After we ran a couple of errands, Mom and Dad and I rode up to Cobbs Hill ..... high over our neighborhood, and enjoyed the view! A great park with a wonderful history, including the site of a sort of "rest area" on the Erie Canal - a "wide water" - place to pull over and rest, etc out of the flow of traffic on the canal. Also the site of a POW camp during WWII - seems there were Italians there first --- About 60 Italian prisoners worked on area farms, and in local food processing plants. (10 hour/6 day @ $.80 per day wages) When Italy declared war on Germany the Italians were allowed to work unguarded, out of the camp, and local citizens brought food and organized weekend dances. They were replaced with about 100 Germans in the summer of 1944 - Area folks tried to bring food, etc, and gather outside the camp to listen to the POW's nightly choir practice, but conflicts arose between the guards and the locals because the Army was worried about the prisoners causing troubles, and wanted the locals banned from the area. Additional German prisoners were housed at Edgerton Park. The prisoners were used in snow removal in the winter of 1945 when several large storms paralyzed the whole area, further improving the local feelings of sympathy and friendship with the prisoners. Only the American Legion was opposed to having the POWs around! V-E Day, May 8, 1945 ended the need for the prisoners to be in the area. The barracks became housing for returning GI's, and the area of the camp is currently a senior housing complex located inside the park!
After we ran a couple of errands, Mom and Dad and I rode up to Cobbs Hill ..... high over our neighborhood, and enjoyed the view! A great park with a wonderful history, including the site of a sort of "rest area" on the Erie Canal - a "wide water" - place to pull over and rest, etc out of the flow of traffic on the canal. Also the site of a POW camp during WWII - seems there were Italians there first --- About 60 Italian prisoners worked on area farms, and in local food processing plants. (10 hour/6 day @ $.80 per day wages) When Italy declared war on Germany the Italians were allowed to work unguarded, out of the camp, and local citizens brought food and organized weekend dances. They were replaced with about 100 Germans in the summer of 1944 - Area folks tried to bring food, etc, and gather outside the camp to listen to the POW's nightly choir practice, but conflicts arose between the guards and the locals because the Army was worried about the prisoners causing troubles, and wanted the locals banned from the area. Additional German prisoners were housed at Edgerton Park. The prisoners were used in snow removal in the winter of 1945 when several large storms paralyzed the whole area, further improving the local feelings of sympathy and friendship with the prisoners. Only the American Legion was opposed to having the POWs around! V-E Day, May 8, 1945 ended the need for the prisoners to be in the area. The barracks became housing for returning GI's, and the area of the camp is currently a senior housing complex located inside the park!
1 comment:
She's lookin' good there!
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