January Whitman Bailey Selection: A tough choice! Snow & work or ice & fun?

So here is one of each:

Work first … after a snow storm early January of 1931.  Whitman Bailey waxes eloquently:

"Old Waterside Harbor is indeed a fascinating spot at any season of the year, but it is at its best when its contrasts are heightened by the effects of snow."

View of recent snow squall at Waterside Harbor

Complete Newspaper Clipping of January 10, 1931

where is Waterside?

… and now the fun:

Artist's View of Skating Scene at Rippowam Park

 

This is what the Mill River (Rippowam River) looked like south of Broad Street Bridge in 1928 … as to the future, will the planned Mill River Green Belt ever become reality?  (see also here and at Blog Stamford).
Mill River Dam Removal Grant

Complete Newpaper Clipping of January 21, 1928

where is Broad Street Bridge?

Insert from above sketch

Photos of ice harvesting on our website, a block or so to the south, before the current dam was built in the early 1920s.

As to the sketches, we add the usual warning: "At times, the accompanying vignettes are mostly folklore passed on to Mr. Bailey by residents of the areas where he was sketching.  In those instances he had no way of determining the truth of the story.  Nor have we.  It is presented as a sidelight to the sketch.  Therefore, researchers are cautioned to regard these tales as local color, interesting, thought provoking, but sometimes not entirely factual."

(Reference files: Bailey 283.jpg and 387.jpg)