Remembering the Old Manheim Neighborhood

By Jeffrey Gressler

Much of today’s third ward of the City of Little Falls was once widely referred to as “the Manheim neighborhood.” The two longest streets are Burwell and Loomis, connected by shorter streets, including Alexander, Ward, Whited, and Ray Streets. Throw in Petrie, Porteus, Moreland and Manheim Streets, and that pretty much defines the Manheim neighborhood part of the city.

Great ethnic diversity was the neighborhood norm; Irish, Germans, Italians, Polish, Slovaks, Slovenians and other groups were all represented in Manheim households.

Ward Square (formerly Eastern Park), Moreland Park (once Burwell Grove), and Veterans Park are also located in the third ward. The city dump was once located beyond today’s Little League field.

BACKGROUND

The Manheim neighborhood name originated from the fact that this part of Little Falls was in the Town of Manheim until 1895 when Little Falls became a city. The Village of Little Falls fell in three townships – Manheim, Danube and Little Falls. Going back even further, much of this eastern portion of the city was likely owned first by Richard Ray Ward, namesake of both Ward Square and Ward Street, and then by Arphaxed Loomis. Ward also donated or sold the land for Church Street Cemetery in the early-1830s to the Village of Little Falls.

The Manheim name was brought to the New World by Palatine immigrants who migrated from the Manheim region of southwestern Germany.

Webster’s Dictionary defines “neighborhood” as an area within a larger community with shared characteristics and often a sense of social connection among its residents. The old Manheim neighborhood was all of that.

This author was a Manheim neighborhood resident from 1950-73, residing first on Loomis Street and then on Burwell Street. Longtime friend and former fellow Manheim neighborhood resident Jim Regan long encouraged me to “write something about the third ward.”  Here goes.

Back in the day, many commercial establishments prospered in the friendly confines of the Manheim neighborhood. One could play miniature golf, bowl a few games, gas up a car, grocery shop, grab a pre-dinner cocktail, eat a meal, enjoy dessert, and then consume an after-dinner drink or two, and even buy an outboard boat and motor, each in different establishments, without leaving the third ward. Many of these establishments were natural gathering points where people congregated, often establishing lifelong friendships.

Much of the third ward’s sense of social connection revolved around the eateries, barrooms, and other businesses located therein. Camaraderie and friendship abounded.

MANHEIM NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

For research purposes, the1936, 1949, 1962, and 1971 Little Falls City Directories were closely examined for business names and addresses for use in this article. Thank you to those who helped gather pictures and other materials for this effort.

Proceeding alphabetically, the Calvin Newitt Funeral Home was once located at 33 Alexander Street.

BURWELL STREET

Burwell Street once contained a variety of business establishments. These included Kula’s Delivery Service / Kula’s Secondhand Store / Kula’s Bait Shop at 70 Burwell Street, Claude Ward Trucking (80), and Floyd Chapman’s (later Timothy Sheehan’s) Funeral Home (86). Cody Brother’s Grocery and The Roxy Grill (later Joe’s Grill and The Asteroga House) all occupied the same building on the corner of Burwell and Ward Streets at various times.

Moving east, Rockwell’s Exchange Service and Ford Auto Repair were located at 113 Burwell, Elizabeth Kelleher’s Hairdresser (115), and then Little Falls Hospital were all between Ward and Whited Streets. Moving east towards Ray Street, Dockerty’s Florist Greenhouses (157), Thomas Dorsey’s Gas and Oil Station (159), my grandfather George Gressler’s Painting and Contracting (230), andGorge View Lanes (original proprietors John DeLuca and Steve Skandera) (240) (formally Little Falls Auto Parts and Auto Wreckers A.K.A. “Louie Sunburg’s junkyard”) were all located.

Late in life, my father Bill Gressler Sr. remembered playing a few holes of miniature golf with his brothers on real grass putting greens behind Dockerty’s Florist Greenhouses.

In the mid-1950s, the corner of Burwell and Ray Streets had Chuck’s Drive-In and Dr. Vanguran’s Veterinary. The drive-in later became Viola’s Italian Restaurant and then Speed Wash Laundromat. In 1981 it reopened as Stu’s Drive-in. Other owners later operated the business. Johnson Woodworking is now located there.

Tom Zambri and Bruce Balderston recall that behind this building, Stuart Balderston had a riding horse named Buster that could be ridden on nearby trails for a small fee. A great miniature golf course was constructed and operated behind the drive-in building.

LOOMIS STREET

Loomis Street also housed a great variety of business establishments. From west to east, Vera’s Beauty Shop was located at 22 Loomis Street and Lynch’s Dairy Bar and Milk Dealers (33) sold milk and made great milkshakes.

Joan Murphy was a master knitter who ran her Yarn Land business out of her 61 Loomis Street home, selling all types of yarns and teaching dozens of others the finer points of knitting and design. My grandmother Cecelia Johnson was an Avon distributor (79), an early era fire station was at 95 Loomis, and the Furniture Hospital was at 99 Loomis Street.

And onto Manheim’s busiest intersection, Loomis and Ward Streets, one intersection with six businesses of various descriptions from the 1950s through the 1970s.

Andy’s Grill, Lil’s small grocery store and news stand, and Dottie Mizerak’s Beauty Salon were all housed in the same building on the northwest corner of Loomis and Ward Streets which was then owned by Andy and Lil Sapienza.

Andy’s Grill was a true neighborhood “men’s bar,” replete with daytime drinkers and Manheim characters galore who typically drank draught beer, gambled at various card and dart board games, and watched sporting events on television. Saturday afternoons always found a lively crowd of young men anxious to connect with their pals and engage in various games of chance. Al Volpe, Jack Manore, Donnie Reardon, John Dillon and Tucker Shepardson, Bobby Kane, and possibly others later owned and operated Andy’s Grill.

Lil’s sold candy, ice cream, some groceries, newspapers, magazines, novelties, and whatever else. Lil’s was quite the gathering place for various groups of mostly male teenagers, including Jim Regan and his Manheim pals Kenny Clark, Walt Palmer, Jay and Jim Bucenec, and the three Kane brothers – Bobby, Gary, and Ronnie.

During the 1970 Diamond Jubilee commemorating the 75th anniversary of Little Falls becoming a city, the “Manheim boys” joined Tommy Johnston and others to form the Moreland Park Mountain Men organization.

Across the street from Lil’s and Andy’s Grill was Sugar’s Variety Store, a small-scale grocery store and eatery that sold Scarano’s bread and tomato pie, candy galore, ice cream products and had several eating booths in the rear. A soft drink and a couple of pieces of tomato pie made a great lunch for thirty cents!

Julie’s husband Joe cut hair in the same building in his Ward Street Joe’s Barber Shop where scores of Manheim boys got their first crew cuts and flattops in the days before longer hair became the rage in the 1960s.

Catty corner from Lil’s was Timmy Danehy’s Grill (later Millie Miko’s Tavern) that was frequented by a similar crowd as Andy’s. Joni’s Silhouette Beauty Salon was located at 167 Loomis Street.

A block away, at the corner of Loomis and Court Streets, Dominick Cecconi ran Rock City Marine, an Evinrude outboard boat and motor dealership; the garage building also served as a third ward election polling site. Dominick also repaired boats and motors. His spacious side yard was always full of interesting boats to look at and dream about owning.

County Painting is now located at 153 Loomis Street. Sue and Jimmy DeLuis ran Vincent DeLuisi’s Groceries and Meat (179) (A.K.A. Sue’s). Thinking back, one can remember the owners using a long gripping tool to reach items on higher shelves. Many summer afternoons found neighborhood kids drinking 16-ounce Royal Crown Colas, eating candy bars, and plotting their next adventures.

A half-block up at 188 Loomis Street was Zambri’s Marine and Top of the Hill Food Market. Owner John Zambri sold and repaired Johnson outboard motors, boats, lawn mowers, and ran a small-scale grocery store. Imagine, two boat marines located on the same street only a couple hundred yards apart. Sterzinar’s Bike Repairs (193) and East End Grocery (earlier Anthony Brzdenk Groceries) was at 223 Loomis Street. They may also have sold gasoline from a single curbside pump.

A quarter mile further east at 298 Loomis Street was Hyla’s Holiday Dairy from which owner Tom Hyla ran his home milk delivery service. Across the street, the DeCarlo-Staffo Post 299 (now Live Well Little Falls) was located, after it had been relocated from its South William Street location by urban renewal demolition. Progress? Bernie and B.J. Mlinar operated their painting business from the next building.

OTHER MANHEIM NEIGHBORHOOD BUSINESSES

A number of businesses were located on Ward Street. Upwright Funeral Home was at 8 Ward Street, Louie Bush’s Bait and Tackle Shop (15), Ruggiero’s Pizza (45), and Dominick Volpe’s Groceries (later Rock City Grocery) was at 47 Ward Street. Murray’s Gas Station and small grocery store was located at the northwest corner of Ward and West Main Streets.

Jimmie’s Taxi was at 9 Whited Street and The Parlor, which offered great ice cream sundaes and light lunches, was next door (11).

NON-COMMERCIAL MANHEIM NEIGHBORHOOD RECREATION

Another unique feature of the Manheim neighborhood was the close by proximity and attraction of both “the woods” uphill and behind the eastern portion of Loomis Street and the ballfields and basketball court at the end of Burwell Street. Many afternoons were spent by this author and friends roaming the woods and farm pastures above Loomis Street where streams and a network of trails were present. The same area was also used for small game hunting – rabbits, squirrels, and partridges. A true small-scale wilderness experience.

Many hours were also spent playing pickup baseball games and shooting baskets at what would later become Veterans Park. City summer recreation programs there included an organized basketball league, once supervised by Little Falls basketball legend Bob McCully.

Two other attractions were the city dump, once located at the far end of Burwell Street, and Burnt Rocks. Burnt Rocks was originally known as Big Pines but deliberately set fires in 1844 and 1853 burned away the trees, duff and humus, leaving mostly orange-tinged rocks, thus the area’s name. The dump always had burning fires, and rats and bottles useful for target shooting. Burnt Rocks was a great area for hiking and rambling about with my cousins Bill and George Jones and other friends.

This writing would not be complete without mentioning this author’s Loomis Street pals Joe Weinschreider, Tom and John Jr. Zambri, John David Conkling, John Grau, Jan Duga, Dick Miller, John and Bob Nemchek, Pamela Adasek, Fred and Ken Staring, and the Reardon boys – Daniel, Donald, Shawn, and Patrick – all who died before their time, and their sisters Maureen, Sheila and Abby.

BURWELL STREET ATHLETIC FIELDS / VETERANS PARK

So much great Little Falls history has taken place on the athletic fields and basketball courts located in the east end of Little Falls.

Beginning with baseball, the “big field” and the Little League field, the latter now dedicated to Tom Finnegan, have seen decades of use and generations of athletes give their all in pursuit of athletic glory.

St. Mary’s Academy (SMA), Little Falls High School (LFHS) and the old Independents teams all played their home games there. The Little Falls Mets, the Little Falls Diamonds and today’s Mohawk Valley Diamond Dawgs all also played at the same facility.

The greatest single accomplishment ever witnessed at Veterans Park was the winning of the 1982 New York State Class B championship by the Ted Schoff-coached LFHS baseball team on its home field.

Looking further back, this author can vividly remember his Uncle Charlie Fitzgerald Sr’s- coached SMA team battling it out with the Ed Kasner-coached LFHS team on this storied baseball diamond. Two of the finest players from the 1960s era were SMA’s Gary Mullen and LFHS’s Dennis Almendinger, both power-hitting shortstops.

The old Independents baseball team allowed post-high school age athletes to continue competing into adulthood. Mullen, Mike Murray, John Speer, and other good athletes kept donning spikes and Independents jerseys to compete against similar town teams from nearby communities.

Some of the first organized soccer played in Little Falls was at the Burwell Street big field. Members of the Rovetto and Marchese families competed for the Little Falls International Soccer Team which often practiced at Burwell Street. Alfred Pescatore was the team manager.

This author had the good fortune of playing with teammates Tom Wind, Ken and Dick Stack,  Bob Shepardson, and Greg Shaver while capturing several hard-fought summer basketball league championships at Veterans Park in the late-1970s and early-1980s. Jamie Whitcomb  organized and coached our team. Special memories.

In the late-1950s – early-1960s, thousands of racing pigeons were periodically released from cages on large trucks in the Veterans Park parking lot, a very interesting spectacle. A longer description of this activity can be found in an article entitled THE RAILWAY EXPRESS AGENCY AND PIGEON RACING on the Little Falls Historical Society’s website.

CONCLUSION

In stark contrast to the bygone Manheim neighborhood of my youth, the third ward now houses only a few commercial establishments. Neighborhood bars and small grocery stores are part of a distant past that gave way to a central commercial district. Hopefully, former Manheim neighborhood residents and others have enjoyed the memories brought back by this writing. Writing it was a pleasurable trip back in time.

Apologies to any person(s) who should also have been mentioned in this article.

Jeffrey Gressler is a member of the Little Falls Historical Society.