Owego Free Academy - Tom Tom Yearbook (Owego, NY)

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n . if.. H ' ' V' ffwqi -- ---- -uw, V .1-- ' ' ' it Y 7,721 .. 1 1 Q 1, -i9T'49'f'7Q- .f ' ff 'xi f fit 9 1 'figg-N Ut fl-A ' qi ' - is - ., B sf '. 1' J. , fi if ll ggi .., iuiitfwl tiiiimt .it i'lflg7l?f ! through the village park, and up Front Street. The cars were run bya switch under the stores on the river's bank, where their contents were readily unloaded into the arks. ln the fall of 1849, the New York and Erie Qwego, and for Railroad was completed to Qwego, and all shipping by river, with the exception of lumber, potatoes, and other such commodities, ceased. On the morning of September Q7,1849, a fire destroyed all except three of the stores on Front and Lake Streets. Qne hundred and four build- ings, exclusive of barns, were burned, entailing a loss of about s3oo,ooo. Nearly all the build- ings were of wood. This great calamity checked, but it did not permanently impair the prosperity of the village. The business men, without delay, caused the erection of the present substantial brick blocks in place of the wooden buildings, and progress was thereafter continuous. Before the nineteenth century Captain Luke Bates built the first tavern in Qwego and soon after, the Franklin l'louse was opened. The Qwego Academy was founded in 1828. The Qwego Gas and Light Company was or- The Tioga National Bank, located on Front Street was organized in January and began business April,1865, with a capital of S100,000. The Owego National Bank, located on Lake Street, was organized May 10, 1883, with a cash capital of 550,000 ln the course of years, the Qwego National Bank and the Tioga Bank consolidated and formed the Owego National Bank which is located on Main Street at the present time. From the best sources of information it is be- lieved that Owego was made a postoffice sometime during the year 1800, although the department records show no reports from the office previous to January 1, 1801. The attractiveness of Qwego today has its appeal to all who love the peace and inspira- tion which come from intimate contact with the gifts ofnature.Many . , creeksandglensand woods roads tempt the traveler the hi-'?F'ii 'ltfl,ilq lf,gZ,f hunter, and the an- -' llffg E-qwg .,,.' - 1 iii, mg' , ,, . gler to tarry awhile. til The Susauehanna ,--f ygijii I river sweeps in a MMFML ' - 1 ff!-J-it picturesque bend at s f A Y its 4. ' wyf M, + :E , ,. ' 1 -wi 1 J i I F wr- Ji ' I 'rfagsik Z 53 Gi' . . ty i' , y I' f' .i 5- A' ', ir.1ti,,5j,5lf' V, .,, k - '- yi,- YWQ-i ' 45? f lf'xifT fy ,,,,i 1 f ' eu ' 'Wy ig QM, 'l' tint, fr: i ,, r 1 'W .iittit l i M . 'Wt A iii A 1- ' irltfiff 11 ' lf- 1 . it't' . Pt .-'ii ganized March 20, 1856 with a capital Of S40,000. Qwego has al- ways been a com- munity interested in horse racing. The Owego Driving Park Association was formed in1871, leasing grounds for a fine half-mile track. lnterest in horse racing can still be seen every year at the County Fair. The center of trade at the time of early settle- ments was that portion of Front Street nearest to Church Street. ln the course of years many factories located in Qwego, foundries and ma- chine shops, harness factories, carriage factories, soap factories, glove factory, and several others. With the invention ofthe automobile and other machines, came the decrease of business in many of these plants. Today, we have the Endicott Johnson Shoe Factory which employs a great maiority of the Qwego people. The First National Bank of Tioga, located on Front Street was organized January 6, 1865, to supersede the old Bank of Owego, a state institution with SQ00,000 capital. The First National Banks capital was S100,000. The charter was renewed in 1885 for twenty years. several miles is navigable for sail boats and canoes. ln the early 1900's there were many steamboats on the river which carried passen- gers from Owego to l-liawatha lsland. The island was, at that time, a very popular summer resort and the older inhabitants of Owego will vividly remember many happy experiences which occurred on these steamboat excursions. Just across from l-liawatha lsland on the north side of the river, a new concrete highway runs by an interesting little house in which the Rocke- fellers lived, while John D. Rockefeller and his brother, William, went to school in the old Qwego Academy. Owego is also interesting as the home of General l'l. M. Robert, whose books on parliamentary law are'nation-wide authority. Thomas C. Platt, former U. S. Senator, was born and lived in Qwego. A favorite walk, of which hikers never seem to tire, takes one past Glenmary, and the home of the poet, Nathaniel Parker Willis, where hef produced many of his best poems. The inhabitants of Owego have a right to be proud of their little village, rich in pioneer an- cestry and the gifts of Mother Nature. is iw1iTT e , + g,,:. ' ' Ji f x l ifX Wt ' s't' n 45? ,,: A V '7 5' 'w' - . V gg : 1, I, bltyg' ' Irv- 1'-'nl -Jiiilc mtl- 'iii .1 5 li 'tu L1v'f.f..' .4 wi . fs. iii! QW M4617 5-rs..2f-H i-Wigfjf 'IW ,. I it 'Z .MW 'Lag-.i.-1, ' -lk S- Sri, if 1 ,'.m'fiii -'72 w U Y Q .53- aml 1- -- .r.i --.-f-i w Emi i in HT: X

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T0 DOC'l'0B 0BLIE M. CLEM . . . . Whose name, for the past three years, has been ci synonym for inspiration and achievement to the students of the Ovvego Schools. Since 1934 Dr. Clem hos been a vital force in the Qvvego Free Academy, an inspirotion to all who have come under his influence. To those who have most needed his sympathy and help he has given himself unstintingly, encouraging them to molce the most of their talents. Won by his ever-ready sympathy ond lceen sense of humor, even those whom he has found it necessory to urge along the Hflowery path of leorningn have become his Friends.