Years Ago
This week’s column was researched and written by Owen Curtis, Emily Parks and Sophia Wingfield.
10 Years Ago
In 2008, the Skaneateles Press published a concise article congratulating Rhubarb Kitchen, a store that sells a large variety of foods and kitchen goods, on their 16th anniversary. The article encouraged people to head down to the store in order to receive fun prizes and rewards to celebrate the shop’s sweet sixteen. Over the weekend, they even threw a party, which was open to the public, to commemorate the important milestone. Today, the shop is slowly approaching its 26th anniversary. Despite the ten years that have past, the store has remained practically the same. It has been in the same location for all of its existence, 59 E. Genesee St. Skaneateles, and has had the same owner since 1997, Ellen Kluge. Like several other stores, shops, and restaurants in Skaneateles, Rhubarb Kitchen is an embedded part of the community that holds significant value.
26 Years Ago
In July of 1992, the Skaneateles Press released the Skaneateles Lake levels for the month of July. At the time, the elevation of the lake was 862.57 feet. In the past 26 years the elevation levels have not changed that much. Today, as I write this in May, the elevation is 863.27 feet which is approximately seven inches higher. In July of 1992, the amount of precipitation for the entire month was 7.88 inches. In 2017, Skaneateles had a total of 4.19 inches for the entire month of July. The precipitation and the elevation of our lake has not fluctuated much over the past 26 years. This is important because Skaneateles Lake is the source of drinking water for residents and the city of Syracuse. Lake levels are particularly important to homeowners on the lake because shore line damage can occur if levels fluctuate too much.
50 Years Ago
… there was an ad in the paper named “Pat Bombard, Buick-Opel” which was advertising several vehicles like the ‘63 Cadillac, ‘66 Buick, ‘66 Rambler, and the ‘67 Opel. All these cars were under $3,000. Crazy, right? Today, almost every car for sale is nearly ten times that. The modern Opal model today is worth $26,000 or more. In 1968, when these models were coming out they were sold for around $2,000. Today, the same models are sold for over $20,000. Over the years, the industry of car making has changed. Manufacturers make more efficient cars and safer ones too. But, this results in higher prices and inflation, causing prices to rocket up. If you favor performance and safety however, the higher costs are worth the dent to your wallet.
75 Years Ago
… Imagine a place where kids do not socialize with one another or take part in extracurricular activities. This was a problem addressed by Rev. John B. Dobson Jr. at a meeting in July of 1943. Mr. Dobson said that there should be a place of some kind where the youth of the village can come together and participate in activities such as dramatics, handcraft, wood and leather work, music, photography, public speaking, etc. Other ideas were also offered during this meeting. Mrs. Alma Norfleet pointed out that “…it is hoped our local officials, as well as every citizen, will see that necessary funds are provided to give our young people adequate and wholesome facilities when they are outside of their homes.” Norfleet agreed with the idea that the village of Skaneateles needs a place where young people can come together. Present-day Skaneateles has a place where this can happen. The Skaneateles YMCA and Community Center provides a setting where kids from Skaneateles and the surrounding area can come together and participate in activities such as basketball, ice skating, hockey, swimming, physical fitness, and various after-school and summer programs. The ideas presented in 1943 are being fulfilled each and every day in 2018.
100 Years Ago
… the Skaneateles Press published a small advertisement titled “Weak, Weary Women”. This small section of the paper advertised the treatment of back aches and throbs through a new treatment of kidney pills. Doan’s kidney pills helped Mrs. Frank Stearns who was used to be subject to attacks due to her kidney disorder. She claims that Doan’s Kidney Pills always quickly relieved her of those attacks and helped her get back to work. These pills were cheap back then, only 60 cents, but today kidney treatment is a bit different. Doctors today can put you on multiple medications to help your kidneys now, and in the long run. There are medications that help with cholesterol, high blood pressure, relieving swelling and protecting your bones, they might even suggest a low protein diet to reduce the amount of waste products in your blood. But these treatments do not come cheap. A majority of these treatments cost over three thousand dollars, even over ten thousand. But in the long run your kidneys will be healthy and last longer, giving you a more comfortable life.
