Discover a very colorful Kingston past history

Keeney’s Theater on Wall Street shortly after it opened in 1919. Well, now that the Pike Plan is finally down, we can take a fresh look at Wall and North Front streets with renewed interest. For 50 years this arcade which covered the sidewalks along portions of those streets was the signature look of Uptown. I have to admit that it was one of the things that attracted me to Kingston in 1998. Over the last ten years or so, its endless maintenance costs caused me to favor its removal . The project was proposed by Woodstock artist John Pike in 1969. Pike’s idea incorporated a canopy system without closing off the street for a pedestrian mall. Work began in 1972, and the Pike Plan was formally dedicated in 1976. In 2008, $1.8 million of state and federal funding was invested to replace roofs and columns, and to add skylights. Though this addition was attractive, the contractors botched much of the facelift. A lawsuit resulted in a settlement between the city and the contractors. Major leaks, crumbling masonry and 2×2.5 adother problems persisted. So, as they say, “It finally was time.” This year I’ll be giving guided history walks of Pike-less Uptown Kingston on April 25 and on every Saturday in May at 11 a.m. Now for some time-travel. Several years ago I placed 15 history displays on willing storeowners’ windows throughout Uptown, accompanied by large-format photography. Each display told a bit of history about that exact location. All the information was based on my book with Karen Berelowitz, The Story of Historic Kingston. Keeney’s Theatre opened on Wall Street in 1919 just next to St. John’s Episcopal Church. The shadow of the church can be seen next to the tree in the photograph. In 1926 the theater became Reade’s Kingston. When the new owner added vaudeville to the repertoire, the displeased pastor of St. John’s moved the congregation and the whole church stone by stone to a Albany Avenue, where it still stands. The Pike Plan being built on Wall Street in the ear