In an earlier post (The lure of “likes”) I noted how seductive “likes” on Facebook can be. In it I mentioned a picture of mine that got an unusually large number of “likes” even though it wasn’t much of a picture. I also mentioned how I was fascinated to watch the counter increasing – to see if it would exceed my previous “best liked” picture. It didn’t – but the picture above did. It’s surpassed my former best and the counter is still running, all be it at a slower rate than before.

I don’t particularly like this picture either. My wife wanted me to post it so I did. Yes, it’s an interesting structure that you wouldn’t normally expect to see in Putnam County, NY but I find the branches in the foreground to be very distracting and unfortunately I couldn’t get a better view without going onto private property (or using a different lens, which I didn’t have with me). It’s not all that colorful (I’ve noticed that many “like” extremely colorful images) and it’s not a naked woman.

So why so many likes? Although not a stunning picture it seems to have brought back pleasant memories to a lot of people who remembered it from their childhood. In addition to the “likes” I also got a number of comments, many of them along the following lines:

“It’s an old mill house. Friends owned the house until recently.”

“I remember that building growing up.”

“I know it well, I lived at Wiccopee Estates. My dad had his bait shop down stairs.”

“I haven’t been back to N.Y. in many years…I would love to have a trail bike and tackle some of the trails again.”

“Ice skated, fished, trapped and just a lot of fun growing up there as a kid. It has changed but still looks good.”

Perhaps the most extensive comment provided an answer to a question I’ve had since I came across this building: what exactly is it? The answer:

“The Bait House” They say a “picture is worth a thousand words” this picture has also a thousand memory’s. There many other pictures (that I dont have) of Wicopee when Frank Smith of Western Electric first built it in the 1920″s, when Eva Feinburg and her husband bought the property and built 24 summer bungalows, swimming pool, tennis court, handball, baseball field, social hall and summer camp known as Wicopee Estates. I moved there when I was 3 years old and not long after became friends (brother) with Glenn Niese who still lives up the road. The road was just dirt back then. My dad, to make some extra money would sell live bait, shinners and night crawlers. The tanks to keep the bait where down stairs where fresh water would flow the tanks to keep the fish alive. Glenn is still there but the pool, bungalows, are gone. So its good to see this picture my Dad and I once call the “Bait House”

This little piece of local history made me glad that I posted the picture even if it’s not going to win and photograpy prizes.