For those who grew up in Chemung County or have lived here long enough, there’s sure to be special memories of places or people to share.

So much local history is passed down through storytelling and reminiscing. Let’s share some here!

It still saddens me a bit to see what the East Side of Elmira looks like now. One memory that sticks out is walking home from Sts. Peter and Paul School on High Street. We’d walk past a Pharmacy, I think, called Carey’s on the corner of Madison Ave. and Water Street. There was a Diner across the street called Madeline’s I believe. We lived in a duplex on Water Street several houses down from Josephisons and Kennedy Valve. On our way home we’d pass an auto repair garage opened by a man named Matt Dipetta. My Dad and he were friends. He’d give me a quarter to go to the Diner to pick up a coffee for him; black with two sugars. I was younger than 10 years old but remember. Down from his garage was a junk yard called Webb’s, Webbey’ or something like that. My Grandmother also lived on that same Street and I’d stop in to get a hug when I saw her resting on her sun porch.

I’d come to the corner of Sullivan Street and Water and there was this big two story house, dark color, with a big tree in front. The tree was so big its roots raided up the side walk to a small peak. Crossing the Street, there was a store on the corner owned by the Schecter family and our house was next to that. Now I was under 10 years old so my spelling of things could be what they sounded like to me at that age. There were actual neighborhoods, beautiful tree lined streets, corner Mom and Pop stores, bakeries and neighbors who watched out for and paid attention to what was happening in their neighborhood.

Another memory that has stayed with me all these years is about a walk to school. I went to Beecher School for Kindergarten and First Grade. I was walking to school and a car was following me. I can’t remember the Street name but as I approached the corner, there was a Bar I think with houses across the Street. The name of the bar (I think it was) sounded to me like Shine Rumbles lol. The car was still following me and a man was calling to me. A Black lady was sweeping her front porch, saw what was happening, and came charging down her stairs, broom raised and yelling “you leave that child alone”. The car took off and she walked the rest of the way to school with me. That’s how it was, whether you knew the people or not, we were all connected. Neighbors and a cohesive group of people who cared for each other. I miss that today.

The first one to come to mind for me is going to Doug May's barbershop on Lake Street. ( Not to be confused with Doug's, which is further up the street. ) I can't find any pics of it from back in the day, but this is what it looks like now:

Doug was a nice guy and I think he lived somewhere on East Hill, but I could be wrong. He had those clippers that were attached to a vaccum hose and it sucked away the hair clippings. He also had a good collection of Archie comics that kept me busy while waiting. When you were done with your haircut, you got a DumDum lollipop.

He did live on Jerusalem Hill and a Niece lives in the house he once owned.

I think a bunch of May's still live up there. Dave knows a few.

What is in the Barbershop now?

3 hours ago, KarenK said:

I think a bunch of May's still live up there. Dave knows a few.

What is in the Barbershop now?

They do.

Now I’m not 100% sure. It was a food place of some kind for a minute or two.

The other day I saw the Bookmobile parked out in Tops parking lot on Cedar Street and it got me to reminiscing about the same back in the 80's and even the 90's

When I went to St. Casimer's, one of the things I looked forward to was the weekly stop at our school. It parked out on the Roe Ave parking lot next to EFD Station 5. Joe, Peter and myself, all three of us huge Peanuts fans, would race out to get our hands on whatever Peanuts books were on board. Often it was the Peanuts Parade softcovers, which I have a collection of now. I don't remember the original driver's name, but he eventually retired and Bill took his place. In the summer months, the Bookmobile came to the store in North Chemung as well, so I was able to keep getting books to read then as well.

I recall it being kind of a social hour, as a good deal of grown-ups utilized the Bookmobile as well.

As time went on, I was busy with other things and didn't utilize the service anymore. I could eaily just drive myself to the library, which I often did. Then in the early nineties our parents bought the store and, working there in the mornings, I began to use the Bookmobile again, once again seeing Bill on a weekly basis until the store closed and again, I just drove to the library. I think the Bookmobile stopped coming up here about that time as well. There just wasn't the demand for it I guess.

Funny enough, I ran into Bill many years later and he remembered me. I saw him a few months ago but didn't have a chance to say hi.

On 4/7/2026 at 7:39 PM, Chris said:

They do.

Now I’m not 100% sure. It was a food place of some kind for a minute or two.

Mostly recently and this may shock you it was was a weed store.

24 minutes ago, Chris said:

The other day I saw the Bookmobile parked out in Tops parking lot on Cedar Street and it got me to reminiscing about the same back in the 80's and even the 90's

When I went to St. Casimer's, one of the things I looked forward to was the weekly stop at our school. It parked out on the Roe Ave parking lot next to EFD Station 5. Joe, Peter and myself, all three of us huge Peanuts fans, would race out to get our hands on whatever Peanuts books were on board. Often it was the Peanuts Parade softcovers, which I have a collection of now. I don't remember the original driver's name, but he eventually retired and Bill took his place. In the summer months, the Bookmobile came to the store in North Chemung as well, so I was able to keep getting books to read then as well.

I recall it being kind of a social hour, as a good deal of grown-ups utilized the Bookmobile as well.

As time went on, I was busy with other things and didn't utilize the service anymore. I could eaily just drive myself to the library, which I often did. Then in the early nineties our parents bought the store and, working there in the mornings, I began to use the Bookmobile again, once again seeing Bill on a weekly basis until the store closed and again, I just drove to the library. I think the Bookmobile stopped coming up here about that time as well. There just wasn't the demand for it I guess.

Funny enough, I ran into Bill many years later and he remembered me. I saw him a few months ago but didn't have a chance to say hi.

I always loved the bookmobile

Growing up in a tiny Iowa hamlet that was too small to have a bookmobile, I feel like I had a deprived childhood.

Our only choices were walking to the local library during the summer, and ordering from the Scholastic catalog a few times during the school year.

2 hours ago, MsKreed said:

Growing up in a tiny Iowa hamlet that was too small to have a bookmobile, I feel like I had a deprived childhood.

Our only choices were walking to the local library during the summer, and ordering from the Scholastic catalog a few times during the school year.

Not gonna lie, if a kid liked to read, that had to stink.

If I recall correctly, there were a couple other kids, but a lot of the other patrons were the town elders and stay home moms at that time. Bill had a knack for knowing who liked to read what genre ( Mr. B. liked westerns if memory serves me ) and making sure to bring something for them.

Plus, the store always had comic books, including G.I. Joe, which I particularly enjoyed.

2 hours ago, Chris said:

Not gonna lie, if a kid liked to read, that had to stink.

If I recall correctly, there were a couple other kids, but a lot of the other patrons were the town elders and stay home moms at that time. Bill had a knack for knowing who liked to read what genre ( Mr. B. liked westerns if memory serves me ) and making sure to bring something for them.

Plus, the store always had comic books, including G.I. Joe, which I particularly enjoyed.

I believe you are correct Mr.B was a Lois L'Amour reader. I remember always going for the Garfield, Peanuts and Krazy Kat books.