Posted in Edison, Middlesex County, New Jersey, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Menlo Park Mall, Remembering the Past on April 15, 2009 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
EDISON-I received an e-mail from Ted Pastusczak which reads: “Hi Diane, I just read your article from Jan. 30 on Menlo Park – great stuff.
“I remember when the mall opened in 1960 or so. It had a Martin Paint store, Wallachs Men’s Shop, Archie Jacobson, Soundarama records, Canadians, and so forth.
“It also had two supermarkets – a Shop Rite and a Finest, and its own post office.
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, Perth Amboy, sports, Woodbridge, tagged 1940s, Diane Norek Harrison, high school footbal, Perth Amboy High School, Perth Amboy Panthers, Remembering the Past, Woodbridge Golden Bears, Woodbridge High School, Woodbridge High School Barrons on February 19, 2009 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
WOODBRIDGE/PERTH AMBOY—I received these memories in an email from former area resident Tom Saboy:
“Dear Ms. Harrison, I was born in Hopelawn in 1935. I attended Hopelawn # 10 school from 1940 to 1948 and Woodbridge High School from 1948 to 1952.
“I read your articles on the internet. I do have some first hand information of the Woodbridge Golden Bears, Woodbridge High School Barrons, Perth Amboy Panthers, Perth Amboy semi-pro football teams and a handed down story of the Hopelawn Greyhounds.
Posted in Carteret, Middlesex County, New Jersey, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Remembering the Past on February 16, 2009 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
CARTERET-This is from my own research. The Carteret Boat Club was mostly a canoeing and rowing club, known as the home of the “Rocking Chair Fleet.” It was on Front Street between Gordon and Markets streets, where the Municipal Marina is now.
In 1965, Dr. Wallace J. Durst, dentist was practicing in Carteret. Also there in 1965: Ciszak Plumbing and Heating on Roosevelt Avenue. Bond – “New Jersey’s Favorite” — Cleaners had a special in August. Trousers or slacks to be cleaned were 54 cents each. Extra bonus special during the month of August was any shorts or shells (mix or match), 2 for 79 cents. A single item regularly cost 59 cents for cleaned and finished.
Posted in Clark, Elizabeth, Middlesex County, New Jersey, Perth Amboy, Union County, tagged Clark Fire Department, Diane Norek Harrison, Elmora, Remembering the Past, sledding, trolley, trolley cars, winter on February 13, 2009 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
ELIZABETH-This came in a letter from Marilyn Thorne: “Dear Ms. Harrison, I’ve been enjoying reading ‘Remembering The Past’ in the Clark Patriot for some time now. Here’s a fond memory of mine of winter days when I grew up in the Elmora section of Elizabeth.
“Near our street was Wyoming Avenue-a long hilly street about four blocks in length. Whenever we had a significant snow fall (which seems to have been much more often than now) the police would barricade the side entrances to Wyoming Avenue, creating a virtual paradise of sledding fun! We’d head up there as soon as school closed and sled down that hilly street until we all were too cold to go on! What fun it was and what a great memory!”
Thank you Mrs. Thorpe for sharing your great memory in my column!
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, South Amboy, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Enterprising South Amboy, Remebering the Past, Valentines Day on February 12, 2009 |
By Diane Norek Harrison
SOUTH AMBOY-In 1942, at O’Connor’s Confectionary, which was located at 142 North Broadway had a card shop assortment for Valentine’s Day.
In the 1960s, while attending St. Mary’s Grammar School, a member of each class had to make and bring in a big cardboard box decorated mostly with aluminum foil and red heart cut outs on it. It had to have the mail slot cut into it. As the students came into class they would put their Valentine Day cards for class members in the slot. Later in the day the teacher would then hand out the cards.
Posted in New Jersey, Rahway, Union County, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Quakers School, Rahway Clay Pits, Remembering the Past on January 31, 2009 |
By Diane Norek Harrison
RAHWAY-I received this in an email: “Here is one I don’t remember, the Rahway Clay Pits. I just came upon a picture of (it) them while looking through photo albums around town. Where were the clay pits located and what did it come to be?”
If anyone can share what they know of the Rahway clay pits, please do. Where were they and what is there now? There is so much out there from the past, I’m hoping to hear lots of it!
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, Perth Amboy, Woodbridge, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Perth Amboy Clay Pits, Remembering the Past, Woodbridge Clay Pits on January 30, 2009 | 2 Comments »
by Diane Norek Harrison
PERTH AMBOY-WOODBRIDGE-This is from my own research dated 1884. If anyone has more information on the area clay pits or what is now built on them, please send it for another column.
W.H.P. Benton’s clay pits are situated on the low ground west of Perth Amboy road, and the railroad and south of the one of Mr. Phillips. It was opened some eight years ago.
Posted in Edison, Middlesex County, New Jersey, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Menlo Park Mall, Remembering the Past on January 22, 2009 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
EDISON-This is from material given to me for my column and is all from the “old” Menlo Park Mall:
In 1965, Bamberger’s had Chantry Beauty Salon. Their services included a half-price sale in August, a cold wave, plus short hair cut, shampoo and set for $8.75, was regularly priced at $17.50. The gold bond crème wave in their design studio was $14.00, regularly went for $28.00. The style league wave in our American Room was discounted to $8.75, on sale for $17.50. It was located in the upper level of Bamberger’s. The phone number began with LI-9.
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, Sayreville, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Morgan Athletic Association, Remembering the Past on January 15, 2009 |
By Diane Norek Harrison
SAYREVILLE-This material was given to me for my column and is from the Morgan section of Sayreville: The Morgan Athletic Association held their 17th Annual Banquet on Oct. 28, 1979 with a family style dinner at Diamond Jim’s.
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, Woodbridge, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Remembering the Past, Woodbridge Golden Bears on January 8, 2009 |
By Diane Norek Harrison
WOODBRIDGE—I received this information from John Trosko III after my 2007 columns on the Woodbridge Golden Bears:
“I recently read your articles about the Golden Bears and Greyhounds football teams. My father played for both teams in the 1940s. He played center and linebacker. He was also on the 1938 and 1939 Woodbridge High School state championship teams. He was selected to the All Middlesex County first string team in 1939.
Posted in Clark, Elizabeth, Linden, New Jersey, Rahway, Union County, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Remembering the Past on January 4, 2009 |
By Diane Norek Harrison
This is from my own research of the four towns in which I write the past. Feel free to add anything you see in this column or better yet send your own memories or past material from the towns.
CLARK—Clark was once home to Drummond’s Pharmacy, Clark Drugs, Dell’s Pharmacy, Garden of Paper, Steak and Ale and Stonewall Savings and Loan. Electro Fone Corporation was located at 29 Broadway, with Donald C. Mascola as president in 1972.
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, South Amboy, tagged Diane Norek Harrison, Knights of Pythias, Remembering the Past, St. Mary’s High School on January 3, 2009 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
SOUTH AMBOY—A South Amboy resident pointed out that the old brick building on the corner of First and Stockton streets still shows a K of P Hall plaque on the top center of the structure. It is not very readable, but can still be seen. It stands for Knights of Pythias. It is where that organization and the Seneca Tribe of the Improved Order of Red Men, No. 23 met in the 1800s. Later the building was home to the accounting office of Richard Servis, Galaxy Packaging Co. and Johnson Control. My contributor told me the building is now used for storage.
Another South Amboy resident provided me with information on the 1959 graduating class St. Mary’s High School. Commencement exercises took place in St. Mary’s Church on June 7, 1959.
Posted in New Jersey, Rahway, Union County, tagged Diane Harrison, Diane Norek Harrison, Remembering the Past on September 12, 2008 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
RAHWAY-Here is a trivia question from my contributor Ed from Rahway. He wanted me to ask the readers if they knew what once stood on the grounds where the City Hall is now? I think he knows the answer, but he did not tell me! Know it? Send it to me when sending your own memories or past material.
Here are some memories I received by email from Patty DeLeo Gwozdz a member of the 1966 class of Rahway High School. “Hi Diane, When I was a teenager, I couldn’t wait to leave Rahway. But now…how wonderful the memories of growing up in Rahway. If only I could go back for a short visit to a time of sharing carefree summers and magical winters with family and friends!
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, Woodbridge, tagged Diane Harrison, Diane Norek Harrison, Remembering the Past on September 10, 2008 |
by Diane Norek Harrison
WOODBRIDGE-This is from some of my own material dated 1920: The beautiful High School on Barron avenue was built in 1911. There are, in addition, seven excellent public schools, located as follows: No. 1, Central Avenue, Woodbridge, Keasbey, Port Reading, Fords, Avenel, Hopelawn, and Iselin, each conducted by an excellent corps of teachers. Prof. John H. Love came here in 1895 as the principal of No. 1 School, and for the past seventeen years has been the efficient supervising principal of all the schools in the township. There are 83 teachers and 3,000 pupils in the township. Among the chairmen of the Board of Education have been William H. Berry, Howard Valentine, Joseph H.T. Martin, Victor W. Main, Wilson A. Tappen, President; Melvin H. Clum, vice-president; Everett C. Ensign, secretary, Charles S. Farrell, Howard R. Valentine, Maurice P. Dunigan, Benjamin B. Walling, Frederick Bohlen and Louis E. Meyer; attendance officer John Thompson.
Have memories or past material on any of the schools listed above or from any school in the other towns? Don’t keep them to yourself!
Posted in Middlesex County, New Jersey, tagged Diane Harrison, Diane Norek Harrison, Remembering the Past on September 10, 2008 | 1 Comment »
By Diane Norek Harrison
PERTH AMBOY-In honor of Perth Amboy’s 325th Anniversary here is some early history of the city. This column is from material given to me a while back by readers Rose (Tarloski) and Jerry Celecki:
Perth Amboy has a proud history. Chartered in 1683, it was the first city in New Jersey to be chartered by the Crown in 1718. Its seal represented by King George I, contained the Latin phrase “Portus Optimus” which means the “the best port.” Perth Amboy’s port has served whale boats, oysters and sloops.
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