Hi everyone, here are the Local History Photos of the Week!

(Click on the photos for a larger view!)

Photo 1: Vintage Fire Truck

Our first photo for this week shows a vintage fire truck and fireman in the days of old. The photo is undated ; however, by looking at the fire truck I’m speculating it was taken around 1930.

What a cool photo!

If you recognize the fireman, please let us know!

We’d love to include that information in our records.

 

Photo 2: Vintage Grocery Store

Our second photo is of a local grocery store, the date the photo was taken and the location it was taken are a mystery. However, like the first photo for this week — it is super cool! Based upon the clothing the men are wearing, I’m going to speculate that the photo may have been taken sometime in the 1940s.

If you recognize any of the men in the photo, or if you know where the photo was taken, please let us know.

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

Corning History is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:

At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have the local paper, at times called the Corning Leader, Corning Journal or Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

And…

And if you find any old photos or postcards of the Corning area that you don’t know what to do with – you can always donate them to the library!

Hi everyone, here is a bonus posting!

I’ve had a request to post the photos, in the library’s local history collection, showing the 200” glass disc made by Corning Glass Works for the Palomar Observatory in 1934.

The disc is officially titled “Palomar Observatory’s Telescope Mirror Blank*”, and is one of the largest pieces of glass ever cast. The glass disc was commissioned by astronomer George Hale in the 1930s. Hale wanted a larger reflecting blank to be installed in the telescope at the Palomar Observatory in California. The Palomar Observatory had been using a 60” disc which, at the time it was cast, was cutting edge technology being the largest piece of cast glass ever created. Hale wanted a better, larger view of the stars which would require a larger reflecting disc, so he commissioned the 200” disc from Corning Glass Works.*

The disc was cast twice and the second time was the charm as a perfect disc was created.

In 1948 the disc was taken by train from Corning to California and installed in the Palomar Observatory where it is still in use today!

So here are the few cool photos of the disc we have in our collection!

Enjoy!

Linda Reimer, SSL

 

References:

*200” Disc, Corning Museum of Glass, https://www.cmog.org/artwork/200-inch-disk

 

If you’d like to know more about the creation of the disc, check out this page on the Corning Museum of Glass site:

https://www.cmog.org/collection/exhibitions/mirror-to-discovery

 

And if you want to dig deep on the subject, here is a link to an excellent Rakow Research Library LibGuide on the subject:

https://libguides.cmog.org/hale

 

And if you’d like to read a book about the disc, and the Palomar Observatory, here’s a book you can request from the library:

Hi everyone, here are the Local History Photos of the week!

(Click on the photos for a larger view!)

Photo 1: Denison Park Postcard

Our first photo of the week shows Denison Park in the days of old – date unknown.

What cool photo, it shoes a summer scene complete with ladies wearing summer white!

 

Photo 2: Old Corning Opera House & Music Consevatory 

Our second photo for this week is of an old Corning landmark; the old Corning Opera House, which I believe was torn down to make room for the lot that housed the old Woolworth store.

What a great old building – can’t you just imagine the music played there and the peformances given?

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

Corning History is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:

At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have the local paper, at times called the Corning Leader, Corning Journal or Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

And…

And if you find any old photos or postcards of the Corning area that you don’t know what to do with – you can always donate them to the library!

Hi everyone, here are the Local History Photos of the week!

(Click on the photos for a larger view!)

Photo 1: Students & Instructor

Our first photo for this week appears to have been taken in the sixites or seventies, at least it does if you look at the clothing!

But I don’t recognize what type of equipment the instructor is adjusting…

If you know what type of equipment is seen in the photo and/or recognize who one or more of the people seen in the photo are – let us know!

 

Photo 2: Crystal City Clothing

Our second photo is of a store on a corner block in the City of Corning at some time in the past. The awning above the store clearly says “Crystal City Clothing”, and I believe the last part of that awning sign says “& Merchant Tailoring House.”

The building housing the store looks familar and I may have to take a walk up Market Street and look for it!

Our records don’t indicate when or exactly where the photo was taken, but I’d guess by the fact that most of the men posing for the photo are wearing bowler hats that the photo was probably taken before 1930.

Even if we don’t know when the photo was taken or who the men are seen in the photo – it sure is cool!

We can see that if we could step back in time and walk down Market Street on that day we could “Get Suited” at the store and rent a room next door before walking a few feet down the block to the Gerber City store!

Bonus Photo: Steuben Postcard

Our bonus photo this week is of a postcard showing a Steuben glassworker engraving a Steuben bowl.

And again, we don’t know who the man seen in the postcard is – so if you recognize him please let us know!

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

Corning History is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:

At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have the local paper, at times called the Corning Leader, Corning Journal or Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

And…

And if you find any old photos or postcards of the Corning area that you don’t know what to do with – you can always donate them to the library!

Hi everyone, here are the Local History Photos of the week!

 

(Click on the photos for a larger view!)

 

Photo 1: Flooded Street During The Flood of ’35

Our first photo for this week shows, what I believe to be either old Erie Avenue or Market Street during the Flood of 1935.

Cool vintage cars are seen driving over the viaduct and you can clearly see stores signs for Jones Pontiac and Alemite Auto as well as a barber’s colorful barber’s pole.

What a neat photo!

 

Photo 2: Trio of Fire Officials In Front of Old Fire Truck

Our second photo for this week features a trio of fire fighter officials standing in front of a neat old fire truck. And, although our records don’t indicate where the photo was taken, I believe from other photos I’ve seen online that they are standing in front of what is today the Rockwell Museum!

If you know anything about the three unidentified men in the photo please let us know!

 

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

 

Corning History is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:

At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have the local paper, at times called the Corning Leader, Corning Journal or Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

And…

And if you find any old photos or postcards of the Corning area that you don’t know what to do with – you can always donate them to the library!

Hi everyone, here are the Local History Photos of the week!

Photo 1: Corning Free Academy Basketball Team

Our first photo for this week is of a Corning Free Academy Basketball Team in an unknown year.

And although we don’t have a listing for the year the photo was taken, I would speculate that it may have been taking during World War II as if you look closely, above the heads of the players, at the left and right hand corners of the photo, you’ll see it says “Infantry” and “Air Corps.”

It would be neat to know who the young men in the photo are too!

If your recognize any of the men in the photo and/or if you have any stories about local basketball players or games please share them!

 

Photo 2:  Snowy Walk 

We don’t have a date or location for this photo. However, I suspect it may have been taken in the City of Corning at some time in the past as those hills in the background look familiar!

If you recognize where the photo was taken, who the girl is in the photo or if you have any stories of what life was like in Corning in ages past please feel free to share that information.

Have a great weekend!

Linda, SSCL

 

Corning History is a Southeast Steuben County Library blog.

Library Local History/Creation Station Resources:

At the library you can scan your photos and slides to create digital family albums and slideshows; and even use one of the Circut machines, and other Creation Station equipment, to help you create a special paper family history album.

Also of note, we have the local paper, at times called the Corning Leader, Corning Journal or Corning Daily Journal, on microfilm from 1840 to the present — so you can visit the library and research local history and your family tree if you wish!

And…

And if you find any old photos or postcards of the Corning area that you don’t know what to do with – you can always donate them to the library!