There has been entries about Vailsburg,
let me tell you some things below the Garden State Parkway.
I grew at 422 So.18th Street. That was between South Orange Ave
and 14th Ave. As a kid we had a very close neighborhood. I lived
in a two family house with my mom and dad and my dads sister and
mother. The block stayed intact until the 1967 riots and that's
when things began to change.
Now, South Orange Ave from the Parkway east was pretty busy, most
of the time. We had several small businesses and at Grove Street,
Hoffman Soda had a plant. A number of years later, Pabst Blue Ribbon
Beer Company took over the property, they had a hugh bottle left
by Hoffman's that became a Pabst Beer Bottle which could be seen
for miles.
On the North side of the Avenue was a liquor store, and next to
that was a small luncheonette. Down further was a pizza shop (Russo's),
After 20th Street, there was a butcher, my mom went to once a week,
then a tavern at the corner of 19th.
Across the Ave was the Newark Newsdealer Supply Company whose trucks
were used to deliver the Star Ledger and Pabst Parking area for
the trucks. On my corner was two small stores, one was Chiefs and
the other, well it changed hands so much I can't remember the name
right now.
Again on the North Side was a hugh cemetery and at 14th street
was my high school, West Side High. Man I can take you all the way
down South Orange Ave, but I won't on the walk, but I will be back
to finish our walk through Newark.
One event I remember like it was yesterday was the great fire at
Bergen Street and Avon Ave. That's where I got my start with the
Fire Department. 44 dwellings burned that day, I can tell you of
many fires scenes in the city, so I guess I will leave it there.
Thanks for taking this walk with me. I enjoyed the memories.
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