By Mary Hoar, President Emerita, Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council
Monday, August 23rd
August 23, 1911: Steamboats in the Hudson and Yonkers factories stopped operation to welcome daring aviator and cross-country pilot Harry Atwood, who flew over Yonkers at an altitude of 500 feet. Atwood, on the last lap of his flight from St. Louis to New York City, was welcomed to Yonkers air space by factories and steamboats blowing their whistles.
August 23, 1937: Contrary to a ruling by the New York State Department of Education, the City of Yonkers Law Department upheld the validity of the appointments of 88 teachers to the Yonkers Public Schools.
April 23, 1949: Firefighters in the Yonkers Fire Department announced not only had they joined an AFL affiliate, the International Association of Fire Fighters, more than 95% of the men had joined.
Tuesday, August 24th
August 24, 1930: Western Yonkers was woken by loud noises across the Hudson as several ledges on the Palisades began disintegrating. Unfortunately, six campers sleeping along the Hudson were injured by the large boulders, rocks, gravel and earth that came raining down.
August 24, 1939: Board of Supervisors Chairman Ralph McClelland announced a ten-cent toll would charged on the Saw Mill River Parkway after validity of the toll on the Hutchinson River Parkway was determined… finally The toll would be near the Yonkers city line.
August 24, 1940: The Common Council directed City Manager Raymond Whitney to inform Frank Bellanca Yonkers wanted him to locate his watercraft manufacturing industry at Ludlow Field; Whitney was to offer him a partially tax free 20-year lease for at least $3500 per year.
Wednesday, August 25th
August 25, 1933: Although the City of Yonkers was meeting the weekly $40,000 payrolls, such as for DPW workers and Work relief crews, it once again delayed paying employees paid monthly and semi-monthly.
August 25, 1943: Jack Lambert, Hawthorne JHS and Yonkers HS graduate, was the first voice heard in the Hollywood film “Bomber’s Moon.” Playing the turret gunner, he was heard discussing the beauty of the moon. Lambert went on to be a well-known character actor, appearing in movies Vera Cruz, The Killers, The Enforcer, and How the West Was Won, and others. He also appeared in several TV series, such as Gunsmoke, Daniel Boone, Wagon Train, Get Smart, The Andy Griffin Show and was a regular (playing Joshua Walcek) in Darren McGavin’s Riverboat.
August 25, 1951: Corporation Counsel John Galloway ruled Yonkers could not legally levy an “amusement device tax” on pari-mutuel machines at Yonkers Raceway.
Thursday, August 26th
August 26, 1945: Brigadier General Frederick Hopkins, Jr., of Riverdale Avenue was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal; according to the presentation, “General Hopkins services were an outstanding contribution to the success of the Army Air Forces and the war effort.” As Chief of the Resources Division at the Headquarters of the Army Air Forces, he was responsible for the aircraft facilities expansion program. He acquired raw and semi-fabricated materials, machine tools, and equipment, and developed an efficient system to get these supplies to the urgent production and tactical needs; this enabled the aircraft industry to meet their production schedules and maximize production. Hopkins was born 1895 in Yonkers, graduated from Yonkers High School and enlisted during World War I.
August 26, 1945: After traveling down the Saw Mill River Parkway from West Point, General Charles de Gaulle stopped to pose for pictures at the Yonkers city line, and graciously accepted the greetings of the hundreds of Yonkers residents there to catch a glimpse of him. He officially was welcomed to New York City by Police Commissioner Lewis Valentine and Grover Whalen, and then continued on to New York City.
August 26, 1955: North Yonkers residents again complained after a second accident in less than twenty-four hours happened on Palisade Avenue. Speedsters in cars and on motorcycles regularly used the stretch from Lake Avenue north to the former Ewing Estate, all paved level ground since the trolley tracks had been covered.
Friday, August 27th
August 27, 1896: James J. Mulcahey was appointed first Chief of Yonkers Professional Fire Department at the annual salary of $900. During his tenure, he fought thousands of fires, and trained hundreds of young men in the skillful art of fighting fires, life saving techniques and fire prevention. After his compulsory retirement in 1931, he continued to speak on fire prevention until he passed away eighteen years later.
August 27, 1927: For the first time in the history of Yonkers politics, a polling place was designated for the convenience of our commuters. Residents of the First District of the Eighth Ward would be able to vote at the Putnam Line Caryl Station.
Saturday, August 28th
August 28, 1946: Rumors abounded in Yonkers that Eleanor Roosevelt was being treated at St. John’s Riverside Hospital for several days; instead, she was visiting her maid Gertrude Jones there. Not only did staff members and patients see Mrs. Roosevelt several times, they also saw her son Elliott and his movie star wife Faye Emerson visiting Jones frequently.
August 28, 1945: According to the Municipal Civil Service Commission report on its 1944 activities submitted to Acting City Manager Norman Hendersen, Yonkers had more than 2,000 Civil Service workers on its payroll at the end of the year.
Sunday, August 29th
August 29, 1940: City Manager Raymond Whitney rejected the $64,000 price the Elks’ Club demanded for the purchase of their clubhouse on South Broadway.
August 29, 1941: The Westchester Grand Jury began examining the “Elks Deal,” one protested by several Yonkers leaders. Although 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, claiming the lodge got favoritism because of the many powerful political leaders and city officials who were members.
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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.
