Ep. 19: A good neighbor policy is also good security policy

Five different families have lived in our house over the last ten years.

Thursday, April 11, 2013

Yesterday, after making my ascent up our very own Lombardo Street, I was at the crest of Requa when I noticed one of my neighbors holding a young child in his arms.

After arriving at the base of our front steps, I decided to turn around and go over to introduce myself.

Kevin Ward is a true native. Born in Peekskill, he and his wife have lived in same house on Smith Street for thirty years. They raised their only son there and now they entertain their only grandson, 15-month old Giovanni.

Currently, Kevin serves as a community service officer of the Peekskill police. A 20 year veteran of the force, he worked for IBM for just as long, before they laid him off like hundreds of others.

He started out at International Business Machines  in charge of global security for traveling employees, and then moved onto “bombing and terrorism,” which he told me three times.

He was also very excited to tell me about all the activity that occurs in town over the summer. The road on restaurant row closes down and they bring their eats to the street; there are hot rod and vintage car nights; the Dragons on the Hudson dragon boat races; and of course there are the fireworks and festivals. His list, like his fervor, were endless.

Alas, as I like to immediately google everything, I’ve discovered that half of what he shared with me, won’t be happening this year. According to the peekskillcelebration.com, “due to the City of Peekskill’s financial challenges and that tough budget cuts associated with personnel/overtime expenses for special events like Peekskill Celebration” it will not take place this year in 2013.  

Oh, well.

Finally, Kevin also told me, “I coached the baseball team here in Peekskill for many years. One of my players painted your house. I can't remember his name.  My wife was good friends with a former owner of your house, Mary Martinez; she'll be able to tell you."

When I googled him for a little more in-depth on this article, I couldn’t find anything on Kevin and baseball, so I’m not sure if he was a high school or little league coach.

I replied to Kevin that I would definitely be returning to ask, because I wanted the low-down on the house.

At that moment I realized that neighbors are great sources of local history, which is especially the case with our home in particular because everyone seems to notice it. (See Ep. 13: It’s a good thing were not in Connecticut)

I’m particularly interested in knowing the history of our house, not only because it is now our home, but I’m also eager to write a novel with our house our home as the central character; one that spams the whole 125 year old history of 367 Smith Steet, Dominguez Manor.

Thus, I think getting to know my neighbors will keep me on track.

Besides, with neighbors like Kevin, a good neighbor policy is also good security policy.

P.S. If you’re interested, here’s is what I have found out in regards to the previous residents of our home.

Dates of Residence	Owners and Occupants
March 2013 (House was empty and on the market for over a year)	Lorenzo Domínguez & Chelsea Hollander, our governess Adela Andrade, our four boys, and Oliva soon to come!
January 2008 -  January, 2012	Justin Tyack (Deputy CEO at Office of School Support, NYC Department of Education, now residing in Brooklyn ) & Cody Hepworth (Hair Stylist now residing in Dobbs Ferry)
July 2006 – January 2008	Jose Gotay Jr. and Heather Dearing Gotay
June 2004 – July 2006	David Nicholson (now resides in Waterbury, Connecticut)
March 2000 – June 2004	Josefina Gallego Diaz
c. 1992 – March 2000	Kristopher Curry and Deborah Curry
c. 1939 – c. 1973?	Frances M. and Bruno M. Grenci, Sr.; their 4 sons, 2 daughters; and Micheal & Caroline Vozzella (parents-in-law) Frances was a business partner with Thomas H. Ellis, who together owned Grenci and Ellis, a granite business in Yorktown
c. 1919	Willis F. & Mildred Ottis Mildred was born in 1882 and she hosted meetings for the Women's Missionary Society of St. Paul's.
1884- c. 1915	Mr.* & Mrs. Matthew Clune 1911-1915 Aunt Margaret Torpy M. Clune died 1910
c. 1892	Elder S. B. Dyckman The house was built in 1887, but Dyckman owned the land.