The Statue of Ella Fitzgerald, created by noted Yonkers sculptor Vinnie Bagwell in front of the Yonkers Train Station. Photo by Donna Davis
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Historian, President Emeritus Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board Member, Revolutionary Yonkers 250 Chair and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, February 17th
February 17, 1908: Assemblyman Harry Haines’ bill to sell Manor Hall for $50,000 passed the Assembly! His bill authorized Yonkers to sell Manor Hall and vest its care and maintenance with the American Scenic and Historic Preservation Society. The city did not vacate the building for three years.
February 17, 1937: Any compromise in the NY State Legislature dispute over women serving on juries was quickly dying. Westchester Assemblywoman Jane Todd’s bill requiring women to serve jury duty was passed by the Assembly. The Senate passed the Kleinfeld Act making jury duty “permissive, rather than mandatory;” it provided exemptions for women, in essence giving them the option to decide if they wanted to serve. They still were considering the bills a month later when Kleinfeld amended his to give exemptions to Catholic nuns.
Tuesday, February 18th
February 18, 1937: The United Textile Workers’ Union challenged Yonkers Public Safety Commissioner Denis Morrissey’s ban on distributing literature in Yonkers! It filed for an injunction to “restrain” Morrissey from “interfering with its intended organizing of the carpet shops” if patrolmen stopped them from passing out handbills. The textile workers, joined by the American Labor Party of Westchester, planned to pass out circulars to test the edict. The Bryn Mawr-Nepperhan Branch of the League of Women Voters and the Westchester Council District Committee of the Workmen’s Circle attacked the Morrissey’s decision to stop literature distribution.
Attorney Irvin Klein advised Commissioner Morrissey Yonkers’ ordinance forbidding handbill distribution applied only to commercial advertising, not to political, social or economic circulars.
Besides joining in flyer distribution, the American Labor Party protested to the Common Council and the Commissioner, advising them the Party supported Westchester Federation of Labor’s investigation of alleged discrimination against textile union members.
February 18, 1944: Restauranteur Ben Riley, lost his life battling a fire, a fire that turned his beautiful Arrowhead Inn, 385 Tuckahoe Road, into ashes. Flames shot up 100 feet in the air, spreading rapidly through the building.
Lining restaurant walls were more than 1,000 autographed photos, pictures of local celebrities such as Yonkers Mayor Joseph Loehr and national celebrities such as Charles Chaplin, Douglas Fairbanks, Ronald Colman and Oscar of the Waldorf!
Riley’s first restaurant was in Saratoga, where his chef originated Saratoga Chips, paper thin slices of potato cooked in fat… potato chips!
Wednesday, February 19th
February 19, 1937: Led by Chief Quirk, Yonkers police enforced the anti-handbill law without an arrest. United Textile Workers’ Union and backers were passing out literature outside the Smith Velvet Mill on Nepperhan Avenue. YPD grabbed hundreds of union flyers urging workers to join for better working conditions; this created a skirmish lasting 15 minutes. Police didn’t hit anyone, but roughly handled flyer distributors who resisted the police grabbing materials, especially United Automobile Workers who ignored police directives to keep moving standing still to pass out literature.
February 19, 1937: Yonkers-raised and educated vocalist Ella Fitzgerald was officially welcomed home by Mayor Joseph Loehr!
Ella returned to Yonkers to sing at the Paradise Boys’ Club Annual Dance at the Polish Community Center, attended by more than 1,500 people.
Thursday, February 20th
February 20, 1937: Henry Griffiths, National President of the Carpet and Rug Federation, arrived in Yonkers to personally organize workers at the Alexander Smith and Sons Carpet Company. His union was affiliated with the United Textile Workers of America.
February 20, 1942: Superintendent of Schools William Andkenbrand ordered teachers to conserve classroom paper supplies by using blackboards as much as possible. He also asked teachers join the State “Razor Blades for Britain” drive. Teachers should donate new razor blades for the “Keep ‘Em Scraping” campaign; this shaving equipment would be sent to England for British civilians, raising morale because they could shave to start their day.
Ankenbrand added he was sure “… educators in the British Isles will gain courage and strength from your efforts in their behalf.”
Friday, February 21st
February 21, 1923: To help Yonkers’ coal shortage, the Westchester Lighting Company began selling coal from its building at 119 Woodworth Avenue; they sold it at the company’s cost of 25 cents a bushel.
February 21, 1937: Yonkers’ Keskeskick Chapter, DAR, celebrated George Washington’s 205th birthday at their annual Washington Memorial Service at St John’s Church, Getty Square. Attended by people representing Yonkers’ political, patriotic, fraternal, civic and private organizations, the interfaith service featured speeches by Salvation Army Brigadier Spatig, Memorial AME Zion Church’s Reverend White, Rabbi Shohet of the Hudson Street Synagogue and Dayspring’s Reverend Crawford.
Saturday, February 22nd
February 22, 1943: Four hundred-fifty Yonkers dress company union members donated one day’s pay to support relief agencies. Half of the fund was designated for national relief agencies; the rest went to local agencies including the Community and War Chests. Employees donating a day’s pay worked at: Bob Dress Company, 95 Riverdale Avenue; Danmore Dress Company, 25 North Broadway; Geneva Dresses, 11 St. Casimir Avenue; Lemore Dress Company, 27 North Broadway; Slymlyne Undergarments, 289 Nepperhan Avenue; and Woodworth Dress Corporation, 69 Warburton Avenue.
Sunday, February 23rd
February 23, 1946: General Joseph Stilwell was the special guest at Yonkers Tercentenary held at the Armory; former Mayor William J. Wallin dubbed Stilwell “Yonkers favorite son of the Armed Forces, a symbol of the good, noble and heroic men who served our country in time of war.” An official greeting from President Truman extended the felicitations of the entire country. Truman said, Yonkers was “entitled to pardonable pride because of the reputation it has attained on account of its great natural beauty and the attractiveness of its parks and homes.” The President added “the citizens of Yonkers will ever cherish the rich heritage that is theirs through the courage and vision of their forebears.”
Questions or comments on this column? 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 info@yonkershistoricalsociety.org.
