OLDTIMERS! Did you live in Jackson Heights at any time prior to 1950?

[erci]

If you are an "OLDTIMER" who lived in Jackson Heights prior to 1950, you might want to drop a line here.

Just tell us who you are/were, and where you lived, and just about anything else you'd like to say.

There isn't a heck of a lot of time left... We are dropping like flies now.

[Kestral342]

Lived in Jackson Heights from 1944 until 1980. I remember the area before IS 145,Northridge and SouthRidge..before Elmhurst General and before the Library.

[erci]

Lived in Jackson Heights from 1944 until 1980.

Kestral,

Where did you live?  I lived on 93rd St. from 1939 until 1942 when we moved to 89-14, 34th Ave. I left Jackson Heights in 1954.

It was so good to have those empty fields ('The Lots') to play in.

[Tarbender]

Born in 1938 and lived at 34-57-82nd Street with my folks who moved there when they were married in 1930. Went to nursery school at Mrs. Wills (right alongside of Garden Country Day School), P.S. 69 for Kindergarten, and St. Joan of Arc Grammar School graduating in 1952. Loved the lots in Jackson Heights for playing ball, burning Christmas trees, etc., and missed them in the late 40's after WW II when they all seemed to disappear.  Was a cub scout in Pack 201 at St Mark's Episcopal Church, and a scout in Troop 217 at P.S. 69. Had many good friends growing up and remember many, many good times.   

[mitchtv]

Hi, first time poster here. I grew up in J Hts from 1944 til about 64 , my parents lived in the same apartment on 94th St and 35th av from 1931 until they died in the 80's. I don't remember myself but Blessed Sacrament church was originally an out building of St Joan of Arc towed up 35th av to 93rd st; I do remember the new church in about 1954. Junction Blvd had streetcars in my early memories. I remember the Quonset huts along Northern blvd, and seeing wizard of Oz at the Corona Theater with my mother. I remember the lots, the hill lot, the tree lot. Hill lot was named for the section of 94th from 34th to 35th(a little slope we called the hill) yet we managed sleds in the winter.I remember the men singing in the courtyards for change  thrown out the windows , wrapped in a tissue, by the housewives, the scissor sharpener, scrap iron wagon and horse. I remember the entire student body of Blessed Sacrament being brought to the Polk theater to see "Song of Bernadette".

[Tarbender]

Funny to think of your attending the Song of Bernadette at the movie theater, we had the same experience when Joan of Arc with Ingrid Bergman came out. The whole school went down to the auditorium one morning and saw the movie. That was the only time I can remember the whole school in the auditorium together! In 1954 had the good fortune to go to California, Santa Ana, for the Boy Scout Jamboree with a Scoutmaster Arthur Ryland from Carona. Good man and good leader. Went there by train through the South and back the northern route by way of Chicago stopping at grand places along the way. One of the famous Jackson Heights stars I went all through grammar school with is the playwright John E. CARE who wrote THE HOUSE OF BLUE LEAVES (the apartment he lived in on 82nd Street left side just before 37th Avenue that had "blue leaves" wallpaper in the lobby.) TWO GENTELEMEN OF VARONA (adaptation of Shakespeares) as well as the movie ATLANTIC CITY starring Burt Lancaster. As a young boy John Guare wrote short stories about his life that were read aloud in class by Sister St. Catherine and again a few years later by Sister Carmella two very fine ladies who were members of the Gray Nuns of the Sacred Heart teaching at St. Joan's. His efforts were hysterical and very original at the time and he continued writing stories at St. Johns Prep and then at Georgetown and Yale. I believe it was Tony Hope (Bob Hope's son who was at Georgetown) was helpful to John Guare in his career. I recently learned that another schoolmate has moved back to Jackson Heights and lives in his parents apartment and loves living there.

[carole]

Hi Everyone-I was a long time resident of Jackson Heights & mostly remember 1948 to 1958. I lived at 37-52 89th street & went to PS 89 & JHS 145. Next to my building was an empty lot we played in, called the Defense Yard.
My great aunt had a book store around the corner on 37th Ave, between 89th & 90tn street-Bookshop Ida Dormitzer. Does anyone remember this?
Carole

[mitchtv]

I used to walk by that store a lot, my GF's dad had a stamp and coin shop on the same block

[carole]

Where was the coin & stamp shop?

[mitchtv]

Jim's stamp shop was acroos the street from the Castle Cave, closer to 89th than to 90th

[carole]

I think I remember it. Dave's Grocery store was there & Tony Tor-a jewelry store.

[ECG]

I've lived here all my life. 1941-1963 at 34-20 83rd St, then on 80th between 34th and 35th from 1965-present.

My father had a bunch of plots in the victory gardens behind Saint Marks Church.

I went to St. Marks and still do.

Mine is a small world.

The number of interesting stores has almost disappeared. I think most people just go into Manhattan to work and shop there.

Travers Park between 77th and 78th is still the only playground, but the city has 1. Demapped 78th between Northern and 34th Ave for a PlayStreet, and 2. bought the Garden School playing field for a park. So there will be, hopefully, some greenspace and full-time park space from 79th St to 77th between Northern and 34th.

Alex Pizza on 37th turned into Romeo Pizza turned into the current Gustosa Pizza. Opposite PS 69.

The Boulevard Theater is now the Boulevard restaurant. The Jackson Theater is now the Jackson Cinema, showing Hollywood and Bollywood movies and the Colony Theater is now stores.

Jahn's is still there. Carroll Pharmacy is now Taco Bell. Dragon Seed, Cavalier and any decent bar hangouts are gone.

That's all for now.

[mojo]

Hi Folks-

My 91 year old mother lived in Jackson Heights at 127 Hawthorne Court when she was in public school so that would have been in the 1920s. Her father was a pediatrician and had an office attached to their main floor garden apartment. We live in Canada now. Does that address still exist? Does anyone have info or pictures? My mom's short term memory is really poor but she has sweet stories of her youth there. Thanks to anyone who has info to share.

[Shelby2]

Hi Folks-

My 91 year old mother lived in Jackson Heights at 127 Hawthorne Court when she was in public school so that would have been in the 1920s. Her father was a pediatrician and had an office attached to their main floor garden apartment. We live in Canada now. Does that address still exist? Does anyone have info or pictures? My mom's short term memory is really poor but she has sweet stories of her youth there. Thanks to anyone who has info to share.

Here are some websites with photos of Hawthorne Court.  I'm not sure about the number 127, but Hawthorne Court refers to a coop that consists of 14 buildings.

http://queens.brownstoner.com/2013/07/jackson-heights-garden-crowdsourcing-submission-2-the-hawthorne/
http://www.corcoran.com/nyc/Listings/Display/2333422
http://www.hawthornecourt.org/about-hawthorne-court
http://www.hawthorne3520.com/

[Beech Court]

The 14 buildings called Hawthorne Court were built in 1922 for the Queensboro Corporation by George H. Wells, architect. In those years the original street numbers and names were different. They were changed later to fit in with the grid numbers of the surrounding neigborhoods.

Originally building number 127 Hawthorne Court was in the middle of the block on the West side of 20th Street between Polk and Fillmore Avenues. In the renumbering of the streets the addresses also changed accordingly. Today 127 20 Street is now called 35-34 77th Street between 37th (Polk) and 35th (Fillmore) Avenues. There is no 36th Avenue.

We'd love to hear some of your mother's stories!