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Retrospective

Twenty years ago — 1999

A 1922 Wurlitzer Player Piano was donated last month to Gowanda’s Historic Hollywood Theater by a Tonawanda couple, Harry and Norma Marciniak. The player piano will eventually be used as part of the programming at the classic theater under restoration as a rural center for the visual and performing arts. Manufactured at the Wurlitzer Plant in North Tonawanda, the piano is operated manually be pumping both feet at the base of the console while utilizing piano rolls to create music. Player pianos were especially popular during the early part of the 20th century.

Thirty years ago — 1989

For the 1968-69 school year, Juan Carlos Rivera Fajardo was an AFS student from Lima, Peru spending his senior year at Dunkirk High School and staying with the Harold Rusch family at 716 Central Ave., Dunkirk. Mr. Fajardo is an attorney with the Peruvian Navy who also has a private practice. He visited the Rusches recently. They have kept in contact through letters and pictures. He also visited them in 1974.

Forty years ago — 1979

The first store in Fredonia specializing in meats will hold its grand opening Jan. 15 and continuing throughout the week. Greater Valley Meat Market, 210 East Main St., Fredonia actually has been open since Oct. 31, according to owner Randy Sam of Dunkirk. He said he had been looking for a location for the store for several years and opened the store because the Fredonia area needed a meat market of this kind. Greater Valley specializes in choice beef, pork and veal and also has a delicatessan.

Fifty years ago — 1969

Cynthia Bogerd, 17-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Harold Bogerd of Old Main Road, Silver Creek is the OBSERVER Student of the Week. A senior at Silver Creek Central School, she is a member of the senior band, National Honor Society, American Field Service, World Affairs Club and French Club. Cynthia has been an officer in the Future Teachers of America for the past two years. In the fall, she plans to enter Fredonia State University College to major in education.

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