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   Pictures - date unknown and 2006
Click images to enlarge Colonial Hall
The first (black and white) photograph shows Colonial Hall on Union Turnpike shortly before beginning the excavation that would create the canyon called the Interboro Parkway (today's Jackie Robinson Parkway). It is one of the few photographs I know of that show what Union Turnpike was like before the cut. The second black and white photograph shows the lobby of Colonial Hall at this same time. If anyone has access to the lobby of Colonial Hall and can send me a photograph of what it looks like today, I will post it here.
[Black and white images from the Queens Borough Public Library, Long Island Division, Kew Gardens Collection.] If you have pictures of yourself showing any Kew Gardens locale in the background, email me high resolution jpegs and I will post them here as space permits. To download a copy of the Queens Courier's Sept. 2003 article about Old Kew Gardens.com, click on one of the following links. Turn off your browser's auto-resize if the JPEG text appears too small to read. [JPEG - 240kb] [PDF - Hi Resolution, 379kb] [PDF - Low Resolution, 97kb ] |
May 2006 Guest Book
May 29, 2006
Editor's Note: Thanks to the New York Daily News newspaper for permission to reprint a recent article by Michael Perlman of Forest Hills about the landmarking (or lack of landmarking) of historic sites in Queens.
Click here to read the article
Center at Maple Grove Cemetery
May 28, 2006
Click on thumbnail to enlarge.
May 26, 2006
Just wanted to let everyone who remembers Vinny Richards and Frank Goldberg that we had lunch today in sunny Boca Raton where I live. Frank was on a trip to see his 95 year old dad who is single and looking.We enjoyed the food but it wasn�t the Homestead that�s for sure.
Love to all,
Vinny
[To contact Vinny Richards, click here]
Memorial Day Parade Invitation for Sunday
May 25, 2006
HEY EVERYONE!!! Come march with the Richmond Hill Historical Society on Sunday, May 28 at 12 pm down Metropolitan Avenue ... bring your kids, friends and family!!! Meet us at Ascan Avenue and Metropolitan about a quarter to 12!! Hope to see you!!!
Nancy Cataldi
[Editor's Note: Nancy is president of the Richmond Hill Historical Society]
May 22, 2006
That's close Al. My all time favorite at the Homestead Deli was their rare roast beef on thin sliced double baked rye with real �homemade� fresh crunchy coleslaw. That and a Dr Brown's celery soda. Wow.
Jay Rogers
[To contact Jay Rogers, click here]
May 22, 2006
I've lived in Kew Gardens since July 1, 1979 to the present. I found your Web Site from the Kew Gardens Civic Assn. Bookmark Card. My house was built in 1925. I think it would be a good idea to have Kew Gardens Landmarked. It would be very good for Kew Gardens as a whole community. It's O.K. to have my e-mail published.
Martha Velez
A Stroll Down Memory Lane (Part II)
by Al Linsky
May 21, 2006
Click on thumbnails to enlarge.
In part I of my �stroll� series (Random Recollections) my time machine hurls us back to the 1940�s � 50�s where we tour the establishments along the westerly side of Lefferts Boulevard between 83rd. and Beverly. I will once again turn the clock back to that same era as we continue our walk on the more easterly side of the �ponte vecchio� (bridge) between Austin Street and Cuthbert Road. [Click here to read the rest of the story and view the images.
The Queens Chronicle on Kew Gardens' Favorite Statue
May 18, 2006
Editor's Note: The current edition of the "Queens Chronicle" newspaper has an article about attempts to repair and restore the Statue of Civic Virtue on Queens Boulevard by Borough Hall. You can read the online version by clicking on the link below.
Click here
AM New York Profiles Kew Gardens
May 18, 2006
Editor's Note: Today's edition of the "AM New York" newspaper has an article profiling Kew Gardens. You can read the online version by clicking on the link below.
Click here
May 14, 2006
i am in the class of 1956 class 6-1 picture. i am sitting on the left side at the end of the row. I am lawrence kessler. to contact me my email address is . i would love to hear from all old friends.
Kitty Genovese Message Board
May 13, 2006
Editor's Note: I have created a Kitty Genovese Message Board which is where all messages about the Kitty Genovese case will be posted. Such messages will no longer appear in the Guestbook. I have gone through the Guestbook archives and transferred all past messages about the case to the new message board. Updates to the Kitty Genovese Message Board will be noted in the Quick Links above for those who would like to read them.
Abe Rosenthal and the Kitty Genovese Case
May 12, 2006
[Editor's Note: This message has been moved to the Kitty Genovese Message Board.]
Kitty Genovese Protest
May 11, 2006
[Editor's Note: This message has been moved to the Kitty Genovese Message Board.]
May 11, 2006
I am looking for somebody who may know about who lived at 83-48 Abingdon Rd. at any point and possibly has some old photos. My name is Rachel White.I can be reached at
A Photo of Kitty Genovese's Grave
May 8, 2006
[Editor's Note: This message has been moved to the Kitty Genovese Message Board.]
Get Your Own Reunion / Event Web Page
May 7, 2006
Editor's Note: If you are planning a planning a class reunion or similar large scale event for a school or other organization in Kew Gardens or Richmond Hill, you can have a web page here, absolutely free of charge, dedicated to providing information about it. The page can include whatever content you want - the names of people attending, driving directions, the date, time and place of the gathering, photographs, etc. You supply the content and I will do the page for you and update it as often as you want. I will put links to the page here in the guestbook and on the home page. I have already done such a page for the Holy Child Jesus Class of '63 Reunion. Email me with any questions.
May 3, 2006
I was floored when I saw the houses on the KG site. I can/t believe that homes like that are in KG. They are outstanding. I does hurt though to think that the older homes that we remember may be gone to make way for the new but that happens everywhere in this day and age. We still have fond memories of the old neighborhood and that will stay in out hearts and minds forever.
I have been on this site since the beginning and am proud to call KG my roots.
Linda Wiesner
[To contact Linda Wiesner, click here]
May 3, 2006
BRAVO ! to Mr. Joe DeMay...for a fabulous presentation at the Kew Gardens Civic Association's Annual Meeting on May 2, 2006. It was so wonderfully put together and was a pleasure to watch. I did not want it to end! Kudos to a wonderful job. His love for Kew Gardens shines through! Thanks again! It was great!
Nancy Cataldi
[To contact Nancy Cataldi, click here]
May 2, 2006
first of all thanks for a great site. i have been spellbound for the last 3 hours looking at it. i grew up in KG between 1946 and 1969. i probably have a lot of pictures and will try to scan some and send you. i didn't go to PS 99 because i went to yeshiva in forest hills but my sister went to kindergarten there.
i lived in dale gardens till i got married in 69 (and moved to israel) and was surprised that there is almost no mention of dale gardens ( i found 2 pictures). it was one of the most unique housing developments and i have ever seen and it was a great place to raise kids (and be raised). we all new you could not go outside of "the gardens" without a grown-up and therefore you could not get run over.
it is definitely worth more research. every time i go to the states i make a point of visiting there - it realy hasn't changed much - and maybe one day i will get up the nerve to knock on my own door (hopefully with one of my children and/or grandchildren) to check out the place.
when i lived there it was rent-controlled and very reasonable but i suppose that has changed by now. once again, thanks a lot,
sidney salzman
[To contact Sidney Salzman, click here]
Music and Poetry at the Theater Cafe
May 1, 2006
Hi Joe,
Just to let you know that the next music and poetry (and comedy) night will be held on Thursday, May 18th at the Theater Cafe, 106-03 Metropoitan Avenue in Forest Hills beginning at 7:30 P.M.
Thanks once again,
Aaron
[To contact Aaron Adler, click here]
May 1, 2006
Joe,
I have perused the new Kew Gardens Civic Association website that, from what you have told me, you helped to create. Actually, you didn't have to tell me because the site design and presentation both very obviously reflect your capable talents in this area - great job! (as usual). I did notice (in a reprint of a Forest Hills - Kew Gardens Post piece -10/10/41) that the first meeting of the Association was held at the home of a Mr. Cook in 1914. The 'premier' real estate broker of the era in Kew Gardens was a fellow by the name of Charles Cook who sold my parents their property on 83rd. Avenue in 1937. I'm wondering whether this might be the same 'Mr. Cook' referred to in the article. Again, great job and my thanks for all the memories.
A. Linsky
[To contact Al Linsky, click here]
RHHS Class of '56 Reunion
May 1, 2006
Dear R.H.H.S. Classmates,
On September 15 & 16,^ 2006 there will be a 50^th class reunion of the exceptional 1956 Richmond Hill High School graduation class!! Carol Drescher Koenig, our class president, has been working with her committee to organize local arrangements, and I have attempted to locate and communicate with long-lost fellow graduates. Our philosophy for the reunion is to provide a convivial environment for which people separated by a half century can talk with friends, lovers, classmates, et cetera, who by happenstance shared four formative years during our youth. We wish to foster a place where returning classmates can meet, talk, reminisce, and remember how things were (or should have been). During those precious hours together, I expect that addresses will be exchanged, life experiences discussed, and arrangements made for future visits by people too long separated by time and distance. One also might expect the joys, and some melancholy, associated with homecomings. I am personally excited by the prospects of seeing and communicating with people I have thought about over the years, but had little realistic hope of ever seeing them again. Now I am just weeks away from seeing some of those folks. I understand that some high school reunions feature a country club ambience, with golf outings, 5 K walks and runs, festivities in five-star hotels with five-star costs, but our reunion will be lower key by design, and will provide attendees an opportunity to talk and associate without many distractions. Although plans are still developing for Friday evening gathering, we have arranged to have a tour of the high school building on Saturday morning and a meeting with an administrator. There will be a buffet dinner and cash bar on Saturday evening with a brief formal program. Most of the evening will be unstructured to allow for a half century of �catching up� in the short time we will have together.
Although our program is modest, there will be necessary costs, e.g. postage, printing, publicity expenses, and incidental expenses, but the greatest cost will be for the dinner & bartender. At this moment we cannot make contracts unless we know how many people will actually attend. In order to secure a room with a deposit, we must know the approximate number of attendees. Hence, at this time, I must raise the subject of filthy lucre. We want as large a group of returning classmates as possible, but we must now know the number of returning classmates who are committed and willing to send a check so that we can proceed with further planning. The final expense total will not be known until all the bills are submitted, but we hope that we can organize a reunion for only $100.00/person. Spouses and significant others are enthusiastically encouraged to attend but they must commit by paying at this time too. I realize that talk of September smacks of autumn, and we are now just enjoying the joys of spring, but September 15 & 16 will soon be here and now is the time for us to make arrangements for you. If you are committed to attend, and we hope you have made that decision, _please immediately send the following to__ _ Carol (Drescher) Koenig 8 Gainsboro Lane Syosset, NY 11791:
1. a check for $100/_PER PERSON made out to Carol Koenig_;
2. your _mailing address_ (to send you information);
3. the _names, email, and addresses of any R.H.H.S. classmates known_ _ to you_ (we want to invite them if you have not already done so).
We want as large a group of enthusiastic returning classmates as possible, but we are obliged to plan with the number of people who can decide now. We will strive to be flexible if classmates come forward later, but we must start making the definite arrangements at this time.
For attendees, the other associated personal costs will be your hotel and travel expenses. We will have specific hotel recommendations later, but for planning purposes, the cost of hotel will be about $140/night. We will attempt to negotiate better rates as our committed numbers take shape. Thank you for understanding that we are arranging a reunion for all and we depend on the cooperation from returning classmates. Timing for us has become critical, and your commitment now is important. Thank you for understanding and for sending your check today.
Please raid the attic or basement for R.H.H.S. memorabilia (local newspaper stories, pennants, year books, etc. and high school era photographs for a planned display. It will be a splendid two days in September!!
Fred Meyer and Carol (Drescher) Koenig
[To contact Fred Meyer and Carol (Drescher) Koenig, click here]
May 1, 2006
Editor's Note: Since more people now have broadband connections and higher resolution screens, I am beginning to bump up the size and resolution of the images I display here. So, instead of averaging 20 - 35 KB, images will start to average 60 - 80 KB. If enough dial up users find these file sizes make viewing the web pages too slow, let me know and I will reduce the file sizes.
Get a Gmail Account Free
May 1, 2006
Editor's Note: As of February 1, 2005, Old Kew Gardens [.com] got with Gmail, which is the Google web based email service. You've probably heard that Gmail offers two gigabytes [2,000 MB] of free storage. It's free, but available by invitation only. I have invitations I can distribute to friends. I'm not selling them, I'm giving them away. They are available on a first come first serve basis. Just send me an email telling me you'd like one.
Update: Unless I know you, your request must come from a bona fide working ISP email address. To prevent abuse, email requests coming from free web based email services like Yahoo or Hotmail will not be honored.
Update: I will remove this post when I run out of invitations. If you're reading this, then there are still invitations left to give out.
Posting Messages Here
May 1, 2006
[Ed.'s Note: The reason each guest book posting does not appear here immediately is that I review each message individually before posting to eliminate spam or unwanted adult content. Email me if you want to make a correction to a message you have already posted or if you would like a message removed.]
How to contact Guestbook signers
Some Guestbook signers choose not to publish their email addresses. If you wish to contact one of them, send me an email identifying the guestbook signer you wish to contact and giving me the date his or her message was posted. Your email to me must contain your full name, and may also include anything else you wish to tell the signer. I will forward your email to the Guestbook signer you wish to contact, but with no cc or bcc to you. It will be the signer's decision whether or not to make contact with you. Any emails which contain spam, adult content, or appear suspect for any other reason will not be forwarded. ~The Editor.