The Greenwich Journal ... AND The Salem Press
Plus "Ride Along," and a Walk for Alzheimer's Awareness
By Darren Johnson
Journal & Press
In the four and a half years I’ve been helming The Journal & Press — long name, The Greenwich Journal and Salem Press — I admit that I’ve kept the status quo of giving Greenwich much more coverage than Salem, despite both towns being named in the masthead.
And it’s not just me. Every Journal & Press editor has done this since the two papers merged in 1970.
Even on The New York State Historic Newspapers website, you can see that the powers that be DID electronically archive the history of The Greenwich Journal, but not the Salem Press (though hard copies of the latter are bound and in local libraries.)
Part of it is practical — like all of the other Journal & Press editors, I live in Greenwich. Greenwich is also a commercial center with many places to sell the paper, while the only practical place to sell the paper in Salem is an old-style Stewart’s.
Also, our home post office is Greenwich. So if we drop papers there, they get out that day to people in the zip code. Other zip codes get them later. And we have many more subscribers in Greenwich than Salem, which is a very distant No. 2 in circulation numbers.
But Salem has always been on my mind, and I’d like to do better by them. Yesterday, led by the Salem Courthouse’s Herb Perkins, but also attended by Salem supervisor Sue Clary, former Journal & Press editor Jan Coffinger Baxter, our new “Ride Along” columnist Adam Harrison Levy, Krista Sullivan, director of the Historic Salem Courthouse, and Christine Michael, vice president of the Courthouse — our second such meeting at the very nice cafe On a Limb — we continued to hash out the idea of finally, after 54 years, separating out The Salem Press from The Greenwich Journal.
Salem has made a lot of strides in recent years — in some areas, the arts especially, it actually is becoming quite notable, and Hudson Headwaters is breaking ground on what would essentially be a hospital there soon — and Salem may now be in a place to sustain a unique paper. On my end, I’d been working to create a “free” paper for the towns outside Greenwich. Currently, its banner is The Journal & Press, but the free paper would become The Salem Press after this summer, to start the upcoming school year. Baxter would be the Salem editor.
And, don’t worry, Greenwichers — separating out the two papers will be better for Greenwich, too, as content can then be more unapologetically Greenwich in the paper with that name in its banner.
Speaking of Adam Harrison Levy, here’s his latest “Ride Along” column. In case you don’t know the concept, he conducts the interview while traveling with the subject in a vehicle.
Kay Tomasi, History Buff
Adam: What is the road we’re driving on?
Kay: We’re on Rt 22 going towards Salem. It used to be known as the Northern Turnpike and it went from Lansingburgh, which is near Troy, all the way to Rutland, VT from the 1700s through to the 1940s. It was the main route that went from New York City to Montreal.
Adam: We’re coming into Salem. Can you describe this white house on the right?
Kay: It was built in 1800 by John Williams for his daughter. She married a Proudfit. But there was a fire and they put this Greek Revival front on it with the classical Greek columns and the pediment on top. I think it’s lovely.
Adam: Now we are turning onto East Broadway. What about this brick house?
Kay: This is known as the Audubon House. And John Williams built it for his Granddaughter. She was a Blanchard and grew up across the street. A teacher from New York bought the house. She was friends with the Audubon granddaughters and they moved in with her. She died and then they added a library in the early 20th century. And that’s where the granddaughter did all the cataloging of Audubon’s famous paintings. It’s a Federal House.
Adam: We are driving further down East Broadway. And this building?
Kay: This is the courthouse. It was built in 1869. Washington County is a half-shire county so you have two county seats. One was in Hudson Falls and one was in Salem. And the first courthouse was on Main Street but it got rundown.The jail was a mess. So a descendant of General John Williams donated the land for a dollar.
Adam: And what about over there, where Salem School is?
Kay: General John William’s home was there. It was built in 1780. It was in the Georgian Style. He built two other houses for his daughters, those white houses just after the school. One was built in 1790 and the other in 1800. Around 1900 the family put an addition on the main house, in the French Chateau style. His great great grandaughter married a teacher, and he became congressman, but in the 1930s all the money was gone. Eventually the house was pulled down and the land was left for a school. The WPA (Works Progress Administration) built the school and it was finished in 1939. It’s a handsome school.
Adam: We’re driving south now. Can you tell us about this place? It’s famous in Salem.
Kay: This is Jacko’s. It was built in 1850. And Jacko came here in 1919 from Locarno, in Italy. He was Giacomo Tomasi – that’s where the name Jacko’s came from. In 1920 there was a fire. Someone was trying to break into the store, they had matches and must have dropped one. Then they re-built and put the tin front on the building. On the second floor was the Oddfellows Hall. In 1930 Elenor Roosevelt came to speak to the Salem Woman’s Club there and her two young sons came down and had ice cream.
Adam: Jacko sounds like he was quite a character.
Kay: He loved people. When he came to this country he was sponsored by his sister. She lived in Poultney, Vermont. She was about to have a baby and it arrived the same time that Jacko arrived at Ellis Island. And so his brother-in-law wasn’t able to pick him up. Jacko had to wait something like three weeks. He was about to be shipped back to Italy but his brother-in- law arrived just a day before he was sent back. It was a traumatic experience for him.
Adam: How long did he run Jacko’s?
Kay: From 1919-1982. There is a big mirror in there. And he used to put all the high school pictures of the graduates there. When you gave him your picture you would get your ice cream cone. The place had a 1940s look. There was a kerosene stove, and the Wurlitzer, which is still there, and the glass cases with lots of candy and the green lights and the soda bar. It was beautiful.
Adam: How would you describe Jacko?
Kay: He looked Italian, a handsome man. And the kids loved him, he’d call them by their parent’s name, not their name, and he would have a special relationship with them. He was in charge. But outside the store he was anxious and I wonder if that was from his trip. He was 13 or 14. I can’t imagine leaving Italy by yourself, living down in the ship’s hold.
Adam: Is there any music you listen to when you drive?
Kay: Anything by Andrea Bocelli. He’s an opera singer, a tenor, like Pavoratti. He has a wonderful voice. All his music is sexy!
Adam: We’re pulling into your driveway. Do you have any reflections about our drive?
Kay: Salem is a place that grows on you. As the years go by you love it more and more. And now there is a young group of people that have a lot of spirit and energy. It’s amazing the amount of talent we have here.
Adam Harrison Levy is a freelance author and journalist (The Guardian, BBC). He teaches writing at the School of Visual Arts and offers workshops and private lessons in Salem. Contact him at adamharrisonlevy@gmail.com.
And Now for the Comics … OK, I made this one …
Don’t worry, I won’t put this one in the actual paper. I just thought the idea of a guy being turned down at his conjugal visit he’d been waiting months for is funny. Never assume, fellows!
Consider Walking This Sunday
I devoted yesterday’s newsletter to the Greenwich iteration of The Longest Day, hoping to raise awareness — and funds — to end Alzheimer’s. Organizers are a bit worried about turnout for this Sunday’s walk. Perhaps consider taking part to help this worthy cause. You can register at 10 a.m. at Mowry Park. It’s only a mile or two (your choice) and donations of $50+ get a T-shirt!
And that’s our newsletter for today … yes, we are now also publishing on weekends. Please forward this to friends and ask them to also subscribe!