Kingston, Ulster County

This fading ghost sign in the Rondout District of Kingston offers a testament to the businesses of yesteryear. It advertised the sale of pianos & organs by E. Winter’s Sons Music Store. According to The Music Trade Review in a February 4, 1928 article “E. Winter’s Sons was established in 1850 by Edward Winter, whose father before him had been engaged in the business. Following the death of the founder, his successor incorporated the business in 1912, continuing the policies which had previously won success.” Edward Winter, along with his brother William, was also a telegraph operator, introduced the first telegraph to Kingston (around 1855), and in 1880 founded, built and operated the Ulster County Telephone Exchange, the first telephone system in Kingston. By 1885, after years of expansion, the Winter brothers had sold the telephone business to the Hudson River Telephone and Telegraph Company.

Edward Winter’s music business was described in an 1882 guide of Kingston businessmen: “EDWARD WINTER, Books, Stationery, Music, Etc., Nos. 28 and 30 John Street, Kingston, N.Y. – The residents of Kingston have good reason to congratulate themselves on the existence of the enterprise carried on my Mr. Edward Winter, for the simple reason that the ability and energy shown in its management enable them to save money, time and trouble whenever they have occasion to purchase anything in the line of pianos, organs, books and stationery. This undertaking was founded in 1850, by the present proprietor, and has been under his management ever since. He is a native of Orange County and very widely known in this section. His growing business in musical instruments has caused a demand for more room and he has now added another store, making a beautiful piano wareroom, showing all the new styles of standard pianos and organs. The premises occupied are at Nos. 28 and 30 John Street, and contain a large and varied assortment of pianos and organs, books, stationery, sheet music, musical merchandise and stationery of all kinds, etc., etc., etc. There are competent and polite assistants employed in the store and callers may depend upon receiving immediate and polite attention at all times. Goods are sold at the lowest market prices and are in every instance guaranteed to prove precisely as represented in every respect. Mr. Winter gives his close personal attention to the many details of his large and increasing business and spares no pains to please every customer.” – Kingston and Rondout, Their Representative Business Men and Points of Interest. 1892. George F. Bacon.