Really Out of My Past - #30 2023

OUT OF OUR PAST

by Barbara Dix

Really Out of My Past

During the SHS Blueberry Fest, a box of Phoenix related material was brought to me.  It had been mailed to the Oswego Historical Society from Texas.  The folks at OHS felt that it really belonged to the  Phoenix area and asked if we would like it.  I came across a note explaining the origin of the box and it was out of my past.

Most of the material in the box is from John and Betty Thompson.  Both of them had died as did their son.  Carl Dimon was the nearest relative alive, so he came from Texas to take care of their affairs.  Carl died just recently, soon after his uncle, so his wife, Susan was left with this material.  She is the one who decided it all should come back to Oswego County.

Let me tell you about Susan and me.  Susan originally lived in Baldwinsville.  Upon graduation she attended Albany State University for Teachers, majoring in mathematics.  When I transferred from Syracuse University to Albany, she was already there and a friend of my roomate.  We also became friends.  When she graduated she got a job as a math teacher here in Phoenix and married Carl Dimon.  They moved to Texas before my husband and I came back from his army tour at Fort Monmouth, New Jersey so we never got a chance to renew our friendship.

We saw each other over the years when they would come back to visit family.  The last time I saw Carl was at the Alumni Banquet a short time before his death.  I didn’t see Susan because she was recovering from an operation.

Here is the note she sent with the box:  Dear Friends,  This box contains lots of WWII stuff from my husband’s uncle, John Thompson’s experiences in that war.  He wrote to his Mom every day for 3 yrs. And these letters are enclosed, along with other stuff.  John was raised in Phoenix, N.Y..

This is an out and out gift to do with as you please.  Do feel free to dispose of anything you care to.

I am so glad you will take all the stuff.  My late husband was so interested in history. 

Indeed, Carl was interested in history.  Whenever he came back to town he would come or call and want to tell me or ask me something about the past.

I have looked at the material and tried to get an idea of what is here.  The letters will take a long time to evaluate, but the pictures are a treasure and one in particular is very interesting.  I have never seen it before.  It is an aerial picture of the area where the bridge now crosses the river on Culvert Street.   In it you can see the north lock and the paper mills on the island.  Loomis Lumber Co. takes up both sides of State St. to the left of Culvert st.

As you look up Culvert Street, east, the last building is now the Distillery.  Just beyond that you can detect what was Vickery Lane and is now Ashby St.  Back on State Street, behind the Loomis Co. is what I would call the Reagan house.  It is the only older house along that area.

I need some auto enthusiasts to tell me about the age of the cars in the photo because I don't know the date of this picture.  I’m shortening the length of the article so the picture can be printed as large as possible.   Please, call me with dates.