Celebrating, preserving Groton’s history

It was a dark, dreary, rainy kind of day Oct. 16, but that did not deter a number of members of The Groton Historical Association (GHA) from attending the GHA’s annual meeting.

GHA President Flo Allen welcomed GHA Treasurer Alan Christopher, GHA Secretary Betty Conger, Dottie Cornelius, John Dates, GHA Vice President Lucy Dates, Barbara Exton, Floyd, Sandy Ferris, Margaret (Peg) Palmer, Louise Patterson, Mark Robinson, Groton Village Historian Lee Shurtleff, guest speaker Keith Randolph, certified management accountant and the Groton American Legion Post 800 historian, and me, and thanked all for attending.

Following a delicious meal consisting of meatloaf, ham loaf with mustard sauce, and baked potatoes, provided and prepared by Allen, Conger and Lucy, along with a lovely assortment of side dishes and desserts brought by attendees, the business end of the meeting began.

Some may not even be aware of the rich history that our town and village of Groton boasts or that this dedicated association maintains a museum that is filled with memorabilia and historical artifacts at 168 Main St., in the renovated “Olde Baptist Meeting House.”

The museum is generally open May through October from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays, all weekend during Groton Olde Home Days and Groton Alumni Weekend, and other times by appointment by calling (607) 898-5787.

“Regretfully, because of the COVID restrictions, we have not been open as often as we would like, but the museum has been open most Saturdays this past year, and there were many visitors this summer,” Allen said.

Allen went on to report that new composite steps were installed at the front door of the museum, the large tree to the south side of the building was removed, and during Groton Olde Home Days, the GHA had 45 vendors on Conger Boulevard for its annual “Crafts and Collectibles” show.

“Thank you to everyone for helping to maintain the museum: The Fouts family for lawn care, Lucy Dates for caring for the flower beds, Betty Conger, Lucy and John Dates for being at the Museum during Olde Home Days and everyone else for their dedication to helping to keep Groton’s history alive,” Allen said.

Elections were held at the conclusion of the business portion of the meeting, reinstating Allen as president, Dates as vice president, Conger as secretary and Christopher as treasurer, after which guest speaker Randolph spoke about the 100 years of the American Legion in Groton.

Randolph served in the United States Navy on nuclear submarines from 1964 to 1972. He moved to Groton in 1978 to work for Smith-Corona for the next 17 years before it closed, after which he worked for Oracle and IBM. He also kept busy volunteering for the American Red Cross for 15 years and has also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity for 17 years.

Randolph has been a member of the Groton American Legion Carrington-Fuller Post 800 since 1987, but this post was established with 15 charter members, under the leadership of Dr. James VanMarter in 1920, and officially chartered Feb. 1, 1921.

If you, like me, have wondered why our local Legion has the distinction of being called the “Carrington-Fuller” post, you will be delighted to learn, as we did at the GHA meeting, that those are the names of two local soldiers.

Lt. Frank E. Carrington (1891-1918) was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Frederick Burr Carrington. He was a senior at Hamilton College when he enlisted as a private, was later commissioned first lieutenant and died at Camp Pike, Arkansas, from pneumonia.

Leslie Chapman Fuller (1900-1918) was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Irving G. Fuller. He was a member of Company M of the New York State Guard while serving in WWI, and his descendants are the Fuller family of Fuller Farms in Groton.

Housed in a few different locations initially, Post 800 acquired the title for the former Corona Inn on Jan. 1, 1935, as its permanent home. Originally built in 1858, a fire had severely damaged the inn in May 1934. The remaining structure was repaired by the Legionnaires of Post 800.

In 1947, the Post underwent a major remodeling, and in 1951, the south wing (currently the bar room) was added.

Today, the Groton American Legion is a vibrant organization and welcomes all former and current members of the United States military to come and make Post 800 their home.

Similarly, the GHA also welcomes anyone who has an interest in Groton’s history and in helping to maintain the treasure of a museum we have on Main Street to join them.

“We are always looking for more historical buffs to speak at our meetings,” Allen said. “If you know someone, or if you are the one, please contact us. Donations of Groton memorabilia are also always welcome!”

The GHA’s mission statement is to “Bring together people interested in the history of the town of Groton by way of regularly scheduled meetings and events; discover and preserve collected materials specifically related to the town of Groton; disseminate historical information and arouse interest in the past by publishing historical materials in newspapers, newsletters, and otherwise; promote interest in the preservation of historic buildings, monuments, markers, etc. within the town of Groton.”

For further details about becoming a member, or for any questions at all, call or text Allen at (607) 280-4233 or email her at nellaolf@gmail.com.

Groton on the Inside appears weekly. Submit news ideas to Linda Competillo, lmc10@cornell.edu or (607) 227-4922.  

In brief: 

More exciting history! 

Another exciting and new item of business that was brought up at the Groton Historical Association by Groton Village Historian Lee Shurtleff deserved its own brief. There is a future project in the works to bring various identified Groton-manufactured bridges home to Groton.

Shurtleff mentioned that the Freese Road Bridge, located over Fall Creek in the hamlet of Varna, will soon be replaced and that the Town of Dryden is seeking a party to take possession and utilize the bridge as a means of historic preservation.

“The Freese Road bridge is one of three that I am personally aware of in this area that are or will be decommissioned,” Shurtleff said. “The Red Mill Road bridge was replaced recently in the town of Dryden and is currently stored behind their highway facility. The Groton City bridge was replaced just a few years ago, and parts of it — the trusses — were placed in the Spring Street gravel bed and have rested there since, in hope that a repurposed placement can someday occur.”

Shurtleff added, “With the Nubia bridge having long been moved and permanently displayed on Conger Boulevard, it has occurred to me that we have the start of a historical display that could easily highlight and vividly illustrate a key part of our community’s industrial past.”

This brief is a “teaser,” and you will want to keep an eye on this column in the coming weeks and months for the full story as it unfolds.

Youth Basketball 

Groton Recreation Youth Basketball registration for boys and girls in grades three through six opened Oct. 13. Registration closes Nov. 4. Please read more information available on registration website: tshq.bluesombrero.com/grotonrecreation.

Water hydrant flushing 

The Village of Groton Department of Public Works will be flushing water hydrants throughout the village from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., Oct. 18 through Oct. 22.

It is important to know that this project could discolor the water in homes, which may stain white clothing, but is completely safe for all other uses. For questions or concerns, feel free to call the Village Office at (607) 898-3345.