March 30, 2003
i just want to congratulate the webmaster for such a wonderful site.. and how much i admire the hard work and great photos and history he offers of kew gardens...he is such a great asset to the kew gardens area as well as to his help with the richmond hill historical society, a hell of a guy and just a "darling"...keep up the good work...you should be VERY proud of yourself!
nancy cataldi


Ed.'s Note: Besides being a good friend, Nancy Cataldi is also President of the Richmond Hill Historical Society. I don't think anyone has worked harder for the Society or the community than she has.


March 28, 2003
I can't believe that such a site exists--what a great deal. I was born in KG in 1942, lived in Kent Manor on Park Lane So. until 1957. I went to PS. 99, Russel Sage (was in the first graduating class) and FHHS. My brother(Mark) graduated from P.S. 99 in 1952. I hung with the Gerhardt Gang and the Blackhawks; made trouble at Richmond's candy store; loved the shakes and burgers at Bandies; and got all my toys from Wonderland. I knew Barry's Variety, Bohack's and would always feel sorry for the "buy ole clothes" guy who would carry his wares on his back (I didn't figure out what he was yelling until much later in life).
John Kasprzak



March 26, 2003
I went to Seidler Sister's dance studio across the street from Jahn's icecream parlor. Can't remember the street but I loved it there and took classes almost every day of the week. As I remember it was on the second floor above a bar! The dance teachers were Miss Helen and Miss Grace. Anyone else go there ?
Peggy



March 26, 2003
My mom, Jeanette (Jeannie Reed) McNeill, married Joe McNeill in 1942 and lived in the Barcelona from 1943-1962. They had 4 kids and moved to Wantagh. Dad died in 1964. She was remarried in 1969 to George Farrell (Abingdon Road). She and her two youngest moved back to KG for one year before the family (McNeill-Farrell) moved to NJ.
She and George remember the following people from the Barcelona and would like to hear from them or find out their whereabouts. Please write to me if you have info on the following people, please.
- Howie Anne Muller, daughter of Audrey and
   Howard (late) Muller
- Jessie and Ray (late) Malone, children: Jack and Jill
- Pauline and Bob (late) Kenny, daughter Claudia
- Ruth and Bill (late) Heinson, sons Billy (late) and Bobby
- Hannah Rosenberg, son Steve
- Dick and Peggy McNamara (moved to AZ), 2 daughters
Mom used to work at the luncheonette, Harry and Cibal (?), then it became a dry cleaners and then something else. Harry and Tom Sokol ran it, I believe.
Any info would be appreciated.
Kathy McNeill



March 26, 2003
I was born in KG in 1962, lived in the Barcelona for 4 months and then moved to Wantagh. My mom, Jeanette (Reed) and dad, Joseph McNeill had lived there since 1943. They were married in 1942. Children: James, Dennis, Eileen and Kathy. I would love to hear from anyone from the Barcelona or elsewhere, that remembers our family. My father passed away when I was 2 years old so I would especially love to hear from anyone who knew him.
Kathy McNeill



March 26, 2003
Kew Gardens has been my home for over 30 years. This site makes me proud of that history and heritage. thank you!
james spina



March 25, 2003
Kevin Klauber asks what was on the site before the post office was built. Actually, there was nothing. It was an empty lot that stretched from the Texas Apartment building to Leffert Bl. Cars used to park on it. According to information on this site, from 1916 to 1935, the Kew Gardens Country Club used to exist there. There use to be a fruit & vegetable store right at the corner of Austin St.& Lefferts around the corner from the Pharmacy. Is that still there?
Larry Gross



March 25, 2003
Forest Hills HS,Forest Hills, New York
To All Fellow Alums and Faculty Both Past & Present.
We have a Website and Message Board (free) so please join us at the following and post a message and start a conversation and locate former classmates. It is set up by decade as well as other topics. Registration is necessary and you will receive a confirmation e mail which you will activate and then you are registered. I am known as Bonster and am available to help you if you run into a problem. See you there. [Click here to visit the FHHS Message Board]
Bonni
FHHS Class of 1965



March 25, 2003
Did I start a Miss Rice controversey? She was hot and I do not care what anyone says! Anyone live in Ausitn Texas? I last went back in 1997. I swear ,people came up to me and told me that they remebered me! It was like I nver left and I was still hanging out on some stoop. How about "johnny on the pony" by the Post Office on Austin street. What was the name of the park they built next to the post office. What was there before the Post Office?
Kevin Klauber



March 25, 2003
I grew up in Kew Gardens from 1945 to 1963 and lived on Lefferts and Metropolitan Ave.
JAMES MCNEILL



March 24, 2003
If anyone knows the whereabouts of a family named "Goldenberg" - there was Linda and her brother Benji that lived on 116th Street off of Curzon Road in the apartment buildings going toward to Metropolitan Avenue (actually between Metropolitan and Curzon Road), please e-mail me. I would like to get in touch with Linda again. My e-mail address is "".
Arlene Mielczarski



March 23, 2003
Would like to locate Corey Hirsch. He lived a couple of housed down fom me on Abingdon Road, had a sister named Amy. Last I remember they moved to Great Neck. Spent a lot of years playing together in the greatest treehouse in his back yard.
Tom Farrell



March 23, 2003
Love the site. Lived in Kew Gardens from birth (1954) to 1970. Started in the Kew Arms and moved to Abingdon Road. Hung around with the Zajkowksi's and the Currans. Attended HCJ in Richmond HIll and Archbishop Molloy. Great memories of Bernie's, Sokol's Lunchenette, later replaced with Rosenblooms Deli. I delivered Chinese food by bicycle from Rocky Leongs on Lefferts, between Abingdon and Metropolitan. Will always be a Kew Gardener at heart.
Tom Farrell



March 21, 2003
After writing in myself, having my friend Dirk follow and then my brother, Bill, too, allow me a final call-out message: I would love to hear from the Bianco family on Austin St. who were great friends of my parents during the period spanning 1960-1970. If Mike or Susan Bianco gets a hold of this or if anybody knows of their whereabouts, I would be more than pleased to get in touch with them. Unfortunately, they have an unlisted phone no. and even the trials and tribulations of the good ole webmaster were to no avail. If anybody can give them a wink and tell them to get in touch with me, I'd be very grateful. Thanks in advance for all your troubles!
Greetings,
Pete
Peter John Muller



March 20, 2003
Looking for Jerry Larsen (Abingdon Road)or anyone from the family.
Don Farrell



March 20, 2003
Hi. I grew up off of 115th Street and Park Lane South (across the street from Forest Park). My last name is (or was) Young. I was the oldest of 4 children. There was myself (Arlene), my sister Nancy, then Tracey and my brother Donald. We moved to Kew Gardens in 1965 and my parents still live there. As for me and my siblings, we live elsewhere. I live in Woodhaven, Queens right now. I am wondering about a family that lived on Abington Road. They owned a Funeral Home (right off of Lefferts
Arlene Mielczarski (maiden name - Young)



March 20, 2003
Great site! Does anyone remember the pony that you could have your picture taken on? It came around to the apartment buildings. We lived in the Kew Arms Apartments and later moved to a house on Abingdon Road. Anyone know where to find the Sheridan family? Arthur and Helen had 3 kids, Arthur, Robert and Denise. They also lived on Abingdon Road. I have been trying to find Denise for years. We were great friends as kids. The pizza place was DiGiulio's. They had a great big house around the corner from the store. Think it was on Lefferts Blvd. Hope all our old friends can find this site. My brothers are Don and Tom Farrell. My sister is Kathy Farrell
Peggy Farrell



March 20, 2003
By chance I have found this great site! My brother Peter has already signed the guest book. My parents, my brother and I lived in 82-40 Austin St. till 1970. We then left to live in Switzerland. Since then I haven't had any contact to my old school friends from PS 99 or Russell Sage JHS. If my old friend, Mike Bianco, sees this message, please send me an e-mail! It was great to read all the letters of people remembering the good old days. It would be great to hear from all old friends.
William Muller



March 20, 2003
I was born in KGGH in 1947. In 1957, our family moved into 112 Mowbray Place (now Drive). The house was built in 1914. Our father, Jim Straub was instrumental in keeping the street name. He went to every homeowner with a petition which he presented to Mayor John Lindsay. The compromise was the term, "Drive" in order to conform with the city's overall plan. Most of our family members still want to be buried in our 32 plots at Maple Grove Cemetary.
Don Straub
Woodbury CT and Longboat Key FL



March 19, 2003
I grew up at 84-29 Abingdon Road. This site is great.
Don Farrell



March 19, 2003
Thanks for the fantastic web site. Trip down memory lane. You've done a great job! Now my sister in Calif & brother in Fla can go back home whenever they want to. Kew Gardens rules!!! Thank you.
Nancy Straub



March 18, 2003
Does anyone remember Barry's Variety store on Lefferts (50's). Mr. B's inventory was old sewing supplies, school supplies & so forth. If you asked for something that Mr B didn't have, he'd send "Junior"(6'5") down to the basement to look for what you wanted.Where is Junior today? Simpler times, great memories. Remember the Homestead Deli on Lefferts? They had THE best salads of all time. Anyne remember this besides David (my brother ) & me?
Nancy



March 14, 2003
We moved to 41 Kew Gardens Road in '54 when I was 5. I moved to California in '72 but continued to visit often until mom followed in '94. As I approached maturity I was able to appreciate how fortunate I was to grow up in Kew Gardens...a beautiful enclave in close proximity to all things New York. My most enduring friendship was forged in the crucible of Miss Reiss' third grade class...P.S.99's distillation of a parochial school full of wicked nuns, something us jewish kids had no concept of. David and I continue our close friendship to this day and trek around the old neighborhood whenever I visit(he now lives in Brooklyn). I'm certain this incredible site will become a nexus for expatriate Kew Gardenites everywhere. Thank you so much. Any of my classmates from PS99 are welcome to say hello.
Norman Landsberg



March 11, 2003
The concept of community is difficult to achieve anywhere today. To achieve a sense of community is twice as difficult when one lives in a small community in New York City. Kew Gardens has achieved community by having a unique architecture of apartments and private homes courtesy of those that sought Kew Gardens as a suburb; many ethnic groupings have used Kew Gardens as an initiation to achieving the American dream while others have sought Kew Gardens as a commuter-bedroom. In closing, it seems that wherever people ultimately migrate to, they seem to take a piece of the 'Kew' wherever they go. The Kew Gardens site spans the globe; thank you for the hard work it takes to continue its development and evolution.
Judy


March 9, 2003
:-D I live on Austin Street and I was browzing through to see if my house had anyone famous living in it...my teacher told me Will Rogers lived here but maybe he was mistaken. I know the house across from me with the fake grass fence was owned by the brother of that artist you said. This is the COOLest website ever!
Risa



March 4, 2003
Anyone ever heard of the Old Clothes horse-cart guy? I moved to KG in '45. The first few years there, I recall an old horse drawn, junk-cart that regularly passed by my Metropolitan Avenue building in the direction of Jamaica. The driver aways shouted, "Old Clothes, I buy old clothes; Old Clothes, I buy old clothes..." He also used a cow bell to draw attention. I loved hearing his horse clip-clop down the street. Does anyone also know if Metropolitan Avenue was cobblestone back then?
Dorothea Smith



March 4, 2003
I have some wonderful memories of Kew Gardens - the 'big' park on the hill - the snowstorm of 1947 when all of the trolleys on Metropolitan Avenue stopped running - and many others!
Linda Zbar



March 4, 2003
      I was born in 1938. I moved in 1945 at age 7 into the KEW GABLES APARTMENTS: 119-37 Metropolitan Avenue, Apt1F. My best friend in the building was Linda Myles, b. 1937. We both attended PS 99, and had many friends on our block bounded by Lefforts Blvd and Brevoort St. and Metropolitan Avenue and Abingdon Rd. We all made a game out of grouping together and COLLECTING CHESTNUTS on Abingdon Rd. I would very much like to hear from others who partook in this neighborhood cultural phenomena. Other friends were, Teresa, from a large Italian family who lived around the corner on Lefferts Blvd. in an apartment just past Doc's; and also, Patricia McGovern, from the first yarded house up the hill past Doc's. I saw in the guestbook here, others who also lived in theKEW GABLES around the time I did. Elly Feist Apt.3J, and Frank Goldberg who lived in Apt 5J. Both younger and unknown to me. Elly also mentions chestnut collecting.
      IN ANSWER TO FRANK'S QUERY RE: LEFTY GOMEZ: Famous Latino baseball hall of famer, Lefty Gomez, did indeed occupy the house on the corner of Brevoort Street and Metropolitan Avenue. The bus stopped in front of his fence. The house and yard were kept secluded by a high wood fence. In 1944, Gomez was inducted into the army and so wasn't around much those few years. He was a regular at the Triagle Hofbrau, said to be his favorite restaurant. Gomez was born in California. He also died there.
      I've been wanting to sign this guest book for some time. Thanks, Joe, for making this great site possible.
Dorothea Smith



March 2, 2003
What a beautifully fascinating site you have made. I was born in Kew Gardens in 1971 and attended PS 99. My family and I moved to Boonton, NJ in 1983. I lived at 271 Brevoort and 84-37 124th Street and used to frequent Bernie Land Candy Store. I now live in Buffalo, NY, but my home will always be Kew Gardens!!!!! Thank You for your web site.
Elizabeth Glodzik (Walsh)



March 1, 2003
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.