PPLD Logo

About Karen Fredrickson

This author has not yet filled in any details.
So far Karen Fredrickson has created 11 blog entries.

William Lyon Dobbs and his Orchestra

Buried within the collections of the Local History Room is a box with a thick leather ledger inside. On the cover of this book, someone wrote in pen, “Chas. E. Dobbs, Daybook. Feb 1. 1906 to” and that's it. However, the pages inside the ledger are a bit more complicated than a simple daybook, as newspaper articles and musical programs are plastered over the older handwriting that once marked its pages.

William Lyon Dobbs and his Orchestra2023-09-21T16:22:36-04:00

No Longer Standing: Buildings of Poughkeepsie – The Stratford and Liberty Theaters

The invention of the moving picture was a big deal at the turn of the 20th century! Watching fast moving images of people on a big screen, as opposed to watching actual people in real time on the stage took some getting used to. However, not everyone was quick to jump on the movie making trend, nor did everyone immediately see this new technology as an art form. In spite of this, there was a group of men in Poughkeepsie who believed that not only was this art, and the future for theater goers, but also that it was going to make them some money. In 1917, the Elgar Company was formed, partly as a real estate venture focused on buildings for the arts. This company included men like Ely Elting, who owned a major clothing store on Main Street, and the president of Luckey, Platt and Co., William DeGarmo Smith. The company quickly changed its name to the Poughkeepsie Theatre Corporation, and rumors began to spread of their desire to build a major motion picture theater. While this was not the first theater built for the purpose of showing motion pictures in town, it was much larger than the previously

No Longer Standing: Buildings of Poughkeepsie – The Stratford and Liberty Theaters2023-09-08T14:52:16-04:00

125 Years of Adriance Memorial Library

By Shannon Butler Did you know that the library has a big birthday coming up? More specifically, the anniversary of the opening of Adriance Memorial Library! Save the date, October 21, 2023, for the special celebration event. We will honor the library namesake and benefactors, the Adriance Family, who financed the construction of this building through a donation on behalf of the family. Over the past century, the library has expanded, both in collection and in size, to include several branches and partnerships, but it would not have been possible without first establishing a permanent location. The public library for the City of Poughkeepsie bounced around quite a bit during the 19th century. It started out at 324 Main Street, then moved to Union Street.  From there it moved into the courthouse for a spell, and then to the newly built high school in 1872, which was located on the corner of Washington Street and Lafayette Place. It wasn’t until the deaths of John Peter Adriance, who died in 1891, and his wife, Mary Platt Adriance, who died in 1895, that the funds for the creation of a new library became available. In the summer of 1896, their children and other

125 Years of Adriance Memorial Library2023-08-28T10:28:22-04:00

What’s Cooking Blog – Entry #32: Cookbook in Repair…

August 15, 2023 By Bridget O’Donnell This month, a slightly different writing prompt presented itself for our What’s Cooking Blog. Jump to the review to read about the assist. …Remember that everyone has their own taste preferences. If you’re not seeing reviews that appeal to your hungry belly or curious mind, Submit a Review. After all, variety is the spice of life! Title of Cookbook: The Full Plate: Flavor-Filled Easy Recipes for Families with No Time and A Lot to Do. Author of Cookbook: Ayesha Curry                                     What prompted you to check out this cookbook?  This cookbook was damaged by regular wear and tear, and left for me, as the selector, to decide whether it should be replaced, discarded, or repaired. While assessing the overall condition and cost of repair, I read through the introduction. I may not be able to empathize with Ayesha Curry’s lifestyle as a restaurateur, chef, two-time New York Times best-selling cookbook author, philanthropist, television host, producer and actress, entrepreneur, mother of three, and wife of professional NBA player Stephen Curry. (*deep breath*) But, I can definitely relate to having

What’s Cooking Blog – Entry #32: Cookbook in Repair…2023-08-18T09:46:52-04:00
Go to Top