Click on photo to enlargeThis photo is pure early Levittown and one of my favorites among the hundreds of vintage images that have been sent to me for this blog. There is a certain nostalgic magic, transporting me back in time. It was provided by Toni Crescenzo Gelfer, class of 1968.
Here are her comments about this picture:
By TONI CRESCENZO GELFER
The year is probably 1954. The lady on the bench of the Azalea Road pool is my "Aunt" Lena, in reality my Godmother. Her son Johnny is by my side.
What strikes me is her clothes. She is under 40-years old, but coming from the Italian enclave of Ozone Park (made famous, later, by John Gotti), she could be decades older. In the time of June Cleaver and Donna Stone on TV, she is a stark contrast. The occasional visits by our Queens relatives were in their own words "visits to the country."
My own parents, being very old world, never took the family on a vacation because they thought every day was one. All I know is that I appear seemingly ecstatic and in my world everything you see here was quite normal.
One final note. At the sign-in table you can see the suburban moms and kids right out of Life magazine. Oh, to have a little of that innocence today, for my grandkids.
22 comments:
I loved the Azalea Rd pool. Swam there every day while living on Hyacinth Rd. Was on the swim team as well. Remember my family coming out from Breezy Point and down from upstate NY. What times we had. I really feel that is why I have dermatological problems today. It was very worth it, however. Levittown was a great place to grow up.
Joan Bartels Signorelli '62
From Kathy Stahlman Zinn' 63:
I am sorry to hear that the blog is ending, but completely support you in doing whatever you need to do. This has been your project, but you have involved many of us, and brought us many wonderful moments, both pleasant, and poignant - and 500 postings is a major achievement, not to say, quite a grind! Take care and I'll drop in on your baseball blog from time to time. All the best to you and Vivian.
From Dottie Caggiano Pribish '60:
It has been amazing how you kept up with this blog. We will miss you, but you have done a terrific job of reawakening wonderful old memories and friends. Enjoy the switch to your baseball blog. Hope you come back to this some time.
From Brian Fisher:
Frank you did a hell of a job without your blogs I forgot where my roots were, again thank you for your time & wisdom. I forgot what Levittown meant too me, My navy days during the vietnam war, i forgot so much, but you brought back fond memories of Levittown. Once again sir i salute your job well done
From Roberta Landry Bremmer, 1961
Many, many thanks for all you've done Frank....both with your blog as well as all the Facebook entries and photos of Levittown and DAHS.
Frank, a hearty THANK YOU for a wonderful job. Been following it since about the beginning.
David Amster ‘63
Thanks for the time and effort that you have put into bringing a lot of joyful, and sometimes funny memories of being lucky enough to grow up in good old Levittown.
Classmates click on your stories, and for a few moments they are transported back to those innocent days that we all shared.
I noticed a common theme throughout all of the stories, and that was that we all wished that our children and grandchildren could experience the joy of early Levittown.
Thanks again. Go Dragons !
"Till We Meet Again"
Barbara Wittenberg Taylor - Class of 1960
Michael O'Boyle, 1960
Say it ain’t so Frank. Good work.
From Toni Gelfer, 1968
It's been a blast from the past and without your Levittown blog, I'd never have gotten to "friend" you in every sense..Enjoy your baseball...It and your family are your true loves..Toni in Texas
From Rich Humbert, 1960
Thanks for all the great work. We'll all miss your thoughts and discoveries. I wish I was into baseball enough to appreciate your baseball blog.
From Sandy Adams, 1960
You have been a fantastic catalyst for awakening memories of our years in our special community called 'Early Levittown'. Thanks to you, FHB!
From John Koehler, 1960
I enjoyed your blog everyday. Hope you are back soon. I'll be looking at your other (baseball) blog.
From Jackie Berns Karp
It has been wonderful reading your blog everyday. What great memories everyone has shared. Thank you!!
From Len Sandok, 1963
I will miss your blog, I looked forward to it each day!
From Sue Hill:
will miss you, have read your bloq everyday and enjoyed it immensely, what shall I read with my morning coffee now? thanks so much for the journey. you will be missed.
From Marilyn Monsrud Frese '63
Will miss it! Brought back some wonderful memories. Thanks for them.
Note from Frank...Marilyn was our official photography and a very important part of the blog.
From Marilyn Monsrud Frese '63
Will miss it! Brought back some wonderful memories. Thanks for them.
Note from Frank...Marilyn was our official photographer and a very important part of the blog. She could always be counted on, even in a short time frame.
From Roslyn Haberman, 1961
You lit up a lifetime that we shared with new and old memories. I feel like you are a special friend. I had forgotten so much till your blog.
Thanks so much for the many hours of enjoyment you have brought to this "Old Levittown" teenager of the sixties, who is pushing 65 but feeling 16 in my heart.
Gratefully,
Lynn Dos Santos
Warren Zaretsky, class of 1960
I'll miss your writings. Amazing that you got 500 stories out of such a white bread boring town.
Frank Thank you for your stories about Levittown, And Marilyn thank you for your pictures.
Thanks you both for the memories
Tom Filiberto
Class of '63
My name is Karen Taylor. I was wondering if any of your parents or if you know of any original Levittown owners still living who would like to share their stories of when they first moved here with me. I never lived in Levittown but my 2 older sisters did when my parents rented a house on Forge Lane from 1950-1953. I have spoken to a few "Originals" and love to hear the perspective of what it was like for "Greatest Generation" who lived through depression and war to acheive the "American Dream" after all that. Never got to talk to my parents about this. Dad died over 20 years ago and mom died from ALzheimer's 7 years ago. Contact me at 516-457-2029 or kpt758@optonline.net. Thaks for your help.
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