Visitors Nostalgia & Memories

(Archive #110 September 1, 2013 to September 30, 2013)

Date: 9/27/2013, 2:56 pm, EDT
Name: Tom
Location: Williamsburg, Va
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, P.S., UD, Penn
Employers: Sheraton, Waldorf, Marriott, MetLife
Message: I am saddened to read that Wilmington has been listed as one of the least desirable places to live in the country. My home from 1934 and still the venue of happy memories. All of the comments I've seen on this Forum are stimulants of wonderful, and some sad, experiences in years past. I hope the city is not past saving even though I haven't lived there since 1955. It was such a fine and friendly place over the years and was able to boast of many things as compared to other relatively small, but less sophisticated, cities. You could walk the streets at night, walk to school, walk to the movies down town or out to the Strand without fear. I don't think I ever saw a school bus in Wilmington ? duPont paid my way through college via a full summer each year out at the Edgemoor pigments plant working mainly 4 to 12 and 12 to 8 shifts. What great, and busy, days.

Date: 9/23/2013, 6:10 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S.Broom, N.Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired))
Message: Ray Jubb : Do you remember the name of the corner store, and/or the owner's name, at S. Van Buren and Chestnut Sts. ? It was on the S.E. corner. Also who owned those garages on S. Jackson, between Read and Front Sts. Figured you are the only one on this site who might know.
Date: 9/21/2013, 11:23 am, EDT
Name: Pat LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Dave, I don't recall an upstairs room when I went there from about 1955, but that certainly doesn't mean there wasn't one. (Memory tends to get a bit foggy)!
Date: 9/20/2013, 5:22 pm, EDT
Name: DAVE CAUFFMAN
Location: HOCKESSIN
Old Neighborhood(s): 25TH & MADISON ST
Schools Att'd: BROWN
Employers: EH7R DUPONT
Message: PAT
DID THEY HAVE A ROOM UPSTAIRS ? SEEM TO REMEMBER HAVING A DINNER THERE FOR MY GRANDFATHERS 75 BIRTHDAY BACK IN 1952 .
Date: 9/19/2013, 11:18 am, EDT
Name: Pat LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Connie, it really didn't even look like a restaurant. It was on the first floor of the Delaware Trust Building. As I remember, the entrance was off a little alleyway near the Greenwood Book Shop. I believe it may have been subsidized by Hercules. It was a long time ago, so my memory of it may be a little cloudy.
Date: 9/19/2013, 10:42 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Wow! I went to the childrens library frequently as a child, then weekly to the adult library. I never heard of a restaurant in back of the library!
Date: 9/19/2013, 7:06 am, EDT
Name: Pat LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline, Goldey-Beacom
Employers: duPont
Message: Dave, when I was at duPont back in the 50's, there was a cafeteria-like restaurant called "The Hunter" in the location you mentioned. Went there many times for lunch. They had excellent food and reasonable prices. P.S. So glad to see some of us are still posting on this site. I like it so much better than Facebook.
Date: 9/18/2013, 7:54 pm, EDT
Name: DAVE CAUFFMAN
Location: HOCKESSIN
Old Neighborhood(s): 25TH & MADISON ST
Schools Att'd: BROWN
Employers: EH&R DUPONT
Message: THERE WAS A RESTAURANT DOWN A ALLEY IN BACK OF THE WILMINGTON LIBRARY,WAS IT CALLED THE HUNT OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT ?
Date: 9/12/2013, 10:22 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: I remember those 'punks'. They didn't smell as good as cat-tails.

I think we went to a marsh down around the Merchandise Mart to get them when I was a kid. Later I found some at the (then) vacant lot where the new Sallies school was built.

Date: 9/12/2013, 7:51 am, EDT
Name: Robert McKelvey
Location: Cape May
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers: USAF ret
Message: I am old enough to recall the open burning dump along side the highway when entering Wilmington from the South. Very few of us had air conditioning in their cars, so we traveled with the windows down in the heat of summer. Wow, the smell of burning potato skins was strong and our eyes would water while slowed down in traffic. This was considered okay back in the day, we were glad to have a license, and an old car to get us to our job site.
Date: 9/12/2013, 1:15 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S. Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: I also used to like the smell of DDT or it's additives, which was sprayed by airplane to keep mosquitoes away, before being banned in 1972. With cat-tails, punks, DDT, tar roofing, and the leather factories, we had it all in Wilmington, didn't we ? No wonder we live to our ripe old ages.
Date: 9/11/2013, 6:26 pm, EDT
Name: Pat LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Oh my goodness - cat tails and punk! I loved them both. What fun it was to sit on the steps on summer evenings and smell them burning. I guess they really did keep the mosquitoes away. What great memories!
Date: 9/11/2013, 1:41 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S. Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Burned a cat-tail the other night while fishing. I picked several dozen for the grand kids, but kept a couple for myself. When I was a kid, we used to go down to the 'marshes', near Dravo, now the general area of Frawley Stadium, and bring back grocery bagfulls. Does anyone remember the imitation cat-tails, called 'punks', sold in some corner stores ?
Date: 9/11/2013, 9:31 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Sept. 11, 1945 Opened in 1929, Wilmington Dry Goods held its "Lazarus Days", a great sales event, but only after the Star Spangled Banner was played.

Remember burning cat-tails to ward off mosquitos? I don't know if it worked, but I liked the smell.

Date: 9/10/2013, 11:13 pm, EDT
Name: Gary
Location: Dover
Old Neighborhood(s): Oak Hill
Schools Att'd: Oak Grove, Conrad
Employers: A J Seward Plumbing & Heating
Message: Thanks, everyone, for the congratulations on the GED. Fred, I knew Kevin, he was a really great guy, please tell him hello for me.
Date: 9/10/2013, 2:23 pm, EDT
Name: Fred Best
Location: Colonial Heights
Old Neighborhood(s): same
Schools Att'd: St. Joe's B'wine, St Thomas, Salesianum
Employers: DuPont Experimental Station
Message: Gary

My youngest brother, Kevin, was class of '72 from Conrad. He might have been in 9th grade at Oak Hill with you before Conrad.

Fred

Date: 9/10/2013, 9:48 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Remember when your mother made Kool-Aide ice cubes? We wrapped them in a napkin to try to keep our hands dry.

Our refrigerator's 'freezer compartment' wasn't much bigger than big enough to hold two ice cube trays. I remember our freezer compartment was an aluminum 'box' about 9 inches wide and almost the depth of the refrigerator.

Date: 9/9/2013, 11:09 pm, EDT
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Price's Run
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duP '51
Employers:
Message: Gary, Never too late! I admire your persistance. Your family must be very proud. I know I would be! Congrats on your GED. Shirley Hudson Jester
Date: 9/9/2013, 11:59 am, EDT
Name: Bruce
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Old Neighborhood(s): N Franklin St
Schools Att'd: Sacred Heart, Springer
Employers:
Message: Gary,
Congrats on the GED. I remember a kid at Brandywie High School in the 60's, Dean Founds, who was an ace basketball player and probably would have got a college scholarship, but had the same situation as you and had to get a job. Different times!
Date: 9/9/2013, 7:09 am, EDT
Name: Gary
Location: Dover
Old Neighborhood(s): Oak Hill
Schools Att'd: Oak Grove, Conrad
Employers: A J Seward Plumbing & Heating
Message: Fred Best: I should have graduated in 1972, but I dropped out in 1971 after finding out I was going to be a Dad. I just got my GED with honors in March of this year, 40 years late, but I got it!
Date: 9/7/2013, 6:50 pm, EDT
Name: Fred Best
Location: Colonial Heights
Old Neighborhood(s): same
Schools Att'd: St. Joe's B'wine, St Thomas, Salesianum
Employers:
Message: Gary from Oak Hill: thank you for the Ponsell's info. What year did you graduate from Conrad?
Date: 9/5/2013, 10:38 pm, EDT
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Price's Run
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duP '51
Employers:
Message: I remember the Kramedas family. When I was very young, I dated Bill for a short time. I was just out of Junior high and he was graduating from PS. My parents thought he was too old for me, which I guess back then, he was. Nice guy, though. I used to go watch him play football at a field at Vandever Avenue & Governor Printz Blvd. It wasn't a school team, maybe semi-pro? Many good memories from back in "the day"!! Shirley Hudson Jester
Date: 9/5/2013, 1:57 pm, EDT
Name: Robert McKelvey
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers: USAF ret.
Message: The Kremedas name is one I have not heard of in ages. Went to #24 School from 1937-1943, recall the Kremedas name from roll call during those years. I believe his name may have been George or John, so very long ago.
Date: 9/5/2013, 11:17 am, EDT
Name: Ray Jubb
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers:
Message: I must be a lot older than you guy's because I could spend all day Saturday there for only 10 Cents and have a chance to win a prize from the
Races they showed and pick the Prize up just across the Street at the Ace Hardware Store.
Date: 9/5/2013, 9:40 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: September 5, 1956 Aaron, Louis, Martin, and Samuel Sloan opened the first Charcoal Pit Restaurant on Concord Pike in Wilmington. Featured were big thick milkshakes, homemade soup, and 45¢ hamburgers.

HOORAY FOR THOSE SLOAN BROTHERS! My favorite was a cheeseburger and a malted milk shake.

Date: 9/5/2013, 12:26 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Mary Ann Sine (JONES) : I remember the old Ace Theater well. I spent many a Saturday there, the whole day, in the 1950's, for the same 25 cents. It was on Maryland Ave. and Chandler Sts. The entrance was on Maryland Ave. I lived only 2 and 1/2 blocks away on S. Jackson and Elm Sts.
Date: 9/4/2013, 10:32 pm, EDT
Name: Mary Ann Sine (JONES)
Location: Bear, DE.
Old Neighborhood(s): 2nd.Conrad st., 10th Monrow
Schools Att'd: saint pauls,sacred heart, WHS
Employers:
Message: I remember the old Ace movie house. I don't remember what street it was on. I remember going every Saturday with my older sister. Does any body remember the "CHARM" lollipop you use to get for a nickel? and it would last you the whole movie. LOL
Date: 9/3/2013, 9:07 pm, EDT
Name: Gary
Location: Dover
Old Neighborhood(s): Oak Hill
Schools Att'd: Oak Grove, Conrad
Employers: A J Seward Plumbing & Heating
Message: I have a 1969 calendar from Ponsell's, 1716 Marsh Road, Graylyn Shopping Center, Wilmington 19803, 764-8133. On the backs of the calendar pages are recipes.
Date: 9/3/2013, 7:33 pm, EDT
Name: Fred Best
Location: Colonial Heights
Old Neighborhood(s): same
Schools Att'd: St. Joe's B'wine, St Thomas, Salesianum
Employers: DuPont
Message: Anybody remember a Ponsell's in Graylyn Crest Shopping Center in addition to the Ponsell's on Washington street?
Date: 9/1/2013, 9:57 pm, EDT
Name: Rick B
Location: McAllen, TX
Old Neighborhood(s): Oak Lane
Schools Att'd: Alfred I duPont, Springer, Brandywine
Employers:
Message: My question is more towards PS duPont HS circa 1937-1939. Just came back from Corpus Christi and found a plaque on the Art Center of Corpus Christi, TX building indicating that donations made to this institution were attributed to the PS duPont HS baseball teams from 1937,1938,1939.
Can anyone shed some light on what may be behind this? My dad, Willard B, would have attended HS there during this period of time.
Thanks,