Visitors
Nostalgia & Memories
(Archive
#64: July 1, 2009 to July 31,
2009)
Date: 7/31/2009, 12:11 pm, EDT
Name: Bob Wilson Jr
Location: United States
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: PS '52
Employers:
Message: To Roy Pollitt et al -
Your seeing Jayne Mansfield as a kid at the RR station recalls to me the time back in 1951 or 52 when the performers Dan Duryea and Gale Storm came to the Queen Theater to promote a film, and took questions from the audience...which also included our Oldwilmington friend, Ralph Pryor. (I learned this only 50-some years later from Ralph.) If they answered a question directly from you, you received an autographed photo of them in the mail several weeks later. Sadly, when I went off to work after college, my mom 'claened up my room' at home, and there went my prized connections to National Celebrity!
Date: 7/29/2009, 10:07 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S.Jackson St.in Hedgeville,S.Broom,N.Broom,Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: ANN PATTON : I was trying to remember the prices of your Dad's subs in the mid fifties. Didn't he have baby, small, medium and large ? 35 cents rings a bell for maybe a baby or small. Anyone else remember ?
Date: 7/28/2009, 8:25 pm, EDT
Name: Teri
Location: Florida
Old Neighborhood(s): Elsmere
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Does anyone recall Blackie DiBattista who formerly worked for DMV? He must be ninety some now.
Date: 7/28/2009, 4:35 pm, EDT
Name: Art T
Location: Newark
Old Neighborhood(s): Little Italy
Schools Att'd: St.Thomas/Salesianum
Employers: G.M.
Message: Great Site It's Changed since I've been gone
Date: 7/28/2009, 11:39 am, EDT
Name: Ray Jubb
Location: Willmington De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: City
Message: Ann Patton, I think Terry must have liked those subs your Dad made also.
Date: 7/28/2009, 8:09 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S.Jackson St.in Hedgeville,S.Broom,N.Broom,Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: ANN PATTON : and they were so good !!!
Date: 7/27/2009, 1:51 pm, EDT
Name: ann patton
Location: palm beach gardens fl
Old Neighborhood(s): 4th adams
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Patsy!s sub shop was at 4th and Adams . Patsy was my dad and he and mom had the shop from 1930 until the interstate came through wilm. around 1962.
Date: 7/27/2009, 10:32 am, EDT
Name: Shirley Hudson Jester
Location: Newark DE
Old Neighborhood(s): Price's Run Area
Schools Att'd: Geo Gray, Warner, PS duPont '51
Employers:
Message: Ray Pollitt - Bet Mariska Hargitay (of Law & Order - Special Victims) would love that story about her mother, Jayne Mansfield, scaring you. Webmaster, I don't know anything about blogs, and guess I'm too old to learn! Sorry....Shirley Hudson Jester
Date: 7/27/2009, 8:12 am, EDT
Name: Bruce
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Old Neighborhood(s): N. Franklin, Woodbrook
Schools Att'd: Sacred Heart, Springer
Employers: Wilm. Finishing Co., Mechtron
Message: RR Cars. I worked for Mechtron in the early 70's, located in part of the old Bancroft Mills. We got a contract to refurbish dining cars for Amtrak. The cars were a mess with grease and grime inches thick. The first car that we finished was a big deal. A lot of gov't officials came and one of our guys was designated the bartender. After the ceremonies they let us workers in the car for drinks. What a mistake! Offering a bunch of young guys free drinks was like the kid in a candy store story. Most of us stayed until the booze was gone and staggered to our cars. There was a high school kid who was working there on a votech plan and he got so drunk he passed out. A couple of us took him home and his parents weren't home so we left him at his front door. We never saw him again. In today's world this would never happpen, which I guess is a good thing.
Date: 7/26/2009, 7:43 pm, EDT
Name: Ray Jubb
Location: Killington De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St.Paul's & WHS Class of 53
Employers: City of Wilmington & DuPont
Message: Dolores Cardinalli : Had to go to the year book to find out who you were, don't know how I could forget a pretty face like that, just goes to show you what old age is doing to me. By the way Dolores, that was Read and Jackson only about 3 blocks from your house.
Date: 7/26/2009, 5:49 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S.Jackson St.in Hedgeville,S.Broom,N.Broom,Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: DOLORES CARDINALLI R. - see Old Wilmington Blog for responses.
Date: 7/26/2009, 5:33 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S.Jackson St.in Hedgeville,S.Broom,N.Broom,Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: HARRY R. - thanks for the audio to the 1957 Wilmington clip from moviemice.com. Reminds me of the news broadcasts at the old Ace movie theater. Thanks also, for the latest photos of Wilmington. Brought back some good, old memories.
Date: 7/26/2009, 1:18 pm, EDT
Name: Dolores Cardinalli R.
Location: Everett, a.
Old Neighborhood(s): Linden & Van Buren Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Bayard, WHS '53
Employers: Berger's Jewelry, Commercial Credit, DuPont
Message: I believe the store was called Joyce's. Remember going to Szatzkowski's to buy thread for my mom and his display of YoYo's. Ceertainly carried a variety of items. Dr. Potocki had an office on Linden & Conrad Sts., his ex wife and children ran the drugstore and soda fountain on Franklin St. Walked everywhere, remember the old man who played the mandolin at night on Lancaster and DuPont sts. on his porch? Really have enjoyed the postings, bringing back long ago memories. Ray Jubb, from Jackson & Conrad, Nancy Stearret? Eugene Starret on Harrison and Maple?
Date: 7/26/2009, 12:58 pm, EDT
Name: webmaster
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s): Wood'n Flats, Willow Run, Oak Hill, Rich'n Park, Longview Farms
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, Conrad (1960)
Employers: WDG, US Army, DuPont (Retired '91)
Message: I have two things I remember about trains.1) When we heard the sound of a steam engine approaching the 6th Street B&O Bridge, we would run their just to stand in the middle as the engine passed under us.
2) A friend of mine new some workers at the PRR Wilmington yards. Dozens of GG-1's were lined up waiting to be junked. I had the experience to go aboard one and walk through it with my son. I have two photos posted. Someday I'll post the others.
http://www.oldwilmington.net/oldwilmington/p...
Date: 7/26/2009, 12:31 pm, EDT
Name: George
Location: Ocean View,
Old Neighborhood(s): Browntown & South Broom St.
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Roy:
Your post about the tracks reminded of my Dad who loved to sit at a crossing and just coun the cars on a freight train. Anyway , he took me one day to the tracks that cross Maryland Avenue at the bottom of the hill before Richardson Park. WE walked east along the tracks and came upon a caboose. My dad happened to know the trainman in the caboose and we were invited to go for a ride. Imagine my surprise when the train banged into the caboose to attach the couplers. I almost flew from my seat. Now, I understand cabooses are no more. A great experience for me.Take Care
George
Date: 7/26/2009, 11:08 am, EDT
Name: Roy C. Pollitt
Location: Punta Gorda FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Gordy Estates - Woodbine
Schools Att'd: Krebs - Spring Jr High - Brandywine
Employers: WILM - WNRK - WAMS
Message: I have many fond memories of railroading past ... but the one that gives me a big smile happened about 1956. I was about six years old and my grandfather, Roy C. Sisk, took a walk with me from his home on Seventh Avenue (Browntown - the old Dr. Brown home) down the railroad tracks to the Wilmington station. (Yup ... I know now it was dangerous to walk on the tracks but what did I know then!). My grandfather loved to take me to the aluminum good luck piece machine (that you personalized by turning a press wheel --- I still have one or two of these pieces from that era). While we were there he found out that a famous movie star was coming through on a train and she would be stopping at the Wilmington station to say hello and wave to her fans. We went upstairs to the area where the train was to stop ... finally it came in and stopped and she went to the back of the rear car and waved to all of us. Jayne Mansfield! I had never seen a woman with so much make-up, etc. ... and she scared me and I cried! My grandfather got a big kick out of that. Memories.
Date: 7/24/2009, 5:37 pm, EDT
Name: Al Minne
Location: Temecula, CA
Old Neighborhood(s): Lancaster Village, Sherwood Park II
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, A.I. DuPont H.S., Conrad
Employers: F&M Scientific (Later HP Avondale), Spitz Laboratories,
Message: HARRY: Thanks for the link to the movie short on Wilmington! So many things bringing back memories and a sadness that much of what was then is no more. It is a truely great look at our past.
Date: 7/24/2009, 4:21 pm, EDT
Name: webmaster (Harry)
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s): Wood'n Flats, Willow Run, Oak Hill, Rich'n Park, Longview Farms
Schools Att'd:
Employers: WDG, US Army, DuPont (Retired '91)
Message: About the 1957 movie short of Wilmington. Go here to view the film. The sound track was restored and added: http://www.moviemice.com/
Date: 7/24/2009, 2:42 pm, EDT
Name: Al Minne
Location: Temecula, CA
Old Neighborhood(s): Lancaster Village, Sherwood Park II
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, A.I. DuPont H.S., Conrad
Employers: F&M Scientific (Now HP Avondale), Spitz Laboratories,
Message: WALT LAFFERTY: You may have a few years on me but our railroad memories are similar. My Dad would frequently meet someone at the old B&O station and it was a big treat for me to go with him. I had forgotten about the "Startup Pulses" you mentioned and that brought back another memory. There used to be a coal yard (named Hollingsworth I think)where three raillines came together in the area just East of the intersection of Dupont Road and Wilmington Avenue in Elsmere. Trains would often spent extended stops there while they loaded coal or waited for the tracks to clear. During the wait they would blow off steam as nessary sending a steam cloud staight up several hundred feet with a deafening roar. One day as I biked though the area I was treated to the sights and sounds of three engines simultaneusly blowing off!!!! Thanks for the reminder!
Date: 7/24/2009, 11:50 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: We used to go to LeRoys Style Shop on Market near 9th. I do vaguely remember the store name Joy's.
Date: 7/23/2009, 7:22 pm, EDT
Name: sheila townsend
Location: smyrna delaware
Old Neighborhood(s): overview gardens briarcliff drive
Schools Att'd: colwyck.... and de la warr high
Employers: rosehill elem. head start program
Message: this site is awesome!! And it makes me feel a little sad...I miss those good old days so much!! I was class of 64 at De La Warr High school...which sadly now is an elementary school. I have so many good memories of the dances..at wilmington high on sat. nights, friday nights at the wilmington manor lions club, and sunday afternoons at the gold ballroom...all WAMS dances!!! I think the 50'sand 60's were a god time to grow up...the music was the best... nothing ever comes close to th e music we "fell in love" to....remember the clothes we "hah to have" the tee-strap shoes....the ballerina slippers we wore as shoes to school...what was that shop on market street that all the girls loved to shop at? was it the joy hsop? I emember a red checkered blouse from there I adored! and the hairdo's we girls had..all teased up and out..as big as we could get it!!!would love to hear form anybody who remembers me andwould like ro remeniss of those happy days!!!sheila townsend
sheilasnight@gmail.com
Date: 7/23/2009, 5:53 pm, EDT
Name: Bud
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): 34th & Van Buren
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Webmaster
Many thanks for that picture of the area before the Merchandise Mart was built.
I had no idea what was there before.
Bud
Date: 7/23/2009, 5:34 pm, EDT
Name: webmaster
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s): Wood'n Flats, Willow Run, Oak Hill, Rich'n Park, Longview Farms
Schools Att'd:
Employers: WDG, US Army, DuPont (Retired '91)
Message: BUD::
You asked the question about what was located at the MM area before the construction of the MM. In 1937 it was part field and part wooded. Go here to view: http://www.oldwilmington.net/oldwilmington/m...
Date: 7/23/2009, 12:10 pm, EDT
Name: Walt Lafferty
Location: Silver Spring, MD
Old Neighborhood(s): Bellevue
Schools Att'd: Mt. Pleasant
Employers: US gov.
Message: We lived a block or two from the B&O station in the 1937-1938's. It was the days of steam then, and it was a special treat for me to be taken to the station to meet an arriving guest. I still remember the sounds - hissing steam, smoke with cinders, a magnificient whistle, and the startup pulses. I wanted to be an engineer in those days.
Date: 7/23/2009, 8:18 am, EDT
Name: Bob Wilson Jr
Location: Beaufort SC
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: PS
Employers:
Message: My fondest memory of the old B&O RR station in Wilmington goes back to the Spring of 1954, when THE REVIEW, the student newspaper at UofDel, sponsored a "walking race" from that point, to the gates of Old College in Newark...about a 15-mile trek
down Dupont to Union, then on to the Kirkwood Highway and then down to Newark. This was a reenactment of an event from back in 1905, when a young man named Charles W. Bush made local headlines when he took this journey as a solo stunt. About 30 of us participated in this grueling 1954 contest. A long-legged grad student from Sweden won easily, and the undergraduate to finish first was a fellow named Charley Sands. The editor of THE REVIEW at the time, W. Glenn Dill, and
I walked (struggled would be the better word) as a team for the last mile, and we came in in 6th place. The old SUNDAY STAR carried the story
(It was their next-to-last issue ever. They folded up forever later in the month of April 1954) The morning after the day of the "race", I could not get my legs to move to get out of bed. I'll never forget that.
Date: 7/22/2009, 10:27 pm, EDT
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Location: TARPON SPRINGS ,FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON ST
Schools Att'd: WARNER, W.H.S. V.F.M.
Employers: RETIRED
Message: IN REGARDS TO THE OLD B..O. RAILROAD STATION . WHILE IN THE 6TH. GRADE AT LORE SCHOOL. I CUT CLASS AND WENT TO SEE PREST. F.D.R. MAKE A WHISTLE STOP .( THATS WHAT THEY CALLED IT )DURING HIS CAMPAIGN FOR HIS 4TH. TERM AS PREST.OF OUR COUNTRY. HE STOOD AT THE BACK OF THE TRAIN . HIS BLACK CLOAK HANGING OVER HIS SHOULDERS. EVEN AS A 6TH. GRADER I COULD SEE HE WAS NOT WELL . HEAVY MAKE UP . ON HIS FACE ,AND TREMBLING. BUT HE HELD THE CROWD IN THE PALM OF HIS HANDS AND . THEN HE LEFT US. I REMEMBER HE WAS RUNNING AGAINST THOMAS E. DEWEY. A SIGN IN THE CROWD READ. ----ITS COLD IN MAIN, WARM IN FLORIDA , BUT IT WILL NEVER BE DEWEY IN WASHINGTON ! THE SIGN WAS RIGHT.
Date: 7/22/2009, 6:51 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): n Hedgeville,S.Broom,N.Broom,Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: Old B&O R.R. Station : I, too, have fond old memories of the B&O R.R. station which I may have posted before. I remember, as a small kid in the early 50's, going with my uncle, Dr. Eugene Szatkowski, to drive my grandfather, John F. Szatkowski, to that train station for his trip to Phila. to order goods for his Elm and Jackson Sts. store, Szat's ( Szotz's ).
My wife,Ann,worked at that location, some 30 years later at the ACME.
Great pictures, Tom. You always seem to come through for someone in need, e.g., Sam Jacobs, in this case.
Date: 7/22/2009, 11:07 am, EDT
Name: Tom
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: I found this site, at the bottom are 2 pictures of the old station: http://www.lcpimages.org/inventories/B&ORailroad/
Date: 7/22/2009, 9:25 am, EDT
Name: webmaster
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s): Wood'n Flats, Willow Run, Oak Hill, Rich'n Park, Longview Farms
Schools Att'd:
Employers: WDG, US Army, DuPont (Retired '91)
Message: SAM::I have asked the same question about the B&O Station for years. There does not seem to be any old photos available.
I do have a few of my recent photos here: http://www.oldwilmington.net/oldwilmington/p...
Date: 7/21/2009, 11:02 pm, EDT
Name: Sam Jacobs
Location: Port Riche, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): DuPont Street
Schools Att'd: Warner,Brown
Employers:
Message: I have many fond memories growing up near the B & O RR station (Delaware Avenue). Anybody have vintage photo's of the station, boarding platforms or the park?Played sandlot ball there as a kid, went sledding on the hills and played chicken with the freight trains. (Dumb now that I think about that)
Date: 7/20/2009, 10:17 pm, EDT
Name: Jim Brady III
Web: http://www.giusvalla.blogspot.com
Location: Elkton MD
Old Neighborhood(s): Meeting House Hill
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Holy cow, the pic with the fence (White Crystal Beach pics) looks almost exactly where my great grandmother was sitting in the below pic, fence and all!http://www.59registry.hypermart.net/teresa_a...
Date: 7/20/2009, 9:20 pm, EDT
Name: webmaster
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s): Wood'n Flats, Willow Run, Oak Hill, Rich'n Park, Longview Farms
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: With the recent talk about the Crystal Beaches, go here for recent photos: http://www.oldwilmington.net/oldwilmington/c...
Date: 7/19/2009, 4:31 pm, EDT
Name: Gary Betts
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Garfield Park, Penn Acres
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Here's a blast from the past for M.M. fans. "Merchandise Mart, your value center, bringing you shopping values every day, with store after store of shopping treasure, it's the pleasurable place to shop today. Merchandise Mart, an old friend with new ideas, making sure you'll find whatever you have in mind -- Wilmington Merchandise Mart." I loved that song.
Date: 7/19/2009, 2:54 pm, EDT
Name: Ernie
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): none
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Ray Jubb: Thanks for the story about Chestnut and Adams. As I recall from newspaper items, the Hammers had their bakery there up till the 30's, and the exact address was 901 Chestnut St. I've tried to locate Hammer descendants today, but none live in Wilmington. Sad that I don't have a pic of the store, but I have seen a picture in a family album of Theodore Hammer and my g-g-aunt Louisa Regenauer on their wedding day in 1893.
Date: 7/19/2009, 9:13 am, EDT
Name: Bob Wilson Jr
Location: Beaufort SC
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: I'll never forget Hurricane Hazel as it whipped through Newark. I had a front-porch seat to see its destructive force as it stormed up South College Avenue past the back of Mitchell and Hullihen Halls, sending tree limbs and broken overhead wires writhing and fiercely sparking down onto the pavement. It was a doozey!
Date: 7/19/2009, 8:53 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S. Jackson St. in Hedgeville, S. Broom St., N. Broom St., Klair
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: Hurricane Hazel was in 1954.
Date: 7/18/2009, 12:53 pm, EDT
Name: Joan H
Location: N. Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): 4th & Rodney
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's '51, WHS '55
Employers:
Message: I remember that day as well. I was working for Wilm. Trust on 10th & Market Sts. Seem to remember that some windows blew out of that building.Power at home was off for some time.
Date: 7/18/2009, 12:31 pm, EDT
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th Ward
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline, Goldey-Beacom
Employers: duPont
Message: Ray, I believe that was Hurricane Hazel. duPont let us go home early. I remember walking home (because the buses were all full) across Market St. bridge and nearly getting blown into the Brandywine. I was working in the duPont Bldg. at 10th and Market. I think it was the late 50's. When I got home, I heard that a woman was blown under a DCCO bus and killed. I believe that was in the late 50's.
Date: 7/18/2009, 10:22 am, EDT
Name: Ray Jubb
Location: Killington De
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS, Red Devil
Employers: City of Killington & Dupont
Message: Speaking of fond memories of the MM. My favorite memory is of working in the Acme Market there in the middle of the Mall. I worked there for Johnny Teoli and
then helped to open the new Acme at the far North end of the Mall and worked there for Jimmy Teoli. While working there we had one hell of a hurricane. We were just stocking the shelves for the grand oppening when all the plate glass windows blew in shattering glass through out the store, it sounded like
a huge explosion. We were all told to get home as fast a possible and those that had no ride were to go to the back of the store and stay. On my way home in my trusty old 51 Chevy I had to stop behind a bus at 10th and Market, my car was rocking and I was actually afraid it was going to turn over. After sitting behind this bus for too long a time I braved getting out and making my way to the front of the bus to see
what the hell was holding us up. I found out that an elderly woman was blown off the sidewalk and under the bus where she was crushed to death. It was a night I'll never forget, that's for sure.
Date: 7/18/2009, 8:07 am, EDT
Name: Bud
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): 34th & Van Buren
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Here's one more item about the Merchandise Mart area:
Does anyone remember what was in that area before the MM was built. I should but for some reason my mind is blank about the spot.
Date: 7/17/2009, 9:15 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S.Jackson St.in Hedgeville,S,Broom,N.Broom,Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: The time frame for my previous post on the journey to the Merchandise Mart was '61 or '62.
Date: 7/17/2009, 8:19 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S. Jackson St. in Hedgeville, S. Broom St., N. Broom St., Klair
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: I'll have to agree with Ray Jubb on the demise of the Merchandise Mart. It was a combination of the muggings, the fear of muggings, the surrounding areas and the new Malls.
As I mentioned in a previous post, I enjoyed the Merchandise Mart, especially around Christmas. My buddy Bill and I walked from Jackson and Elm Sts. in Hedgevile one late afternoon , when we were about 13 or 14, down Lancaster Ave. to Market and turned at 40th and Market down to the Mart. Along the way there were groups of Christmas carolers going from house to house, especially in the area of Market St. above the Brandywine. We returned at night, up to Lea Blvd. to N. Broom and back home. I'll always remember the fond memories of this journey.
Date: 7/17/2009, 7:40 pm, EDT
Name: Albie
Location: Lewes
Old Neighborhood(s): Penny Hill
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Unfortunately Wilmington as most of us fondly remember it, passed away in 1968.
Date: 7/17/2009, 3:25 pm, EDT
Name: Bud
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): 34th & Van Buren
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Ray, you well be right, I left the Mall in 1961 so I can't say what it was like after that. Regardless I do remember that in the beginning it was a great place to shop. At night the walks in front of the stores were full of people kind of like the boardwalk at the shore. Guess many got frightened away by the uncertainties of being in that area at night as they did in downtown WIlmington. Sad.
Date: 7/17/2009, 1:38 pm, EDT
Name: Ray Jubb
Location: Killington De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Dave & Bud : Your both right in regard the Demise of the Mart. However, if it wasn't the actual muggings that took place, and believe me they did, it was the fear of the muggings and the area. Then I believe that the development of new malls was just the iceing on the cake. Becaus if it were not for the muggings, purse snatchings and other assaults. why couldn't it have survived and thrived as the new malls did?
Date: 7/17/2009, 7:45 am, EDT
Name: Bud
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): 34th & Van Buren
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Sorry Dave I can't agree with you that shoplifting was the reason that most stores closed in the Merchandise Mart. I still think that other new malls in the area was the primary reason. The general area of the Mart itself was a secondary reason. Remember what happened to the stores in downtown Wilmington.
Date: 7/16/2009, 6:51 pm, EDT
Name: DAVE CAUFFMAN
Location: HOCKESSIN
Old Neighborhood(s): 25TH & MADISON ST
Schools Att'd:
Employers: EH@R AND DUPONT
Message: THERE WAS MORE SHOP LIFTING THAN THERE WAS SHOPPING AT THE MERCH MART THAT'S WHY A LOT OF THE STORES CLOSED.
Date: 7/16/2009, 11:46 am, EDT
Name: webmaster (Harry)
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s): Wood'n Flats, Willow Run, Oak Hill, Rich'n Park, Longview Farms
Schools Att'd:
Employers: WDG, US Army, DuPont (Retired '91)
Message: I'll be posting additional photos of S&C and the MM this weekend on: http://www.oldwilmington.net/oldwilmington/m...This will be the final photos of the current series.
My friend Norman Buckalew and I drove around Wilmington the other day taking photos. We get together every month or so for lunch and decide where to go.
Date: 7/16/2009, 8:08 am, EDT
Name: Bud
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): 34th & Van Buren
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Bruce, I have not heard of any future plans for the M. Mart but there is a lot of good land sitting there going idle.
Across the road from the Mart the build where Van Sciver furniture use to be seems to be idle. Up the road a block sits the vacant movie building. That whole area looks like a wasted city. Remember at the end of the M.Mart when Jimmy Boines had a great restaurant there which later became, I believe, A Horn & Hardart ? Shopping malls such as the Concord Mall help start the M.Mart's downfall and the area itself didn't help.
Bud
Date: 7/16/2009, 7:54 am, EDT
Name: Bruce
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Old Neighborhood(s): N. Franklin, Woodbrook
Schools Att'd: Sacred Heart
Employers: Wilm. Finishing
Message: Bud,
Do you know what the plan is for the Merch. Mart? I moved out of De in 1980 and that area was in sad shape back then. If I remember the closer you got to town on the Gov. Printz the worse it got. Like you, I have a lot of memories of the MM.
Date: 7/15/2009, 5:48 pm, EDT
Name: Bud
Location: WIlm
Old Neighborhood(s): 34th & Van Buren
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Went to the Merchandise Mart area 2 days ago and where Straws was is now a large hole in the ground with diggers still working there. Drove by all the old stores and they are really in very sad shape. I use to work there during the late 50's. Peered in the store where I worked and sorry I did. Had a lot of good memories there but the inside now is total distruction.
Date: 7/15/2009, 12:24 am, EDT
Name: Ray Jubb
Location: Killington De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: City & DuPont
Message: To Ernie: Been at my beach house for two weeks, just got back and saw your post of 7/5/09. I hung around the corner of Chestnut and Adams Streets in the late 40's and early 50's. I have a picture of myself and a friend sitting on the steps of a store located on the N.W. Corner of that intersection but at that time it was sort of a little soda shop & or candy store. The old memory is fading and I can't seem to remember what the name of the store was but I do no that at that time on the S.W. corner was a Church of unknown denomination and under the Church was a Club the "Polish National Knights of Columbus" it was run by a Family named "Frederick". On the S.E. Corner was a vacant lot, on the N.E. Corner was the Amalgamated Leather Factory which took up two blocks, from Chestnut to Front Street & Adams Street to Monroe. I was a young teen back then and don't ever remember a Bread Store.
Date: 7/14/2009, 11:18 am, EDT
Name: MJ
Location: New Castle
Old Neighborhood(s): New Castle
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: I LOVE THIS WEBSITE. THANKS FOR POSTING PHOTOS OF THE FIRST STRAWBRIDGE & CLOTHIER IN DELAWARE. LIKE SO MANY OTHERS ...HATE TO SEE IT GO. PHOTOS BRINGS BACK SO MANY MEMORIES.
Date: 7/12/2009, 12:39 pm, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: In the 40s the store at 23rd and Tatnall was a small grocery store. Later it became an outlet for a bakery - I guess it was day old stuff. After that, in the 60s - it was McMillan Real Estate.
Date: 7/11/2009, 8:54 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S. Jackson St. in Hedgeville, S. Broom St., N. Broom St., Klair
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: PAT (STILLWELL) LEVAN : Concerning that corner store - Check Joe Pasquale's posts on 7/2/09.
Date: 7/11/2009, 7:25 pm, EDT
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: OK, about that corner store. Possibly, it could be Neugebauer's at 23rd and Tatnall. Connie, you might remember that. It sure looks like it to me. So, guys, what do you think? It was Neugebauer's in the early 40's and then McMillan's after that. How about some feedback from some of you 9th Warders?
Date: 7/10/2009, 12:07 pm, EDT
Name: Gary Betts
Location: Tampa Bay, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Garfield Park, Penn Acres
Schools Att'd: Minquidale Elem., Wilm. Manor Elem., George Read Middle, Wm Penn
Employers:
Message: Does anyone remember Minquidale Elementary on DuPont Hwy? I went there in first grade (Miss Pauly; Mrs. Tolson).
Date: 7/10/2009, 11:49 am, EDT
Name: Al Minne
Location: Temecula, CA
Old Neighborhood(s): Lancaster Village, Sherwood Park II
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, A.I. DuPont H.S., Conrad
Employers: F&M Scientific (Now HP Avondale), Spitz Laboratories,
Message: JERRY T.: Thanks! I did not make the connection when I first read those post because of the mention of the bar and I was thinking corner store. I wonder if there is any connection to with Fred Comegys or his family?
Date: 7/9/2009, 4:42 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): S.Jackson St.in Hedgeville,S.Broom,N.Broom,Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: AL MINNE: Thanks, and go back to the previous page and see the postings by Webmaster and Joe Pasquale on 7/2/09.
Date: 7/9/2009, 2:12 pm, EDT
Name: Al Minne
Location: Temecula, CA
Old Neighborhood(s): Lancaster Village, Sherwood Park II
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, A.I. DuPont H.S., Conrad
Employers: F&M Scientific (Now HP Avondale), Spitz Laboratories,
Message: JERRY T.: The "corner store" in the Home Page's flashing pictures looks familar to me to but I can't place it. I accidently found a way to freeze the video to allow more time to look at it. I have posted it on the new "Old Wilminton Blog".
Date: 7/6/2009, 4:57 pm, EDT
Name: Ernie
Location: Philadelphia
Old Neighborhood(s): Trolley Square
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Tom, that link is to my own website. Glad you could visit.
Date: 7/5/2009, 10:57 pm, EDT
Name: lulu
Location:
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: st. ann / st elizabeth
Employers:
Message: great site
Date: 7/5/2009, 9:53 pm, EDT
Name: chuck wilson
Location: wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: st pauls wilm. high
Employers: Usaf ud police dept
Message: jerry t I lived at read and jackson right on the corner.1943/1961
Date: 7/5/2009, 6:27 pm, EDT
Name: Tom
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Ernie, try this site and see if you can locate living decendants that may have any old pictures, or albums:http://freepages.family.rootsweb.ancestry.co...
Date: 7/5/2009, 7:37 am, EDT
Name: Ernie
Location:
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Thought I would post this, even though what I am looking for probably goes back far before most nostalgia posters' memories. Doing my genealogy, and my great-great-aunt Lucy and uncle Theodore Hammer ran a bakery at 901 Chestnut Street (corner of Chestnut and Adams) in the early part of the 1900's, maybe into the 1930's. This location is gone, as I-95 was built thru there. But I am trying to figure out if and how I could locate a photo of this bakery. Any ideas?
Date: 7/3/2009, 11:41 pm, EDT
Name: Al Minne
Location: Temecula, CA
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, A.I. DuPont H.S., Conrad
Employers: F&M Scientific (Now HP Avondale), Spitz Laboratories,
Message: Try the following URL for a great picture of Buster Brown's X-Ray machine. http://vaporcloud.blogspot.com/2008/09/buste...
We went to the one on Market Street. Glad I only used it a few times. I understand many people were injured by this machine, especialy the salespeople who were constantly exposed to it's radiation. Couldn't find better shoes though!
Date: 7/3/2009, 11:26 pm, EDT
Name: Al Minne
Location: Temecula, CA
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: Lore, Oak Grove, A.I. DuPont H.S., Conrad
Employers: F&M Scientific (Now HP Avondale), Spitz Laboratories,
Message: WEBMASTER; Ooops! Please read "inaction" as "interaction" in my previous post.
Date: 7/3/2009, 9:19 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: CHUCK WILSON : out of curiosity, what area of S. Jackson St. did you live and during what time frame ? I lived at 302 S. Jackson St. from 1948 until 1967. '48 was my birth year.
Date: 7/3/2009, 9:06 pm, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: CONNIE : Thanks for the referral to the fireworks link. I'm sure my 3 year old grand-daughter will enjoy it as much as I did.
Date: 7/3/2009, 7:19 pm, EDT
Name: webmaster (Harry)
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Speaking of fireworks:I saw on the news today that some nutcase out there wants to put an end to fireworks. Did anyone else see or hear it? She said it pollutes the atmosphere. That they contain mercury, beryllium, etc. and are hazardous. She is part of the group that wants to eliminate incandescent light bulbs and replace them with CFL’s (compact fluorescent lights). Doesn’t she know that they contain mercury? Imagine having several dozen of them in your house. What do you do when they break?
Date: 7/3/2009, 8:57 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: To enjoy fireworks from your home click on http://www.fireworkspop.com/liberty.html
Date: 7/3/2009, 8:12 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: HARRY and JOE PASQUALE : thanks for the photo and the info. on Walton's/Comegys.
Date: 7/2/2009, 11:15 pm, EDT
Name: JOE PASQUALE
Location:
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: LORE-BAYARD-BROWN VOC.
Employers: RETIRED
Message: WEBMASTER ....The picture that you are talking about is WALTON'S bar at Union & Conrad streets...It is now called COMEGYS PUB.....WALTON 'S Was owned by ART'S Mother & Stepfather....many many yrs. ago
Date: 7/2/2009, 8:00 pm, EDT
Name: webmaster (Harry)
Location: Wilmington/Perryville
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Jerry T::The larger photo can be found here: http://www.oldwilmington.net/oldwilmington/p...
Art Annone submitted it. Maybe if he sees this, he will provide the location.
Date: 7/2/2009, 7:14 pm, EDT
Name: Orv
Location: Lincoln, Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: Wm Penn H.S.
Employers: Dupont,AGFA, Hologic
Message: Jim Brady III,
Yes from looking at the background it appears to be
at Crystal Beach, but can't be sure though. Those were the good days weren't they??
Date: 7/2/2009, 3:41 pm, EDT
Name: Joe ''Bubbles'' Pasquale
Location:
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: LORE BAYARD BROWN VOC.
Employers: RETIRED
Message: JERRY T........Are you talking about COMEGY'S BAR on Conrad & Union st....Yrs. ago it was WALTON'S BAR
Date: 7/2/2009, 3:14 pm, EDT
Name: chuck wilson
Location: bear de
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: st pauls, wilm high
Employers: us air force and UD police dept
Message: I think the old Buster Brown shoe stoe with the X-ray machine was located on 2nd st between king and market. I saw my feet many times in that machine.
Date: 7/2/2009, 10:44 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: HARRY : In your new set of flashing photos on the introductory page, there is one of a corner store which looks so familiar, but I don't have enough time to really look at it. Is there any way to view a still shot ? What and where is that store ?
Date: 7/2/2009, 10:28 am, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: There definitely was a foot X-ray machine on Washington Street not far from Hearns because we lived in the neighborhood and my brother had his feet X-rayed there when my parents bought his shoes.
Date: 7/2/2009, 8:58 am, EDT
Name: Jim Brady III
Location:
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: It does sound like a nice place, Orv- Does the pic at the below link look like it could have been taken there?http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNkUE465pHg/Sj0Z8f...
Jim
Date: 7/2/2009, 8:33 am, EDT
Name: Orv
Location:
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: Wm Penn H.S.
Employers: Dupont, AGFA, Hologic
Message: I remember White Crystal's "boardwalk". There was a juke box and kids used to dance there. The boardwalk wasn't much.... only the juke box and some small soda shops. There was also a min. train that was took children on rides as well as a merry-go-round. Those were the only rides I remember. They also had a small campground.... we camped there for two weeks in the early '70's. My father-in-law had a summer place there. Lot's of good memories!!
Date: 7/2/2009, 8:29 am, EDT
Name: Jim Brady III
Web: http://www.blogspot.com
Location: Elkton, MD
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Mark's, U of D
Employers:
Message: Actually, one of the suspected White Crystal Beach pics can be viewed at the below link:http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_bNkUE465pHg/Sj0Z8f...
Date: 7/2/2009, 8:27 am, EDT
Name: Jim Brady III
Web: http://www.giusvalla.blogspot.com
Location: Elkton, MD
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Mark's, U of D
Employers:
Message: Hi Bob, Thanks for the offer to help. If you post your email address I can send the pictures to you that I have to verify, or if your offer was to send your pictures to me, you can send them to jmbiii@yahoo.com
"To Jim Brady -
I actually have a few old pix in my computer that were taken at a UDel fraterninty outing down at White Crystal Beach in the Spring of 1955. There's not too much to see of the beach itself, but it is identifiable...one of the pix shows me buried under a pile of sand up to my neck. Fortunately, my buddies didn't pile any more on. "
Date: 7/2/2009, 8:02 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: As a small kid, I remember going to White Crystal beach, a Buttonwood beach and a Port Herman beach ( ? ). I forget where the last two were.
Date: 7/2/2009, 7:51 am, EDT
Name: Bob Wilson Jr
Location: United States
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: To Jim Brady -
I actually have a few old pix in my computer that were taken at a UDel fraterninty outing down at White Crystal Beach in the Spring of 1955. There's not too much to see of the beach itself, but it is identifiable...one of the pix shows me buried under a pile of sand up to my neck. Fortunately, my buddies didn't pile any more on.
Date: 7/2/2009, 7:44 am, EDT
Name: Bob Wilson Jr
Location: United States
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: Remember the old radio commercial for Buster Brown shoes?
"I'm Buster Brown
And I live in a shoe.
Look for my dog Tige,*
He lives in there too."* (short for Tiger, and pronounced "Tyge" (soft g)
Date: 7/2/2009, 6:31 am, EDT
Name: Patty
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Thomas, WHS
Employers: Retired
Message: Jerry - thanks. Of course it was Buster Brown's, not Bens. How could I forget the picture of Buster Brown and his dog Tigue (sp?). Just another senior moment! Have a great holiday, everyone!
Date: 7/1/2009, 9:10 pm, EDT
Name: Jim Brady III
Web: http://www.giusvalla.blogspot.com
Location: Elkton MD
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Mark's, U of D
Employers:
Message: Thanks Orv- I actually know of its location and want to take a trip down there to check it out (it's only about 30 min from my house). The thing is, I have pictures from what I think is from that place, but have nothing from the era to compare them to. I need someone who has actually been there and would recognize the surroundings. Did anyone here ever visit there?
Date: 7/1/2009, 9:05 pm, EDT
Name: Orv
Location: Lincoln,Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: Wm Penn H.S.
Employers: Dupont, AGFA, Hologic
Message: For Jim Brady III
Found this website that might help you.
http://maryland.hometownlocator.com/md/cecil...
Orv
Date: 7/1/2009, 3:13 pm, EDT
Name: Marge
Location:
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Matthew's, Krebs, Conrad
Employers: Hercules, DuPont Pharma, AZ
Message: The foot X-ray machine was at Buster Brown's Shoes in Downtown Wilmington. Not located on Washington Street near Hearn Brothers.
Date: 7/1/2009, 2:09 pm, EDT
Name: Connie
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd:
Employers:
Message: They had the foot X-rays at a store on Washington Street somewhere not far from Hearns at Washington and Concord Avenue.
Date: 7/1/2009, 12:58 pm, EDT
Name: Jim Brady III
Web: http://www.giusvalla.blogspot.com
Location: Elkton, MD
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Marks
Employers:
Message: Hello all,Wow, some great info on this site! My Salvo grandparents lived at 2903 W. 6th St. across from Mack Park. I have heard so many stories from my parents that a cousin and I started a site to honor them and all of their friends. You can see it at giusvalla.blogspot.com
I was very interested to see the posts here in regard to White Crystal Beach, as my grandfather apparently spent some time there as a kid. Trying to get more info on it now. Keep those nostalgic details coming!
Regards,
Jim
Date: 7/1/2009, 8:33 am, EDT
Name: Jerry T.
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: B&O R.R., Resilient Tile, U.S. Army, Equifax, State of De.
Message: Patty,
I believe the Buster Brown shoe store on Market St. had an X-ray machine in the early to mid 50's.
Date: 7/1/2009, 6:59 am, EDT
Name: Patty
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s):
Schools Att'd: St. Thomas, WHS
Employers: ICI, ALICO, DCAD
Message: As kids, how many of you remember having your feet x-rayed when buying new shoes? Here's a site with pictures of the x-ray machine and its history. I believe it was Ben's shoe store on 4th & Market that had one. http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/shoefitti.... :-)