A pleasantly classic July evening awaited the nearly 40 attendees of the Boarding House / Resort program. The parking lots were full from a combination of a popular band in the gazebo, a meeting prior to ours in the same room, and viewing hours at Cunningham’s. So, thank you to those who were persistent and found a spot. Passers-by must have wondered what was happening in Greenville on a Monday evening.
               The regulars included: Orrin & Shirley Stevens, David & Judy Rundell, Christine Mickelsen, Bob & Marie Shaw, Phyllis Beechert, Bette Welter, Stephanie Ingalls, Dot Blenis, Kathie Williams, and Don Teator.
               Others (first-timers and the increasingly regular) included: Lori Blair, Jackie Park, Tim Broder, Bob Titus, Margaret Donohue, Nick & Mary Lou Nahas, Evelyn Jennings, Peter O’Hara, John Garafolo, John O’Hara, Franklyn & Joyce Roth, Art & Eleanor Werking, Joe & Phyllis Wolf, Paul Augustein, Mary Heisinger, Kathy(?) Stock, and Sherry Baron. If I forgot anyone, let me know, and I’ll correct it for next newsletter. There were several more faces out there that have no name attached – a result of an over-active brain at these kind of functions

The starting point of the evening was a chart I had created, listing all the resorts I have found thus far (since the meeting several more names have come forward!), numbering 101 so far. A column for location, and a column with other information accompanied names. (Since so many of you have the chart, I did not include it in this newsletter. I have put it online; or, if you would like a copy, let me know and I will either drop one off for you or mail it.)
               And, in some creative (or whatever word you like), I had the idea about noon-time the day of the meeting to take a map of Greenville, about 2’ x 2’, and to attach sticky labels, numbered to match the number on the chart, and placed approximately where one would find the boarding house. I had hoped it would be a good visual to demonstrate the points to be made this evening, and feedback has reinforced the worth of my couple hours work that afternoon. A copy, black & white—not in color, as at the meeting—is included in this newsletter.
               Both the chart and map are available online. Go to http://www.dteator.com/glhg/glhg.htm and click on the appropriate link next to the July 2012 line.   
               The map with labels dramatically showed the range of boarding houses, with clusters in Freehold, Norton Hill, and Greenville, with the west (or, left-side, if looking at the map) side generously spotted with labels.
               About a dozen yellow labels identified the business that advertised in Greenville booklets but sit outside town lines. Seventy-some labels identified establishments that operate no longer, in any form, as a boarding house type. Another eight were orange-coded, as places that now function but in a form different than the traditional boarding house. Can you identify eight of them? (Answers at the end)
              The easier quiz question is to identify the only three spots, fuscia-coded, that identify the active resorts. (Answers at the end)

Running on a loop cycle on the screen before the start of the meeting were the scans of pages of the 1937 Chamber of Commerce brochure, which tantalizes both with places we recognize and those that elicit a quizzical look.
               To finish the meeting, Don showed the extent of his web site documentation (http://www.dteator.com/zResort/resortweb.htm), with the six brochures, scanned page by page, and then a separate web page for each of the 100 or so resorts. We took a close look at Ingalside (the best documented one so far, thanks to Paige and Stephanie), Burrless Chestnut Cottage (Bob Titus’ house, named after the tree gracing the front of the house nearly 100 years ago), and a couple empty pages, just to show how much work remains to be done.
              (Anyone who would want to research a particular place, or who has information, related to any of the houses, is certainly encouraged to see me, or just dig in and develop the history of the establishment.)
               Earlier, after introductions, I had asked everyone what boarding houses were the ones each person had an interest in. Most were work related, and some were just… because, and they ran the gamut of choices in Greenville. A few from outside the area might not name a boarding house but explained their presence (Mary Lou & Nick, I think Town of Durham will be a BIG job, but worth it, so good luck).
               Don had laid out on the side table a couple of the brochures, as well the folders of material he has accumulated over the years. On one hand, it is a significant collection; on the other hand, it does seem like a paltry amount, considering how much material there is or could have been.
               Don reminded people that time allows many everyday things to become historical and then to fade into the dusk of forgetten-ness, making an allusion to the Carnivals of Greenville – Snow (of the 1970s), Balloon, and Grass Drags, and of the need to record the basic elements and truths for the future where anyone can care about it.

The next meeting, August 13, 7:30 like usual, in the Library, will feature a collaboration and sponsorship by the Greenville Public Library. Barbara Flach (director) instigated this idea and I willingly accepted.
               Featured with be a history of Greenville, mostly with slides of photos that I have accumulated over twenty-some years and present some context for modern day Greenville. In addition, other documents will be available for perusal.
               Again, I sincerely thank Stephanie and Christine for handling the refreshments that I keep promising in the press releases. Your efforts are most appreciated.
               Looking ahead, my leaving to France in September is so close to our usual meeting’s date that I will cancel that meeting at our August meeting. UNLESS, someone wants to organize a meeting, in which case, I would be willing to help until I leave.
               Looking to October and November, I’d like to use that for something closer to our share sessions but an important part would be the looking over, and selecting, pictures for the 2014 and 2015 calendars. (There will be no 2013 calendar.) More about this next month.

My semi-annual reminder about subscriptions. Your mailing label has a four digit number above your name. The first two digits are the last two digits of the ending year of your subscription; the second two digits represent the month. For example, 1207 represents July 2012. So, any number after 1211 (Nov 2012) means you are set until the annual letter and reminder (and I usually continue a sending newsletters for a while anyway). Ten dollars per year will take care of postage and copying costs. Checks should be made out to: Don Teator. And the mailing address is: 3979 Rt 67, Freehold, NY 12431.
               Membership in GLHG itself costs nothing, and that steady rate of inflation has been true since 1989!
               I have started putting newsletters online (http://www.dteator.com/glhg/glhg.htm ) and I will even email you if you let me know. My current email list is up to five. The one, and major, drawback, so far, is that copies of articles that are not computer generated are not part of the email. Until I figure out how to do this, only the regular subscribers are guaranteed to get them.

Take care,
Don

 

Answers to quiz:

Three resorts still active:

Sunny Hill
Pine Lake Manor
Baumann’s Brookside

 

These ten boarding houses / resorts still in use in another form (as of July 2012) :
Balsam Shade à religious camp
House on Hill à religious camp
Breezy Knoll à religious camp
Pine Springs à religious camp
Ingalside à religious camp
Spohler’s Elm Grove à religious camp
Alberta Lodge à religious camp
Rainbow Lodge à golf course
Greenville Arms à art, fabric art weeks
Ravine Farm à equestrian center