CUBA FRIENDS OF ARCHITECTURE
P. O. Box 274, Cuba, New York 14727
www.cubafriends.us
November-December, 2014 Newsletter Published Six Times a Year Editor: Carol Donovan
Palmer House Update
Hellzapoppin!
Silent films, singing, dancing, drinking and eating; Country and Jazz. You’ll find it all at the Palmer Opera House.
Contra Dancing has come to the opera house. The dancers invite visitors to watch or join them on the second Saturday of each month at 7 PM. Cost only $7.00 or $2.00 under 14. They will teach you the steps so you can join in or you can just watch. You can learn more about them at stcds.com.
Cheese Museum Beer and Cheese Fest was a success. It is a yearly function so if you missed it you’ll have more chances to go in the future.
In the meantime, we continue our improvements.
We received a grant for stage lighting and a sound system. Now, we are looking for knowledgeable persons who can install the appropriate systems for our theater. And hang in there, those who joined the audience and found the chairs kind of hard; we are looking into padded seating.
Stage legs and borders (curtains to hide equipment) have been mounted on the stage and we will have an inspection soon to be sure our stage can support these improvements. You can’t imagine what all is involved with preparing a public theater.
We have signed contracts that allow us to present copyrighted music and movies. We still need a proper agreement between performers and the CFA and volunteer John White is coming up with a draft.
The large copper vat that had been seen in the Cuba Cheese Museum when it was located on Water Street, is now on display. The vat, used in the Kutter Cheese Factory in Corfu, NY for making Swiss Cheese is on loan from Tony Kutter.
November Programs:
2nd-Opera House of Blues
14th-Guitarist, Paul Santa Maria
22nd-Chamber’s “Many
Splendored Evening”
December Programs
7th-Local Talent Christmas
12th-Genesee Valley Chorus
19th-Kids Dance
31st-New Years Ball
For more information, call Sarah at:585-991-2330
By the way “Hellzapoppin” was a 1941 musical comedy movie in which “anything can happen”.
Goings On In Cuba
The Closet with its “Upcycled Clothing” is now open at 4 West Main.
Some stores have volunteered to be open in Cuba until 7:30 PM on Thursdays. Take a stroll through our Historic Main Street, as they did in 1900 and you’ll be surprised at what is now available for purchase. Christmas is coming. Remember to shop Cuba first.
Memorials
The CFA received the following contributions. Memorials for John Culbert from Joanne Guild and from Robert and Nancy Reynolds. Memorials for Theresa Berardi and Joanne vanZwanenberg from Amy and Jamie Pierotti. Sincere thanks from the CFA.
Architecture in Cuba
We’ve learned that Acme Electric under the name The Acme Electric & Mfg. Co. came to Cuba in 1937 and by 1940 they employed about 200 people. Pearl Harbor was bombed December 7, 1941, bringing the United States into World War II and because Acme supplied much needed electronic equipment for the government, Cuba was designated as a National Defense Area.
Ads like this appeared in the Patriot.
Acme needed to increase its production fast; needed men and women to apply for work ASAP and required inexpensive housing for new arrivals.
Enter the Chamber of Commerce, under the presidency of Michael J. O’Malley.
In September 1944, to relieve the major housing shortage, the Chamber began preparations to build 15 houses on a site on the south side of Medbury Street “across from the old school” They looked for 100 investors to subscribe $100 each to finance the project with the idea that, at completion, profits or losses would be “divided proportionately”. Property was purchased from Mrs. Linus French and Lynn Stillman and grading was begun. Progress was slow, participation lagged. Charles Bunch, president of Acme, stated that “the continued growth of Acme in Cube depends on the construction of more homes.”
It seemed impossible for the Chamber of Commerce to continue. Acme was in dire need of more workers and housing.
M. J. O’Malley started some construction in O’Malley Court (now Bradley Avenue) but more was needed.
At the start of 1946 a new company, Cuba Homes Incorporated, with Charles Bunch, George Hendryx, Harry Keller, Clyde Brown, Hayden Setchel and James Comstock, formed to take over the efforts of the Chamber. Work begins anew. Their original plan was to build a street from Main to Medbury along the line of the French property. For some reason, this idea was dropped.
Cuba Homes, with aid from the Village of Cuba, took over the work on Medbury Ave. March 1946, village equipment was used for grading, expenses to be paid by the Chamber; July 1946, Albert Jones contracts to build 15 inexpensive, prefabricated Ford Factory Built Homes; April 1947 the new road fronting the housing project is named Medbury Heights; by the end of 1949, 13 houses are complete, each within 6 weeks from start to finish.
Houses were meant to be on the other side of Medbury Heights in the courtyard but that part of the project wasn’t completed. The courtyard property was divided among the owners of the Medbury Heights and they were expected to keep it up. That agreement still stands.
The Ford Factory Built Homes were made at the factory in Canajoharie, and came in several architectural styles. By 1940 the large Victorian revival styles were abandoned and the ranch style, with a low gabled roof, and plain façade became popular and inexpensive to build. 15 Medbury Heights is this traditional style with shutters as a simple decoration.
Charles McGovney, a native of Ohio, started working at Acme Electric in June 1941as a receiving clerk, only to have his life put on hold after the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor. Like all young men after the attack, even at the age of 37, he enlisted in the army in May 1942 for a term of 5 years or for the “duration of the war.. subject to the discretion of the President”.
Cuba Homes elected to give first choice to purchasing a house to returning veterans and in 1947 Charles, who is back at Acme, and his wife Lucille moved into 15 Medbury Heights. I can identify three other WWII veterans: Elton Ingalls lived at #9, Paul Yaw at #5 and James Zuver at #11. Other original homeowners at the site include: Richard Chamberlain #13, Clarence Gustad #19, James H. Ingalls #3, James L. Scott #9, Waldo Bird #17 and Malcom Allen #1.
Anna Adsit owned 15 Medbury in 1970 and she and her new husband Wendell Sprague made their home there in that year. Wendell was the father of Peter Sprague who served as an attorney in Cuba for 25 years and an Allegany County Judge from 1984 to 1997.
And More
In 1921, the name of Cemetery Street was changed to Medbury Avenue after Mrs. Eliza Medbury “one of the best known and most respected residents” after the “unanimous approval of the property owners and residents…”
Did you know? Medbury Avenue High School was completed in 1910 for elementary and high school classes. No transportation was provided for students and some often boarded with townspeople.
Cuba was designated a National Defense Area during WWII. I couldn’t find the information I wanted about this. Beside the fact that the government need Acme products, can anyone tell me how it came about? What were our responsibilities? What were the responsibilities of the government toward Cuba?
Cuba Friends of Architecture is truly thankful for all contributions and welcomes stories about the Palmer Building and downtown Cuba.