My name is Chuck D’Imperio (SHS ’67).  Many of you may remember me.  My parents owned several Sidney businesses, including Don’s Super Market, in the 1950s and 1960s.  I was born at The Hospital in 1949 and grew up around 69 West Main Street, as well as downtown Sidney, during my “glory years.”

You may also remember that in 1997 I wrote a couple of books about growing up in small-town America.  They were titled Sidney….As I Remember It and Lucky In Time; Lucky In Place!  The books were very well received, and in fact sold out each of their 2,500 edition printings (even I didn’t end up with a copy)!  Over the last decade or so I’ve been asked many, many times if the “Sidney books” would ever be reprinted.  Well, I agree!  It is time for another round of memories!

My Town Is A Cathedral; My Memories Of Sidney ($24.99) is an exact reprinting of both volumes of my Sidney memories, put together into a single book.  Plus, I have written an extra, lengthy new bonus chapter with thoughts on the Great Sidney Flood of 2006!  Once again, this tenth anniversary reprinting will be guaranteed to bring back many memories of a time still so vivid to so many of us.

  • Ray Hale and his fishing licenses in the back of his store;
  • Debbie Reynolds dropping out of the sky to visit us at the Family Bargain Center
  • Dunk and Dinah’s 20th Century Lanes on league night
  • Stan in front of the bank; the Bainbridge train wreck
  • outracing Anne Summerville’s horses to get to the Sidney Pool
  • teachers like Mr. Redmond, Mrs. Halbert and Mrs. Spinelli
  • “The Seven Sons of Sidney Center” who died in Vietnam
  • More...

If you bought these books a decade ago, you know what a treasure trove of memories they were.  If you know someone who missed them the first time around, then this new printing of My Town Is A Cathedral; My Memories Of Sidney might make the perfect gift for your favorite Sidneyite, near or far away!Each book is $24.99 (money order or personal checks please), and I will be delighted to autograph and inscribe each copy especially for you.  The $24.99 includes the cost of shipping and handling!Oh, and for those who already own my 2-volume set of memories, know that this new edition has a never before seen bonus chapter which I think really captures the emotions of the period surrounding the flood, which devastated our community in July of 2006.  I am especially proud of that chapter!  The chapter is titled “I Never Saw Anything Like It Before!”Please feel free to email me any questions or to order My Town Is A Cathedral; My Memories Of Sidney.Best wishes and hello to all of you…..




To order Chuck's new book, My Town Is A Cathedral: My Memories of Sidney, simply send a check or money order for $24.99 (S/H is included) to:

Chuck D'Imperio,
40 Center Street,
Oneonta,
NY 13820.

If you would like Chuck to inscribe your book, just let him know. For any questions, email him at UpstateBooks@yahoo.com


PS:  And don’t forget about another of my “Upstate Books.”  It is called “Great Graves of Upstate New York:the Final Resting Places of 70 True American Legends.”  New York Times best-selling author Patricia Shultz (“The 1,000 Place You Must See Before You Die”) has said:  “Great Graves of Upstate New York is a terrific book!  It is fun and engaging and puts a whole new spin on our newly departed destinations.  Great Graves is a Great Read!”

The book is available at all New York bookstores, Barnes and Noble, Borders, Amazon.com or, for more information, check out the book’s website at www.NewYorkGraves.com.

  I think you’ll enjoy it!



Tis Born On All The Winds That Blow…. From Hearts That Are True and Strong!”



"I always thought that Sidney's River Street was one of the loveliest streets anywhere. All those great big Victorian homes with their manicured lawns, towering maple trees and big wrap-around porches. Yes, from the clock tower to the Camel's Hump, River Street in my day was the epitome of Norman Rockwell Americana."



"The cover of my book features a brilliant full color photograph of downtown Sidney on a busy day in the1950s. Look at those great cars!"



"I went to elementary school at Pearl Street School, then Junior High School downtown, and finally graduated from the Sidney High School in 1967. This is a photo of the old Pleasant Street School. Do you believe I never once stepped foot into this building! Lots of my good friends went there, but I never saw the inside of the front door. What a shame too...it looks like it was quite a place!"


"I think this photo really captures the spirit of my youth in Sidney. The year is 1960. A little boy, age 9, and his seven-year old sister are sitting on the back step of 69 West Main Street enjoying a break from a summer's day of play in the neighborhood. They are barefoot. The boy is wearing his Brooklyn Dodger ball cap, and the girl has on her Mickey Mouse Club T-shirt. They are cooling off with popsicles from Logan's Market. The boy is my brother Jim, and the little girl is my sister Susie."

"How well do you know your Sidney trivia?

This military legend was born in Sidney on February 26, 1896.

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