Steam excursion draws 1000 fans to Unionville trip
1000 railfans and onlookers packed the Middletown segment as Empire State Railway Museum and Middletown & New Jersey Railroad ran two round trips over a coal burning prairie type locomotive No. 103 2 6 2 with a diesel helper. The trips, delayed 15 minutes at launch, drew photographers students and visitors from as far as California. Mayor Betens praised the venture while Fred Baumwald won the Name the Train contest naming Train No 1 The Deisy Picker and trains 2 3 and 4 received playful titles The Dairyland Special Empire State Local and The Hambletonian. Public viewing and food stands set up by the American Legion Ladies Auxiliary drew crowds and accounts noted minor brush fires and locomotive grate issues without major disruption. The Middletown Unionville & Water Gap line traces back to 1866 with opening traffic in 1868.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Middletown
Empire State Railway Museum, Inc
Middletown & New Jersey Railroad
Unionville
Erie
Sumter & Choctaw
Alabama
Peter Rasmussen
Myrtle Ave
Delson Ave
No. 103
Minisink Hese Co. No. 1
American Legion Ladies Auxiliary
John N. Betens
Betens
Fred Baumwald
Brooklyn
Deisy Picker
Newburgh Junior League
Ontario & Western
California
Virginia
Times Herald-Record
South Plank Road
Parade Highlights City Diamond Jubilee Prep Next Year
The parade featured feminine beauty drum majorettes marching bands and fire companies with the Queen Village Queens of Warwick performing flanking maneuvers. Units from Ontario Hose Co Middletown Liberty Port Jervis and Stewart Air Force Base joined the march ending at Central Fire Station with trophies awarded for friendship. Fire Chief John F. Walker praised the department as officials noted the tradition dating to 1859 and announced next year’s parade set for June 15 to honor the diamond jubilee.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Queen Village
Queens of
Harrison Street
Grand Avenue
E. Main Street
Central Fire Station
Ontario Hose Co. No
Middletown
Ontario Hose Co
Liberty
Excelsior Engine Co
Port Jervis
Stewart Air Force Base
New York
John F. Walker
Cigarette Fire Devastates Vacant House by Fairgrounds
A lighted cigarette started a blaze on Wisner Avenue Extension across from the Orange County Fairgrounds, gutting a recently purchased vacant house. Three Middletown fire companies battled the flames for three hours, then returned at 10 a.m. to wet down the ruins. Assistant Fire Chief Edwin R. Moulton blamed a cigarette dropped by someone at the stock car races for igniting the smoldering shingles. Other weekend calls included a truck fire at Fast Avenue and Fulton Street, a discarded garbage can fire on Wickham Avenue, a Sunday morning blaze at 94 East Avenue, and a small brush fire believed from an illegal trash burn.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Middletown
Wisner Avenue
Orange County Fairgrounds
Theodore David
South Su
Edwin R. Moulton
Moulton
David
Fast Avenue
Fulton Street
Wickham Ave
East Ave
Middletown Men Charged With Drunken Driving
Two Middletown men were arrested this weekend on charges of drunken driving on Main Street. Walter Simpson of Ridgewood Avenue was jailed at 1 am Saturday and released on $100 bail for a city court appearance. Warren Seeley of RD 4, Middletown, was arrested at 3:30 am Sunday after his car forced a patrol car off the road and was freed on $100 bail for city court.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Middletown
Main Street
Walter Simpson
Ridgewood Avenue
City Court
Warren Seeley
RD 4
Seeley
E. Main Street
Also Mentioned on This Page
Charles A. King
Rogers Whittaker
E. J. Quimby
Middletown Fire Department
Alan Mills
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!