Archive: Around Town

Rt. 90 Yard SaleFor the 18th time hoards of people flocked to the annual NYS Route 90 50 Mile Long Yard Sale. The brainchild of bed & breakfast owner Barb Noden and book store owner Connie Tallcot, both of Union Springs, the sale stretches from Montezuma to Homer. Shoppers were out in large numbers, according to merchants along the route. Many seemed surprised at the traffic on Friday, since the sale is officially on Saturday and Sunday.

Donald and Marjorie Sharpsteen have had a booth in King Ferry for four years. Mr. Sharpsteen started simply selling his jade trees from his pickup truck, but it went so well that they invested in a tent and began selling dishware, old vinyl records, and dishware, among many other things. "We've had people from up and down Route 90 all day," said Mrs. Sharpsteen, who noted they couldn't get set up fast enough on Friday with all the shoppers that came. The Sharpsteens were also selling jade trees as well as luscious looking fresh beets.

Marjorie Sharpsteen

Three generations of Pecks, Priscilla, her daughter Rhea and Rhea's daughter Dalilah were making a day of it. Priscilla had found a cache of buttons, a passion of hers, for only three dollars. "I have thousands of buttons," she said, "including some from the Civil War. It's history. I like to imagine who wore them." Dalilah was having a grand time, picking out her necklaces and bracelets.

Rhea, Priscilla and Dalilah Peck

The Sharpsteens banded with two other merchants to rent a portable toilet for shoppers to use, because, Mrs. Sharpsteen told us, "there are hardly any bathrooms for fifty miles." She also had boxes of free toys for children who visited their booth. Dalilah was delighted.

Donald Sharpsteen

Just about everything you could imagine was for sale along the 50 mile route. Parts of Route 90 were un-drivable because of the crowds. Aside from local people, shoppers from miles around look forward to the sale each year. Some even organize bus trips from other states to attend the sale.

----
v1i3