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produce (something, especially a list, report, or book) by assembling information collected from other sources.

Bob Cudmorre compiles the history of Amsterdam and The Mohawk Valley

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A parade sent wedding party outside

By Bob Cudmore

       When did people start taking wedding pictures outdoors as opposed to a photographer’s studio?

       Sophie Bodak Gomula of Amsterdam said her wedding pictures were among the first taken outdoors locally because of a big parade.

Sophie’s wedding to the late Stanley Gomula, who became a special investigator for the Amsterdam Police Department, was scheduled for September 15th, 1945 at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church.  A Marine private first class who had served in numerous Pacific campaigns, Stanley was just back from the war.  And because of America’s victory, city officials decided to hold a mammoth parade in downtown Amsterdam on Sophie and Stanley’s wedding day.

       Their photographer, Emil Zillgitt, had his studio downtown at 13-15 East Main Street, which would have been inaccessible during the parade.  Zillgitt suggested the Gomulas have their wedding pictures taken outdoors in his backyard on Locust Avenue.  The photographer did their first year anniversary pictures in the same location and Sophie recalled that after that, outdoor wedding pictures became more common.

       Zillgitt did house calls, said Amsterdam native Peter Betz, “The reason I know that is I have a picture of myself in a sailor suit taken at home by Zillgitt sometime around 1944.  I was about two years old and vaguely remember the gent because he was a very humorous man who knew how to get a nervous kid to sit for him.”

       Zillgitt’s name came up in a previous column because he took pictures of the Amsterdam Progress Exposition in 1925.  He and his wife Eunice lived on Grand Street on Park Hill before moving to Locust Avenue.  He died in the 1950s.

Wednesday, September 6 , 2023-From the Archives- Episode 72, August 2, 2015- David Jennings is author of the historical novel After Bondage and War. The novel tells of people impacted by slavery through the Civil War and Reconstruction.

Thursday, September 7, 2023-From the Archives of Focus on History from the Daily Gazette-Local soldiers in the Civil War

Friday, September 8- Episode 491-The origin story of American football. Gregg Ficery traces what became the National Football League back to teams which played in Ohio and Pennsylvania in 1892.  Ficery is author of Gridiron Legacy.

The Greater Amsterdam School District Hall of Fame induction is coming soon.  The dinner and ceremony will take place at 6 pm Friday, September 15, 2023 at the Perthshire on Route 30 north of Amsterdam. The cost is $50 per person.  For more information email halloffame@gasd.org or call or text Rich Allen at 518-878-6374