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Will the Street Ever be the Same Again By Mike Esposito Norman Rockwell, one of America's best-known artists, was a frequent visitor to Troy. Rockwell used Troy scenes as authentic backdrops and models for images for several of his paintings including Homecoming GI and Walking to Church, both Saturday Evening Post covers. A "Troy inspired" scene not as well known to area residents is his illustration celebrating the fiftieth anniversary of the Ford Motor Company. The street scene includes a two story brick home and portions of two adjacent residences on Fourth Street between Adams and Jefferson. A model A is shown sharing the street with several horse drawn carriages. Residents, young and old, may be seeing a horseless carriage for the first time. The illustration is appropriately titled The Street Was Never the Same Again. The brick buildings and the street scenes Rockwell captured on canvas are familiar to us. The subjects of his paintings bring back memories of growing up in the forties and fifties in the South End near Fourth Street. North of Ferry the street is generally considered the downtown area. The street's residential neighborhoods are south of Ferry. Fourth Street was the destination for residents of adjoining neighborhoods are for many of the goods and services they needed. Almost every other block had its own grocers, barbers and beauty salons, druggists, taverns, dry cleaners, bakers, variety stores, meat markets, and even funeral parlors. The neighborhoods were home to blue collar Italian, Irish, and Polish immigrants and their families for generations. Many residences are two and three story brick buildings some with shops on the first floor, like those in Rockwell's paintings. W. A. Guy opened a meat stall in 1887 at 158 Fourth Street, now the site of The Troy Pork Store. Other owners were Philip Gapp, Henry Backus, and Charles Komertz. The most recent owners are the Pohlmann family. When Louis Tigar started a pawnshop at number 163 in 1885 he displayed an assortment of items from fishing equipment to diamond rings. In 1945 William Karichkowsky purchased the business from Sammy Tigar and operated William's Pawnshop until the early 1990's. The Mangione family has operated a locksmith shop a few buildings south, at number 187, since 1885. Stewart's Ice Cream Store, located at number 233 from 1950 to 1971, was the first store in the company's chain in Troy. What a treat for youngsters to have placed before them marsh mellow fluff, several kinds of syrup, crushed nuts and other treats to cover and sprinkle generously on a make your own sundae or banana split. LaSalle Institute at number 237, was a strong presence on Fourth Street from 1878 to 1965. On weekday mornings during the school year a squadron would be assigned the duty to raise the flag in the school's small courtyard. Fermer students remember that passersby won stand quietly during the brief ceremony. Each Thursday the cadets would leave the Fourth Street building and assemble at the public market two blocks away for an afternoon of drill practice and marching. The CYO purchased LaSalle's gymnasium, built in 1952, and offers recreational services for the young and not so young. The Sisters of St. Joseph were an integral part of the neighborhood for over a century, organizing a parish school for St. Joseph's in 1861 and a maternity hospital in 1923. The hospital facility closed in 1952 but the building continued to serve as convent for the sisters until 1963. It was later demolished and in 1971 became the site of the Catherine Sweeney Apartments. After the school closed in 1987 the parish used the building for religious education programs and other activities. Unity Sunshine Preschool and Day Care moved into the former school building in February 1988. Its administrative offices followed later in the year. St. Joseph's Parish Hall at number 451 was an important center for parish and community activities in the South End until closed in 1979. The building contained four bowling lanes, a gymnasium and auditorium and later was the site of the Seton Day Care center. In 1982 the South Troy Community Center was incorporated and continued the tradition of service to youngsters and adults at the facility until September 1995. The Uncle Sam Boxing Club rented the building for several years until it was demolished last year. The South Troy Swimming Pool opened July 4, 1960 City residents in the South End neighborhoods welcomed it. An annual water carnival at the pool provided an opportunity for youngsters to compete for prizes while proudly showing off their skills in swimming and diving. The Model A changed the street scene throughout American cities. More and more planning has been designed for the convenience of the car. Most people now shop at malls and at supermarket chains. Thousands of former Troy residents have moved from the city to suburban areas. Space formerly occupied by businesses on the first floor of several dozen buildings on the street were renovated and converted to apartments. More than a dozen buildings along the street were demolish to make way for parking lots. Fourth Street is typical of many streets in many aging cities. Fortunately Fourth Street and other Troy streets remain basically stable, even as they go through transition periods. The street still has its share of businesses and commercial enterprises. The Troy Pork Store, Mangione's, Vanilla Bean Bakery, DeFazio's Imports, Michele's Floral Designs, severe pizzeria's and luncheonettes, a scattering of convenience stores and neighborhood pubs, beauty salon's, a barber shops and other small establishments have remained over the years and continue to provide services to city residents. There is still a strong sense of pride in home ownership in this historic Troy neighborhood. Many of the street's residents have lived there for decades. Gardens behind their homes will soon be filled with flowers and vegetables. Each year with the help of Community Gardens more trees are planted along the street. The South Central Troy Neighborhood Association and the South Troy Neighborhood watch serve as a conduit for resident concerns on quality of life issues. Neighbors want to work toward a solutions to problems caused by irresponsible landlords. They are advocates for civil code enforcement. They wait somewhat impatiently for the truck bypass road between Main and Adam Street to relieve their neighborhoods of the persistent heavy truck traffic which now causes buildings to vibrate as vehicles hit pot holes. Fourth Street was designated a truck route in 1952 and bears the brunt of much of the heavy traffic through the densely populated south end neighborhoods, Will the street ever be the same again? It will be different. It is said that there is nothing constant as change. Residents and business people on Fourth Street and other city streets continue to protect and enhance the quality of life in their neighborhoods. They appreciate the amenities of city living and are willing to work with each other, with civic organizations and with city officials for the betterment of their neighborhoods. In the meantime residents of Fourth Street will soon welcome tens of thousands of people to their street on June 13th to enjoy Troy's annual Flag Day Parade. The event was founded in 1968 by Jimmy Pasinella, a postal carrier and former Marine who was disturbed by displays of disrespect for the flag. Jimmy was no stranger to Fourth Street. In cooperation with Troy United Ink Corp., a not-for-profit corporation 
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