Ship Chandlers

Greenport had one and if you aren't sure what they are (they still exist in our village but not like way back then) they are specialty stores that supply things for ships - or in our present era - boats.  When Greenport was a very active port the chandlery store was a big time operation but, as all things shipping waned a bit, these stores had to diversify.

We noted this intriguing store pictured in some local archives.  We can travel to Main St. now and find it, another name on the sign but clearly still part of our village.  This particular chandlery was owned by Mr. J.P. Grady who was a yacht broker - as of 1910 anyway and perhaps this store was just an offshoot of his business as S.T. Preston's, almost next door, was the big dog chandlery in town and had been for half a century when this picture was taken.

We found Mr. Grady in a 1910 phone book. No number but we did some research and as it appears just under 300 folks and businesses here in town had a phone, sorting though to find Mr. Grady's listing didn't take much time and the operator just connected folks by name anyway.  Mr. Preston and a Mr. George Volkman over on Central Avenue were the only chandlers listed as such. We had a couple liquor distributors, three attorneys and a company that made small engines.

Phones were pretty much confined to the north road, main and front streets, central avenue and 1st Street with a smattering on 5th and 6th and Wiggins.  A few, like Mr. Bartlett, didn't have one at his home but at his office at the First National Bank Building which we think is now on the spot occupied by Capital One but will have to go inspect that and find out....there is always an engraved block of granite somewhere if there is a bank...they seem to go hand in hand or hand in glove perhaps is a better expression.

Looking closely at the picture we can see the telephone wires in place and the possibility of a telephone pole upper right.  We will inspect the pole that is in place at that location and see if it yields any clues.  We will be looking for a NYTelephone tag on it - that would be something - as that wonderful former part of Ma Bell was in the directory as well.