Step back in time features news items from The Daily Star 25 and 50 years ago.
25 years ago
May 15, 1987
Today, Betsy and Earl Cunningham are going to New York City to receive an award from the state Office of Parks, Recreation and Historical Preservation for restoring the Artwork building at 170-172 Main St. in Oneonta.
The Cunninghams and others from different parts of the state are being honored for contributing "to the well-being of the state in ways which cannot be measured in dollars and cents," said Orin Lehman, commissioner of the Historical Preservation Office.
But restoring the four-storey brick building required many dollars and cents, said Earl Cunningham, although he declined to cite a dollar figure. Some of the restoration was financed by loans available through the federal Small Cities program, he said.
Joseph Bernier and Bruce Amadon of the city's Community Development Office helped guide the project and obtain funds, said Cunningham.
When the couple purchased the 19th century building in 1984 for their expanding art supply and custom picture frame business, the storefront was covered by a two-toned green aluminum sheet, bearing the former store's name in bright orange letters.
First the sign came down, then the aluminum facade, affixed to the building in 1973 during the age of urban renewal, was peeled off, exposing dull brickwork which hadn't been properly tended for many years.
But when treated with chemical cleaners, the facing recovered its former two-toned luster, buff colored bricks trimmed with deep red bricks.
The cornice, which had been hidden behind aluminum, was almost completely destroyed and had to be rebuilt, said Cunningham. The brickwork had to be repointed.
In all these efforts, the Cunninghams strove to adhere to state standards for restoring historical buildings.
The refinished product is a stately four-tiered structure with rectangular windows on the first and third storeys and arched windows in the second and fourth storeys.
50 years ago
May 15, 1962
COOPERSTOWN _ The observance of the 40th anniversary was the feature of the meeting last week of the Woman's Club of Cooperstown.
Mrs. James A. Robinson, the newly elected president, conducted the meeting. Mrs. Kenneth L. Dodd led the devotions.
On hand for the event denoting 40 years of consecutive existence of the group were past presidents: Miss Helen Hale, Mrs. W.O. Hintermeister who is a charter member, Mrs. Kenneth L. Dodd, Mrs. Robert M. Atwell, Miss Magdalene Frank, Mrs. Robert Johnson, Mrs. Edward G. Welch and Mrs. Robert A. Streett.
Donald J. Butler, speech therapist at Bassett Hospital, and a member of the Special Services Dept., in the Cooperstown Central School System, was speaker at the meeting.
His subject was "Speech Development with the Deaf Child."
Following the meeting, refreshments were served by Mrs. Clinton, V.Z. Hawn and Mrs. Ernest B. Knapp, chairmen, assisted by members of the new executive board. Miss Hale and Mrs. Atwell, past presidents, poured. A centerpiece of tulips and daffodils was arranged by Mrs. Knapp.
