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I JUST LOVE THE PICTURE OF THIS BUICK...........

Dave Gelinas (XP-300)
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kgreen 10,000+ Points

kgreen

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According to Bob Blanchard (source):

The photo shows a man shoveling snow in front of the Hotel Vermont in 1940. From his cap, it appears that he is the hotel doorman. The doorman in 1940 was William Cassell, an Irish immigrant who was also the drum major of Sherman’s Military Band in Burlington for 40 years. 

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60FlatTop 25,000+ Points

60FlatTop

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I always liked this one, bridge over an irrigation ditch in the Muckland near Elba, New York.

 

In 1948, as his "Whistle Stop" Campaign Tour passed through, Harry Truman referred to the onion smell from the local muck fields. He then stated that the town should be renamed "Smelba".

 

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kgreen 10,000+ Points

kgreen

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Winooski.jpg.c55b55594cfa2423d57dc58411d9db91.jpg

From Joseph Perron:

 

Regis Dufresne came with his family to Winooski from Ste.-Sabine, Quebec via. North Adams, Mass in 1905. In 1925 he married Dorilda Couture and started his family which grew to include four children, Theresa, Marie Anne, Paul and Cecile. Like many others at the time, he started his career working in the American Woolen Company’s mills before a unique business opportunity became available to Regis and his brother Joseph.

In November of 1932, upon the death of Mrs. Katherine F. Montgomery (1861-1932), her large brick residence at 149 Main Street was put up for auction to settle the estate. That same year the American Woolen Company sold off many non-essential properties around the city and it was certainly a buyer’s market, but with the nation in the depths of the Great Depression, few people had the resources to invest in real estate.

In the mid 19th through early 20th century, upper Main Street had been essentially Winooski’s “Hill Section”, but as the automobile came to prominence, it became increasingly more commercial. The Depression did not help either, with many of these homes being divided into smaller tenement apartments. Recognizing this trend, Regis and Joseph, who was a manager of his wife’s family business, Marcotte Bros. Drug Store, were able to acquire the fine Victorian home for $3,898. Regis, who became sole owner, rented out the home while negotiations were conducted with Gulf Oil Co. to convert a portion of the property into a filling station.

The plans to convert the grand old house into a service station did not go over well with neighbors, who were concerned that this change would alter the neighborhood, create safety risks and diminish their property values. After a lenthy legal battle, Dufresne later won a court case, with the Judge determining there was no zoning laws in place in Winooski to prevent construction of a filling station. With the green light from authorities, Dufresne opened his station in September of 1937, and his family moved into the home in 1938. Tanks and three gas pumps were installed on the former lawn. The building was altered by adding a garage bay on the north side, and a large bay window was replaced with a plate glass storefront. Mrs. Dufresne later in the 1940’s ran a tourist home out of the house as well. Although no longer the grand old home it once was, it was a tidy and charming enterprise nonetheless.

In 1946 as the business evolved from a filling station to a service station, another garage bay was added, and in 1947 Dufresne acquired a tanker truck and began selling fuel oil and kerosene. Gas was still being sold, and Regis’ son Paul Dufresne worked there through the 40’s. He recalled at that time gas was 7 gallons for a dollar. In 1952 Paul took over the business and continued to run it with his father until Regis retired in the late 1960’s. By the time Regis passed away in 1975, the business he started had grown to include a fleet of 4 fuel delivery trucks and a bustling service station.

Paul managed the business before turning over the reins in 1986 to his sons Raymond and Richard, both trained mechanics. Sadly, in 1991 an electrical fire significantly damaged the upper floor of the building. The building was repaired, but debts incurred by costs not covered by insurance threatened the business. Wesco, who operate the Champlain Farms convenience stores, owned the former Manseau/Julian/Potvin store next door. Wesco bought the property in 1992 with the intent to demolish the brick structure so that failing tanks could be replaced and a more spacious filling station canopy could be installed.

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