Local Summit Program Remembers the Way Things Were in Larchmont

By Doris Shaw Block

The Local Summit of Larchmont Mamaroneck concluded its year of monthly Tuesday morning breakfast programs on June 12, 2017 with a breezy romp down memory lane. In contrast to the weightier topics presented in recent months such as immigration and county and school budgets, the Local Summit ended its year on a lighthearted note, with a panel of lifetime residents reminiscing about the way things were when they were growing up in Larchmont in the 1940’s through 1960’s.

The panelists included Larchmont Village Trustee Peter “Bubba” Fanelli, John Farris, longtime Local Summit board member Jeff Meighan, and Jeff’s brother, Bruce Meighan. Jeff Meighan also served as moderator. John Farris grew up in the unincorporated Town of Mamaroneck. Peter Fanelli and the Meighans grew up in the Village of Larchmont.

Jeff Meighan set the stage by reading a poem, “I know a Village,” which was written about Larchmont when he was a child by his neighbor, Mrs. Charles Hayden (better known as Pulitzer Prize winning author/poet Phyllis McGinley). The poem beautifully describes the bucolic nature of Larchmont, ending with the lines “And I’d not willingly, I think, [e]xchange it for Arcadia or Camelot.” Following the reading the panelists shared memories from their childhoods in Larchmont and Mamaroneck.

The most obvious contrast to Larchmont life today that all of the speakers emphasized was that as children they had tremendous freedom to play and bike all over town after school – unstructured and unsupervised--- provided only that they were home by 6 pm for dinner. All that their parents required was that they carry a dime in their pockets to make a phone call from a then prevalent public phone in case of emergency. They invented their own games and organized team sports on their own, without any parental supervision, umpires or referees.

Jeff Meighan observed that Larchmont was more middle class then, with many local businesses operated by local residents. For example, Peter Fanelli’s dad owned Fanelli’s Beauty Salon on Larchmont Avenue and, subsequently, other salons. The panelists marveled that many local businesses founded by local residents several generations ago are landmarks that remain today, including John J. Fox Funeral Home, Futterman’s Stationery, Foley’s Hardware, Walter’s Hot Dogs, Larchmont Tavern, Leon’s Taxi, the Corner Store, Tony’s Nursery and Larchmont Nurseries.

On the other hand, the panelists lamented that many businesses that played important roles in their childhoods no longer exist, including a number of independent drug stores, three bowling alleys that operated in Larchmont/Mamaroneck, and a miniature golf course that stood where McDonalds is today. Hory Chevrolet operated on the location that is now the Gap; Larchmont Dodge Plymouth existed where Chase bank is across the street; and Willie’s Fish Market became Carlyn’s Cove.

The panelists further noted the major changes in transportation and school buildings. During their childhoods there were trolley car tracks and bus routes throughout Larchmont Manor. Palmer Avenue did not extend to New Rochelle. I-95 was then only in construction, with cars and bikes sharing the Boston Post Road with trucks. Also, Hommocks was not built until the 1960’s; Mamaroneck Junior High School occupied the Post Road building and Mamaroneck Senior High School was at the Palmer Avenue location.

Times have no doubt changed. Indeed, John Farris recalled that his first car, a 1946 Plymouth, cost $60, whereas his son’s first pair of Nikes cost $85. Nonetheless, it is of great value to remember our past. As Jeff Meighan stated, concluding the program, “it’s very important to know where we came from and how we got here [to understand] how it may be in the future.”

This breakfast forum was hosted by the Larchmont/Mamaroneck Local Summit, an informal community council that seeks to make life better for all in the tri-municipal area. The Local Summit is on break for the summer; the Tuesday morning breakfast presentations will resume in the fall, with the first program on September 19, 2017.