Our Town - 1960

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Our Town - 1960

Our Town - 1960 is a short (22 minutes) film that gives a glimpse of life in Patterson in 1960. The film is followed by Limestone Gulch, which features Patterson children dressed in western garb, and was shot at the then abandoned Boot Hill and along Main Street (NYS Route 311). The films are worth viewing because of their unique historical value.

The film is presented here in two versions. In 1995 the film was transferred to VHS tape and the first steam was made from that tape. The original source was already flawed and blurry and compressing it to make the web stream version resulted in the loss of more video detail.

The film was digitally restored and remastered to DVD disk in August 2006. The digitized version was created from the original 16mm film, and received careful treatment, including a physical cleaning of the film, color correction, contrast correction, and scratch and grain reduction. The result is more detailed and brighter than the VHS version, and should exceed the look of the original film when it was first shot in 1960. The second stream was made from the restored film. The first one minute and 10 seconds of the film is jittery due to some damage to the film's sprocket holes. The remainder of the film does not have this problem.

VHS and DVD copies of the two versions of the film are available at the Patterson Library, and all are much better quality than the streams presented here.

The Patterson Town Clerk's office also has a limited supply of copies of the DVD for sale to the public for a small fee. Please contact the Town Clerk's office at Patterson Town Hall for more information at 845-878-6500.

The film is available in two streams:

video version - This is the 1995 VHS version of the film.
restored version - This is the digitally restored version, although it is highly compressed in this webstream format and will not match the quality of the DVD disk available at the Patterson Library.

Movie Notes

0:03 Members of the Patterson Presbyterian Church hold the "Our Town" banner. In the upper row are Mr. Eberle, Mr. Kelly, and an unidentified gentleman. Kneeling, on left, is church Pastor George Beimler, and Earl Robinson is on the right. Mr. Robinson's wife, Madeline, was a first grade teacher in the Patterson school.

1:29 Farmer Mortimer Dykeman harvesting hay on his farm. The second individual is John Sprague, whio worked for Dykeman. At 1:57, we see Mortimer's brother Stuart. At the 2:00 mark, we see John Vassik loading hay onto a wagon.

2:25 Looking south down NYS Route 311 toward the hamlet; Front Street

3:11 Lloyd Lumber on Main Street (NYS Route 311)

3:21 A diesel locomotive pulls a New York Central train into Patterson Station

3:54 The old water tower that was used by the steam locomotives that once serviced the Harlem Line.

3:56 The wooden shelter that replaced the Patterson Depot

4:07 Patterson children in western garb for the shooting of Limestone Gulch and the Frontier Jamboree parade and celebration. The children in the shelter are, left to right: Kathleen Bubenicek, Everett Pulver, and Dennis Gaydos. His parents owned the Patterson Beer Distributors.

4:13 Members of the Patterson government are pictured in front of the Town Clerk's Office on Main Street. In order of appearance:

William Millar, Patterson Town Supervisor

John Schlump, Town Councilman from Putnam Lake

Joseph van Keuran, Town Councilman, and later assistant Putnam County District Attorney

Virginia Brown, Secretary to the Supervisor

unknown

Walter Rutledge, Town Councilman

George Pfahl Jr., Town Justice of the Peace and owner of the Patterson Market

Junea Dykeman, Town Clerk

4:33 Wally's Tavern on Main Street. This is the site now known as Burke's Pub. The view is east. Across Orchard Street is Lee's Diner.

4:50 Dr. Frank C. Genovese, MD

4:55 Dr. Sidney Glanz, DDS, whose office was on Main Street in the building that also housed the Town Clerk's Office

4:58 Young Billy Ward makes the first of several appearnaces in the film

5:00 The Brunow brothers pose in front of their building on Front Street. Joseph Brunow is at the left and Frank Brunow is on the right.

5:06 Phil's Esso Station on Front Street at Center Street, site of the present Patterson Post Office.. Mrs. Buxbaum, wife of founder Philip Buxbaum Sr., works the gas pump. The customer is James Millar, son of Patterson Supervisor William Millar.

5:14 The Patterson Post Office on Front Street, which is the small building to the right of the present Post Office building. The shorter bespectacled gentleman is Earl Robinson. The taller bespectacled man is George Buechel, who was also a postmaster of the Patterson Post Office.

5:28 James and Rosie Rinaldi, owners of the Cash And Carry market on Front Street

5:33 Two women chat on Front Street. The woman on the right is Marge Smith, wife of future Patterson Supervisor Donald B. Smith. She is also the mother of present Putnam County Sheriff Don Smith, and, by a previous marriage, the mother of Bruce Nikola, who owned One Buck's Tavern which succeeded Wally's Tavern.

5:45 Art van Coughnett, owner of Art's Barber Shop, located at the corner of Front Street and Center Street.

5:48 Lou Diamond, owner of Diamond's Department Store on Front Street

5:52 George Pfahl Jr. poses in front of his Patterson Market. Store Clerk Clifff Rowe appears to his left.

6:00 Sue Pfahl

6:04 The staff of Bloch's Department Store, from left to right: owner Jacob Block, his sister Birdie Bloch Greenburg, and her husband, Charles Greenburg.

6:08 Max Grand enters his Pharmacy.

6:15 Helen Dolan and an employee load garbage onto a truck. Dolan's Trucking sold sand, gravel, and fill, and also did business as a private garbage carter. Dolan's Trucking operated from the rear of the Dolan house on South Street near Lumber Street.

6:25 Frank Woron paints the Our Town banner for the movie. Woron also acted as the de facto Patterson photographer for the Putnam County Courier.

6:30 Erik R. Petersen, Sr. and his wife Gretha at their Patterson Greenhouse on Main Street.

6:38 Howard Burdick, Patterson Highway Superintendent.

6:47 The crew of the Patterson Highway Department

7:02 The Patterson Fire Department on Main Street, west of Locust Street. The building still stands.

7:34 Donald B. Smith

7:57 The women of Patterson. The woman in the light blue dress at the 8:07 mark is Patterson Tax Collector Varna Knowles. At 8:17 Ruth Beimler holds the hands of her daughter Laurie.

8:18 Patterson Kart Track, now the site of the parking lot of the A&P shopping center on NYS Route 311. At the 8:35 and 9:07 marks NYS Route 311 can be seen in the background. The big white house just to the right of center is the Sprague residence on Route 311, which had also been Zito farmhouse.

9:33 The Patterson School grounds

10:35 The Frontier Jamboree parade and festivities

14:52 The parade begins along Main Street (NYS Route 311), with Maple Avenue in the background. The Patterson Presbyterian Church is to the right out of camera range. At the 15:13 mark, the Flying A service station of George McEckoron can be seen on the right. A small shopping center occupies the site now, located just east of the Presbyterian Church.

15:17 Seated in the back seat of the convertible on the left in the black shirt is Putnam County Sheriff Frank Lyden, a Patterson resident.

15:25 The parade route turns right onto South Street.

15:40 The Patterson Cub Scouts are followed by the Little League team of the Patterson Athletic League.

16:25 Animals from the Birch Hill Game Farm

16:42 HAGS members tend to their Paul Bunyon float.

16:50 The Boot Hill grounds, which was the end of the parade

17:05 Miss Patterson, Jane Pfahl

17:12 The Town Park on Maple Avenue

18:20 The Patterson Baptist Church located on NYS Route 311 in Towners.

18:27 Christ Episcopal Church located on NYS Route 311 at Maple Avenue.

18:36 The Patterson Presbyterian Church located on NYS Route 311 just east of the Episcopal Church.

18:39 The Maple Avenue Cemetery located on NYS Route 311 between the Episcopal and Presbyterian Chruches.

18:53 Sunday Services end at the Patterson Presbyterian Church. The first adult to exit the Church is Mrs. Philip F. Buxbaum Sr.

21:29 Church pastor George Beimler is on the right

21:44 This may be the intersection of NYS Routes 311 and 292, and the Shady Brook Lodge.

22:43 The start of the film Limestone Gulch, which featured Patterson children dressed in western garb, and was shot at the then closed Boot Hill grounds and in the Patterson hamlet

27:44 The Patterson Post Office on Front Street

27:57 The posse runs down Center Street. The "shooting" takes place on South Street. The victim is Dennis Gaydos, son of Audrey and Francis Gaydos, operators of the Patterson Beer Distributors.

28:28 The "doctor" is Michael van Keuran, son of Patterson Town Councilman Joseph van Keuran.

28:43 Dr. Genovese at his office on Main Street

Movie Notes
0:03	Members of the Patterson Presbyterian Church hold the "Our Town" banner. In the upper row are Mr. Eberle, Mr. Kelly, and an unidentified gentleman. Kneeling, on left, is church Pastor George Beimler, and Earl Robinson is on the right. Mr. Robinson's wife, Madeline, was a first grade teacher in the Patterson school.
1:29	Farmer Mortimer Dykeman harvesting hay on his farm. The second individual is John Sprague, whio worked for Dykeman. At 1:57, we see Mortimer's brother Stuart. At the 2:00 mark, we see John Vassik loading hay onto a wagon.
2:25	Looking south down NYS Route 311 toward the hamlet; Front Street
3:11	Lloyd Lumber on Main Street (NYS Route 311)
3:21	A diesel locomotive pulls a New York Central train into Patterson Station
3:54	The old water tower that was used by the steam locomotives that once serviced the Harlem Line.
3:56	The wooden shelter that replaced the Patterson Depot
4:07	Patterson children in western garb for the shooting of Limestone Gulch and the Frontier Jamboree parade and celebration. The children in the shelter are, left to right: Kathleen Bubenicek, Everett Pulver, and Dennis Gaydos. His parents owned the Patterson Beer Distributors.
4:13	Members of the Patterson government are pictured in front of the Town Clerk's Office on Main Street. In order of appearance: William Millar, Patterson Town Supervisor John Schlump, Town Councilman from Putnam Lake Joseph van Keuran, Town Councilman, and later assistant Putnam County District Attorney Virginia Brown, Secretary to the Supervisor unknown Walter Rutledge, Town Councilman George Pfahl Jr., Town Justice of the Peace and owner of the Patterson Market Junea Dykeman, Town Clerk
4:33	Wally's Tavern on Main Street. This is the site now known as Burke's Pub. The view is east. Across Orchard Street is Lee's Diner.
4:50	Dr. Frank C. Genovese, MD
4:55	Dr. Sidney Glanz, DDS, whose office was on Main Street in the building that also housed the Town Clerk's Office
4:58	Young Billy Ward makes the first of several appearnaces in the film
5:00	The Brunow brothers pose in front of their building on Front Street. Joseph Brunow is at the left and Frank Brunow is on the right.
5:06	Phil's Esso Station on Front Street at Center Street, site of the present Patterson Post Office.. Mrs. Buxbaum, wife of founder Philip Buxbaum Sr., works the gas pump. The customer is James Millar, son of Patterson Supervisor William Millar.
5:14	The Patterson Post Office on Front Street, which is the small building to the right of the present Post Office building. The shorter bespectacled gentleman is Earl Robinson. The taller bespectacled man is George Buechel, who was also a postmaster of the Patterson Post Office.
5:28	James and Rosie Rinaldi, owners of the Cash And Carry market on Front Street
5:33	Two women chat on Front Street. The woman on the right is Marge Smith, wife of future Patterson Supervisor Donald B. Smith. She is also the mother of present Putnam County Sheriff Don Smith, and, by a previous marriage, the mother of Bruce Nikola, who owned One Buck's Tavern which succeeded Wally's Tavern.
5:45	Art van Coughnett, owner of Art's Barber Shop, located at the corner of Front Street and Center Street.
5:48	Lou Diamond, owner of Diamond's Department Store on Front Street
5:52	George Pfahl Jr. poses in front of his Patterson Market. Store Clerk Clifff Rowe appears to his left.
6:00	Sue Pfahl
6:04	The staff of Bloch's Department Store, from left to right: owner Jacob Block, his sister Birdie Bloch Greenburg, and her husband, Charles Greenburg.
6:08	Max Grand enters his Pharmacy.
6:15	Helen Dolan and an employee load garbage onto a truck. Dolan's Trucking sold sand, gravel, and fill, and also did business as a private garbage carter. Dolan's Trucking operated from the rear of the Dolan house on South Street near Lumber Street.
6:25	Frank Woron paints the Our Town banner for the movie. Woron also acted as the de facto Patterson photographer for the Putnam County Courier.
6:30	Erik R. Petersen, Sr. and his wife Gretha at their Patterson Greenhouse on Main Street.
6:38	Howard Burdick, Patterson Highway Superintendent.
6:47	The crew of the Patterson Highway Department
7:02	The Patterson Fire Department on Main Street, west of Locust Street. The building still stands.
7:34	Donald B. Smith
7:57	The women of Patterson. The woman in the light blue dress at the 8:07 mark is Patterson Tax Collector Varna Knowles. At 8:17 Ruth Beimler holds the hands of her daughter Laurie.
8:18	Patterson Kart Track, now the site of the parking lot of the A&P shopping center on NYS Route 311. At the 8:35 and 9:07 marks NYS Route 311 can be seen in the background. The big white house just to the right of center is the Sprague residence on Route 311, which had also been Zito farmhouse.
9:33	The Patterson School grounds
10:35	The Frontier Jamboree parade and festivities
14:52	The parade begins along Main Street (NYS Route 311), with Maple Avenue in the background. The Patterson Presbyterian Church is to the right out of camera range. At the 15:13 mark, the Flying A service station of George McEckoron can be seen on the right. A small shopping center occupies the site now, located just east of the Presbyterian Church.
15:17	Seated in the back seat of the convertible on the left in the black shirt is Putnam County Sheriff Frank Lyden, a Patterson resident.
15:25	The parade route turns right onto South Street.
15:40	The Patterson Cub Scouts are followed by the Little League team of the Patterson Athletic League.
16:25	Animals from the Birch Hill Game Farm
16:42	HAGS members tend to their Paul Bunyon float.
16:50	The Boot Hill grounds, which was the end of the parade
17:05	Miss Patterson, Jane Pfahl
17:12	The Town Park on Maple Avenue
18:20	The Patterson Baptist Church located on NYS Route 311 in Towners.
18:27	Christ Episcopal Church located on NYS Route 311 at Maple Avenue.
18:36	The Patterson Presbyterian Church located on NYS Route 311 just east of the Episcopal Church.
18:39	The Maple Avenue Cemetery located on NYS Route 311 between the Episcopal and Presbyterian Chruches.
18:53	Sunday Services end at the Patterson Presbyterian Church. The first adult to exit the Church is Mrs. Philip F. Buxbaum Sr.
21:29	Church pastor George Beimler is on the right
21:44	This may be the intersection of NYS Routes 311 and 292, and the Shady Brook Lodge.
22:43	The start of the film Limestone Gulch, which featured Patterson children dressed in western garb, and was shot at the then closed Boot Hill grounds and in the Patterson hamlet
27:44	The Patterson Post Office on Front Street
27:57	The posse runs down Center Street. The "shooting" takes place on South Street. The victim is Dennis Gaydos, son of Audrey and Francis Gaydos, operators of the Patterson Beer Distributors.
28:28	The "doctor" is Michael van Keuran, son of Patterson Town Councilman Joseph van Keuran.
28:43	Dr. Genovese at his office on Main Street

Wanted! - Historic Patterson is searching for the film Our Town - 1957. If you know the wheareabouts of the film, please contact us via the email links on our Topics page. Like the 1960 film, the 1957 version is a rare glimpse at life in Patterson decades ago. If the film still exists, we would like to explore the possibility of restoring it.

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