Growing up in Newark from the mid 40's
to late 50's was a great experience and good place to live. I remember
the end of the war in 1945 (I was 8 years old) and lived at 95 Mt.
Pleasant Ave. People were running and shouting in the streets. I
remember Alfre Bulson the old Ice Man who came around with his horse
and carriage and delivered ice. The rag man did the same.
My teen age haunt was between Arlington ave and May St. Leo Mulligan
was my best friend at that time and does anyone recall these names:
June Marie Hummel, Beverly Brydon, Hilda ???, Sonny Buccino (Lamorte),
Vinny Acceturo, Denise Birtwistle, Cliff Birtwistle, Lois and Delores
Bell, Connie Stawarz, Bob Golembeski, Joan Lambert, Isabel Bunting,
Carol Wharton, Kiki's luncheonette, Vellardi's market, Saul from
the Drug store, Larry Bell, Gary Bell, and there were more I can't
seem to remember (getting older). We had a fantastic neighborhood
then and great friends. I remember the Italian Ice vendor who came
around and how about the 77 steps?
On Mt. Prospect ave. there was the Widemeyer mansion which was
known as the haunted house. Most of us went to the Elwood movies
on Broadway. I remember Blue Castle hamburgers and sneaking through
the graveyard at night. Saturdays were fun too. Bob Golembeski and
I would go downtown on the #28 Summer ave. bus and visit Bamberger's
toy department. Kresge's was also good. I'll bet many of you rode
the old yellow trolley from the Silver Lake area down under Raymond
Blvd to the Public Service building Broad St. I have distant memories
of the #29 trolley that ran up Orange St from downtown. My dad told
me he swam in the Morris Canal when he was a kid in the 20's that
used to run down Raymond Blvd which became the tunnel for the trolley
When he was a kid.
Back then, when I was out of High school, I worked at WAAT radio
on South Broad St in the Mosque Theater near Lincoln Park. The Adams
theater was a fantastic place to hear the big bands. Do you remember
Vaughn Monroe or Tex Beneke?
Yes, Newark has changed allot and so has the mix of people. Newark
has been on the comeback for years and it'll take years for it to
even get better.
Put on your thinking caps and go back as far as you can. You can
live it again in your mind.
Responses:
Mary Ellen Howley:
Wow....did you wake up some memories for me!
The mansions were big time fun! I can smell the old newspapers that
were around the homes..we thought for sure ghosts would pop out
and chase us away!
77 steps ...another memory I had forgotten! Mr Bolson..I told my
kids about him. What a welcome sight in the heat of the summer ...right?
He use to give us kids some ice ..I would marvel how he could manage
to hold on the the ice with the picks the way he did!
I remember the end of the war...but I wasn't on Broadway then .
I was 5 yrs old and I remember it well!
Another memory...were you there when the donkey and goats got loose
and wound up on Broadway? Do you remember when the house was removed
from 3rd Ave to somewhere, making room for the post office? What
a sight that was!
Downtown Newark was something kids now-a-days cant even fathom....it
was special...! My Mom worked at Bams...
At one point in time I worked at Hanes during the holidays. I also
worked at what was called National State Bank of Newark...Dunn and
Bradstreet too.
The Elwood Theater...what a blast we all had! 2 movies and cartoons...a
safe place to leave your kids for a few hrs!
Richard Krentz:
Ellen,
Do you remember the row boats at Branch Brook Park? We'd spend allot
of time in them things. I also remember when the rubber duck factory
up the Passaic River released thousands of rubber duckies for the
kids to get. How about Rutts Hut? Its still there. I stopped in
a year ago to get a hot dog, They are still great but the ownership
has changed. I'm still thinking.
Don't quite remember the goats but I do remember when a truck full
of chicks lost it's load on Mc Carter Hwy and feathers lasted for
6 months. There was also a truck that lost it's load of pigs on
the ramp at the end of Mc Carter Hwy in about 1958. People ran for
days trying to catch them, what fun!
Mary Ellen Howley:
I don't remember the boats..but I do remember when the Army had
barracks there...do you? HHHMMM...lots of very cute guys there!
We girls thought that was great!
We must have crossed paths...for sure Denise is one person that
I know. Do you remember the Davitts on Van Wagenen St? Or the Gaurinos(
not sure of the spelling)
Do you remember my grandmothers store? Right next to Dempsys tavern.
Remember when Acme had the grocery store next to Dempsys?
Do you remember the motorcycles in a storage building behind Acme
before it was Acme?
Richard Krentz:
May Ellen,
I certainly remember the Acme and Dempseys tavern. My dad spent
his Friday nights there with the 'boys' to watch the Friday Night
fights on a black and white TV in the 50's.
Can't say I remember the motorcycle thing but I can recall the Chinese
restaurant near Bloomfield Ave and Broadway. There were many days
we got chased out of the Teachers Normal School yard too.
Carol Singorelli:
Does anyone remember Roe-Dee's on Broadway? The Crystals used to
entertain there on the Weekends. This was about 1961-1963? Ann Blaine,
Bob, Dina Adams and Paul?
Mary Ellen Howley:
Hi Richard,
Some more things...do you remember a German Shepard mutt by the
name of Rex? He use to go to Dempsys every day and night esp in
the summer when they had air conditioning! Mrs Dempsy would make
supper for Mr Dempsy and for Rex!
He was very popular in the 50s. He was my dog!
My Grandmothers store was called Palmers Drygood Store and Watch
Repair Shop.
I am reading about your sneaking in the cemetery...we did that too!
What scary things!!! But no doing any damage though...just goofing
around! We use to get chased away...try to go through the fence
...it wasn't easy esp when your are laughing like a maniac!
Martha Imperiale:
Richard,
When you wrote you remember Blue Castle hamburgers don't you mean
White Castle Hamburgers?
Mary Ellen Howley:
Hi Martha, there was White Castle AND Blue Castles!
I believe the one Richard is referring to is the one by the little
park on Broadway before Rutgers .
I may have the location a little mixed up but what ever...the hamburgers
were THE best! Cant get anything like that anymore.
Joan Niven:
Yes, there were Blue Castles and White Castles. The last Blue Castle
I recall was in Kearny NJ right on the Belleville Turnpike. Its
gone quite a long time.
Martha Imperiale:
I don't remember any Blue Castles I do remember the White Castles
and their GOOD. ..hambergers. You can buy them frozen today in the
food stores but their not as good as back then.
Mary Ellen Howley:
That Chinese restaurant was called the Chopstick Inn.
My mom and I used to go there every now and then. The talk was all
over about how cats disappear and wound up in our food...do you
remember hearing that? I must say...it was good even if it were
cats!
Richard Krentz:
There was a Blue Castle ham berger place on Broadway across from
the graveyard and by a small park. We called them 'Murder Burgers"
because a little ball meat was smashed down flat and pickle juice
was sprinkled on top and the buns were about 3" round. But,
they were only 5 cents each and were delicious.
tom:
janice. I wonder if those are the same army barracks that they moved
up to West Orange on Victory Rd. I remember a young girl that "caught"
polio, and the entire street was razed and rebuilt with VERY high
end homes.
Joan:
I lived on So. 12th and 14th ave. So to get to Olympic Park I would
take the 25 Springfield Ave. To go Downtown I would take the 31
or the 54. I went to Cleveland Jr High 1956 Took the 5 Kinney which
left us off at 18th Ave and Bergen st. To get to Roseville ave we
would take the 6 Crosstown. My father also swam in the Morris Canal
in the 20's. We would take the 6 Crosstown to Roseville and and
2nd. ave. My family had friends there. Then take the Trolley up
Bloomfield Ave to South Mountain Ave. get off and walk in about
2 blocks to a house (mansion) 66 so. mountain ave. about 30 rooms.
Relatives of our friends lived there...I'll never forget that place.
I've taken a ride up there several times over the
years. It is still there. It made the Ledger about 2 years ago.
Had two swimming pools. 3 living rooms Library, Huge Dining room.
A pantry as big as the whole first floor of my house. Sorry to bend
your ears Richard...but every one else is doing it.
Richard Krentz:
Do you remember the big Hoffman soda bottle on on top of the building
on South Orange Ave?
JOAN:
Yes, I remember the big Hoffman Bottle on So. Orange Avenue and
the Pabst Blue Ribbon Bottle. Tell me do you know what was inside
the Bottles? My father used to tell me there was water in there
and if a fire would break out the water would come shooting out.
I think he was kidding me.
Richard Krentz:
Joan,
Your dad was right, the bottles were filled with water that was
used for the fire sprinkler systems in the bottling company.
So was the Pabst bottle. Do you know if the bottles are still there?
Joan:
Yes Richard, the Bottle is still there. Painted brown or its rusted.
The factory is closed and the area is a disaster. What else would
it be?
Richard Krentz:
Joan,
When I was 10, I used to ride my bike from Summer Ave, up to Chancellor
Ave. near Olympic Park. I'd pass that bottle and one time we took
a tour of the Hoffman bottle co. I can still remember the machinery
filling the bottles and all. It's too bad that the area has degraded,
but, isn't that true for most of the city. My grandfather is buried
in Fairmount Cemetery and I haven't see the grave site in 50 years.
I was Christened in the Old First Church on Broad St. Does anyone
remember the Public Service pole busses that ran along Broadway.
We would jump on the back of the bus and hang on to the ropes that
held the pole to the overhead wires. Sometimes we'd pull so hard
that the bus would come to a stop and the poles would jump off the
wires. That was stupid I'm sure.
When Rutgers had a campus building on the corner of 3rd ave. and
Broad St, we would peek in the basement windows and see the students
cutting up cadavers on a table. Yuck!
How about Hahn's Bakery on Broadway? Hot rolls were the big thing
on Saturday morning and Sunday after Church.
Pat:
What fond memories I have found today, thanks Richard! I remember
the Blue Castle on Broadway, 10 cents a piece, or 12 for a buck!
I also knew Mary Ellen, and her wonderful dog Rex. I lived across
the street from her at 263, the Tremount...
How about Schwartz's Deli, what wonderful people they were. I am
so excited about finding old friends and fond memories on this page...
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