Introducing the Chemung County Women’s Suffrage Digital Collection

 By Rachel Dworkin, archivist

The Woman Suffrage Party of Chemung County was established in 1916 with the goal of securing women the vote. It was not the first pro-suffrage organization to be established in Elmira but, thanks to their efforts, it would be the last. In 1917, New York passed a ballot initiative granting women the right to vote. The Woman Suffrage Party played an important role in ensuring that the initiative passed. The group was an important part of our local history and, earlier this year, we received a grant to digitize their records.

Becoming a member in the Woman Suffrage Party was simple. All one had to do was sign their name to the membership slip and donate 25 cents to the cause. The work of the Woman Suffrage Party, however, was anything but simple. During 1917, they met weekly and worked tirelessly to for the cause. Members volunteered as military census takers and Liberty Bond saleswomen, going door-to-door to hundreds of Chemung County homes to do important war work and promote women’s suffrage. They lectured at local churches, clubs, and factories, even bringing in foreign language speakers to speak to different immigrant groups. The club maintained a booth at the Chemung County Fair where they handed out leaflets and free soft drinks. They also hosted market days where they distributed literature and sold flowers, fruit jellies, and cakes to raise money for their efforts. On November 3^rd, three days before the election, they held a rally and downtown parade. On election day, 111 members served as poll watchers.

How do we know about these activities? We were donated the records of the organization by the descendants of the Party’s recording secretary, Mildred Sheely Scharf. The collection includes the minutes from May 11, 1916 through May 17, 1918; programs for events hosted by the Party; handbills; newspaper clippings; correspondence; and pieces of letterhead. And we recently digitized all of it. You can view that collection here: https://nyheritage.org/collections/chemung-county-womens-suffrage-collection

 

First page of the minutes of the Woman Suffrage Party of Chemung County

The collection is hosted by New York Heritage, a collaborative project hosted by the eight of the nine New York Library Councils. The website documents New York state history through maps, yearbooks, directories, photographs, oral histories, and more. These items come from over 430 archives, libraries, and museums across the state, including us! At present, we have 12 different digital collections up on New York Heritage including county atlases, high school yearbooks, city directories, and three different oral history projects. Some of these collections were developed in partnership with the Chemung County Library District and the Corning Museum of Glass. All our various collections are available here: https://nyheritage.org/organizations/chemung-county-historical-society

 This spring, we applied for and received a grant to digitize the Woman Suffrage Party papers, along with other suffrage-related material in our collections including photographs of local suffragists, handbills from earlier suffrage campaigns, and writings for and against by local authors. We will be adding that material to the digital collection over the course of the rest of the year.

The grant was through the South Central Regional Library Council and funded the purchase of a new scanner to replace our old one. Our new scanner is an Epson Perfection V850 Pro. In addition to doing documents, the new scanner has attachments to scan slides, film, and even large-form glass plate negatives. As part of the grant, we are required to digitize and share at least one collection with it each year. We have a lot of options to choose from for our next project. Tell me, gentle reader, which would you prefer: a collection of glass-plate negatives of American LaFrance products from the early 1900s or a collection of film negatives of houses demolished for urban renewal in the 1960s and 70s?

Our new scanner!

 

C.H. Wheadon & Son

by Erin Doane, Senior Curator

An April 27, 1893 article in the Elmira Star-Gazette describes the embarrassing business troubles of Henry G. Wheadon, owner of C.H. Wheadon & Son. The shameful news was that Henry had filed not one but two chattel mortgages in the county clerk’s office. It was with “sincere regret and surprise” that Elmirans learned this humiliating news, according to the reporter. As a modern reader, I didn’t understand how taking out a mortgage was newsworthy or brought such public shame. So, I went looking for historical context.

C.H. Wheadon & Son label inside travel trunk, c. 1878

I first became interested in C.H. Wheadon & Son earlier this year when the museum received the donation of a lovely travel trunk from around 1878. Inside the trunk was a label showing that it was originally purchased from C.H. Wheadon & Son at 206 East Water Street in Elmira.

Trunk sold by C.H. Wheadon & Son, closed and open

Charles H. Wheadon, the company’s founder, was born in Hebron, New York in 1812. Charles married Cordelia Short and they had six children together, four of whom survived into adulthood – Frances, Mary, Charles F., and Henry. After years as a successful businessman in Homer, New York, Charles and his family came to Elmira in 1874. Two years later, he opened a new harness shop on Water Street across the street from the Rathbun House.

C.H. Wheadon & Son dvertisement, The Wellsboro Agitator, May 8, 1877

C.H. Wheadon & Son originally manufactured and sold coaches and harnesses. They sold road, track, and farm harnesses, sporting and tack goods, ladies and gentlemen’s riding saddles, trunks, traveling bags, and valises. The business became so successful that it expanded into the storefront next door and occupied 204-206 East Water Street.

C.H. Wheadon & Son advertisement listing all the types of bells available at the store – “All the latest styles. Largest line in the city”
Originally published in the Evening Star, December 1, 1888; reprinted by the Star-Gazette, May 24, 1953

Henry G. Wheadon was the younger of Charles H.’s sons and was the “son” in his father’s company. Henry’s older brother, Charles F., was already in business for himself when Charles H. opened his store on Water Street. He came to Elmira two years before the rest of the family to work for the Richardson Shoe Company. He started his own wholesale produce business before eventually partnering with Robert W. Barton in Barton & Wheadon, wholesale grocers and tea merchants.

Advertising calendar from Barton & Wheadon, 1908

By 1893, Charles H. had gone into retirement and Henry owned and operated C.H. Wheadon & Son. It was under his management that the business foundered. Henry was forced to give his father a chattel mortgage for the sum of $7,700 that covered all goods, wares, and merchandise in the store, including harnesses, leather goods, trunks, satchels, and handbags. He also gave a second chattel mortgage for the sum of $255 to L.M. Baldwin of Montrose, Pennsylvania covering one carriage and one set of coupe harness. A chattel mortgage is a loan secured by moveable personal property rather than real property. This type of mortgage was seen as a sign of poor financial management and was considered an act of desperation. Henry needed the money to pay off creditors in New York and Philadelphia. Many at the time thought it was a character flaw to be so far in debt and Henry certainly would have been looked down upon and pitied for it.  

Henry blamed this great business embarrassment on competition in his trade. C.H. Wheadon & Son sold goods at retail prices but there were jobbers (wholesale dealers) who sold the same things for less. He also lamented his general bad luck in the business. The G.E.S.S. medical company that occupied rooms above C.H. Wheadon & Son reportedly had seven fires in one year. Each time, the store below suffered water damage. The building’s basement had also flooded several times, damaging merchandise. 

Larger, national economic issues were also at play. The Panic of 1893, one of the most severe economic depressions in the U.S. to that time, began in February. The panic was caused by complex, nationwide issues but here’s a very brief, sweeping explanation: Overbuilding and speculation led to financial collapse of major industries including railroads and banks. The stock market crashed, leading to panic and a credit crisis. This all resulted in mass unemployment (up to 20% in some places), farm foreclosures, and more than 15,000 businesses going bankrupt. The failure of C.H. Wheadon & Son was most likely due to Henry’s poor business decisions but by the time he filed the chattel mortgages, the national economy was on the verge of collapse. 

Henry told the reporter that he planned to accept a position as a travelling salesman, something he had done before joining his father’s business. A week later, in early May 1893, the newspaper reported that Henry had left town. I don’t know if he ever came back to Elmira. On August 16, 1903, the Star-Gazette reported that word had been received that Henry G. Wheadon had died in Los Angeles, California at the age of 44. While the report stated that his remains would be taken to Homer, New York for burial with his family, he was actually interred in Evergreen Cemetery in Los Angeles. 

After Henry left town in 1893, his father announced that he would be coming out of retirement to reopen the harness and trunk shop and resume business. This does not appear to have happened. Charles H. Wheadon, one of Elmira’s oldest citizens at nearly 81 years old, passed away on August 24, 1893 after a protracted illness.

We the People

by Susan Zehnder, Education Director

In 2004, the United States Congress passed 36 U.S. Code § 106  which recognized September 17^th as Constitution and Citizenship Day. The purpose was to promote literacy and understanding of the American constitution.  While not a federal holiday, the law asks “each educational institution that receives Federal funds for a fiscal year (to) hold an educational program on the United States Constitution on September 17 of such year for the students served by the educational institution.”

Does it count if we started things in July? On the 3^rd of that month, CCHS held a community event at the Clemens Center to increase awareness of an oft quoted and important historical document. We called it the Constitution Read because that’s what took place: community members read aloud the entire constitution. We had invited anyone interested in reading, and available to join us, asking that they were 14 years old and up (future voters in four years) and that no one wore political buttons, hats, or t-shirts to the event. 45 community members signed up. Everything went smoothly. We were grateful to the Clemens Center staff and volunteers for helping us and to the audience of readers, friends, and family who stayed to listen. Reading the entire document, all 7,686 words, took an hour. When a section of the document had been changed or amended, we let everyone know by holding up a sign. The event was filmed and many readers shared that it was their first time hearing the whole thing, and asked when we would do it again. In the months since, groups from two southern states have contacted us wanting to know how they could do something similar.

Constitution Read event

Recognizing the importance of the constitution by having a special day was the brainchild of Louise Leigh. Born in 1914 in Gloversville, NY, she moved to Southern California to work as a medical technologist. Leigh became politically active with Republican causes and was appointed Presidential Elector, Delegate to two National Republican conventions, and served as the California Republican Assembly Historian. When she retired from her medical work in 1997, she taught English to immigrants, tutored children, and started a campaign to improve constitutional literacy. Her work was recognized and honored by various political and civic organizations including the Southern Division Federated Republican Women, Daughters of the American Revolution, and the National Center for Constitutional Studies.

In October, CCHS will continue to do our part to promote constitutional literacy. Starting October 3^rd, until November 15^th, we are hosting Voices and Votes: Democracy in America from the Smithsonian Institute's Traveling Exhibition Services. It is a detailed look at some of the complex issues surrounding our country’s vision and understanding of democracy. To go along with it, our Senior Curator and Archivist have put together an exhibit connecting local and national issues. We also have programs to share more information about the exhibit and the topic in general. On October 8^th at noon, CCHS staff will talk about hosting the exhibit. On October 21^st at 7 pm, Dr. Danny Lempert, a former political science professor and current Cornell University law student, will be speaking on “The Voting Rights Act of 1965: Past, Present, and Future.” On the evening of October 23^rd, we are running a game night using materials from the exhibit to spark community conversations. On November 12^th, at noon, members of the Chemung County Board of Elections will be sharing a behind the scenes look at what they do. Inspired by the exhibit, we are working with the Arnot Art Museum and holding a Vote! poster contest. Poster submissions are due in December and more details can be found in our exhibit and on our website. And not to be left out, all Elmira City School District first graders will again be creating flags to hang on display in our museum.  

Flags from last year's First Graders

The film recorded at the Constitution Read will also be showing in the galleries. We invite everyone to come explore the exhibit, participate in discussions, and try out the games. What does it mean to vote? Whose voices are heard? Who is an American? We may not all agree on the answers, but asking the questions offers us a chance to better understand our country and each other: we ARE the people of this great country.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America will be on display to the public October 3 – November 15^th Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm. To get the latest CCHS information, sign up for our e-newsletter by writing to CCHS@ChemungValleyMuseum.org for more information.

There and Back Again: The Journey of the Dunker Bible

By Rachel Dworkin, Archivist

 

On September 17, 1862, the Battle of Antietam raged near Sharpsburg, Maryland, between the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia under General Robert E. Lee and the Union Army of the Potomac under General George B. McClellan. At the southern tip of the Confederate line was a small Dunker church. At the end of the battle, the church was badly scarred from bullet holes and an artillery shell had done serious damage to the walls and roof. The day after the battle, a truce was arranged there for the collecting of the wounded and dead. While searching for the missing men of his regiment, Corporal Nathan Dykeman of the 107^th New York Volunteers ventured inside. There, he helped himself to the large bible resting on the lectern, setting off a 40-year odyssey that would take the bible from Sharpsburg to Elmira and back again.

Truce at Dunker Church by Alfred Waud (Courtesy of National Park Service) 

The Dunkers, also known as the Schwarzenau Brethren or the German Baptists, are a Christian sect founded in Germany in 1708. Their nickname comes from their practice of triple full-body immersion adult baptism. After suffering religious prosecution, a group settled in Pennsylvania in 1720 and soon spread into Maryland, Ohio, and Virginia. They eschew drinking, swearing, war, slavery, and, today, certain aspects of modern technology. The church in Sharpsburg was established in 1852 on land donated by local farmer Samuel Mumma. At the time of the battle, the congregation consisted of a half-dozen local farm families. It would take them several years to repair the battle damaged church and many more to recover their stolen bible.

Its thief, Nathan Dykeman enlisted in the 107^th New York Volunteers at age 24 in July 1862 along with his younger brother James. They both joined Company H in Havana (now Montour Falls), Nathan as a corporal and James as a private. Both fought with the regiment for the rest of the war with Nathan being promoted to sergeant in 1863. He was killed on May 29, 1865 when he was struck by a train just outside Washington, D.C. following a victory celebration. His comrades saw to it that his personal effects made it home to his sister, including the stolen bible.

The bible remained with the Dykeman family until 1903 when Nathan’s sister gave it to James H. Arnold, one of her brothers’ former comrades in arms. He presented it to his fellow former soldiers at the annual reunion of the 107^th New York Volunteers on September 17, 1903 at the Elmira Armory and they agreed to pay the sister $10 for it. The original plan was to add the bible to the records of the regimental association, but it was ultimately decided that someone would contact the church in Sharpsburg instead. But who?

Enter John T. Lewis of Elmira. Mark Twain buffs might better know him as the man who saved Twain’s sister-in-law and niece from an almost certain death by runaway carriage in 1877. Lewis was a Black man who was born free in Carroll County, Maryland on January 10, 1835. He was baptized as Dunker at a church in Pipe Creek, Maryland in 1853. He first came to Elmira in 1862 where he owned a 64-acre farm and occasionally worked as a coachman for the Langdon family. Although he had long been separated from his religious brethren, he kept in touch via church publications and personal correspondence. Lewis used his contacts in the wider Dunker church to track down the pastor John E. Otto of the Sharpsburg church and arrange the return of the bible. It was officially returned to its proper place in the church by the hands of Elder Daniel Miller on December 4, 1903.

 

Mark Twain and John Lewis, ca. 1900

The bible still resides in the church today…after a fashion. After the war, souvenir hunters kept taking bricks off of the building. Fearing that someone might try to take the bible again, it was placed in a vault for safe keeping in 1917. In 1921, the church collapsed following a particularly violent storm. By then, the congregation had built a new church in town and the land and ruins we sold to new owners. In 1951, the site was donated to the National Park Service to be part of the larger Antietam battlefield historic site. In 1962, a restored church was built atop the original foundation using as much original material as possible. The bible was also donated to the Park Service where it rests on display at the Antietam National Battlefield visitor center…in a case so it can’t be stolen again. 

Dunker bible (Courtesy of National Park Service)

 

Seal of Approval

by Erin Doane, Senior Curator 

There are nearly three dozen embossing seals in the museum’s collection and each one is a unique piece of history. Their purpose was to impress seals on official documents. Government agencies, businesses, organizations, and individuals used embossing seals as their signatures to establish authority and prevent fraud. They are fairly simple machines that were often made to be beautiful as well as functional.

Just a few of the embossing seals in CCHS’s collection

Stamp seals were first used around the 6^th millennium BCE in Mesopotamia. They were carved stone dies used to press symbols into the soft clay of business records at the time. Thousands of years later, the basic concept of the stamp seal remains with some added mechanical technology. The embosser holds a custom die set that produces a raised image on paper when pressure is applied to the handle. The embossing seals in our collection range from the late 1800s through the mid-1900s. Most are heavy cast iron with long handles to create enough force to leave an impression. Later seals are lighter metal with mechanical leverage to make embossing easier.

My favorite embossing seals are those made to look like a lion’s head. That seemed to be very popular in the late 1800s. Other examples have decorative floral and geometric patterns painted on the sides. New designs appeared in the early 20^th century offering improvements that made them easier and more comfortable to use but their essential function was still the same. I think they’re all wonderful little machines and want to share some of them with you.

Star Gazette Building Company

Star Gazette Building Company embossing seal

The Star-Gazette Building Company was incorporated in Elmira in 1910. It was created to oversee the purchase of property at the Corner of Baldwin and Market Streets and the creation of a building on the site “to be occupied for publishing purposes” according to the incorporation papers. I’m sure the company’s beautiful embossing seal shaped like a lion’s head, which was patented in 1904, came in handy for all its official business dealings. In 1919, after the building was completed, the Star Gazette Building Company and the Star Gazette Company (publisher of newspapers for whom the building was constructed) consolidated to form the Elmira Star-Gazette, Inc. and the seal became obsolete. 

Elmira Consolidated Ice Company, Inc.

Elmira Consolidated Ice. Co., Inc. embossing seal

In 1924, the Elmira Ice Company, the Crystal Ice Company, and Fell’s Ice Company merged to become the Elmira Consolidated Ice Company, Inc. The company’s embossing seal was simple and functional. It was only used until 1930 when the company merged Hygeia Ice to become the Elmira Hygeia Company. 

Fort Hill Land Company

Fort Hill Land Company embossing seal

W. Charles Smith, who was among the organizers of the Bohemia Land Company in 1902, formed the Fort Hill Land Company five years later for the purpose of developing a summer village along the Chemung River near Rorick’s Glen. I was not able to find out much about the company in my research. I didn’t find mention of it in newspapers after 1907. Smith passed away in 1910 but the company must have continued at least through 1912. That’s when the embosser holding its official seal was patented. I plan on doing some more intensive research about the Fort Hill Land Company in the future.

L.J. Houck & Sons, Inc.

L.J. Houck & Sons, Inc. embossing seal

The embosser used for L.J. Houck & Sons’ official corporate seal has a real industrial look to it with its green paint. It was patented in 1920 and included a latch to hold the handle down when it wasn’t in use. L.J. Houck & Sons Dairy began in 1904 and was incorporated in 1926. They delivered milk on routes through Elmira, Horseheads, Elmira Heights, Big Flats, and Breeseport using horses and wagons up until 1965 when the company was purchased by the Dairymen’s League.

First United Church of Christ

First United Church of Christ

One of our most modern embossing seals, patented in 1955, was used by an old institution. The First United Church of Christ was established in Elmira in 1874. It served German American population in the city and was also called Erste Deutsche Evangelische Kirche. The large stone church constructed at 160 Madison Avenue starting in 1898 still stands but the last service was held there on July 10, 2022.

1955 embossing seal patent

 
Notaries Public

A selection of notary public embossing seals in CCHS’s collection

An important subset of embossing seals are those used by notaries public. A notary public is an official appointed by the state government who witnesses and verifies the signing of important documents to prevent fraud. Anyone interested in taking on the duties of a notary public can do so by applying to the Department of the State, passing the official exam, and paying all necessary fees. New York State does not require the use of a notary seal but a notary public is required to print, typewrite, or stamp certain information on every single document they notarize. Embossing seals speed up this process and are thus still available to purchase (with proof of official status). We have several notary public seals used by local residents in the museum’s collection. 

W.S. Gerity

Notary Public embossing seal of W.S. Gerity

William S. Gerity (b.1847-d.1912) had a decades-long career in the drugstore business. He began as a clerk and went on to be the co-owner and operator of the Gerity Bros. drugstore at 126 Lake Street in Elmira. From as early as 1906, he also served as a notary public. His embossing seal is interesting because it reads “Elmira, N.Y.” All of the other notary seals in our collection read “Chemung County, N.Y.” I wasn’t able to find out why his was different. 

J. Raymond Shoemaker

Notary Public embossing seal of J. Raymond Shoemaker

J. Raymond Shoemaker (b.1882-d.1973) worked for many years for the Hygeia Refrigerating Company. He started with the company in 1906 and was vice president and general manager by 1920. He later became chairman of the board of Hygeia and also served as the director of the Elmira Bank and Trust Company. His notary public seal with a beautiful inscribed leaf or feather design was patented in 1900. 

Anna O. McTiernan

Notary Public embossing seal of Anna O. McTiernan

Anna T. O’Hern McTiernan (b.1880-d.1965) came to Elmira to take courses at Meeker’s Business Institute. After completing her studies in 1904, she went to work in the bookkeeping department at the Star-Gazette. She retired in 1950 after 46 years with the newspaper. She served as a notary public from as early as 1910 through at least 1948. She was Anna T. O’Hern when she began as a notary public. In 1924, she wed Bill McTiernan and had a brand new embossing seal made with her married name.  

Ralph E. Fudge

Notary Public embossing seal of Ralph E. Fudge

Ralph E. Fudge (b.1908-d.2000) holds a special place in our institutional history as he was a longtime member and former president of the Chemung County Historical Society. He worked as a funeral director at Smith-Fudge Funeral home at 1058 W. Church Street in Elmira until retiring in 1972. His embossing seal was patented in 1924. It has a spring-type mechanism in the handle that makes it easier to use, requiring much less strength to emboss paper than earlier models.

Lunch in the Rest Room

 by Susan Zehnder, Education Director

This curious headline from the Elmira Star-Gazette was published on April 27, 1920. Today it conjures up images of late-night comedy sketches, but at the time, its meaning was clear to everyone. It is a good reminder that context is important to understanding history.

The context behind this headline is not a joke but involves a new group hosting a lunch. The group, calling themselves “Mark Twain,” was the local chapter of the New York Home Bureau. The bureau, formed in 1919 by educators from Cornell University, was a state-wide system that provided the latest information to the community on household economics and farm management. It was geared for rural women interested in improving their lives. While much of the country’s economy and day-to-day living still revolved around agriculture, advances in technology were shaping 20^th century farm life to look very different than earlier. The Cornell educators, mostly women scholars, saw a public interest and need for reliable, scientific information and wanted to help.  

That an organization like this came from Cornell University was a natural. Cornell is a land-grant institution, and like other land-grant colleges and universities was created as a result of the first Morrill Act signed in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln. The original 69 institutions were financed by the sales of federally owned land, often land the government had seized or acquired through treaty or cession from Native American tribes.

Land-grant institutions used a new approach to educating students. Earlier, American universities relied on a European model that required students to study the classics, often in Greek or Latin. Topics like classical archeology, art history, history, literature, philosophy, and religion were thought to provide students with what they needed to succeed in life.

The new American model of education offered students practical courses in agriculture, science, military science, and engineering. Also in their mission, the new institutions offered university knowledge to the wider community. With this in mind, Cornell educators reached out to rural farmers. Through organizations like the Home Bureau, Farm Bureau and later Cornell Cooperative Extension, they shared the latest information. Today there are 106 land grant institutions throughout the country.

During World War I, a group of Chemung women who were interested in learning about better ways to preserve food formed the Mark Twain chapter of the Home Bureau. By May of 1920, the chapter had over 400 members.

Canning jar from CCHS collection

It was an active chapter which undertook all sorts of projects. Notable among them, with help from Steel Memorial trustees, was the establishment of the Chemung County Library system. This was the first county-wide library system in New York State. Other projects they pursued were improvements in school nutrition, including hot lunches in schools, food preservation, clothing, and crafts. By 1923, Chemung County had 31 Home Bureau chapters.

The Home Bureau doesn’t exist anymore, but Cornell Cooperative Extension continues to have a presence in all 62 New York counties.

So why, in 1920, was the Home Bureau chapter holding a luncheon in a rest room?

The Rest Room in question was not a washroom, but a room where rural women visiting Elmira could rest. It was maintained by the city and county, and located on the 2^nd floor of 120 Lake Street. Designed to be “a comfortable place where farm women could wait until all members of the family were ready to go home,” it was relocated to the Federal Building in 1930.

Just goes to show that curiosity can lead to some odd discoveries.

 

Green (Book) Means Go

 By Rachel Dworkin, Archivist

 

For Black motorists in the mid-20^th century, hitting the road could be a dangerous proposition. Travelers frequently had their cars vandalized and could find themselves attacked by whites or arrested arbitrarily by the police. Throughout the Jim Crow south, Blacks were frequently denied service at hotels, restaurants, gas stations, and other public accommodations. It happened in the north too. Since 1873, New York has had laws against discrimination in public accommodations, but that didn’t stop some New York hotel and restaurant owners from refusing to serve Black customers.

Enter The Negro Motorists Green Book. Created by Victor Hugo Green, a Black postal worker from New York City, the book provided Black motorists with a list of places across the nation where they knew they would be given service. The lists included hotels, tourist homes, restaurants, night clubs, gas/service stations, beauty salons, and barber shops. An updated version was published yearly from 1936 to 1966. Travelers were encouraged to write in the names, addresses, and kind of business of friendly places they knew about to keep the lists fresh.

The Negro Motorists Green Book not only helped to protect Black motorists in their travels, it helped to promote Black businesses. Black women benefited especially considering that most tourist homes and beauty salons were women-owned. Getting listed was free, but businesses could pay to have their listing displayed in bold or with a star to denote that they were “recommended.” Esso Standard Oil Company, as a major sponsor of the Green Book, became the gas station of choice for Black motorists. A number of Black Essos station owners were featured in the various articles included in each book. Other articles profiled popular black tourist destinations like Idlewild, Michigan; Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts; and Belmar, New Jersey.

While each addition of The Negro Motorists Green Book devoted pages to accommodations in New York City, accommodations for Black motorists upstate were few and far between. Mrs. J.A. Wilson’s tourist home (bed and breakfast) at 307 East Clinton Street in Elmira was first listed in 1940.  Like many of the businesses listed in the Green Book, Mrs. Wilson’s tourist home was a Black-owned business. Almaria M. Wilson began operating her home as a boarding house in 1925 to supplement her husband John’s income. She continued to operate it until 1942. Outside of her work, Wilson was an active member of the Douglass Memorial A.M.E. Zion Church and the Topaz Reading Circle.

Green Book, 1940. Courtesy of New York Public Library

Later editions of the Green Book featured the Elmira landmark Greet Pastures, located at 670 Dickinson Street. The book listed it as a tourist home, but it was so much more. Opened in 1932 by Beatrice Johnson, her husband Richard, and her brother Edward Hodges, Green Pastures was a restaurant, bar, and night club which happened to offer lodgings, especially to the traveling musicians who played there. Green Pastures was a happening place. As the only Black-owned night club in the Twin Tiers, it was considered an important stop of the Chitlin' Circuit and hosted jazz and blues bands from all over the country. Green Pasture’s kitchen was known for its soul food, especially their fried chicken, ribs, biscuits, and collard greens. In 1972, the original building was demolished and the club moved to a new location at 723 Madison Avenue. It closed in 2011. 

Green Book, 1955. Courtesy of the New York Public Library

 

By the 1960s, the once popular Green Book was becoming obsolete. Even before the passage of the federal Civil Rights Act of 1964, the work of activists was lessoning the impact of racial discrimination in public accommodation. The rise of the interstate system in the late 1950s was driving back-road Black-owned hotels out of business. By 1963, the editors of the Green Book were struggling to justify its existence. The final edition was issued in 1966 under the new name Travelers' Green Book: 1966–67 International Edition: For Vacation Without Aggravation. No longer focused on Black travelers, the last edition featured a white woman on the cover. Green Pastures of Elmira was still listed though.

 

Green Book, 1966. Courtesy of the New York Public Library