 |
Nanuet: Do You Remember...? |
|
|
Nanuet: Do You Remember...? |
|
Hi locals! My NANUET pages are doing exactly what I hoped they would do; I have gotten some wonderful emails from people who have generously shared their own memories of our humble hamlet. I've also been contacted by some long lost old friends. Please feel free to share your memories with me. Anything about Nanuet before 1976 (my Bar Mitzvah year) is welcome, pictures too. I won't upload a single word without your permission, and if you wish to remain anonymous, that's fine too. IF YOU WRITE, PLEASE TELL ME IF IT'S OK TO POST YOUR COMMENTS. Thanks! -Dan Nanuet: Do you remember...
Compiled with help from the Edsall Avenue Jew Crew: Mike Goldfarb (now Goldmann), David and Victor Eisenberg, my brothers Ethan and Jerry Silverman, and honorary member Barry Schein. Tommy Curran, August 2010: Daniel, Great Job! My family moved to Nanuet in 1952, from Jersey City. We lived at 140 South Middletown Rd., a two family house next to the Nanuet Hotel. We were tennants of the Pallasino's Rose Frank, and their son Mike. Mike later took over the Nanuet Hotel from his parents. At that time Bob Lampone and Frankie De Lucia worked there they later opened the Nanuet Resturant. Their kids were Vito, Janette, and Mary: their mother was Alice. The Lampone kids Roberta & Frankie I attended St. Anthony's School and was in the first graduating class. The Erie Lackawana R.R. then would reverse the engine between the shoemakers store and the Laurel Hotel. Mechandise would be delivered to Hutton & Johnson. The Nanuet Hotel still has rooms upstairs. In the now parking lot of the hotel we had a large vegetable garden. I graduated from Nyack H.S. in 1960 there was no Nanuet H.S. at that time and no other H.S. would accept students from Nanuet. I began working in 8th grade at the mill across from Swift Electric. Through high school I worked as a carpenter's helper first for the Nanuet School Dist. (George Fee) was custodian. Later I worked for K&E construction who probably built 80% of the houses in Rockland. I attended Ithaca College and graduated in 1965, went into the Marines Corps. and served in Vietnam. I was forced by the hostile takeovers of the 70's & 80's to return to the union as a carpenter. I am now retired since '08. I attended college with Paul Lankau. Life long friends I am still in touch with are Billy Lehner and Gary Krause. I still see Paulie Demoa nad Jeff Bronte. Jack Tancos Billy's uncle owned the Red Rail, and a bakery in S.V. he was also the mayor of S.V. Does anyone remember Paul De Vito's which later became Egans it was next to a church and Dave Cripsman's father was the pastor. My uncle Mike Higgins was the undertaker he had three sons Danny, Stephen, Bobby. He was also the P.D. Commissioner of Clarkstown. There was the Nanuet Hebrew Center next door to his home near the corner of 59 & Middletown Rd. The Clarkstown P.D. HQ was a derelict house at the corner of 59 & 304 it still stands. It was across from Johnny's SUNOCO. There was also swimming lake where Buywise Liquors was, it was called Mc Gill's. The Welchmans owned Jolene Cleaners the located where there is a small strip mall at corner of Church , So. Middletown & Convent Rd. The Lenihans lived upstairs, I think it was once the Nanuet Firehouse? There was the Nanuet A.C field at the end of Babcock Ave. where the Ruganis lived Silvano was the son. The Red Rail was then a Greman Resturant Billy Lehner's family live upstairs and so did Jackie Mc Celland's family. Ther was also a store called Riebers at So. Middletown & !st Ave. a general store. There was an A&P on So. Middletown near the Nanuet Bank. The Stevans were the bankers. Gas stations were Ted Hunters & Nivens at the south end of town. Overmeyers had a moving and trucking garage on Orchard St. it's still there. Bill Carroll also had a White Rock Soda Route in their garage. There was and estate called Fischers which ran from So. Middletown to College Ave. and also on the north side of College Ave. There was a family named Stark who had a pond in back of their house on Middletown Linda & Mel were the kids. Rocoff's also had a dept. store next to Perino's. The Mapleways was the 4 corners next to the Feretti's house the house is still there. Louie Heidman had a rod & gun store where the present one is located. That's all for now I'll add updates as i remember more deatails! Please feel free to email me if need more info or anyone wants to get in touch we are having a NHS Class reunion on Labor day weekend at the Comfort Inn on 59 ther many people from Nanuet attending!!! Patrick Lubey, August 2010: Hi Daniel - someone (John Valentine) if you know him posted the link on Facebook - wonderful site and memories of Nanuet! I lived on Hillaire Place in "Pearl River Heights" but we were certainly part of Nanuet. I'd like to add some memories - my parents moved to the country in the 50's. We have pictures of the Palisades Parkway being built and later how Rt. 304 sliced through - amazing how they moved those houses out of the way - I believe the Mazzuca's were one of those families. I rememver too things like the milk machines scattered throughout Nanuet - vending machines for milk - my kids can't believe it. I'm sure some of your readers were there when the Man from U.N.C.L.E. (Robert Vaughan) made an appearance at Grand-Way in Nanuet. All the mentions on the web site made me remember others - Van Houtens Dairy on Rt. 59 in West Nyack, just before the Thruway overpass. I still vividly recall (50+ years later) kindergarten class at George Miller school. We were very fortunate for all we had - Nanuet was a great place to be a kid. Thanks for the web site and memories - I'm sure you may know there are a couple of sites on Facebook that also share some great memories - ex. You know you're from Rockland when.... and Goodbye Nanuet Mall. Please feel free to share the posting - I've very much enjoyed the others. Katie Curran, July 2010: Dan, Robert C. Alfieri, July 2010: I was born and raised in Nanuet. My father and grandfather ran Charlie's Market, at 207 S. Middletown Road (Main St) from 1946 to 1952 (as Star Market), then from 1952 to 1978 (as Charlie's). That was when we moved to Phoenix, AZ and I joined the Navy for eight years. Last time I was in Nanuet was June 1986. I really miss the place. What happened at Charlie's was not a numbers racket, but a counterfeiting ring working in the basement of the store. They were busted in 1983 and convicted in 1984. I still have clippings from the Journal-News describing the incident. Fortunately, my family was not involved. I remember a lot of Nanuet back in the late '60's and '70's. I can remember when the Mall first opened back in '69. Bamberger's had a nice little restaurant in the upper level that my mother would take me and my sisters to, usually on Fridays. Speaking of restaurants, the Nanuet Restaurant made the best pizza I have ever had. Found a place here in Phoenix which is quite good, but NOTHING could beat the NR! I can barely remember Jocar's. Martio's I remember when it opened. Best place for slices, but the NR was the best, period. Another thing I can remember was that there were THREE barber shops along Main St. Alas, I don't remember who ran which one. Johnson's Stationery I hung out at a lot, either picking up newspapers (and he stocked many of them) or magazines. He would get magazines on request as well. I was also a member of the fire department back in 77 and 78, when they lowered the age limit to 16. My father is a Life Member. Some day, we would like to go back. I first remember living on North Lexow Avenue, but we moved to Amarillo Drive just before I turned four. The Amarillo Drive house I still remember well. My grandparents (all of them) lived on either Blauvelt Road (my mother's parents) or on Loran Court (father's father). I can remember standing in front of the one house and seeing the other's. I could go on and on and on, but I should best stop now. Yes, you may post this email. If I can't GO home, your site is the next best thing. Keep up the most excellent work!
Vincent Smith, July 2010: Great site Dan !! Here are a few more thoughts to include if you like. I lived on Grace Street when it was a dead end and had a brook running where Korvettes was eventually built. There was also a swimming hole called Pelegi's (sp) We spent many a hot summer day there either fishing or swimming. My brother Russ and I also loved it after they built Korvettes because every summer when Amusements of America would come to town we would get up very early and go down to help the carnival people set up. Things I remember; working at the Kiddie Land in West Nyack, summer playground at Highview School,drag races on Palisades Pkwy., ice skating on the Mill Pond and sledding down the hill through the woods onto the pond,I think Jimmy Snyder lived in that house at the bottom of the hill near rhe bridge on Church St., my mom and sister owned that store across from Highview school for a few years, my aunt Jean worked at the Red Rail one of my favorite haunts, my dad Russ Smith built the first Little League Field and started the first two teams (Dodgers and Yankees), walking to downtown via First Street at night stoning those street lights for fun, Al's corner store (Harry Blauvelt owned this at one time), the jocks would buy raw eggs to eat at Al's, and last I remember and still enjoy the best pizza ever at the Nanuet Hotel!! Dan thanks for the walk down memory lane! Keep up the good work. Peter Jeuck, April 2010: I grew up in Nanuet...born in Nyack Hospital in 1955. My family moved out of Nanuet in 1973 after I graduted from Nanuet Senior High. I lived near the Naurashaun Brook and the railroad tracks. The Old Elks Club was just behid my house. There used to be a burger place in the swamp (which is now the Nanuet Mall) across from Grandway on Rt. 59... I have had a mental block for years about the name of the burger place. It was the first around long before Mc Donalds. I worked for six years at the Sears Auto Center. I remember Boggianos and the old turn of the century fountain style counter with rotating stools. When I was a kid of about 10 or 11 the grounds keeper of Nanuet High School Mr. Fee used to chase my friend Tommy Martz and I out of the dump he kept along side, and down hill from, the football field and track. That dump is now a ball playing field for the school. I don't know why he had these, but he stored many 55 gallon chemical drums along the fence inside the track and field. Many of these drums were put into the dump when empty (which was public school grounds) and Tom and I would take them into the woods and do things with them. I remember the old rail tressle across the Narashaun Creek not far from Townline Rd. and the Cara Dr. neighborhood. I walked what used to be the tracks a few years ago and remnants of the tressle remain. The other side is now a golf course. Having grown up during the 1950s, and 60s I saw a lot of changes. The four lane Route 304 began consrtuction in the mid 60s. I lived on Blauvelt Rd near Miller School and Rt. 304 crossed over Blauvelt Road near what was Lake Nanuet entrance. I had sneaked into Lake Nanuet a couple of times as a teen. Before Rt 304 the Lake Nanuet entrance was closer to Elks Dr. Practically across Blauvelt Rd from Elks Dr. Narashaun Creek ran through a meadow behind my house. When I was real little there were horses kept in that meadow. That meadow is now houses that sit right on Narashaun Brook on Elks Dr. I started Kindergarden in Miller, finished elementary school at Miller, went to the Middle School which was fairly new in 1966 and then High School 1969-1973. I was not a stellar student throughout much of school. Graduated less than the middle of the class in 1973. Had no college prospects. Funny thing that I'd go to Rutgers in the 1980s and graduted with High Honors (Magna Cum Laude) with a degree in physics from Rutgers in 1987. I was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa upon graduation. Got my act together after too many directionless years of working as a mechanic. Obtained a MS in Environmental Engineering from NJIT in 1991...also Magna Cum Laude. Funny how things change...from directionless troubled kid in the 1970s to settled career person now thinking about retiring in the 2000s. I am sure no one who knew me then would have suspected I would excel in math and science. At the time I grew up in Nanuet I sure didn't think I had that capacity. There used to be a swim hole (we called it Neal's then) along side the Hackensack River not far from the 40 foot hole. This whole area is now a reservior. I remeber Johnson and Sons lumber, and all the places you mention, Jocars Pizza, re. Rail etc. The Nanuet Hotel would serve my buddies and me beer before legal age in the middle of the night. The Nanuet Hotel wasn't for kids and the juke box had Frankie Vallie , Sinatra, etc. Arnie...a guy who used to hand around town used to have a room in the Nanuet Hotel. I remember the farm fields before Normandy Village. I also remeber Lederle Labs. Somtimes there would be some God awful smells that came from that place, that would travel for miles. At those times us kids would say they were burning horses in their incinerator. I remeber the 68 Roadrunner that was brought to Nivens Citgo station...the one that hit the Palisade's Parkway bridge at over 100 mph. It was flattened in front and compressed to less than half its length. They had some pretty bad wrecks brought into Nivens at times. My friends Mickey Baer, Tom Reilly, Craig Stockdale, and Aldo Nervegna and I would hang out at Cattacombs on Friday nights,: up at Grace Baptist Church. That was during the Jesus freak days of the early 1970s. Your forum has some familiar names from way back, Nivens, keyrouse, Nowiki, Jaccarusso etc. Brings back some memories. Its been a long time. I am (also) inquiring about Bob Higgins who was a classmate of mine in High School. Yesterday I learned of the passing of Thomas Reilly who , while we were attending Nanuet Senior High School, was a very close friend of mine. Our lives took divergant paths and I lost touch with Tom not many years after High School. I believe the last time I saw Tom was at Craig Stockdale's funeral in 1999. Feeling nostalgic while surfing the internet yesterday I put Tom's name in Google by chance to see if any information about him, and unfortunately came across Tom's obituary from Feb. 2005 which saddend and took me somewhat by by surprise. In High School Tom and I were very close. We played basketball together from sophmore year to senior year. We also were close friends with Mickey Baer, Aldo Nervegnia, Craig Stockdale. We used to hang out up at Miller School much of the summer playing basketball... and getting into some monir mischeif. In our last year of High Scho! I was hoping to contact Bob and to learn a little more about Tom's passing and to see if Bob knows any forum, or group, listing etc. with whom I could leave some contact information so I could learn about any re-unions, deaths or other social events associated with those with whom I grew up in the Nanuet Class of 1973. Pete Joe Nucera, April 2010: ok so here goes! My name is Joe Nucera moved to Nanuet 1962 from Pgh Pa. as my Dad ot transfeed o the new Orangeburg plant. We at first lived at the Ashley Motel on Rt 59 I believe it was owned by the family named Kurnias? Had to get the school bus at rt 50 and grandview Ave.....We finally move in our house at 56 Lexow Ave the newe part of Lexow,,,,,, I remember so much , talk about Boggianos store he used to get so mad at us for comng in and using is nickle pay phone and not buying anythin, I used t ask him all the time " How much isa 15 cent soda and he just looked and sared at us and walked away but he did watch ud likea hawk. Always had my haircut at Phils wonderful man always hada good story or two to tell ya, A lways waved at ya when u walked by. Johson dug store always was there when Billy worked the register.... remember well the school busses parked in the middle of town. The red rail well what can i say about the red rail that hasnt been said already. I blieve my friends Kevin and Bernie their mother worked there..... No Nanuet Mall as of yet took the railroad tracks to rt 59 and on to the bowling alley. spent alot of time there just hanging around The Wt Grants store worked in the garden shop with Danny Mumord RIP brother! I hink just about everyone worked there at one time or another.. The sunday afternoon softball games in New City... Don-Lens Diner awesome food and a place t meet, the bost company in the parking lot... there was a pizza place around the corner from WT Grants cant remember th nam they had a daughter named Lorriane.. speaking of food Tinys Diner at the four corners had a great nite waitress who was like a mother to alot of us... wasnt it owned by mr Lazoroff aka Tiny? I bliev he was also a coin dealer.... And yes of course Jolly Boys.. burgers. Sledding down and plaing basebal on nichols Hill.. Pizza places one by the Rt 59 theater Rexs??? Well I could go on and on.......Havent been back for at least 10 years maybe time for a road trip.... Oh yes then the Mall came and then>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>.. ok Dan her ya go soory for the typos i know i jumped from subject to subject... but I am sure all will get it
Tak Care and keep up the great work Joe Laura Senf Gershater, April 2010: I saw your mention of the Red Rail in Nanuet. I grew up in West Nyack and attending Clarkstown High School South. I graduated in 1977. The Red Rail was my stomping grounds for 3 years from a senior in HS till i was about 19. I can tell you by first hand account that there was not brothel in the upstairs. But, I can tell you that Joey Santos (the owner) brought some of the best musicians to that little bar. The upstairs was for hanging with the bands and that is where Joey had his office. Some of the best times I have had have been in that bar....... Rock on...... Jim Lehman, March 2010: Hi Dan, ust learned about your site from a cousin. We moved to Nanuet from Haverstraw in 1952. My mother was so mad at my father for building a house in the "sticks" that she never saw it until it was completed. Grew up at 54 Briar Road. Ther road was unpaved for about the first ten years we lived there. Dad lived there until he passed away almost two years ago. My brother still lives there. Went to Highview for first grade with Mrs. Swanson. Then went to St. Anthonys. Still refuse to wear brown slacks and wear a brown tie. Went to Nanuet High and graduate in 1964. See that Steve Sharf was on your site. We were classmates and wrestled for Ray Stedge for four years. The old Clarkstown Police station used to be a shack behind the Nanuet National Bank. I worked at Korvettes in high school. Help build the Nanuet Mall in 1968-69. Hung out with Roger Palmenberg and Bob Westervelt. Play a lot of baseball on Jimmy Mellion's lot. Jimmy Gegorgatus father started the Triangle Pub. Spent way to many nights there after college. Remember the all you could eat fish fries at the Howard Johnsons? Get back to Nanuet about once a year. Thanks for the memories. Bruce O'Dowd, March 2010: This is a FANTASTIC website! I know of all of the places mentioned here.
Does anybody remember McGrath's Deli at the end of Strawtown Road? How about that tunnel on Sickeltown Road on the way to Van Houten Farms?
I'm talking about the early '60's now,we moved to Jacksonville, FL in 1971, then year I graduated from high school in 1972, Wolfson Sr. My family lived on Townline Road very close to the stables, and Palisades Parkway. We lived right next to the intersection of Rose Road and Townline Road. I had friend whose Father worked at Lederle Laboratories in Pearl River, (or was it Nanuet?) and my favorite place was a slot car racing place that was in Pearl River as well. However, I think that one of my favorite places to go as a youth with my Dad, was a Sabrett hot dog stand on 9W! Of course there was also Vince's Pizza at the four corners of Clarkstown. WHAT MEMORIES! I can also remember the Clarksville Pharmacy, and the West Nyack Fire House where my Dad was a volunteer. but the sleigh riding down Bunker Hill was the best! Oh how I remember the ice skating rink and the ski slopes at Bear Mountain as well. GREAT WEBSITE! Alissa Tallman, March 2010: Hello, fellow Rocklanders! I am in the midst of a writing project about growing up in Nyack and have been searching high and low for photos of 1970s and 1980s Nyack (as well as other areas of Rockland County, including Nanuet). I am specifically looking for interior/exterior shots of stores, restaurants, and bars from this time period. (I would also be thrilled to come across any miscellaneous ephemera, such as menus, matchbooks, etc.) Might anyone be willing to post some of their own photos or have any suggestions for where to find some? (I have already scoured the Hudson River Valley Heritage site as well as Facebook.) Thanks so much! -Alissa Dave Nivins, February 2010: WHO REMEBERS TINYS DINER CORNER OF 59 &MIDDLETOWNOR G&S RENTAL ON 59 i SPENT MY ENTIRE LIFE IN ROCKLAND NANUET AND GARNERVILLE MY DAD HAD THE GAS STATION ON THE CORNER OF CHURCH AND MAIN. THE FIRST BOWLING ALLEY USE TO BE UNDER ROCKLAND INDUSTRIAL ACROSS THE STREET FROM BILLS CITGO. FISHERS OLD BARN BEFORE NORMANDY VILLAGE Nancy Brontë, January 2010: Hi Dan, I must say I have enjoyed this, I was just back in Nanuet, in November and it just doesn't look like anything I would like to remember. I remember before the mall was put in, it was all woods. Where the synagogue was on Main Street next to Higgins funeral home. A police station at one time was in an old White House on the corner of old 59 and 304 it's still there, but boarded up. Toy store in the corner I remember when McDonald's first came to Nanuet on 59, hamburgers were $.25. I remember the grocery store, Donna talked about were fudgesickles were a nickle. I remember the old firehouse. Main Street was so nice, you blink you miss everything. It was a safe town back when I was growing up. I moved there when I was three years old that was 1953 grew up there, loved it. Well. Thank you very much I enjoyed this site. You take care Nancy Brontë Donna Perino Scott, January 2010: I have lots of memories. My Dad and grandfather owned Perino's Mkt. on Main St. from the 40's thru the 60's. We also had delis in W. Nyack and Slate Hill, NY. My Dad was Larry and my grandfather was Frank. Grandpa's best friend was John Forni of Forni construction. I started working the store in the 2nd grade, running the register at lunchtime so my dad could make the sandwiches for the "mill crowd". When my brothers showed up I'd walk back to Highview, the only school in town back then. My dad was special, he extended credit to everyone in town and if you were sick or out of work, your tab got torn up like it never existed. He would often leave the store unattended because he knew people would leave their money on the counter! Do you remember when... Saturday at the movies- 30 cents for round trip bus fare, 50 cents for a hamburger & shake, 50 cents for a double feature, 35 cents for popcorn and a drink, 99 cents for a new Nancy Drew book. Henry Conklin, January 2010: Hi Dan: Just saw the post cards from Nanuet. They are great. Just to let you know that the 3rd postcard down of the house on the dirt road was located at 35 N. Main or just Main St. It was about 5 or six houses south of 59 four corners. The house was torn down in late 2004. My wife's G. G. Grandparents, Charles and Caroline Walthers owned 20 some acres in Nanuet where the mall is now. They deeded the property to their son Henry and Bridget Walters who deeded it to their son, Charles and Eva Walters. They had 2 daughters Lillian and Muriel who was born in that house. We have deeds for the property that the house in the postcard is built on. We have records of the property until the early 1930's when they sold the property. My parents rented the smaller house next door where the dentist office is now from 1937 to 1944. While in that house I was born, (the same house my future mother-in-law was born in. No, neither family knew each other.) 1944 my parent's bought th e yellow house at the corner of Church St. and Blauvelt Rd. My Dad sold that house to Swiss Trudy in 1948. We bought a house in the Oakbrook area North of town. My brothers and I remember a lot of places in Nanuet. I went to Nanuet school from 1945 to 1948 when Mr. Barr was principal, (his son and I played together all the time). From 1948 to 1954 went to Chestnut Grove School. I graduated from Clarkstown High School in 1958. Madeline (Smith) Mulligan, December 2009: You mention having a place to play called "The Woods". In our neighborhood we had "Walkers Field". Mr. George Walker was kind enough to let all of the neighborhood kids gather and play in the vacant lot next to his house. Especially in the summer months, the afternoons and evenings would find tons of kids gathered to play there. Most of the neighbors had large families, so there were plenty of us that enjoyed his generosity over the years. His dairy farm (as mentioned in another entry) also backed up on our property. He probably wouldn't have been as happy to know that we regularly explored his barns with all the haylofts and trap doors that led to a warren of storage rooms. My brother delivered milk for him in the late 60's and I still have the milkbox that sat on the back stoop for milk deliveries. Do you remember the metal carriers that held 6 quart bottles? The dairy property was sold in the early 1970's to make way for the homes that are located on what is now Apollo Court. I have great memories of the Memorial Day parades and the fair that they held at Nanuet H.S. after the parade. I also remember the man who gave rides with a horse and carriage up and down Fairview Avenue during the Memorial Day celebrations. My favorite summer was the one when they installed the town sewer system in Nanuet. The neighborhood kids enjoyed many hours of crawling through those huge cement pipes. Do you remember any of the carnivals that were sponsored by the Nanuet Fire Dept. with rides set up in the lot next to Swift Electric on Prospect? Lots of good memories growing up in Nanuet. Thanks for the great site and the chance to reminisce about bygone times. Donna Schubert-Thibault, December 2009: Daniel,My name is Donna Schubert-Thibault. I am so excited about your site. I was born in Stoney Point NY, but my parents moved to Nanuet when I was 1. So Nanuet is my home town. My mother the late Dorothy Eberling-Schubert was the daughter of the men who owned Eberlings Market in New City. My grandfather and great grandfather owned it. So I loved the mention of it. I also want to tell you that the Pizza parlor on Main Street was my Grandmother Eberling's home before it became the pizza place. It was a beautiful dutch colonial with a great front porch where we would sit and say hi to everyone passing by. My Aunt Nancy is my mother's last sister and I am happy to say we had Christmas at her house in NV yesterday. She married a Man from Nanuet. They lived in the yellow house just down the hill towards town from Highview Elementary. I went to school there from K-6. My first teacher was Miss Mann, first grade was Miss Schroeder, I can't remember second or third, but do I ever remember fourth, I had Miss McGeary, Kathryn for every thing but Science, that was Elizabeth Mc Geary. I know a Lot of us remember them. Mr Stedge was PE. Mr Barr was our Principal.Then I went to NHS and graduated in 1967. You mentioned all the churches except for Trinity Presbyterian. It was on Main St.Next to Tiedemann's Store. The luncheonette where a group of girls and I hung out after school (high school) was Forgies owned by Mr Pitch and later after I left by Linda Roth, a friend from Nanuet. I also remember the firehouse when Ted Hunter was chief, he was my next door neighbor on Park Ave. Sadly he died of a heart attack on the way to a fire. His widow is still in the home. I could go on forever about my memories of things around town. If you like, I could write up these little vignettes about my views of life growing up in the best little town in the world. Nanuet Knights forever. Drop me a line at my email address if you do.
Addendum, April 2010: I have some more memories to share. I fondly remember the Nanuet Diner. It was a real diner out on rt.59. I worked there for two years.I too recall those great frosty days on Nichols Hill. I lived on N. Park Ave and it was only a walk down the end of the street to get there.We were shocked when they built the"new development and ruined a good section of "our hill.There was a farm down at the end of my road so we could go all the way from Grandview to Park and into the woods a bit. It was great. Also on my memory book is the Friday nights spent at The Castle at Nanuet Highs auditorium,dancing or going to the gym to jump on the trampoline. If you can tell Paul Ingrassia I remember his Dad well, my mom named my brother Paul after him. Steve Coplon, December 2009: Greetings Daniel...thanks for the many memories of Nanuet. Here are a few more - Bremer field for Little League Games. These migrated to the new and high quality field at St. Agatha around 1968. Also, the A&M Country store on the corner of Church Street and College (across from where Church Street and Blauvelt intersect. Durand, December 2009: Great site for remembering your roots. Lived in Bardonia for 42 years and I have been and done that. Yes, EJ Kovettes was my favorite place for records.My Mom worked there for 12 years also Grants had great deals.I remember riding my bike there and buying 45's and peddling home with the records on my monkey bar handle Jamie Kempton, December 2009: A big thanks to Dan Silverman for allowing Nanuet folks to reminisce about our local haunts of yore. You highlighted many of the well-known people and places of interest that I and my siblings remember. The varied e-mail responses evoked memories of still other famous spots and some well before my time. My parents came to Nanuet in 1946. My dad was from Upper Nyack and my mom from Sparkill. My sister Fran was born the year they moved from Nyack to Nanuet, and my two brothers and I came along over the next 12 years. Things I remember: the Penny Sales at the Firehouse; marching with my Little League team in the Memorial Day parade; winter skating on the frozen pond behind Billart Motors on Rte. 59 (where the Vitamin Shoppe is today); gobbling down several of those 15-cent hamburgers at Jolly Boys, served by a man in a smudged white apron named Oscar; winning a free game by sinking the ball in the Clown's Nose on the 19th hole of the miniature golf course (Where Cleats 'N Sneaks is today); catching tadpoles in the sewage pipes when the Nanuet Mall was being built; playing hardball at the A.C. Field at the end of Babcock Ave. (off Prospect St.) till nightfall in the summers; watching Mr. (Vince) Riccardi stretch and toss his pie dough in the air at Jocar Pizza (he lived on Atlantic Ave. and passed away only within the past two years); and marveling at the array of gleaming motorcycles parked in front of the Red Rail. A fixture at the Red Rail was Horace (Happy) Holahan, who lived on North Lexow Ave. and could be seen shlepping down Prospect on his way to, in his words, "buy me some sodey pop." Regarding one of your cultural notes, at one time David Goldstein (Rupert Holmes) and his family lived next door to us at 59 Prospect (southeast corner of Fremont and Prospect) before moving to another part of Nanuet. Some other places my family remembers which may or may not have been mentioned by others: Rhodes gas station and bus garage on Main St.; Rhodes Taxi (behind the Nanuet National Bank); the quilting factory on Prospect; the Theater-Go-Round, where the Redeeming Love Christian Center is now; Egan's Bar & Grill on Main St.(now the Rockland County Times building, across from First Ave.); Colligan's Service Station and Hunter's Super Service (preceding Koester's); Perino's Deli (before Hobbie's); Farsetta's Shoe Repair on Main St.; Lombard's Sporting Goods on Rte. 59 (next to Hong Luck) and Buzzell's Sporting Goods (on Main St. near Orchard); Greenstone's Army-Navy store (in the Grand Way/Grants shopping center; Jimmy's (Jimmy Mantione) Barber Shop on Main St.; Phil Andiloro's barber shop next to Johnson's stationery store on Main; Roy Pook's Gulf Station at the intersection of Old Nyack Turnpike, Grandview and Route 59; Kemmer's Deli on Kemmer Lane off Route 59; Valley Surplus acr! Chris Ingrassia, December 2009: I was born in 1953 at Good Samaritan Hospital. My Dad was a surgeon there and had a general practice in Nanuet. I think I was one of the few Nanuet people that he didn't deliver or examine in a school physical. He started his practice in 1939 and first lived in the Pound house just down the street from Tiedemanns store. The Nanuet Mall property was a marsh and they used to hunt pheasants in there. My Dad was a Captain in the Army Medical Corps and was in the Battle of the Bulge. When he came back home he continued to practice in Nanuet until 1983. Then my brother Joe took over. There are 5 Ingrassia boys who claim Nanuet roots. My two oldest brothers went to Nyack High School because there was no Nanuet High School back then. I think they had the option to attend Pearl River. Nanuet was good way back then. There were real good families like the Komonchak, Nelson, Forni, Jacaruso, Welchman, Kaplan, Parsells,Pepper, Leo, Scarpulla, Bonomolo. When we were young there was Memorial Day parade and the cub scouts, Little League, everyone would March. Then there was a bazaar at the Highview School. It was corny but definitely fun when you were little. Lake Nanuet was a real lake with a mud bottom and turtles and snakes. Just below Highview School was a pond on Albert Guschwinn's property fed by the brook that ran under Church Street. It's gone now. I still live here and the hamlet is devoid of a cultural center like it had so many years ago. \The Nanuet Mall is going under slowly and there is talk of a complete makeover or being purchased for a Talmudic Academy. The Palisades Mall in West Nyack put so many small businesses into the crapper. The planning was so poor that it forever changed the neighboring towns, especially Nanuet. I guess it's all called "progress". The memories of old Nanuet are still fresh in my mind and I get some pleasure in thinking about the good old days. Patricia Jacaruso, December 2009: I lived in Nanuet from 1955 to 1991. My uncles owned the mapleways which was first where buy rite was. Then they built the new Bowling Alley where Nova Lighting was. My uncle used to knock the pins down for us with a broom and Darryl Brown lived behind there so he would hang out. We were all so young. I remember when they tore down Ann Colwells house and relocated her so they could build Nanuet Restaurant. Does any one remember Jokers or the Golden Nugget? My Dad used to get so mad when we would hang at the red rail because he said he knew what girls were like who hung out at the red rail. That picture of that beautiful house under your photos is on highview avenue it used to be Jess Kaplans house. He was on the original school board with my dad Dr. Robert Jacaruso. That little school house in front of the middle school was dedicated to my dad. Dad and his friends found it in an old barn in pieces and salvaged it so it could be rebuilt as a reminder of h! How far Nanuet has come. I used to love helping set up the Nativity scene at the four corners and we used to have to chase deer out of the field to set up for the circus every year. Now it's the Nanuet Mall. Things certainly have changed but it was a wonderful time and a wonderful place to grow up. There were no traffic lights and money wasn't necessary. Whenever we went to the butcher, the grocer, the pharmacy or the gas station money was never exchanged. My dad would take it out in barter or we would get a bill. Now I don't even recognize the place but the memories are still there.
Thinking about a whole bag of candy from Elliots for 50cents was great. thanks for your site. I got my first puppy from Mike Folsom (Nanuet's first hippy) at the OM (still a head). I still have the button from the OM. peace out.....trish Tom Piantanida, November 2009: I set pins at the Mapleways, and I also worked across the street at John A. Golden's DeSoto-Plymouth Agency. I ate at Tiny's Diner and bought gas from Bill Niven's gas station on the corner of Church (I think that was the name when Smith Road turned) and Middletown Road. I bought cars from "Honest' Otis Wilson AKA "Seatcover" Wilson, whose lot was right where the Thruway went through. I never made it to the Nanuet Milk Farm, but I sure would have like to. (It was a nudist colony.) I stole stuff from Spector's Junk Yard on Demarest Mill Road, and my best friend dated Pam Pulvertaft who lived next to the swamp along Middletown Road almost across from Golden's. I hitchhiked to New City many nights after attending CYO in Nanuet. My dad hung out at the Nanuet Hotel. I went to Nanuet School in the second grade and used to go to the local "general" store, I think it was called Morgan's. I dropped my pancil bok on the tracks by the Nanuet train station, and had to scramble to get all my crayons out of the cracks before the train came. The train was an Erie and it was pulled by a Pacific-type locomotive. I've written three books about activities in and around Nanuet. They are KENNY'S KEMPS, DAVIES LAKE EPISODES, and the just published IN THE SHADOW OF THE BIG APPLE. All are available at Amazon.com. Charlie's Meat Market was operated by the father of the girl who married my cousin Roger. Her name was Patty Kohl or Cole. I went to high school with Lois Hall who married Frank Colandrea, who owned Martio's. The local cop who used to harass all the teen-age drivers was named Leroy Holmes. He gave me more than one muffler ticket. Every member of my immediate family - including me - worked at Lederle Laboratories. Shopper's Paradise was built in the old Rockland Coach bus garage. My Uncle Max drove Rockland Coaches from Spring Valley to NYC for many years. There was a place in West Nyack called Auction City, where you could get most anything. My recollection is that it burned down one Christmas Eve. The most popular cruising spot was the Frostop on Route 59 just south of Spring Valley. The Valley Theater was run by "Uncle Charlie" who allegedly lived in the theater. The woman who sold sodas and candy always wore a brooch that said "Mother," so we called her "The Mother Lady." The manager of the Mapleways was named Skippy, and he always wore a sailor cap. More later. OBTW, the Valedictorian of my class (Clarkstown High, 1957) Ingrid Waldron was on the faculty of the University of Pennsylvania. Perhaps you knew her. Also, My Uncle Max built a spec house with Swiss Trudy on Grandview Avenue in Nanuet in about 1947. When we lived on Grandview Avenue (in a different house) our neighbors were the Dloughe's who had the butcher shop in Spring Valley. And, Probably not very many people remember that there was a tiny airport on Route 59 close to McDermott's Dairy. It was at a location where the highway regularly sank into the swamp and had to be rebuilt. The other nearby airport was Bill Bolke's Spring Valley Air Park on Smith Road. I dumped several loads of stumps off the end of the runways - with Bill's permission, of course. My scoutmaster, Orville Davenport, Troop 43, Kakiat District, kept his Piper Cub at Bolke's Airport. John Shea, November 2009: I feel like the real 'old poop' in your collection. We lived in Pearl River from '51 - '54. We moved there from Brooklyn when I was 10. Living in the country - WooHoo. My first bicycle. And Lake Nanuet! I learned how to swim in that leech infested pool of wonderment. Sad to see what 'progress' has done to Mother Nature's world but my Mom hated the leaches - I didn't care since they didn't hurt. Thanks for this site - well done. John Craig Kmiecik, November 2009: Dan, I too, enjoyed my time at Requa Lake. I remember the arcade and snack shack, and the smell of ice cream and french fries, which were especially good from there. Seems as if every other song that played was from "The Doors". Do you remember the picnic benches on the side of the far hill? And the little stream that ran through the concrete conduit on it's way to the bigger stream at the lower end of the lake? The water was always so much colder on the pool versus the lake part. I wish I had more (any) pictures of our time there, but I do thank you for sharing all the photos on your website. Brings back memories of a much more carefree era. Ahhh.... Regards, Craig
Don Baker, October 2009: Dan, I remember many of the places you mentioned on the site; especially Hobbie’s (thanks for the proper spelling) Before it was in the Triangle it was downtown Nanuet – I don’t know what is there now, but I believe there was a pizza place there for a while; the hobbies bought the Deli from my parents in the mid sixties’ - my parents sold it after I caught pneumonia, supposedly from sitting for hours in my play pen in the back. I remember the original library and the librarian with the crazy fingernails (LOL – I had forgotten her). So many memories, thanks for reviving them, and for making me want to drive around there again.(I currently live in Manhattan – Don;t get up there much these days) I am sure I have some ancient pictures of Nanuet – I will look and send them to you to add. Kevin Logan, September 2009: Greetings from the Boston area. Chris Logan, August 2009: Hi Dan and thanks so much for hosting and posting! I lived at 21 Judith Street from 1967-74, was close to Lucky Wong whose Dad owned Hong Luck on 59. Got a few tasty freebies there, and enjoyed the juke box at Rex's Pizza. I still recall "The Rapper" by the Jaggerz which they probably had to replace due to my infatuation with the song! I remember walking through the woods beyond our cul-de-sac and bushwhacking to the gravel circle which would become the cul-de-sac for Charles Street. We used it as a track of sorts which fueled our creative play (imaginary Indy 500's or olympic races). You couldn't see that gravel circle from what would ultimately become the road, so it made for a wonderful secluded kidlife refuge! Judith street was full of kids in those days, which made for lots of street sports including hockey, association football, softball and "hit the bat". Before the condominiums went in at the corner of Pascack and Old Nyack Turnpike (which became Old Turnpike Road) we caught frogs in the swamp there and one day we all waded in the river under the thruway overpass to catch crayfish (collectively our neighborhood kids caught 103 of them and kept them in Jimmie Jordan's back yard, which I'm sure his mom loved!). Built a "taxi" from wood scraps and casters with Bobby Ferrante who is now a playwright. I saw a post from Elliot Sherr and wonder if he has a sister Giselle, because if he does he might get a kick out of the fact that in my wonder years I carved her initials into a tree with mine! Oh well, after 35 years I can look back with certainty that it just wasn't meant to be (especially since I've been happily married for the last 20!). I remember some really good academic experiences at Nanuet Middle School, where I had Mr. Minga who was the coolest health teacher ever. I still remember him saying "you reap what you sow" on the first day of class; he was right then and he's still right! Miss Shirley Howell for science was great and lots of people probably recall her wide eyes coupled with "a-whoody?" when she didn't get what you were saying! Coach Ray Stedge made sure we knew he meant business when it came to climbing the gym wall, doing our push-ups and laps, and not forgetting to donate a bar of soap to the class shower! Mister Grewe watched over me as I had a seizure in his classroom (thankfully the only one I ever had!), and although I hadn't been back to visit since my folks had moved away 15 years earlier, he still remembered me when I spotted him on the bus platform. He smiled and said "How could I ever forget you, I almost lost a finger in your mouth!!" One of my great chilhood memories is the rainy day recesses at Highview, because they would throw on Disney cartoons in the gym and show them in reverse when time permitted! Hope some of this is enjoyable for some of my childhood friends whom I still hold dearly in my heart although moving away ended our times together. Steve Scharf, August 2009: Dan: great job on the Nanuet reminiscence! You might mention "do you remember Walker's dairy farm." This was opposite the Knolls horse farm later day camp (where I worked a few years). I was in Ruth Walker's class and my brother Jeff, (still lives in Nanuet as do my parents) was in class with Martin. We used to go on class trips to see the cows and how milk was processed. " Steve Scharf Jennie Staniloff-Redling, August 2009: Liked your Nanuet site. You forgot to mention the Nanuet Bakery - when I was in fourth grade at the Highview School in 1955, I'd save my lunch money and spend it after school on an ice cream soda at Elliot's and then a piece of pastry at the bakery as I walked home up Prospect Avenue. Walking north on Main Street (Middletown) it was next door to a little department store with women's clothing and accessories and before the Johnson Brothers newspaper store. Across the street was a pharmacy that sold cosmetics where we'd buy Revlon lipstick and Max Factor mascara. There was another clothing store further up across from the Red Rail called "Lechter's." that sold apparel and lingerie for younger women. Jennie Richard (Rick) Franklin, August 2009: Boy, your website is a trip down memory lane. I grew up in Nanuet from 1956 to 1974 when my family moved to Washington state. Went to St Anthony's school. My older broher Hank ran track and played football for Nanuet HS. We lived up on Poplar Street, not far from the Nowicki's house and i knew Kate Nowicki and Janice Crofoot. I have to say though that I thought Jocar's Pizza was better than Rex's!.......Remember Bob's taxi across from the Higgins Funeral Home and the Nanuet School Busses all being parked in the center of town? Also on Rte 59 near Middletown Rd and Main St, there was Wild Bill's Rockland chrysler Plymouth and The "Woodpile" unfinished furniture store. I used to work at the Chevron Station on Middletown Rd near Grand Union and at the Shell Station on Rte 304 and Bardonia Rd/ Ludvigh Rd in Bardonia. Thanks for the memories! Jason Schlesinger, July 2009: Dan - Rob Weber, July 2009: Someone posted a photo of the pond by Cara Drive a few months ago. I live not too far from there. The pond is all that remains of the G & S Mill which was in operation in the 1870's. I don't know what the G& S stood for. The Piermont Branch of the Erie Railroad ran through there, so the mill was perfectly located. One can see the site from arial photos on Mapquest, as well as the right of way for the railroad. It ran from near Dominican College to the Nanuet Mall. It's been awhile since I've been through the woods by the pond, but the last time I found an old rail spike from about the 1920s. Kate Nowicki, June 2009: Hi Dan. Bob Higgins forwarded your site to me. I wanted to share some memories of Nanuet with you. Janice Crofoot and I had ponies behind my house on Middletown Road. Many, many parties happened at Crofoot's and Nowicki's! My mother told me recently that people will come up to her and say "I swam in your pool", and she never knew it. My brother Michael had a fort in the woods before Geshmann's was developed. It was called the Paradise Hilton. Once Michael and Bruce Crofoot made a home movie where they sold our ponies to Jolly Boy! (not really) Spent many a wonderful and happy time in the woods by the airport. We actually saw a plane crash right into the woods behind Bahari Kennel on Smith Road. We used to ride our ponies in the Memorial Day Parade on Main St. The parade wrapped up atNanuet High School where there was always a fair. Bill Zeller owned a photography studio on Middletown Road. The Red Rail was the best bar ever! So much great music. And a little racy when the Jersey motorcylce crowd would show up. Kathy Keyrouse-Smithem, June 2009: Hi Dan, I love your web page about Nanuet. I was born and raised there. My father owned Keyrouse Pharmacy which was across the street on Middletown Road from the Nanuet Restaurant. Both he amd his father were pharmacists. When my Dad graduated from Columbia university he took over the pharmacy and my Grandfather opened a Liquor store on the other side of the building. I think the pharmacy was originally a Tea Room / Pharmacy. My father would get calls in the middle of the night for medication and he would get up go to the store make the medication and then deliver it. Try and get that kind of service now a days. The building still stands and I believe it's a deli on one side and not sure what's on the other. My Grandparents lived above the stores in a what I remember to be a huge apartment. My house was between the store and Flamiks and is still there to this day. It is the only house left there. When I was younger I remember Flamiks being a meat market and they lived above their store. Years later it was a florist shop called Dieters where my Mom worked after my Dad passed away. I also remember this house across the street I believe it was before the Nanuet restaurant that was owned by this couple and the husband was either in shipping or a captain of a boat and I remember he would always have bananas. I would have to ask my older sister for more details. I remember all of the things that others have written to you about. I did go to Kindergarten at Highview but then I went to St. Anthony til 8th grade then I attended Nanuet Senior High School class of 67. Ah those were the years. I was upset when they built those houses behind the school at there was no longer skating. I now live in Orange County and when I do go down to Nanuet to visit or go for Nanuet Pizza I am still amazed at how much that area has grown. A few people that I graduated with from high school do get together every so often and go to the Nanuet Restaurant for the best pizza in the world and I don't believe that it has changed at all. Another good pizza was "Pie Man" in either valley cottage or Congers can't remember which it was. Laurie Ryan, May 2009: I happened upon your website by chance. I was googling the Nanuet bus fire from yesterday. My mother and father met while she was working at Grant's in 1966. But the reason for my e-mail is that while I was checking out your postcards, I scrolled down to the one of the Lederle Cafeteria and smack dab in the middle of the postcard is my mother-in-law, Judy Ryan. What a surprise! She passed of cancer in 1998. Is there any way I can purchase a copy from you? Or, perhaps you know of an existence of another? Thank you so much for this view into the past! Christopher Unterkofler, April 2009: I enjoyed the photos on your site. We lived at 22 1/2 Cara Drive (the sideways house between the Sagulla's and the Marzolla's, and kind of sideways across from the Groves' backyard). We moved there in 1971, I believe. I've been looking for internet 1970's photos of my Nanuet area to place in stories that I write and I came upon your website. Funny how you think you must have so many of your own photos of your own neighborhood where you grew up but really don't. I'm sending you a photo I took one 1970 something winter day of the pond behind Cara and south of Townline Rd. Also, a winter photo of the Naurashaun Creek behind the pond. We called the pond Silver's Pond. I think there used to be a summer camp or something back there many years before my family moved to Nanuet. I would appreciate any early to middle 1970's photos of the area that you may have or some contacts for anyone who may have pictures. I'm especially looking for photos of the woods behind Cara Drive, the railroad tracks, the tressle, the creek, the pond, the Greek church's annual food festival on Marycrest, etc. Christopher Unterkofler
Ken Lemenze, February 2009: Does anybody remember Jolly Boy Hamburgers. It was a little hamburger joint located next to the swamp which became the Nanuet mall across the street from Grand way and Grants. They always had a pony ride next to it and there was a rumor that the meat was horsemeat. I can still taste them delicious. I also remember my brother and I getting in line at Korvettes to get Leonard Nimoy autograph and also have the cowsills sign the cover or our 45 for the song hair. Mike Nowicki, February 2009: Dan, I came across your website about Nanuet. We moved to 149 N. Middletown Road - right across from Pigeon Hill Rd. in 1960. The attached photo is an aerial view of our house and the Geshman's greenhouses - feel free to publish it. It's amazing how much Nanuet has changed, rather sad. My Mom taught English in Nanuet HS for over 30 years, my dad was an assemblyman from 1960 -1964.
Ed Lennon, February 2009: I was looking over your postcards and I would like to comment on a few of them. First and for most, The Pines. That looks suspiciously like Old Middletown Rd. as you head south towards Convent Rd. There is a long wall built of large stones there on your left. I do believe that is what is in the photograph. In particular, there is a stone in that wall I remember as the "Radio Stone" as we called it. My Grandmother and I would walk to town to "Charlies Meat Market" and we'd pass along the wall looking for the "Radio Stone" Another picture, of what appeared as Flight Attendants at Lederle labs where Couriers that would rush the Anti-Botulism drug they produced to where ever it was needed. As the story goes, being proprietary, they wouldn't allow it out on the market and a call was put in to rush it out as needed. I guess they feared someone might try to make it themselves. Like I said, as the story goes. Ramapo Valley Airport. There were once two airports in Rockland county. Ramapo Valley and Christies (sp.) As a child, I would spend many a weekend there as my father owed a Piper Cherokee and we wold often go of to place that seemed a million miles away. Though it was mostly Orange County airport or Johnnycake in Connecticut. And it we weren't flying, we were enjoying a hot dog and Pepsi in the little greasy spoon. After his passing I would often ride my bike up there on the weekends and beg a plane ride from one of his old friends. I in particular remember Irv. He was a flight instructor there and would put me in the back seat during one of his instruction flights. I even got a ride in a helicopter. Scary as ever because you seemed like someone was picking you straight up in a chair. A million pieces trying to get away from each other at the same time. As I got older, say 13 or 14, I would go up there and wash a plane or two for a few hours of instruction. Even though I didn't have a student pilots certificate, I was still able to fly with an instructor. It really didn't matter what kind of plane I was flying, mostly a Cessna 172, it was a thrill to take off ans landing from that airport because of the length of the runway and its abrupt end. The airport was situated on the top of a hill. In fact, if you sat at one end, you couldn't see the other because the runway crown. It wasn't until you were almost a third of the way down when you caught sight of the other end. If you didn't touch down before the wind sock, you hit the power and go around for another try. There was an abrupt drop off at each end. If you were taking off on runway 08, and you had a problem, you'd end up in a ditch or worse, the nursing home along Middle Town Road. If you took off on runway 26, you'd end up on the rail road tracks or the NYS Thru-way. It was only 2170 feet long, and often there'd be a crash of some sorts. Often times fatal. In fact, in the early 80's I had came in hot and high and touched down to far down the runway and skidded off into the grass along 08. Not fun. Unfortunately I never did my first solo there. I would have loved to have that logged, but alas, it was at Islip MacArthur airport, where you couldn't mess up even if you tried as the runway was over 6000 feet long. As the years went by, the little greasy spoon turned into a bar. The Mason Jar Pub. I found it ironic that they would serve alcohol at an airport. The last place you'd expect to find a bar, though there were some good times to be had there too as I became of age. For a look, check http://www.airfields-freeman.com/NY/Airfields_NY_E.htm#springvalley Don Liebert (yes, the Don Liebert!), February 2009: Read your Nanuet history which is so great. I was born in Nanuet at 44 North Main St. in 1929 and have lived here ever since. I have had 5 residences in Nanuet. Graduated from Highview School in 1943. We had no high school in Nanuet and students had a choice of going to Nyack, Pearl River or Spring Valley. I chose Pearl River because the passing grade was 65. The kids in Nanuet were given bus tickets to travel to high school on public transportation (no school buses.) No matter where we went we all met at the Highview School library to pick up our monthly card. Miss Morris was the kindergarten teacher. Miss Swanson taught lst grade. Miss Prentis: 2nd grade - Miss Gray: 3rd grade - Miss MaGarry: 4th grade - Miss MaGarry (sister of 4th grade teacher): 5th grade - Mrs. Van Tassel: 6th grade (Mrs. Van Tassel left and was replaced by Mr. George Stebbins) - Mrs Lang: 7th grade - Mrs. Fahnstock: 8th grade. Principal: Mr. Leo Smith. Our class was the first to receive the new principal, MacArthur Barr. My father, Walter N. Liebert was the Chief of Police in Clarkstown from 1930 until his death in 1950. The police headquarters was always located in Nanuet; first on the 4 corners of Rt. 59 and Middletown Road then on East Prospect Street behind the bank. Chief Liebert was the sole officer in Clarkstown in the early 30's. His only transportation was a motorcycle, later a police vehicle, a Ford touring car. Ernest Wiebeckie and Ray Linderman joined the force. Officer Wiebeckie later became the Chief of Police. Officer Linderman became Rockland County sheriff. How the department has grown. There are now over 200 officers in the Clarkstown police. Before Jake's Meat Market, the shop was owned by the Flamik family. Steve Flamik was also the Justice of the Peace and held court in the rear of the market and at times upstairs. Louis Forst owned a tailor shop on Main Street with a dead, dried squirrel in the window. The barber shop owned by Dave Schuster was next door to Louis's. Prior to Tiedmann's Deli, the extensive property (including house, barns and big store) was owned by the Phil Rieber.family. They sold feed and hay for cows, horses and chickens and groceries including meat People called in their orders and all items would be delivered to them. The feed came in railroad cars right there on Main Street. Another thing that came on the railroad cars was the new automobiles. They were always covered so no one could see them They were delivered to John Golden's Garage on the corner of Middletown Road and Rt. 59. The Whistle Stop (presently on Main Street near the old tracks) was once owned by Hubby Davis and named The Broken Prop. It always amazed me to think about someone returning for their money and finding that the bank is now an auto parts store. I will send your web site on to several Nanuet people. Don Liebert Ron Lugo, December 2008: Daniel, I first came across your wonderfully insightful website a year or so ago while browsing the net for additional info on the closing of St. Agatha Home for Children, my Home of homes... As I'm sure most Nanuet community natives are aware by now, the tarp has been pulled from the sacred grounds that once housed thousands of adolescent souls of distinct commonalities and circumstance while placating a society systemically hindered by the growing population of orphanhood... Although SA fleets in lasting retreat, I surmise that her grounds will continue to provide a source of serenity for the youth and leisure promenade that graze her soil for years on end... In retrospect, Every now and then when I care to fondly retrieve the innocence of my formative years, I can still see those dartingly little tadpoles I once caught in a cutoff wax milk container near Brookside and feel blessed to have been a leaf from a "Once Upon A Time"... Ron is sharing these images of Pascack Brook, northwest of the main SA grounds, January 07:
Robert Yatto, December 2008: Hi Dan, Maria Agosto, December 2008: Dear Dan, I am also a former St. Agatha Home resident - it was home for me from 1959 to 1965, so I, my four brothers and thousands of other orphans who were raised there, are very familiar with Nanuet. It was wonderful seeing a few photos of the Home included in your website, especially now that it has been demolished and most of it no longer exists. I have emailed all the "Homekids" I'm in touch with giving them your website - I know they'll enjoy as much as I have. Here are two slideshows that I did on the Home's demolition last year. Rather than pull out the photos, I've included the entire thing and let you decide - whatever works best for you. (Once you enter the slideshow, maximixe your window - clicking on "Original View" will give you the music version). It was very emotional going up there to take those shots but we have a lot of former residents living out of state so I needed to be their eyes. ST. AGATHA HOME DEMOLITION, PART I ST. AGATHA HOME DEMOLITION, PART II One of our very own "Homekids" Nancy Canfield became an author. She did quite a bit of research both on St. Agatha Home and Nanuet, a lot of which could not be included in her book "Homekids: the Story of St. Agatha Home for Children." I sent her your website and you should be hearing from her shortly.
Dan, I know you must be an extremely busy man, but I would really appreciate hearing from you. It would mean a lot to me if you'd confirm that you did receive my email thanking you for your marvelous creation and that you know how much I've apppreciated it. Sincerely, Margaret, November 2008: Hi Dan, I'm a New City Girl but both my parents lived in Nanuet in the 1940s and 1950s. There were a lot of Italians in Nanuet, but not up from the city. They had come over direct to work in the silk mills that used to be west of Middletown Rd. (sort of where the Mall is now but maybe a little south). When St. Anthony's was started at the instigation of some German families, a lot of the Italians became Protestant rather than go to the German Church! So, if you meet any Protestant Italians there is a good chance that great grandpa came through Nanuet. My father was the fire chief for a while in the late 40s. That second firehouse was torn down because it burned down. It was supposed to have been a spectacular fire. It seems to me that it stood as a blackened shell for ages before they demolished it but that might just be my memory playing tricks. We passed that way to visit my grandparents every week and I really loved that building so I might be trading impact for duration. I remember there always being a lot of motorcycles outside the Red Rail on Saturday nights. We never went in there. It seemed a dangerous place. Boggiano's was the Post Office in the 40s and 50s. Mrs. B. was postmistress. The family lived on Cottage, I think. Ellie Boggiano was my mother's best friend. She just passed away this past March. She was in her late 80s. Still lived in the house she grew up in. A really wonderful woman. E J Korvettes was the best store ever. I got my new shoes for first grade there, my first glasses. It was the first place to go for everything. I was told that the name meant Eight Jewish Korean Veterans. Ever hear that? Is it true? Buy-Rite started life as a bowling alley and one end was a stereo store last I remember. Ok, I gotta stop this. I could keep picking up threads all night but I am going to have get going. Thanks for the site. Great images. Margaret Eric Thoromon, October 2008: Dan, Found your Nanuet site after searching the net to see if there was anything on the old Lake Nanuet, which I remember from my childhood. I lived in West Nyack from 1960 to 1966 (age 3 to 9) and share many old memories of Nanuet, which was my family's main destination for shopping and recreation. I learned to swim at the old Lake Nanuet, and I remember the somewhat grouchy couple who ran the place. The water was half lake, half pool, with poured concrete and rock-and-mortar walls in the kid's section and more of a natural lake in the deeper water. There was an anchored wooden raft in the deep water that the bigger kids and adults swam to and dove off of; I also remember a wobbly diving board. My family has home movies taken there; if I can find any stills I'll email them to you. Buy Rite! Oh, what a mecca in those days! A nondescript warehouse setting, but great buys. When I was about 8 and had an allowance of 40 cents, a matchbox car could be had at Buy Rite for that precise amount (39 cents plus a penny tax -- the first NYS sales tax was 2 percent). That price was discounted from the 49 cent suggested retail. A $2.00 AMT plastic car model kit went for $1.49 at Buy Rite, but for this product one was better off at Korvette's, where the $2.00 models went for $1.39. Korvette's was another destination -- I remember we purchased a collapsable, single-unit stereo phonograph there in about 1964. My parents did their banking at that little branch near the Catholic church/school that was set back from Route 59. Do you remember how the hedges at that school were carefully carved into elaborate shapes? Grand Way -- I don't remember going in there much, but it sure dominated the scape. Big orange (red?) letters, as I recall. Route 59 theatre -- was that a Cinamascope theatre? I remember seeing "How the West was Won" there, and I seem to remember it was on a curved screen. I also saw "Mary Poppins" there when it was new -- it was the only theatre around where it was showing, and the place was a mob scene of people trying to get in. How about the Nanuet Restaurant? Great pizza -- thin crust made in a deep dish -- very unusal effect. And that place is still there, with its 60s-era neon sign! (I live in Jersey now, but I ventured by there with my family over the summer. I'm not sure if the pizza is exactly the same as it used to be, but it's still awfully good.) Anyway, thanks to you and your posters for the memories! Regards, Eric Thoroman Gary Bletsch, August 2008: Dear Dan, Your website on Nanuet entertained me immensely. I am a New City boy, but I spent countless hours at Lake Nanuet. I did not notice Lake Nanuet on your website. Since I learned to swim there, it holds a place in my life, as it must do for many others. The lake started out as a dammed-up stream. When I first started going there with my mom and siblings in the early 1960's, there were still frogs, fish, and water-striders to be caught. As a little boy, I asked my mother what the black birds with the red wings were. She explained that they were Red-winged Blackbirds! Lake Nanuet had a snack-bar that we used to call "the stand." For me, a child of parents who always picknicked and almost never bought stuff from the stand, the hamburgers and sodas offered there still beckon to me as mysterious, forbidden treats. By the end of that decade, the lake was being chlorinated. I will never forget the slow dwindling of frog populations there. One day I caught one, and even as a kid, I thought, "Hey, this is probably the last time I'll catch a frog here!" It was. I understand that now the lake is just a pool, owned and operated by the town of Clarkstown. An old German couple owned the place. I am told that they had meetings of the German-American Bundt (sp?) there in the thirties, before (most) Americans wised up to Hitler. I also recall hearing the thick German accent of the owners on the loudspeaker, especially at closing time. One evening the old man came on and announced that, since it was such a lovely evening, he was going to let people stay for ten minutes later than the usual closing time. What a guy! I believe their surname was Thofern or something like that. Amazingly enough, I was visiting my parents years later, and found an obituary of one of the elderly couple in a Florida newspaper. I should have kept it! I still have a Stratego game that my mom bought at Buy-Rite, or whatever that brick toy store was called. My folks were friends of the Durlands, who had the boat dealership in Grant's parking lot. Here's a tidbit about Shoppers' Paradise. They had magnetized shopping carts. Supposedly, it was impossible to take the carts off the property. Strong magnets in the underside of the cart would interact with something iron in the ground along the edge of the parking lot, stopping the cart! I worked for Nanuet National Bank in the early 1980's, in the Route 59 Office. Mr. Jack Horan was the branch manager. He ran a tight ship. The five dollar bill on your website astounded me. I did not know that that bank--or any small bank--would have actually printed five-dollar bills, or any other denomination! I figured that was more the province of the U.S. mint. Before my folks moved to Florida, they sold their place in New City and rented a place just east of the Nanuet Mall. It was an old farmhouse. The place had a little stream running between it and the mall; I figure that stream must run north-south at that point. The house was old, with small rooms. There was even a small barn. Somebody made out like a bandit with that place. When I moved out west, I moved my entire fossil collection to the loft of the barn, leaving it there as a surprise for someone someday. There were even some Eurypterids in there.... Ray Keyrouse, August 2008: My parents, Walter and Marjorie Keyrouse OWNED the Red Rail prior to 1947 and I can guarantee dad was not in the "Red Light" business Steve Balbo, January 2008: Very cool web pages. I accidently found you last night. I was having a flashback of swimming at
Requa lake in the early sixties, and called my mom in South Jersey to ask where it was. She says "Monsey". Your post card collage was a riot. Just what I was looking for. Thanks mate!! Sent it to Houston today, and my high school friend stepped out of a meeting, he was blown away. He grew up in Pearl River and you knocked his socks off. Sammy Belil writes, January 2008: More Nanuet memories: Zippy’s at the Nanuet Mall (there were actually 2 of them), Intrigue, The Hungry Lion, and the Nanuet Mall Movie Theatre. Do not forget Buy Rite (coolest toy store ever!!!!!), Kern Piano, “The Sound of Music” (but Korvettes was BY FAR THE BEST for LPs), Nanuet Mall Restaurant by Horn and Hardarts. This just in from Art Svensson, December 2007: The first portion of Nanuet Grade School was built in 1908. The south wing was built in 1929. Both my father (b.1904) and my Aunt Esther (b.1908) attended the 'old school'. My brother claims the north wing was built in 1952. My brother was flirting with all the young teachers, so they gave him detention. You show an old post card marked as Orchard St. Wrong "Apple breath"!! Wrong, wrong, wrong. It's Demarest looking toward Orchard. The remnant of the stone curb on the right is still there. It was in much better shape in the 1950s. I asked my Aunt Esther (turned 99 on Nov 9th) if she remembered the Hanover Hotel (Gustave Arwe, Prop.). She did indeed! One of the Arwe girls (they had 10 children) was a good friend of hers. The hotel was on the NW corner of the 'Four Corners', set back from Nyack Turnpike (59) and within 15' of the Naurashank River (we called it "the brook"). There was an ice cream parlor to the right; a tavern to the left. Over the years the building was remodeled and modernized. On the right was Eberling's deli (later Kemmer's) and on the left, Roloff's Liquor store. We all agreed that the Hob-Nob Restaurant was Swiss Trudy's in our timeframe. Swiss Trudy died in recent years. I ran into Paul Demoa after the funeral. He is a longtime fireman and party doll. I asked him about the old fire alarm ring and the pumper wagon. He said the wagon was in a NYC fire museum and the ring had been converted to horseshoes! The VanCourt house is GONE. We agreed it had held the Partridge law offices in the 1950s. There was a florist, Flowers by Dieter, on the south end. You might remember it. The Pines. How I pine for the Pines. My aunt doesn't remember the Pines. Mapleway's alleys were installed by my Uncle Birger. Carl Fisher had a 'mansion' in Nanuet where Normandy Village is now sited. It had a yellow picket fence along Main St. The little store at the foot of Church St. at Main St. was a newspaper stand circa 1918. The owner's daughter used to sell papers at the RR depot. The "permanent wave" was invented by Carl Nestle. Google "nestle permanent wave"; lots of stuff. He also had a 'mansion' in Nanuet located just north of Ludwig Rd on the east side of Noth Middletown Rd. When I was a kid, the 'mansion' was gone. At the top of the hill were the remains of his water tower! It was about 20' high, built of wooden timbers, with a cast-iron spiral staircase. It was in pretty rough shape, but we rebuilt the platform at the top. It was, of course, one of our "forts". On the Bardonia side of the hill were the remains of an orchard. I remember picking pears there one year. Best regards, Art Sandy Gargano (Asaro), NHS 69 writes: Hi Dan, The "old lady" who maintained the shop at the train station was, I believe, Mrs. Tartanian, whose daughter, Mary, graduated with me from Nanuet in 1969. Mary was quite artistic. When I entered kindergarten in 1956, George W. Miller was in the process of being built, so many of us attended kindergarten in the Grace Baptist Church, and others either went to Highview or the basement of Jolene Cleaners. Talk about a small town. Nanuet Middle School wasn't around in my years, so I attended Miller from grades 1-6, then hopped over to the high school for grades 7-12. Everybody knew everybody. I definitely remember Miss Meyers, the librarian with the crazy nail polish and her hair up in two coils at the top of her head. I remember the squeaky hardwood floors of that library, too. Not too long ago I was told Miss Meyers is still alive. I grew up on Crescent Lane between Villa and Cara Drives. Our section of Nanuet was called Pearl River Heights. I used to go to Venturini's on Townline Road and brush the horses and someone had horses off Ehrhardt Road, too. We all walked the railroad tracks to get places. When I hear the train whistle near the post office crossing I think back to the "olden days." One more thing. When it snowed heavily, we listened for the 7:00 AM whistle at the firehouse. If it went off, there was no school. Only years later did we listen to the radio for this news. My maiden name is Asaro and I still reside in Nanuet, on a road that didn't exist when I was in school. Nor did the Nanuet Mall exist until I graduated. It was always a small and great town; it has grown considerably, but it's still great. David Hoagland, NHS 77, has thought about this: I loved Phil's barber shop. I would go in for my crew cut with my Dad and brother, and Phil with his heavy-framed eyeglasses (I think he wore glasses....) would always let us choose a lollipop from a glass container. I can just about smell the barbershop scent of shave cream and aftershave thinking about it. Svensson family memories (From Art Svensson, Nyack HS 56): Hi Dan! My niece (Illinois) brought your site to my attention. Nice job. If you look at the foot of Church St on the 1876 map, you will see "Nanuet Engine No. 1". Firehouse #3 has a 1860 date on the facade. I think we can conclude that 1860 was the founding year of Nanuet's fire company. It's likely the first firehouse postcard shows their original building. It has a Civil War era "look". The second building was built circa 1915. It was designed and built by my paternal grandfather, Carl Peter Svensson. He was the fire chief for many years. It appears the original building was incorporated in the design. The towers were used to dry the canvas hoses. In the 1920s the upper room was used for dances and movies. The building was seriously damaged by a fire circa 1950. My impression is that it was pretty well gutted. Firehouse #3 was built soon after. In the 1950s the fire company would block off the street a few days and sponsor a carnival. A very old fire engine (horse-drawn, man-powered pump) was in the bottom of "Overmeyer's barn" which was sited on the west side of Main street across the street from Perrino's (?) deli. Hopefully the old "smoker" was rescued and restored. Just north of Overmeyer's barn was an empty lot (IIR) and then a bakery (great bread), then an empty lot and then Johnson Bros' store. Then Boggiano's variety store and then an A&P (?) at the corner of Prospect. Boggiano later expanded into the corner store with their hardware operation. That Vancourt postcard reminds me of something. Heading north on Main St from Prospect, there was a gas station on the SW corner (Mobil?) and then the Partridge law offices. After that an empty lot and then a building that was half Post Office and half Liebert's Insurance (Don Liebert was a 2nd cousin, thrice removed...or something like that). After that the tracks.In the 1950's, with Main Street widened, the sidewalk was very narrow at Partridge's building. So I suspect that Vancourt and Partridge buildings are one and the same. Hopefully, it's still there today. My brother, sister and I had a conversation this past Friday about your site. It's interesting that we each remembered different things about Nanuet. If you decide to add a page of our memories (you have our blessings), I suggest you head it the "Svensson family memories" or somesuch. As I told you, my niece, nee Dawn Richter, alerted me to your site. Her good friend, Karen Scarpantoni alerted her. Both are your former classmates. They both agree you would not remember them. Back to fire houses: the "four corners" photo is clearly not THE four corners. The original fire alarm ring is proof of that. I recall seeing it but do not recall exactly where. I hope it's still around. The official Nanuet Fire Dept's site is sort of worthless in terms of history.Your photo of Church St near the school playground threw me at first. It's at the foot of Church St. The little shop was then (I think) a repair shop of sorts. The house to the right was occupied by the Roth family. On the East side of Main Street: on the right was a butcher shop (sawdust covered white tile floor) and then Keyrouse's drug store and then Keyrouse's liquor store. A little farther North was Anne's ladies shop. To the left was St. Pauls Luthern Church (hence Church St). I was a member and was confirmed there as were my siblings. No stinking 'playground' in those days! The car is a 1955 Chevy which helps date the photo BTW the 'black roadhouse' on Pascack was the "White Birches" even in the 70s. It was founded by the father of Allen Gales (sp?). Allen was a friend of mine. An NHS '68er has this to add: Hey Dan: My cousin sent me your link about Nanuet. Nice. I grew up there in the 60's. I lived in the little house at 13 Highview Avenue next to the building that was Elliott's luncheonette. We owned the building, which was actually an old barn or garage, that was Elliott's. The photograph in your postcard gallery is not Elliott's. Elliott's was much bigger, if you stood on the playground side of the street, it had a picture window with a red lamp hanging in it, then in the middle the doorway in, then to the right a more regular window. I have photos of it somewhere. Also our house didn't have a porch. My parents bought the property about 1953, and the house that we lived in was bought from the church and moved from the opposite end of the block. The church was expanding and was planning to knock the house down. It had a porch but in my mother's zeal to modernize it, and make it easier to move down the street, the porch was torn off. She often talked about regretting that decision. Anyway, it was interesting to read your perspective of growing up in Nanuet. My father was a volunteer fireman, as were most of his brothers, and he worked in Lederle Labs, as did most of his family, including my grandmother, and my father also worked for Charlie's meatmarket. I remember Charlie and his sons, one of which was young Charlie, and I am pretty sure my father delivered meat for then into the early 70's, I was surprised to read about running numbers???? I think maybe they sold the business, but then was it still called Charlies' Market? Not sure what the mistaken Eliott's photo is of. But my father grew up in a house at the bottom of the hill on Church Street at Main street that looked like the house. I don't know if there was a little store there though. My mother took over Elliott's, I think maybe after Overmeyer. Eliott's sold to someone, who really couldn't make a go of the business. My mother liked the extra income, my brother and I were in college at the time, so she took over the store. My mother was a fabulous cook, and she did quite well. It was hard work though, I helped out a little after I graduated from college ('72), I was doing some substitute teaching, and my two younger sisters worked there a lot. She ran it 1970 to probably about 73, if you graduated in 82, you were about 8 in 70, so did you go to Elliott's then? My mother was calling it Highview Luncheonette. Thanks for your site on Nanuet, it was fun to look at. Ted Eckman tells me this: Hi Dan!! Enjoyed your web page! Was reminiscing to the wife about my being a kid and the name Requa Lake popped up out of one of the cracks in my brain.So, Google it and here we are. First of all, I live in Michigan which as you know is so far west of the Hudson River in Steinberg's mind that it can't even be seen on the distant horizon. I grew up in Bergen County. Oradell. One of the greatest joys of my misspent adolesence was when we took a day to go to Requa Lake. I was amazed to see your postcard entry.Sixty years later (I'm 75) the postcard recalls it as I imagined. Especially the high slide!! I can't tell you how many hundred of times I went down the thing. Pure joy! I remember my mom used to tell me that I could swim until my lips turned blue. Jewish?? Well, not quite. Although in Oradell You couldn't find a Jew without an electron microscope! Except Mr. Julius Smith (??) who ran the local newspaper store on Kinderkamack. (He used to ask us boys "How's your schlonker?) But, I, living in metro New York learned a little about being Jewish. I graduated from Dwight Morrow High in Englewood (Oradell then didn't have a high school) where 1/3 of the kids were Jewish and to this day I keep in contact with many of my friends who were. Horowitz, Grossman, Levy, Marcus, Spack, Snitz and Turteltaub, (Saul, Google him.). Route 17, as you know, cut going north from the city to NY state was always interesting. In the '30s and 40's half of New York emptied and came across the bridge and headed north on 17 to get to the Jewish Alps. They had these large black sedans. Often they would remove the trunk lid and attach a wooden box extension out the back where they could cram more stuff in. And running board gates which ran from the front fender to the back fender so stuff could be transported between the gates and the car. Both sides which meant if the gates were in place on both sides, pop had to crawl in through a window to drive the car. And, yes, a dissambeled crib on the roof of the car plus a mattress or two. We used to call them mockie freighters and Bronx bombers. Somehow we were always envious of the kids in those cars since we knew they were having a time we would never know. We were told that Grossinger's (The Concord, Kiamesha Lake etc.) actually rented unfurnished rooms for the weekend. Summers I worked for the Hackensack Water Co at Lake Deforest. I actually was hired to watch the kids fish at the fishing gate which was at the west end of the causeway road from New City to Congers. I got paid $2.09.5?hr. For sitting doing nothing. I appreciate much of your site. The humor is the best of it. Jim Barrett remembers, 9/07: Enjoyed your site about Nanuet. Grew up there, and although I moved out in 72, my Mom still resides there. I couldn’t help but notice you used the obscure term “sliding pond” while talking about the lake. You must be from Brooklyn NY, as I have only found a very small handful of people who can tell me what a sliding pond is. I have searched the web for the origin of that term, only to find it might have come from a small section of NYC. I used to frequent a small burger joint in front of the Mall called Jolly Boys, I don’t know if you recall that. It was located next to a strip of stores that had a TV repair shop in it called Hardans TV Repair, a place that I hung out in because of my passion for electronics. Well thanks for the great site, will spread it around. Elliot Sherr, NHS 82, writes in the following: I used to get my pizza at Jocarr Pizza, but I really always thought it was Joe Carr's Pizza (I was 5, I don't know if I could read) and we never went to Rex's since it was so far from my house. |
