Growth caused confusion, number changes in city

Surging growth of a community can have its upsides and downsides.

It can mean more money in the local economy, giving residents a better quality of life, such as better streets and parks.

It can also mean confusion for people not from the area as they visited or moved to the community. These were exactly the things that were going on in Oneonta in 1913.

From the July 17, 1913, edition of The Oneonta Herald, a front-page article had a headline, "New Signs and Numbers."

It began, "The city has long been in need of street signs at every intersection of streets to enable visitors and strangers to find their way easily about the city.

"Moreover, the numbering of residences placed upon them many years ago is in many sections very confusing. In some places as many as three houses on a given street bear the same number," among other confusing situations.

What this led to was the order for a complete set of street signs, and the task of renumbering many structures by the city assessment department. Assessors began their work July 16.

The Herald reported that a notice would soon be left at each house or business, explaining the changes, and that the new number would be official.

Was there confusion? Absolutely. Some expense, as well. For businesses on Main and Chestnut streets, among others, it probably meant ordering new letterhead for their stationery. Residents and businesses in our region in the late 1990s and in recent years endured some confusion like this when new addresses were changed for emergency 911 identification purposes.

The Herald stated, "Prompt co-operation on the part of all property owners in changing to the new numbering will be of great help in speedily eliminating all confusion."

Oneonta was a booming city in 1913. A January edition of The Herald reported that building operations for 1912 had an aggregate $344,610 -- big numbers for the time. The only year exceeding it was $467,900 in 1910. New neighborhoods were appearing, and new buildings were being constructed on sites between existing buildings. There was bound to be some confusion with numbering.

The D&H Railroad was near peak with its employment numbers at that time, with nearly 39 percent of the city's residents employed in the yards. More new residents were arriving to take jobs being offered by the railroad.

The renumbering was complete that year, and The Herald reported that a new city directory was planned for that autumn. A city directory was published every year in the spring, but since 1913 had seen so many number changes, the earlier directory would be welcomed.

Beneath the headline, "New Directory Planned" was the subheadline, "C.W. Peck to Remedy Present Chaotic Condition with Up-to-date Book."

To give you an idea of some changes, Bresee's was 139-145 Main St. The new number was 155-165 Main St.

The residence of Mrs. Harriet Huntington, 28 Chestnut St., became 62 Chestnut, and is today's Huntington Memorial Library.

The Oneonta Theater, formerly 13 Chestnut St., became 47.

Not all places in the city were affected by the number changes. For example, the Albert Morris residence, Oneonta's first city mayor, was 43 Walnut St., and remains number 43 today, as Robynwood Home for Adults.

There are many people in the 21st century who buy a home in Oneonta and seek its history, such as when it was built, and who previously lived in it.

Old city directories are a wealth of information about a history of a house or business. They can even tell you what the occupants did for a living.

The Huntington Memorial Library's New York State Room has city directories dating back to 1887, with nearly all of them until the late 1960s, either in volumes or on microfilm. More recent Polk directories are also available. While not nearly as extensive, the Greater Oneonta Historical Society's History Center at 183 Main St. has a good collection of city directories as well.

Just remember -- the place you are researching likely had a number change in 1913.

On Monday: a teenage tragedy shook Cooperstown.

City Historian Mark Simonson's column appears twice weekly. On Saturdays, his column focuses on the area during the Depression and before. His Monday columns address local history after the Depression. If you have feedback or ideas about the column, write to him at The Daily Star, or e-mail him at simmark@stny.rr.com. His website is www.oneontahistorian.com.