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The
narrow, tree-lined streets named for Civil War generals like
Sheridan, Grant and Burnside attest to the 19th-century past of
Congers (pronounced with a hard "g," as in gong). The
brick-faced Last Chance Saloon, built in 1867 on Lake Road, the main
street of the tiny business district, looks like something from a
western movie set. Once known as a tough, neglected working-class
area of otherwise affluent Clarkstown, the hamlet is now blossoming.
It has one of the most active civic associations in New York State,
with 300 members who pay annual dues of $4 each. Volunteers attend
almost all town meetings and residents are kept abreast of local
issues through the Congers Civic Association's quarterly newsletter.
Among the association's achievements was persuading Clarkstown to
install sidewalks along several busy thoroughfares.
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