Part 3 - Photos from Tim Lavey's early Levittown collection

Click on photos to enlarge

By FRANK BARNING

Tim Lavey, a 1963 Division Avenue High School graduate, was an early Levittowner. His family, including parents Arlene and Ed, lived at 173 Orchid Road along with Tim and younger brothers Robin and Mitch. He has preserved several dozen vintage photos of early Levittown, primarily from 1951-53.

Today's photos include mom giving young Robin a bath in their ranch house kitchen and dad with Mitch and Robin siding the house. Both Mitch and Robin are shown on bicycles in front of the house, and there is a picture of Tim and Mitch with mom in front of their carport. We tried to identify the car and an expert on vintage automobiles believes it is a 1937 Ford "flatback".

Notice the flagstone path, and the immature bushes. This was early Levittown and it took time and money to put in cement paths and nature eventually created mature plantings.

"The Lavey Collection" is being presented here in several posts over the course of weeks or maybe months. This is part 3.

Part 2 - Photos from Tim Lavey's early Levittown collection

Click on pix to enlarge


By FRANK BARNING

Tim Lavey, a 1963 Division Avenue High School graduate, was an early Levittowner. His family, including parents Arlene and Ed, lived at 173 Orchid Road along with Tim's younger brothers Robin and Mitch.

Tim has preserved several dozen vintage photos of early Levittown, primarily from 1951-53. Some of the outdoor shots provide an idea of the immaturity of trees and scrubs and even show some of the automobiles of the day.

Today's photos include one of mom and her boys on Christmas in their Levittown kitchen; dad with the lads at Jones Beach; Robin on the lawn surrounded by a snake-like garden hose; the Laveys with friend Gary Lazeroff (left) in front of the house; and the brothers in winter coats behind their Levittown ranch with the big and often drafty windows behind them.

Tim, who lives in Upper Montclair, NJ, has generously shared his photos with us. "The Lavey Collection" is being presented here in four or more posts over the next week or so. Enjoy part 2.