Year: 1615
The Chemung River, which rises near Painted Post, New York, is a tributary of the Susquehanna River. Its name means "Tusk-in-the-Water" in Iroquois, and it was named for the mammoth tusks that the Hudenosaunee found along its course.
The Chemung River was "discovered" by a French trapper, Stephen Brule, in 1615. By the time of the Revolutionary War, the Chemung River was a major trade route in this frontier area, and many towns grew up along its banks and in the area, including Elmira, Corning (home of Corning Glass), and Waverly. In 1833, the Chemung Canal linked the river to the Erie Canal, and the river became a major transshipment point for Pennsylvania coal to reach the Great Lakes, and hence the Atlantic Ocean, for easy shipping overseas. This trade continued even after the canals were supplanted by the railroads. The region grew rich, and remained rich, for most of the 19th and 20th Centuries as part of the Rust Belt. Unfortunately, the outsourcing of American manufacturing put the Chemung River watershed into an economic decline beginning in the 1970s; it remains an economically-depressed area.
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| The Corning Museum of Glass |
My sister Bette Jeanne was born June 12, 1946 at St. Joseph's Hospital. My mother, Dorothy Rita [Hodson] Fullerton, riding in a car driven by my Dad, Myrll Irving Fullerton, was one of the last to cross the Walnut St. Bridge as it was closing due to the Chemung River flood. An enormous flood project followed to contain the waters that had a history of flood plain destruction. At the time we lived next to Mr. Brooks' mom and Pop style store, on Charles St. The end of the American LaFrance factory which only a block away, produced the finest 'Fire Engines' in the world. The Methodist Church was across the St. My friend, Dicky Dean lived around the corner. Mr. Dean, Navy boxer, was building a restaurant, only 300 yards away. Together we used to hike up to Seely Creek. Shortly after the flood waters subsided we were hit by heavy winds that tore up big circumfrance Maple trees. I still have the cross-saw my grand father made for me to cut short logs for our outdoor fire place. I was ten. C
ReplyDeleteThe flood walls were under construction and the Fullerton's moved to 612 West Water St. I attended George Washington Junior HS with my best friend, Dick Peters. Other friends; Betty Jo Brennan, Theresa Cunningham, Pete Tota, Carol Gamble, Dick Evans, Marty liddy and many faces I've lost touch with. I could roller skate to the Republic Movie Theater. I remember seeing 'tomato pie' [later referred to as pizza] featured in the bakery store window; downtown, next to Libby's Dept. Store near the corner of Water St. I have many fond memories of Elmira and skinny dipping in the Chemung, fishing in Catherine Creek for lake trout, Seely Creek and catching sun fish at the man made pond located next to the flood control construction; Perfect for ice-skating. Our family moved to Binghamton after attending EFA for only six weeks, 1950. I loved Elmira and the friends I had make a very fond memory. For about 2 years the family lived in Fisherville, across the road from Mr. & Mrs. farm and my friend, Junior Fredericks [not far, across the fields and the swimming hole to the Schweitzer Glider factory.
DeleteBob Fullerton, Port St. Lucie , FL.