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Actress Gloria DeHaven has a Yonkers street named after her <\/p>\n
By Mary Hoar, City of Yonkers Municipal Historian, 1977 recipient of the Key to the City of Yonkers, President Emeritus Yonkers Historical Society, recipient of the 2004 Key to History, Yonkers Landmarks Preservation Board Member, Founder of Revolutionary Yonkers 250 and President Untermyer Performing Arts Council<\/p>\n
Monday, June 22nd<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 June 22, 1943: After the Common Council instructed City Manager William Walsh to order enforcement of a 33-year-old curfew regulation.\u00a0 It prohibited children under sixteen being out between 10 pm and 4 am unless accompanied by a parent or adult.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Councilman Edith Welty had brought the issue to the Councilmembers, asserting she received complaints about high school girls on the streets and boys damaging property at late hours. Welty said she investigated and found the forgotten and unenforced 1910 curfew ordinance.<\/p>\n
June 22, 1953:\u00a0 What was the hottest topic in Yonkers?\u00a0 The correct name of DeHaven Drive!<\/p>\n
Developer Martin Kimmel had named a street in his Greystone Gardens development on North Broadway after girlfriend Gloria DeHaven.\u00a0 So\u2026 why the chatter?\u00a0 Kimmel and DeHaven had married the day before!\u00a0 Some pundits suggested the correct street name should be Kimmel Drive since Miss De Haven now was Mrs. Martin Kimmel.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Tuesday, June 23rd<\/p>\n
June 23, 1915:\u00a0 Ludlow resident Jefferson De Angelis starred in \u201cA Trip to Chinatown,\u201d at the Warburton Theater.\u00a0 Manager George Farren had selected a wholesome family comedy as the season\u2019s farewell bill of the Yonkers company; it proved to be a record breaker.\u00a0<\/p>\n
De Angelis began performing in 1870 at the age of 10 and achieved national fame as an acrobatic comedic stage actor.\u00a0 One of his last appearances was in Edna Ferber\u2019s 1927 Broadway hit\u00a0The Royal Family.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Jun 23, 1943:\u00a0 After receiving City Manager William Walsh\u2019s orders, Police Chief William Kruppenbacher, the Yonkers Police Department and its officers immediately began enforcing Yonkers\u2019 33-year-old curfew for youngsters under sixteen.<\/p>\n
Wednesday, June 24th<\/p>\n
June 24, 1954: Alexander Smith Carpet Factory announced it was closing the Yonkers plant forever, 90 years after it opened here.\u00a0 After the plant was closed for 10 days by a Textile Workers Union strike, Smith management announced the reason was because \u201cthe cumulative effect of operating losses sustained over the past three years\u2026\u201d made \u201ccontinuation of carpet making in Yonkers impossible.\u201d\u00a0 More than half of the employees had been employed in the plant more than 25 years.<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The company started 1845 in West Farms, then part of Westchester County.\u00a0 Smith hired Halcyon Skinner; he invented the power loom in 1856. This invention changed the carpet industry; his loom cut production costs, so rugs became affordable. Sales increased.\u00a0<\/p>\n
After fire twice destroyed the West Farms plant, the company moved to Saw Mill River Road and the Nepperhan River in 1864.\u00a0 \u201cThe Creek\u201d provided all the water the factory needed for carpet production.<\/p>\n
Thursday, June 25th<\/p>\n
June 25, 1943: \u00a0Sanette Manufacturing Company, Herriot Street, made gauze bandages, adhesive tape and surgical dressings.<\/p>\n
The government notified Sanette it was awarded a huge contract to make surgical dressings for the Navy; Sanette president Clarence Lee immediately leased the vacant Naval Militia Armory on South Waverly Street, quickly expanding company facilities to fulfill the new government contract!\u00a0<\/p>\n
June 25, 1943: Staff Sergeant John Quinlan, tail gunner on the \u201cMemphis Belle,\u201d surprised his family with an unannounced visit.\u00a0 He had told his mom he wouldn\u2019t be home until August because of the Memphis Belle crew\u2019s nationwide war bond tour.\u00a0 But, since the tour was in Bridgeport, he took a train to Mount Vernon, then the trolley to Yonkers.\u00a0 He spent the night here, returning to Connecticut the next morning.<\/p>\n
Friday, June 26th<\/p>\n
June 26, 1943:\u00a0 Students were needed to enroll in Yonkers free Defense summer schools; our local defense industries needed workers!<\/p>\n
Saunders courses were blueprint reading, drafting, electric and gas welding, machine shop, radio and shop mechanics.\u00a0 School of Aeronautical Manufacturing courses were sheet metal and sheet metal layout, aircraft manufacturing, inspection and testing.<\/p>\n
Depending on the area, certification required 150 to 400 hours of work and could be finished by September 1st.<\/p>\n
There was a high, continued demand for trained people; area defense industries especially needed welders, machinists, draftsmen and inspectors to complete government defense contracts!<\/p>\n
Saturday, June 27th<\/p>\n
June 27, 1943:\u00a0 Since the Council had ordered reinstatement of the old curfew law, police were looking out for violators but hadn\u2019t picked up any children.\u00a0 Officers believed the real intent of enforcement was preventing teenage girls from \u201cpicking up\u201d servicemen.<\/p>\n
The law specified youngsters under 16 could not be out at night unless in the company of an adult. One officer stopped a teenage girl in the company of a sailor; he asked her name, age, and where she was going. \u00a0The teen quickly told him since she was with an adult, she was not violating curfew!\u00a0<\/p>\n
She was right, so he let her go.<\/p>\n
June 27, 1953:\u00a0 Yonkers tennis champion Vincent Richards and his youngest son Dean gave a tennis exhibition in the Glen at a Herald Stateman sponsored event. After demonstrating tennis fundamentals, the duo played volunteers from the audience.<\/p>\n
Sunday, June 28th<\/p>\n
June 28, 1940: \u00a0Seven hundred people welcomed Yonkers newest citizens at a Commerce High School ceremony!\u00a0 After Mayor Condon welcomed everyone, Supreme Court Justice Frederick Close presided; he urged them to embrace the advantages of living in a free country, especially by joining a political party and voting.<\/p>\n
Sixty-four people received their citizenship credentials from County Clerk Harold Mercer; Boy Scouts stood at attention in the aisles while World War veterans escorted the new citizens to the flag decorated stage.<\/p>\n
Every newly naturalized citizen received a small American flag and a copy of the oath of allegiance from Yonkers\u2019 Keskeskick DAR Chapter; the Yonkers Lions Club gave each new citizen a copy of the American Constitution.<\/p>\n
Any questions on this column, email yonkershistory1646@gmail.com.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n