On May 15, 1922, when the Rum Plane crashed in Croton with 250 quarts of Canadian Scotch, it attracted the attention of the police, the press and curious Crotonites. An article in the New York Times reported that when the Westchester County police

reached the wrecked plane they found “country folk grouped about the battered remains of a once gallant craft, some of them looking quite cheerful over that which the air had provided, others shaking their heads in grief over . . . what had once been

perfectly able-bodied whisky bottles.” Luckily, one of the “country folk” who hiked up the hill near the Tumble Inn brought along a camera and snapped a couple of photos of the plane before it was dismantled by the police and moved to White Plains.

Years later, someone put the photos in a small envelope and wrote a note on the front that saved them from obscurity: About 1920 A Curtis Scout Plane crashed across road from our Oscawanna. Had a load of “Farm” whiskey aboard. Last year the envelope

was discovered in the collection of the Manchester Historical Society in Manchester, Connecticut. When the curator did some research and realized that “Oscawanna” (properly spelled Oscawana) was in New York State, he sent them to the Peekskill Museum

with a handwritten note. “I am sure there is an interesting story to go with them. Found them in our collection. No further information on them.” Who was the photographer? Was it the same person who wrote the note? And what did they mean by “our

Oscawanna?” For the full story of the Rum Plane, see this post . Share this: Print (Opens in new window) Print Email a link to a friend (Opens in new window) Email Share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook Share on X (Opens in new window) X

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