Historic Pelham

The Town of Pelham is lucky to have had so much attention devoted to its history by so many dedicated historians for the last 166 years. One area that, quite unsurprisingly, has been ignored relates to the records of very early businesses that began to arise as the Town's population expanded during the mid-19th century.

Today's Historic Pelham Blog Posting includes multiple images of newspaper advertisements for businesses within the Town of Pelham during the late 1870's as well as transcriptions of the text reflected within such images to facilitate search.

Source: New Advertisements, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon],

Aug. 16, 1878, p. 3, col. 3.

The above advertisement reads as follows:

"New Advertisements.
-----
Grand View Hotel,
PELHAM BRIDGE.
-----

THIS comfortable and delightfully located SUMMER HOTEL IS NOW OPEN for the season. The view of the Sound and Pelham Bay is unsurpassed and the facilities for Boating, Fishing, Yachting and Riding are unequaled.

PICNIC PARTIES and EXCURSIONISTS accommodated at the shortest notice. Boats kept constantly on hand.

Terms for Regular Boarders very moderate.

Adress D. BLIZZARD, Bartow Station, Westchester Co., N.Y."

The Grand View Hotel at Pelham Bridge was more widely known as "Blizzard's." The hotel was, in fact, extremely popular with excursionists and fishermen for many years. It was located on the east bank of Eastchester Creek near today's Pelham Bridge. The area was part of the Town of Pelham until it was annexed by New York City during the mid-1890's.

Source: ROBERT VICKERY'S STAGE LINE, The Chronicle

[Mount Vernon, NY], May 25, 1877, p. 4, col. 3.

The above advertisement reads as follows:

"ROBERT VICKERY'S
STAGE LINE
Between
CITY ISLAND AND BARTOW STATION
Trips made to and from every train. Parcels deliv-
ered with care and dispatch."

Robert J. Vickery provided the first "public" transportation on City Island in the Town of Pelham when he opened a stage coach line in 1873. At that time, before the so-called "Branch Line" with its "Bartow Station" opened, Vickery ran the coach from City Island to the Mount Vernon station on the New York, New Haven & Hartford Railroad line. After Bartow Station opened to serve the tiny community of Bartow and the nearby population center of Pelham on City Island, Vickery ran the stage coach from Bartow Station to City Island. The stage coach met all trains stopping at Bartow Station and its fare was five cents.

Source: Minnieford Shore House, CITY ISLAND,

The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Aug. 16, 1878, p. 3, col. 2.

The above advertisement reads as follows:

"Minnieford Shore House,
CITY ISLAND.
-----
Clam Bake and Chowder Parties
Accommodated at Short Notice.

GOOD DANCING PLATFORM, 25 x 100.

Rhode Island Clam Bakes a specialty, by a new process, gotten up at the shortest notice, on very libera[l] terms. Fish, Clams and Oysters in every style.

Good Boating, Fishing and Bathing.

Rhode Island Clam Bakes every Sunday. Good Shore Dinner for 75 Cents.

Communication Sundays by Steamers J.H. Schuyler and Seawanhaka from New York - see advertisement in Herald. Steamboats from Fulton Market Slip 8 times a day, via Harlem River Branch to Bartow Station.

Address,

CHAS. McCLENNON,

City Island, Westchester Co., N.Y."

The Minnieford Shore House was an early hotel and service establishment owned by Charles McClennon and located at the steam boat landing on City Island where it could conveniently serve excursionists and visitors from New York City and the surrounding region. It was one of the few businesses located on City Island in the Town of Pelham during the late 1870's and early 1880's. Robert Bolton, Jr. mentioned the establishment in the second edition of his History of Westchester County published in 1881, shortly after his death. The reference said:

"Upon the island [i.e., City Island] are five stores, three blacksmiths, small town house for Justice's Courts, and three hotels, viz: Cunningham Villa, kept by Mr. Cunningham; City Island Hotel, kept by Capt. Joshua Leviness, and the Minnieford Shore House, by Charles McClennon, at the steam boat landing, well known for its clam bakes and refreshments. Boats, tackling, &c., can be easily obtained at Captain C.H. Stringham's or Philip Flynn's, two well known fishermen. Three lines of stages are in constant service running to and from the island to the Harlem River Railroad, a distance of only two miles."

Source: Bolton, Jr., Robert, The History of The Several Towns, Manors, and Patents of the County of Westchester, From Its First Settlement to the Present Time Carefully Revised by Its Author, Vol. II, p. 83 (NY, NY: Chas. F. Roper, 1881) (edited by C. W. Bolton).

Source: ODELL's, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY],

May 25, 1877, p. 3, col. 1.

The above advertisement reads as follows:

"ODELL'S
LADIES' AND GENTS' LUNCH ROOM
AND RESTAURANT,
Directly opposite the Dept, at BARTOW
STATION.

Oysters and Clams, Clam Bakes, Cold Cuts, Pies, Cakes, Fine Confectionery and Ice Cream, Tea, Coffee, Chocolate, etc.

IMPORTED AND DOMESTIC SEGARS [Cigars] & TOBACCO
PIC-NIC PARTIES SUPPLED."

ODELL's was a tiny restaurant and business located only steps away from Bartow Station on the Branch Line. It was strategically placed to attract excursionists as they got off the Branch Line trains headed for City Island. It was located in the extraordinarily tiny settlement known variously as Bartow, Bartow-on-the-Sound, and Bartow Station. It catered principally to a hungry summer crowd of vacationers, day-trippers and excursionists who needed snacks for their visits to City Island.

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Labels: 1877, 1878, 1881, Bartow, Bartow Station, Bartow-on-the-Sound, Blizzard's Hotel, Branch Line, Charles McClennon, City Island, Grand View Hotel, Hotel, Minnieford Shore House, Odell's