Topics

1. Jack Lamphier says:

   May 8, 2016 at 7:43 am

   The subject of the old gray wooden voting booths came up in discussion on a West High Alumni group. Most were not old enough to remember them. I on the other hand recall them vividly. Each year at voting time they were hauled out on horse drawn flat bed drays to what seemed like hundreds of locations throughout the city. They were gray wooden structures with two doors. When you voted you went in one door and stepped into a curtained off area where you voted. You left via the other door. When the voting season ended they were picked up by the same horse drawn conveyance and put in storage. That brought up another question, where were they stored. Again, my memory recalls many located at a DPW yard near Edgeron Park, but I doubt all were put there. What can you find out on this subject ?

   My second question concerns an antique truck that either the city or the county owned. When not in use it gave the appearence of a medium size local moving van. However when in use it resembled a medium sized stage, about 4 feet off of the ground. All sides folded down flat creating this stage. I was very young the only time I saw this. Probably between 1936 and 1940, it was set up in Genesse Valley Park at a political rally of some sort, in the area north of where the old merry-go-round and concession stand were, on the east side of the river, off of Elmwood Ave. It was a VERY old truck perhaps older than 1920, and had to be hand cranked to be started. I have no recollection of any lettering or printing on the exterior of this vehicle. Can your research find anyone else with a memory of this and perhaps even a photo ?

   Enjoy your very much your tales of Rochesters historic past, keep up the great work.

   Jack Lamphier

2. Ben says:

   May 9, 2016 at 11:24 am

   In reference to the photo in the Thrillist article, every time I see a picture of High Falls and that land under the bridge, it blows my mind that we don’t have some kind of awesome public park down there for people to enjoy.

3. Richard Long says:

   May 17, 2016 at 1:44 am

   The voting shacks were hauled in the days of horses by Boulter Carting Company then located on Canal Street. World War II pretty much ended hauling the sheds in and back out every year, and most remained on City owned lots. That allowed for electric to be connected to the shack and electric lights along with an electric heater to replace the unsafe kerosene heat.

   The few that needed to be moved for whatever reason in the 50s and later were moved with a specially constructed trailer that was backed in around the shack. Steel pipes were slid under the shack and hydraulic cylinders lifted the shack about a foot. The shack was then hauled where it was going by a Ford 8n tractor. The tractor and trailer were owned by the Board of Elections, and many shacks were stashed in the unnoticed parts of parks for years.

   The Board of Elections undertook a program of relocating voting into schools and municipal buildings, paying a small rent, and achieved a considerable saving. In the 70s, the gray wood shacks were offered free to any government unit that could put them to use.

Post a Comment...