My Home Town Main Street and it's Decline : Castleton NY

Spent part of this weekend in Syracuse NY area  , you hear alot of discussion up there of decline of the Central NY area. When in Troy later in the weekend one hears of attempts at revival of the downtown. I have seen my share of economic and social decline over say the last forty yr in the Northeast especially. But I have seen spots where cities and towns have revived. My hometown of Castleton NY has seen it's share of decline as well. Castleton and the Town of Schodack has many street names , Chestnut , Green Ave , Boltwood Maple Hill Road , Hudson Street. We also have a Main Street. It sits where Castleton began , next to The Hudson River and the railroad tracks. The town built up from this once central business district. Most villages had a small central business hub , some still do. Ours still exists but in a greatly declined way. The following is some of my memories of that area from when I was growing up. I'm sure I will miss some items but  this should show what was , most every place I describe  is now long gone. Standing as I did  recently on the north end of Main Street  I attempted in my mind to recreate this area some 40 to 45 yrs ago. There were 2 service station where one could get there cars fixed or get gas. Olsen's was there largest owned by Dennis Olsen and his father. They also owned the ABC bus service which ran a commuter run from Albany to Castleton twice a day. ABC stood for Albany Brookview Castleton. I believe it ran  untill the early 1970's. Further down was Garafalo's bar and restarant. They had a pretty good pizza. One story I remember is the engineer that worked on the Thruway bridge in the fifties would eat dinner there 6 days a week. Mrs Howe was a waitress there and once told me that he would work on his equations over dinner , his table full of papers. Further down the street was the Castleton Pharmacy. It sold out to Rite Aid in the mid- seventies. It was closed up and business shifted to Schodack Plaza. A few steps down was Pat the Barber. Open Tuesday thru Saturday. I remember the place being packed the week before the opening of school for that back to school hair cut. Lots of comic books to read as well as Look and Life magazines. Next to that was Bakers Supermarket.. Groceries , beer etc. Not alot of variety but you really could do your weeks shopping there. Across the street was the Methodist Church. Was there from 1898 till sometime in the late 70's early 80's when it moved further into the center of  Schodack. A few steps down was a dry goods store that morphed into the Castleton Model Railroad Club.The Prins insurance agency was there next to it and still is. Next down the west side of the street was the Masonic Hall. I believe it was called the Sunnyside Lodge. As is Masonic custom it was on the second floor when renting the premises. The news stand once called Killmers. magazines  , books , newspapers , fountain service. I used to buy my Saint Mystery Magazines there as well as The Sunday New York Times. Past the boat yard street where the Castleton Boat Club was located was the Village Inn liquor store and bar. Still there I believe.Across from that was our Atlantic Service Station.  The Post Office was next built during The Eisenhower Administration. Finally as you are leaving the village was  The Village Hall and library. Just outside of the Village limits was Dr. Kilmoblot's medical Bld. The west side of the street was mainly business , the eastern side houses and apartments. 90 percent of what I have described is now all gone  , never to return. Malls and chain stores , I90 Bypass being completed pulled people away. The town expanded east away from the Hudson River , people did their shopping in neighboring towns and malls. My home town Main Street died a slow death over about a 20 yr decline and as is with so many such places is a shell of it's former self.  Post War America stopped very little to consider what was being lost. It just moved on.