When Meridale was hopping

In the Daily Star today: An item on a new book out about the life of Bisbee's General Store in Meridale, destroyed by fire in 1976.

In case you're tempted to yawn: Pause for a moment and picture this scene, from the Delaware County Genealogy and History website:

At the turn of the century, Meridale was a self-sufficient village--- there were the following business places: A grist mill, three grocery stores, three blacksmith shops, a tin smith, a saw mill, a wagon factory, a meat market, a shoe repair shop, a hotel and a tailor. The Bisbee store was the clubhouse of the village on a Saturday night; it was standing- room only.

It's a potent reminder of what every little Catskills village used to be -- and a vision for those around here who still harbor quixotic dreams of prosperous Main Streets and vibrant community life in the tiny mountain towns.

Oh, and there's this delicious tidbit in the Daily Star story:

Willie Jurjens talked about the flour sacks made of cotton that his mother saved until she had enough material to make underpants for his sisters. Jurgens said the girls hated to wear the underpants to school because if the wind caught their skirts and blew them over their heads the words "Pillsbury's Best" were printed right on their butts for everyone to see.

Photo of Bisbee's from the Town of Meredith's website.