth and nine charges from the European War Zone finally arrived in Yonkers after being detained at Ellis Island by Immigration Authorities. When finally released, the group headed directly to Park Avenue in Yonkers, where they spent their first days in America. Duncan’s planned to establish a school to teach esthetic dancing and in 1916, opened a school at 360 North Broadway.
Thursday, September 1st
September 1, 1923: Employees who worked for Smith Carpet Company for 10 years received a check for ten percent of their salary; workers employed five to ten years received a check for five percent. Bonus checks totaled $82,000.
September 1, 1943: An impromptu meeting of former mayors happened by chance outside the First National Bank Building. State Senator William Condon and John Wallace just happened to meet; John Fogarty, in town from Long Island, soon joined them. Minutes later, Joseph Loehr happened along! The group chatted for several minutes, so quietly those passing by could not hear their conversation.
Friday, September 2nd
September 2, 1931: The Yonkers Board of Education requested $5800 to equip a lunchroom at Longfellow Junior High School on North Broadway. If granted, Longfellow would be the only school in Yonkers to have a lunchroom. Longfellow later moved to the Hollow, and its original building became Commerce HS.
September 2, 1952: The new parking lot built for Otis Elevator employees opened with nationwide attention. The lot, built to hold 180 cars, included a “ladies’ row,” with a very wide aisle for women! Letters poured in from all over the country from outraged women, stating women drove just well as men.
Saturday, September 3rd
September 3, 1935: Two hundred-seventy-five children celebrated Frank Tobin Day at the Polo Grounds! Besides watching a double-header, the kids munched on peanuts, popcorn and other traditional ball park goodies. The little ones wore white ribbons with the words “Tobin and Winn” in blue. Tobin, of course, was Frank Tobin, originator of Tobin Day and was Democratic candidate for First Ward Alderman; Winn was Supervisor William Winn. After the games, a bus brought the children back to the First Ward Democratic Club for ice cream and cake
September 3, 1942: One “casualty” was reported in the test mobilization of the Yonkers Red Cross first aid units. A Sea Scout runner for the Sixth Ward was extremely late in reporting back to headquarters at Sacred Heart Church. When he breathlessly finally reported in, he reported he was “captured” by three boys!. He literally was taken into custody, and held until he managed to break loose to report to duty.
Sunday, September 4th
September 4, 1921: The Board of Education voted six to two to proceed with plans to build a new high school on the Waring property between Yonkers HS and Saunders Trades School on South Broadway. The Armour Villa Park Association immediately adopted a resolution protesting alleged discrimination because the new high school was not going to be built in the suburbs of the city.
September 4, 1956: The Yonkers Keys baseball team was the first team eliminated from the National Junior American Legion Championship. With the “double-elimination” process and their losses to New Orleans and Roseburg, our hometown heroes were out of the competition. Coach Desperito was so angry at the officiating, he got ejected from the Bismark ballpark.
Questions or comments? Email YonkersHistory1646@gmail.com. For information on the Yonkers Historical Society, Sherwood House and upcoming events, please visit our website www.yonkershistoricalsociety.org, call 914-961-8940 or email yhsociety@aol.com.
