Historical Wonders: Gloria P. Pritts, Village of Mamaroneck Historian

Gloria Poccia Pritts has been the historian for Village of Mamaroneck since 1989. She was born here, and has lived within six blocks of Palmer and Rockland most of her life.

"Gloria is the Mark Twain of the Village of Mamaroneck," says Mamaroneck Mayor Norman S. Rosenblum, "because she has a sense of history, and she relates the characters of Mamaroneck in a purely historical and loving manner."

It's true. On three different occasions, simply taking a short ride with Pritts, a young 86, yields storybook info. For instance, we're on Prospect Avenue, heading east. Start the clock:

She drives past a house with a marker indicating Norman Rockwell lived there from 1903 to 1912. "Rockwell was a drop-out at Mamaroneck High School," confides Pritts with a grimace, "around tenth grade. He took the trolley from Palmer Avenue to New York City to go to art school. Did you know that Prospect Avenue was originally called High Street?"

We pause at Mount Pleasant Avenue. "The Native Americans had their camp here on the hill. Can you just picture that? Amazing.

"On the left is the American Legion Post 90. It was built in 1845 and was the second Mamaroneck United Methodist Church building; the first burned down on High Street. I'll show you the bell later." 

Where is it?  "You'll see. When the congregation moved to the Post Road in 1859, the building became the Town Hall for a while, and jails were built in the basement."  Time: Four minutes.

Local historians

Pritts is recognized for obtaining the and applying for state funding to cover relocation and reconstruction.  She has been a past president and vice-president of the Mamaroneck Historical Society.

The unpaid, volunteer positions of historians are appointed. Pritts was appointed in October 1989 by Mayor Paul Noto. Before her were William Fulcher, and Burton Meighan.

"Gloria has continuously been reappointed by all incumbent mayors," says Mayor Rosenblum.  "She's tireless and devoted. You can go to her with any question."

Town of Mamaroneck Historian is Donald March. Larchmont Village Historian recently retired with no successor.

Making room for history

Pritts' office is in Village of Mamaroneck Municipal Building on Prospect Avenue, in a small, narrow space, neatly packed with materials.

"When I started, all I had as a bit of information from work I'd done, and then I accumulated so much that it was crowding me out of my apartment. Mayor Phil Trifiletti found this space for me."

Pritts is a trained archivist. "I've established a local history research center, organized so that material is easily located."

Materials include printed material, photographs, slides, tapes, discs, and books. Files are organized for people, events, organizations, businesses, and more. A "People" file drawer contains files on notables such as Caleb Heathcote, the Barrymores, and Dillon brothers.

Pritts was the chairperson for the 1995 Village of Mamaroneck 100^th anniversary, with two years of preparation.  She's written "countless" newspaper articles, and in 1998 created the MHS magazine "Conversations."

Pritts' office hours are Tuesday and Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and by appointment. Today she's sorting through a local history folder that was recently given to her. In it is a rare postcard of Washington Rock.

Life in Mamaroneck

Pritts was born July 3, 1924, the fifth of six children born on Colonial Avenue.

Her grandfather immigrated from Italy in 1901 as a master stone mason to work on Kensico Dam. Her family moved to Fenimore Road, and then to Old Post Road. Though she was in the Honor Society in high school, she was enrolled in "commercial classes," taking courses such as stenography.

After graduating, she commuted to Radio City Music Hall, working as a bookkeeper. She met her husband, a sailor from Pennsylvania, on a blind date. They married in 1946, and had three children. Harry Junior is 62; John, is 57; and Amy is 54. Pritts has three great grandchildren.

Her husband Harry passed over in 1999. Soothing the loss, she enrolled at SUNY Empire in Hartsdale, graduating with honors and a history degree in 2004. Speaking at the ceremony, "I said, 'This is my second graduation. My first one was in 1942.' They all went, 'Whoa…'"

Pritts worked in the Mamaroneck School District for thirty years, starting in 1961 as a library clerk, then heading the Audio Visual department, and establishing the emergency management plan, retiring in 1991. She became involved with MHS, giving history talks in the community and for LMC-TV.

"History gives us a sense of who we are, by looking at who walked here before we did, shaping our community. Knowing that can give you pride and inspiration."

History ambassador

Pritts organizes elementary school field trips to the 1816 to experience a one-room classroom of long ago.

"Gloria bridges a generation gap in historical education," says Mayor Rosenblum. "She's also instrumental in providing economic material, such as for prospective businesses deciding if they should invest in the Village of Mamaroneck."

"I love what I do, because it's about my hometown that I love," says Pritts. She has no protégé. "I known there's going to be someone as interested as I am in the people and the place." 

Her goals are to write a book and digitize more photographs.

Her legacy is "these archives, and the schoolhouse, which was a dream."

She has a permanent place in Mamaroneck. Outside the Municipal Center sits the bell that was displaced from the Methodist church, a gift from the Poccia family, with a plaque that bears her name. "It's rung at ceremonial events," she says with pride. "It's a lot of fun."

Asked if she has ever wanted to live anywhere other than Mamaroneck, Pritts replies,  "No. I want to travel, and I want to see, and do, but not live anywhere else. This is home, and home is our history."

Contact Gloria Pritts at home (914) 698-5259; at work (914) 777-7789; or at gpritts@vomny.com.

Katherine Ann Samon is the author of four books, including Ranch House Style, and is a trustee. Her column, "Historical Wonders," about important buildings, people, and events  in Larchmont and Mamaroneck, appears twice a month on Larchmont-Mamaroneck Patch. To learn more about the author, visit her Web site: www.katherineannsamon.com