George Salem, Program Director, Garden City Retired Men's Club; John Ellis Kordes; Joe Leto, President Garden City Retired Men's Club On Monday July 21 st the Garden City Retired Men's Club enjoyed tales of the early life and times of the founder of Garden City, Alexander T. Stewart, as told by John Ellis Kordes. John carried us from the birth of A.T. Stewart through his early childhood to the opening of his Dry Goods store located on 9 th Street and Broadway in New York City. The little dry goods store would grow into one of the first 'department stores' in the country known internationally as John Wanamakers. We learned at AT's meeting, courtship and marriage to Cornelia. John told us of the purchase of the treeless plains to create a 'Garden City' and finally the death and mysterious disappearance and ransom request of A.T's body. In 1885 Cornelia built the Cathedral of the Incarnation together with the schools of St. Paul's and St. Mary's as a memorial to her husband. At the time the Cathedral was the tallest structure on Long Island. There is much to learn about our little community and we thank John Ellis Kordes for a well prepared, informative beginning.