Some Owego, NY Pictures (New York, Binghamton: 2009, how much, homes)

[Ex-Ithacan]

Here are some pictures I took while on a recent trip. I passed through Owego on a sunday morning (probably why there weren't any people downtown) and decided to take some pics of the great old buildings in the downtown area (mostly). Anyway, hope you enjoy them.

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10. The firehouse on the right.


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20. The bridge over the Susquehanna River.


21. The misty river.


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31. I gotta admit I did chuckle when I saw this place.


32. Amazing brick work.


Some residential.

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38. Glad I stopped.


39. Elvis has left the building.

[Ellie C.]

Thanks for the pics! I hope you got to see the area just east/southest of downtown. There are some huge old historical homes that are really cool. Also, I think you missed the old jailhouse downtown. Also very cool. Owego seems like a really nice town.

[artyst]

i really enjoyed your pictures, thanks for posting them! owego looks like a nice place.

[Tioga]

As someone who is down in the village at least once a day, I can say you did a fine job on those Owego pics.

[Ex-Ithacan]

Thanks for the replies folks. When I was a youngin', my family use to pass through Owego on trips to Scranton quite frequently. I didn't appreciate the great old buildings and beautiful river setting much back then. I know the town has been through some rough times economically in recent years, but it is nice to see the place is still alive and improving. I did see some of those grand old homes on Front street, but didn't have the time to take any pics (maybe the next time I pass thru).

[I'minformed2]

Small town upstate ny....that's really all you need to say! Great pictures!

[Marjorie Breon Burruss]

My Memories of Owego, New York
By Marjorie (MidgeBreon) Burruss
I was born in Owego on North Avenue and lived in and on the outskirts for many years., I have so many memories from there. I lived there until I got married in 1963 and moved to Johnson City, New York. I now live in Glen Allen, Virginia, the out skirts of Richmond. I still visit Owego every year when I visit families members who lived near or close by. I drive the different streets and relive the memories as I drive them. There so many happy memories there for me.
Let me tell you of some of my memories and maybe it will refresh others minds the same way.
I remember waiting in line on a Friday night in December, at Owego Murray's store on Front Street, waiting to see Santa Claus. They did such a great job with their displays and when I went upstairs to see Santa my eyes would roam all around looking at them.
Then there were the free movie at the Tioga Theatre, on Main Street, at Christmas time and when we left the theatre we all would get a free box of candy and an orange.
Then there was the Halloween's parade that would end on Lake Street in front of the post office, where there were free doughnuts and cider. We would soap the store windows and the owner would have to wash them the next day, it was fun, but clean fun. There were some great organizations who put a lot of work and support for the community.
Who couldn’t forget the Cloverland and the Sugar Bowl, the hangouts. It was a meeting place after school and on weekends. It would be so noisy on the weekend, I don't know how the owner could stand it.
In the summer we would go either to Main Street or Talcott Street to go swimming. The boys would try to impress the girls by jumping off the Talcott Street's bridge.
Then it was the Tioga County Fair, and that is where you would see so many familiar faces, friends and neighbors from different communities around Tioga County.
I can remember how crowded Owego would be on Friday nights when everyone would come to do their weekly shopping. Lake Street and Front St, Main St. were pack with cars parked in every parking spots, then they put in the parking meters. That's when Endicott and Johnson and Stakemore, Tioga Foundry, IBM and many more supported the community with their products.
Then they replace the old Newberry's store and built a new one on the corner of Lake St. and Main St.. They hanged a big pair of jeans from the store facing North Avenue .
We would go to the Community Shop and Skinner’s (on North Avenue) for ice c ream cones and candy. We loved to go to Muller’s 5 & Dime, on Lake Street, for ice cream sandwich, for they would cut the ice cream and placed them between waffle wafers. All of these were in walking distance so we had our choices of where we would want to buy our ice cream.
I can remember when they put in the underpass on North Avenue. We lived in the Evans’ block and we would watch the construction of the underpass, and anxious for them to finish it so we could roller skate down the sidewalk’s incline and hope we didn‘t fall. Then they close McMaster Street crossing so the traffic had to use the underpass.
There would always be something to do at the Youth Center on Temple Street, billiards, games, and the weekly movies on Thursday night. We would all be crowded in front of it waiting for Chris Volvo, director of the Youth Center, to open the doors to let us in. We would run upstairs and sit on the crowd floor to watch the movies. I can remember the boys playing basketballs and the girls would be in the other room playing records and dancing. This was a place away from home where everyone could enjoy themselves.
In the winter time we would gather between the egg factory, on Central Avenue, and Miller's Lumber Co. on North Avenue and slide down the hill, we all took turns sharing everyone sleds.
On warm summer Friday nights, the Practical Baptist Bible Seminary from Johnson City, would gather on the intersection of Main St. and North Ave. singing and talking to anyone who would listen to them.
We had some great teachers and leaders at the local schools, they had rules and we knew we had to obey them or else. We respected them like they did us. The football and basketball programs were supported by everyone. There were some cold nights sitting on those bleachers watching the football games.
Remember Owego's Founder's Day celebration held on May 31 thru June 2, 1962. The woman would wear hats and were called the Belles of Owego. I can't remember what the men did to do their celebrating.
Enough of my memories of Owego, but I hope I brought some back to those who reads this. I know my
childhood with my siblings living there in Owego had some great memories that will last forever.

[Marjorie Breon Burruss]

I forgot to say how much I enjoyed the pictures, it brought aback of a lot of memories.

[Tioga]

Some nice info on Owego..thanks.

[ScranBarre]

Originally Posted by Ex-Ithacan

When I was a youngin', my family use to pass through Owego on trips to Scranton quite frequently.

(Stops dead in tracks!) WHA???!!! Someone outside of our metroplex has actually heard of Scranton?!!! (Wags tail and drools!!!)

In all seriousness Owego is a community I've always been curious about. I've been to Binghamton, Elmira, Horseheads, Corning, Ithaca, Narrowsburg, and Callicoon, and yet somehow this cute little town had evaded me. Thanks for sharing your gorgeous photographs with us!