125 Years Ago
August 16, 1894
Petty thieving was quite extensively indulged in Monday night, when the places of business of H.E. Nickerson, William Schommer, Frank Hennigar and John S. Cleveland Gardiner were entered. Pennies and small change that were left in the drawers was “scooped” and a few cigars taken from Schommer’s.
100 Years Ago
August 14, 1919
The Montauk Naval Station, upon which the Government has spent millions of dollars, and which, one year ago, bore the scenes of the most prominent naval activity of any station in the land, closed last week, and, we hope, never to open again for any reason that brought the late camp into existence. The closing of the camp was noted by the lowering of the stars and stripes and a farewell address to the command by Lieutenant Babbitt, the acting commander.
75 Years Ago
August 17, 1944
A score of beautiful and eager contestants paraded before an enthusiastic audience on the night of August 11th at the Montauk Surf Club and the winner, “Miss Montauk,” for 1944 in a neat red bathing suit was the entirely delightful and attractive Marion Poole. She came to the top by popular acclaim over a strongly supported and worthy opponent, Miss Vivian Tuma. These girls nosed out Eleanor and Frances McDonald and Kerstin Olson — the five comprising the team which will represent Montauk in the final competition to take place on September 1st. The Queen of the Island is the title at stake.
50 Years Ago
August 15, 1968
All those people in East Hampton who want restrictions on use of the town beaches, but didn’t show up two months ago to make their feelings known to the town board when the board wanted to pass a beach parking ordinance decided to show up in full strength at Wednesday’s scheduled meeting.
The original beach parking ordinance got shot full of holes by a determined group of residents led mainly by the motel owners of Montauk who didn’t like the idea of having to pay five dollars apiece for a car sticker. If you lived in the township, but didn’t own property, the fee was to be ten dollars which brought out the motel owners.
On Wednesday, however, practically the whole membership of the Amagansett Village Improvement Society came to the meeting to voice loud and long protests that their beaches were being used by out-of-towners. Montauk motel owner Sam Cox summed up the feelings of many, describing non-residents as “hoodlums” and residents as “nice people.”
25 Years Ago
August 18, 1994
As the 75th anniversary of the American Legion’s Chelberg-Battle Post in Sag Harbor draws near, Commander Charles Schreier addresses the need for members. “There are plenty of veterans around, and we would like them to help.”
With a current membership of 165, the Chelberg-Battle Post continues Legion’s mission of helping to celebrate national holidays, a duty it took over upon the disbanding of the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR), a Civil War veterans organization. “To foster and perpetuate one hundred percent Americanism” reads an article from the Preamble to the Constitution of The American Legion.
