Main Street, Village of St. Johnsville, NY

"In the middle of the twentieth century, that marvel of transportation, New York Central's famous Twentieth Century Limited train, was the symbol of America's progress. In Saint Johnsville, as elsewhere around the United States, the twentieth century was hailed with great promise. Things were going to be different now; things were going to be better. Yet even the most prophetic of those who lived in 1901 could scarcely have foreseen the changes the next seventy years were to bring, not only to the world at large, but to our own little community. One thing our trip backward to 1907 would show us; that our village, which we sometimes think of as static and unchanging, is constantly growing, changing improving. Each year finds some improvement, small or large, that totaled together make the great changes we see in fifty years or seventy years, or 100 years. Nostalgically, we may sigh, 'Those were the good old days!' But let us not forget that when America's Tricentennial rolls around, these will be 'the good old days'."

Excerpted from 1976 St. Johnsville Bicentennial souvenir album.

Other Links:
Historic photo
Listen to a memory: part 1 (if sound doesn't play, please install RealPlayer)
Read transcript of audio: part 1
Listen to a memory: part 2 (if sound doesn't play, please install RealPlayer)
Read transcript of audio: part 2

 

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