The Vedder Research Library

The fuller aerial taken in 2011 shows Country Estates with most of the proposed 155 units constructed. In the bottom left is GNH; the upper left shows Vanderbilt Park and GCS’s playing fields while the white buildings in the upper right shows Camp Malka (the former Ingalside). The inset, shot in 1990, shows the very beginning, with the dirt tracks marking the sites for the first houses. The shopping plaza sits upper center, while the bottom right would become town park property.

The Talmadge-Irving House, located on North Street, has undergone an extensive renovation under the care of Don Irving and Matthew Terry. Originally built in the mid 1700's, the house was moved in 1790 to make room for the Talmadge/Atwater residence across the street. The Irving family bought the house in the late 1800's and it has remained in the family ever since. The property has been painstakingly reinvented while retaining its vintage charm. The GLHG applauds the renovation/restoration of properties that re-invigorate the character of the town.

The warm glow of Christmas lighting emanating from The Westerner adds to Greenville’s Holiday spirit. Built in 1967 and operated by Richard, William and Jennie Irving, the business celebrates its 49th year in 2016 and has been reimagined by third-generation owners Don Irving & Matthew Terry.

Episcopal Church, sketch by Debra Teator

The Judith and David Rundell house of North Street, opposite the elementary school, has traveled in its lifetime. It first sat on the west side of Rt 32, approximately on the center front lawn of today’s elementary school. When the district centralized in 1930, David’s father Ford sold land to the new central school district. The Rundell residence was moved across the street where it rests today, turned ninety degrees clockwise, with the former front door now facing the Episcopal Church. The 1993 GLHG calendar photo showed the house resting on Rt 32 at the end of the Day 1 move, to be completed the following day. The inset shows David standing where the family house stood.

This simple brochure marks one of the key events of 20th century Greenville. A national need for improved educational opportunities and Greenville’s burgeoning student population had raised calls for a centralized school district in the 1920s. A positive district vote in 1930 led to construction, with an opening set for the 1932-1933 school year. Today, that building is the Scott M. Ellis Elementary building. The front and inside panels are reproduced; the back panel contained the words of America and The Star Spangled Banner. (See November)

One hundred American flags sprouted in the weeks before Memorial Day 2017 on the property near the entry to Vanderbilt Park, Rt 32, one-half mile north of the four corners. Sponsored by American Legion Post 291, the Field of Flags project is dedicated in tribute to current and former military members. Posing for this photo are, left to right: Don Bey, Don Savino, Skip Spinner, Ray Albin, George ”Buddy” Soldner, James Goode Jr, and Jack Kelly.

Presbyterian Church

Twenty years ago this month, the Great Northern Catskills Balloon Festival put Greenville on the map. Spearheaded by the Greenville Area Chamber of Commerce, this festival validated the organizational and volunteer efforts of the community, with thousands of attendees enjoying the Friday evening Moonglow and the balloon launches at 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. This and five more festivals were set on the grounds of Len and Jyl DeGiovine’s Balsam Shade with its panoramic view of the Catskill Escarpment. The photo captures pages from the newspapers and brochures produced for the festivals, with lists of activities, sponsors, businesses, accommodations, balloon pilots, and advertisers.

Scott M Ellis Elementary School

A mid-winter peacefulness settles over Greenville’s four corners in February 1945. Elms still reign supreme, even more so in the black & whiteness of winter. On the left edge peeks the library building while, on the right, Wessel’s Garage solidly sits. The inset shows a busier road, with today’s Tommy’s Hot Dogs blocking the view of Mangold Realty, the site of Wessel’s Garage.

After two decades of petitioning and lobbying from the Greenville Rotary and area businesses, NYS DOT effected a major reconstruction of a six mile stretch of State Route 32, centered near the intersection with State Route 143 in Dormansville. This reconstruction almost straightened the curves by Boomhower Rd, moved the road uphill near Dickinson Falls, and made SR 32 the non-stop, 55 mph road it is today. The upper-left photo shows the T-intersection by the older Agway, with the longer drawn-in black line showing the new curved roadway; the shorter blackened line shows the new approach on 143 which today comes to a stop. The lower-right photo shows the view from the south approaching the Hiawatha Grange (just off the right side of the photo) and curving toward the former Agway. Issues of the 1992 Greenville Local chronicled progress of the project, with completion the following year. Business leaders had not only wanted a more convenient ride but also hoped that business and population growth might come to Greenville. In the summer of 2020, that same section was re-paved.

A stunning view greeted passersby on State Route 32 North as three hundred American flags sprouted in the weeks before Memorial Day 2020 on the front lawn of the Scott M Ellis Elementary School, a first time site. Sponsored by American Legion, Post 291, the Field of Flags project is dedicated in tribute to current and former military members. Pictured from The Greenville American Legion, Post 291, L-R are: Commander Skip Spinner, Jim Wilcox, James Goode Jr, Ray Albin, Billy Rauf, Steve Mataraza, Tom Murphy, Don Bey, Don Savino and Jack Kelly.

Greenville celebrated when the department store chain Ames opened in a new building in Bryants Country Square, one mile north of the four corners. The Grand Opening took place on October 4, 1986, with these dignitaries invited: roughly left to right: Valerie Lounsbury, x, Al Bryant, x, Zan Bryant, Garth Bryant, x, x, x, Andy Macko, Bill Reinecke, Frank Tiberi, Bob Bolte, Cliff Powell Jr, George Allen, Barbara Valicenti, x, Jeanne Bear, Bill Maxwell, Phil Ellis, Jane Randall, x, Iris Cochrane, Louise Mufala, x, x, x. Greenville’s joy turned to despair in October 2002 when the parent company declared bankruptcy and the Greenville branch closed, leaving many locals to bemoan this loss almost twenty years later. The inset shows a full parking lot on Grand Opening Day at Ames.

The SRV (Sarada Ramakrishna Vivekananda) Retreat Center is one of several churches welcomed by the Greenville area over the past half-century. Located on Jennings Road, one quarter mile north of the Town of Greenville/Greene County line off of State Route 32, the main house was the site of Webb and Marie Jennings’ House on the Hill Resort during mid-century. The visually distinctive ochre dome of the Interfaith Peace Temple serves as a landmark beacon for travelers. Sold in 1986 to the SRV group, the church and retreat was headed by Bruce Hilliger (Swami Atmavratananda) upon his arrival in 1988. Now Greenville’s longest continuously serving minister in the area, Swami Bruce coordinates not only the Retreat’s religious services but also a busy schedule that has invited many community purposes (AA meetings, food co-op, karate & aerobics classes, meditation, etc.). The Greenville community also recognizes Bruce as a long-time school bus driver, substitute teacher, and guitar/music teacher. One inset shows an interior view of the wide area floor of the Interfaith Temple as it looks toward the Catskill Mountains. A second inset of the Interfaith stone, set on the Temple’s front façade, contains the symbols of five major religions, namely Buddhism (wheel of Dharma), Hinduism, Islam, Christianity and Judaism.

In the second half of the twentieth century, Alexander “Zan” Bryant Jr. shaped Greenville more than any other person. Born in 1932 to Al and Pearl Bryant, Zan graduated from GCS in 1950. He married Carol Thompson, enlisted in the Marines, and served in the Korean War. After being discharged in 1954, he joined his father in the family store. In 1961, Al and Zan had the vision that would turn Greenville into a regional shopping destination. This started modestly as a new supermarket, occupying the front of today’s Tops Plaza. They would expand it numerous times until it became Bryant’s Country Square containing the largest volume independent supermarket in New York State and numerous other shopping opportunities, while providing employment for thousands of local residents. He would partner in opening Greenville’s first self-service gas station as well as its first sewer treatment plant, bringing in Ames Department Store, State Bank and Dollar General, among others, while developing businesses countywide. Later, Zan would partner in developing residential properties, including Turon Road, and culminating in starting Country Estates that would grow to provide homes for 150 families. Photos: Zan as Marine, Zan with father Al, early store in 1961, expansion of plaza.

One might argue that the heart and soul of Greenville’s Four Corners is the Greenville Public Library. A library or library association has functioned in Greenville at various times since the town’s formation over two hundred years ago. The current site hosted the Greenville Academy in 1815 until its razing in 1905 for construction of the current building in 1906. It use as a school ended with centralization in 1930/1932 and then re-utilized as a school in the 1960s as emergency space. In 1957, a town vote established this building as the town’s library. The friendly and helpful faces upon entering: clerk Phyllis Wolf (retiring Fall 2021, after many years of service), Library Director Barbara Flach (director since 1991), and clerk Bethany Best; missing clerk Jodi Omoto. The Library Board of Trustees include: Joan Smith, Carol Schreiber, Kathie Quackenbush, Margaret Finch, Jerry Adinolfi, and Melissa Palmer. The inset shows the pre-1906 Academy Building.

During its thirty years, the George Vanderhoef Vanderbilt Park, more commonly called the Greenville Town Park, has evolved into a regionally known asset for the Town of Greenville. Previously operated as a farm by the Sherrill and Vanderbilt families, the Town of Greenville purchased the 156 acre property in 1992 from Joan Vanderbilt Davidson with the assistance of an Iroquois Pipeline grant and through a myriad of community fund-raisers and contributions. A newly formed Citizens Park Committee guided early progress and was recognized by a 1993 Greene County award for Most Outstanding Planning Achievement. That committee morphed into the current Community Partners of Greenville which continues to guide park progress. The page shows the park sign, the newspaper clipping of the award notice, a hand-drawn map of the nature trail, the North Barn peeking through the playground, hikers on a backwoods trail, and a Debra Teator aerial. This aerial shows the South Barn to the left of the North Barn. In front of the North Barn is the Vanderbilt house and barns that were razed in 1999, now sitting as a vacant lot in front of the park. The park entrance starts from Rt 32 on the right side of the aerial, continues along the wooded stonewall, and then turns a right angle to the rear of the North Barn.