I lived at 501W189St and it is on the corner of Amsterdam Ave across from the side door (north side) of PS189. I could walk out of the courtyard of the building and into the school bldg. The cafeteria was a little jutty from the middle of the building going into the playground. As I remember it part of the gym was above it. I was along time ago and yes the gym suits for the girls were terrible. green and baggy. We moved to 501 around 1942. Before that we lived on the corner of Audubon and 189th st around 1940. I found another address on 189th st where my parents lived before I was born down the other side of St. Nicholas Ave I think.. I also have some pictures of my father Ben Smith with his scouts at the original camp whre they had built there own cabin before they had to move to an officially approved site. My mother, Gladys, was a girl scout leader for a while in the 1950's. The picture of the soda/candy store I remember Carl and George. The neighborhood as I remember had German, Jewish, Irish, Italian, Greek, Armenian, Spanish I think although mama Stamola could have been Italian. There were also Chinese families. We went to Ft George Presbyterian Church. Someone mentioned George Fleming I don't really remember him I do remember Helen Fleming she still lived there when I moved north in 1966. She was a nurse at one time. They may have been divorced? One of the Stratton boys (Stratopoulas?) I'm not sure if it was George or Madios was going to come up to Paul Smith's to be a forest ranger. Paul Kushbach went to Notre Dame and became a professor there. His mother Nancy used to baby sit me when I was small. I have so many thoughts right now that they are all jumbled up. I stumbled on this site by accident today. I remember the park across from my building especially the real park before they added the walks and benches and t6he basketball courts up at the end of Amsterdam where it runs into St. Nick. I do remember snake hill. My friend Virginia introduced me to it before there were projects at the bottom of the hill across on the north east side of Dyckman was a horse stable and one could get a ride for a quarter. When they decided to put up the projects it had to move over to the east side drive on the edge of the Harlem (East) river. Charlie sold it to Joe and it was there until the late 50's. I used to shortcut down through the woods to get to it and if it got too late take the long way around and up snake hill to home. I remember the tunnel to Broadway in the subway. That subway station is now on an historic register along with 181st and 168th. I also remember the pizza parlor in back of the entrance to the subway. Best pizza's in the world. (Pizza Hut eat your heart out.) I remember when that boy took hold of the truck and got run over. He lived on 190th st near St. Nick if I remember right. I especially remember the parades that were on St Nick. Troop 724 was always well represented. I remember Father Wilde (meeting him on the Avenue). The troop used to meet in the school but then they were told they couldn't anymore something about the janitor and the school not wanted to furnish electric? I was young and only got the gist of it not the real particulars. That is when my dad got permission to use the basement at Ft. George. It caused a rift because the priest thought they would try to turn the boys away from the Catholic church. Years later Father Wilde (I believe it was him) came to the programs and participated along with the minister. When I was small there was a great rift between the religions which was a shame because it only hurt the boys. I remember being jealous of the girls who went to the Catholic school. I thought they got a better education and they wore those cool uniforms. Do you remember the walks you boys went on into New Jersey across the GW bridge. Is the church still by the bridge? Holy Rood Episcopal Church. We went there before going to Ft. George. I remember the drugstores would take turns having Sundays off. There would be a phone number posted on the door for emergencies. The Greek bakery on Sunday mornings. The shoe store and the little store next to it (I think) where one could buy school supplies. And Butler's. They were on the northeast corner of 189 and St Nick's. I remember my mother wanting to get me a pair of sneakers and being told they weren't available because the rubber was needed for the war. Ked's sneakers were what I wore when I could get them. Still do. I am remembering a lot that I had forgotten about all the stores. There was a little grocery on Audubon between 189 and 190th and a tailor shop and candy store. There may have been a liquor store too but I'm not sure. I love the pictures of the school and the church. I remember walking to 185th to the grocery and carrying the bags full back up the hill. And 181st st was great for most everything you needed from shoes and stockings to dresses and what was the name of that store that moved into Broadway off 181st or maybe 182nd that had coats and everything. It was a chain store or at least some kind of discount store. I bought my first parka there for $12. The great thing was you could walk anywhere for anything and if it was raining you could take the trolley, bus or subway. We used to be able to get transfer slips so you could go quite aways with one fare. The trolleys ran right by my building. At one time you could get them to stop by my corner and then they decided to only stop at certain corners and that was 188th st. and at 190th. Does anyone remember when the Greyhound bus station was on 181st st. next to Amsterdam? My mom and I used to catch the midnight bus north to come to northern NY near the Canadian border. Just as many maps of Manhattan ignore Washington Heights many people think NYS ends at Albany. It frosts me to see maps of NY City and see Manhattan cut off by the GW bridge as if we never existed. I remember walking to the end of Dyckman St when there was a pier there. I had forgotten until it was mentioned. I visited Dyckman House once. Does a anyone remember the little garden building and the little old lady who would let kids plant in the back of it. It was fenced off from the north end of the playground. I pasted the link from the site into my address book so I am hoping this will get posted okay. I would love to get any responses with more memories. I will try to learn how to scan pictures and get them posted. I thin k I may have some of those parades too.

The barbershop (if it's the same one) was run by Mr Divitali (spelling might be wrong) When he died his widow Lena would go down to see everything went okay. They had 2 daughters. Josephine was one of them I think Rosie was the other (Rosalie) They were older than me. They lived in the apartment under mine.

If I'm in the right deli Dave's was on the southeast cornere of 189 & St Nick's. I think there was a small grocery, a bakery, a candy store (what we called a candy store) they had sandwiches and soda's and on the corner of 188th a dry cleaner's. There was a terrible accident there and a baby in a carriage was killed when a car jumped the curb and ran into the front of the store. (That was the day I decided to move out of the city) My mother and I and my baby were across the street In front of another deli on the corner of 188.

On the west side was also the shoe store I mentioned before in my posting.

On the east side between 188 & 187 was a dress shop and a hairdresser. I think the funeral parlor that was on the west side was the next block down 187 to 186. I made a mistake also where the A&P? grocery was it was 184th not 185th street. If I remember right the Catholic church was on the street behind Ft George Presb. on Wadsworth? between 186 and 187.

Before the zip code changed to 40 it was 33 and instead of going to Broadway through the tunnel one went down to around 178 or 179th I think between Wadsworth & Broadway. I'm sure someone can say for sure.

On the corner of Broadway and I think 179th the southeast corner there was a chiropractor

Dr Weissberg. He had a medical degree but didn't like the way they dispensed medicines (Too much overkill with penicillin and vaccinations). He was a good Dr brought me through all the childhood illnesses and also made house calls. He was way ahead of his time. His son Jay joined him. This was in the 40's and 50's.

George and Madios had a younger sister, Margaurita, I think. My dad called her "Little Miss Sunshine". She was always smiling. The Castelero's (my spelling may be off on some of the names) had 3 children Marion, George & Paul Marion was the oldest a little younger than me. I think she may have become a journalist. Patricia lived on the ground floor on my side of the building. She became a nun. You probably knew some of the families. Hynes Helen, John and Michael. Hart Judy, Vincent and Jane (Little Bit). Whitney Virginia, Ronald, Lauren and another boy. Virginia and I both became farmers. We were best friends growing up. They moved to Tenafly while we were still in school. The last I knew of her she was farming in Delaware. Susan and her brother lived on the fifth floor. He was older. I know there were others that I can't remember just now. The Bracken's. He was a newsman. Eileen and an older sister. You may have gone to school with some of them.

Mrs Peterson (who lived in the building with the deli) and also the Tillitson's. The Koerner's and dau. Marilyn. They all were between Aud & St Nick's and went to Ft George. They all became part of my extended family. Back then if families were close they were "Aunt & Uncle".

Somewhere I have a picture of a Sunday school or boy scout family picnic.

The Virginia who showed me where the horses were was a Walker. She had a twin Jimmy.

Do you remember the movies that were played against the cement wall of the building on the end of the school playground? I don't remember the year or years. It didn't last too long. You would need a folding chair or blanket to sit on. I used to sit on the steps.

There was a store between 190 and 191 on St Nick's who used to pay the mouse movies. Not Micky the other mouse family. It was next to the butcher shop I think across from the subway.

Does Teasties still have hand packed ice cream? Of course it won't be that name anymore. Wasn't Stahl's down aways and Yales across from Teasties? The chinese laundry was around 183 & St Nick's. There was a dress shop and a hobby store on the corner I think. They were in the same block. Later on there was a pizza place and one could get a slice & a drink for 25 cents. There was a fresh veg store across from the church. or was it the next block down?

Our building had two sides with a courtyard. On the left behind a little wall where the first stairs were was the entrance to the cellar and the Supers apt. There was a fountain that was cemented in up the stairs. It never ran that I can remember.

Do you remember Jay Chicoy? He was one of the scouts 55-57. I think he wanted to become a minister. I lost track of him after dad died.

Well it's late a work awaits tomorrow. God bless.

I came across this website as I was doing some research for a possible memoir. Wow! What memories. My family moved to 46 Ft. Washington Ave., corner of 161st St., in 1955. I went to the fifth and sixth grades at PS 169, then Stitt for 7th and 8th, Music and Art in the 9th, and GW for the rest, graduating a year late in 1963. I still have my PS 169 "yearbook" and the 1963 Hatchet. I remember Martin Luther King Jr. speaking at GW for graduation in 1962--I played Pomp and Circumstance with the band on stage with him, as I remember. In 1960 we moved to 790 Riverside Dr., at 157th St. I remember "the Wall," sitting on car hoods, stickball, stoop ball, slug, corner ball, and skullsie (bottle caps filled with wax--anyone else remember?). I also remember egg creams at the corner store (160th St?) as well as bouncing Spaldeens to see which was highest--before we bought one! I think they cost a quarter but you could get a "second" for 20 cents. I had my first slice of pizza at Como's on 169th St. I remember shopping at Ernie's for my mother, the appetizer store, the Loew's Rio, 181 St. with the RKO Coliseum, Automat, all the stores. Our dentist (Resnick) was on 181 Street so I have mixed memories of going up there. There was a deli (Dave's?) on B'way where you could place a bet on the horses and where I was sent on the weekends to fetch potato salad. I also remember Mr. Peralta, the super at 46 Ft. Washington, and kids yelling up to their mother's for a dime when the ice cream man came around. Anyone remember the "I cash clothes man?" My best friends were Pete Kerezman and the Platzer twins (Ronnie and Mike), who lived at 600 W. 161 Street. I'm still in touch with Pete. At some point in the fifties, the Rosenberg boys (sons of Julius and Ethel), Robbie and Mike, moved into 600 West with their adoptive parents, Ann and Abel Meeropol. Of course, we kids didn't know who they were at the time--just new kids on the block.

I got my haircuts at the barbershop on 161 Street next to the synagogue. We also played touch football there. On several occassions drivers asked us directions to Yankee Stadium, thinking they were in the Bronx! We once gave directions--to the GW Bridge in the hope that they would end up in NJ.

My friends and I had endless arguments about who was better, Mantle or Mays--also which was better, American Flyer or Lionel.

Anyone remember Marc Lefcourt? Ricky Mercado? Ronnie Munsey?

Thanks for the fast reply. On a more personal note, while attending GWHS I had a part time job at Yale (where there's always a sale) Drugs on St. Nicholas at 183rd, as a delivery boy, I would walk as far as the Mother Cabrini Church neighborhood to deliver prescriptions and always found my way back through 181 st, to stop a Neddicks for a hot dog and orange juice and in the cold winter days my favorite snacks were hot potato knishes. One of my favorite hangouts was the bowling alley, downstairs at the 181 st subway station. Do you happen to remember the name of that alley ?. I've lost my copy of the yearbook but I'll try to borrow one from the many Gdubbers here in South Florida and scan some images for you. Here attached is a pic of GWHS, I don't know if you have this one plus a tune "Out Of Limits" by The Marketts which I remember listening to as a no. 1 hit on the juke box at the bowling alley.

Reading many of the messages in the Washington Heights memories sites...great pictures...bringing a smile and then tears for having been born and raised in one of the best spots to live in Manhattan...from Dorothy(Fiege)Goddard Wilmington Deleware mentioned the building collapse at 184th Street and Amsterdam Ave; she had the area right but not the reason why it collapsed. My sisters and I were born in 2515 Amsterdam and lived there until I was 9 when we moved to 174th Street. But my grandmother, aunt and uncle, plus many paisans still lived there. The building collapsed Dec.13 1945 at about 1:20am. The digging out took most of three days, all three of my family were found at the bottom, and another young godchild found with them. They, and many others, had Masses said at St. Elizabeths, all four of the above buried in Calvary Cemetery in Queens. Google brough up the nostalgia site when I wrote in 2515 but that apartment house number no longer exists, instead it's the site of either a dormitory or addition to the library of Yeshiva University, who by the way, had a great deal of material when I asked them about the building collapse. They have been gone these many years but they have not been forgotten since the tragedy is now the end of a volume of memories I've written for my family. Yeshiva's Bnai Brith promuised to memoriialize the site and they kept it as a small park for fifty years until recently when they decided to use it to add to the Library. You can e-mail me at peterach@verizon.com for any further information .

I graduated from JHS 115 at 177St. and GW High School at 190St in 1959. I boxed in the Golden gloves from 1961-1963. In 64 I think there was no gloves due to the Newspaper strike. That year I fought in the Spanish Golden Gloves. I beat the then Champion. Georgie (the Baby Bearcat) Colon (118lbs.). I represented New York in the Nationals which was held in Utica, NY. I lost to the winner Gerry Lott. There were Greek American twin brothers were Pietro & Nickolas Spanakos (not sure of the spelling either). I did fight one of them I forget which one. I think it was Pete & I lost to a decision. They were real great boxers. I think they became Lawyers. Also one of the boxers in our gym was John Barnes. He was in the Movie "The Raging Bull". He Played Sugar Ray Robinson. I was in the Army from 1964-1966. Went to Okinawa and boxed there. I beat the Marine Champion, Okinawan champion & the Air Force Champion in Okinawa. I represented the Army team in Korea. Again I lost to Army Champ in Korea. I am attaching pictures from Okinawa. And when I won the Spanish Golden Gloves. In the New York Picture is My friend and sparring partner "Raymond Torres". Ray was the Interpreter for HBO for many years. Met my wife "Ana" in 1962. We got married in 1967, and are still together today. Have 2 children and 6 Grandchildren. Life has been good to me.. The first picture was taken from my wife's apartment on the 5th floor, 501 W.173 St. My real Name is Wilfredo Baez. When I was younger I was called Fifo. Now they call me Willie. Crazy I know but what are you going to do.

I ran across your website about growing up in Washington Heights. My grandfather was raised there during the 30's and 40's, and I just wanted to let you know that I found your website very informative and interesting. He passed away when I was 10, so I never knew him very well. His name was John DiFresco. He was born in 1929, and had a younger brother named Jimmy and a younger sister named Carolyn. My grandfather attended George Washington High School and was captain of the baseball team in the late 1940's. I think he graduated in '47 or '48. He went on to play minor league baseball in a few different places before finally settling down in Greenville, South Carolina. The family lived in Washington Heights at 2533 Amsterdam Avenue and also 408 Audubon Avenue. I have attached photos I'd like to share from my grandfathers scrapbook. The pictures and newspaper clippings are from my grandfather's baseball career, so most of these are sports related. The photos include 1947 GW baseball team a photo from the baseball field of G.W. High, a scanned image of my grandfather's letters from his letterman jacket, a ticket stub for the 1947 G.W. High Baseball Season. And last is a clipping from an unknown newspaper or magazine from Spring 1944. It is a picture of my grandfather playing ball on W 191st street at age 14. Thank you for the great website.

I lived at 247 Audubon Avenue on the ground floor, in the 1960's with my mom and older brother George. I remember a family that also lived on the ground floor with two daughters and possibly a younger brother and a great dane named Brandy. Linette, are you one of the sisters? The family moved to Freehold, New Jersey. In 1968 my brother got married and my mom and I moved to Ft. Washington Avenue. Washington Heights was a wonderful place to grow up in. It seemed like everyone knew everyone. The automat, Werthimer's, Nick's Luncheonette, Cinderella Coffee Shop, Bickford's, The Loewe's Theatre, the RKO Theatre.....what memories! My husband and I retired and moved to Arizona last year. Our oldest daughter and her family live in Arizona too. We are enjoying the wonderful weather here after living in New Jersey for 38 years.

I grew up ion the Heights in the 40s-50s. I lived on Fairview Ave. at the end of 193rd St. and St. Nicholas Ave. Fairview Ave. connected St. Nicholas Ave., and Broadway. I could see the Cloisters from my Apt. I went to PS 189 and the to GW from '54-'57. I was born in Woman's Hospital. In had non paralytic polio in 1947 and was cared for at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital. I went to Ft. George Presbyterian Church and was a member of Scout Troop 724. I presently live in Maryland and have been practicing law in Maryland and DC for the last 43 years. I love this Board.

On the web site there is a picture of a plane that landed on St. Nicholas Ave. I was going to buy some cigarettes that morning and saw the plane.In a local Irish bar right on the end of 193rd St. the pilot bet that he could land a plane on St. Nich. He then went to an airport in NJ, stole an airplane and landed it. I believe that he got off rather lightly at the time. I'm told that he did it again and the second time he didn't get off so easily. The IRT 7th Ave. subway come out of the tunnel at 200th St. We used to climb over a fence at 200th and jump on top of the subway cars and ride them uptown toward Van Courtland Park. A kid named Jimmy Ryan, for whatever reason, rode the train downtown and got smashed as the train went into the tunnel. We used hitch rides on the back of trucks on Broadway and go up and down Broadway. On of my friends, hitched a truck on his bike and was killed.My Catholic friends used to go and read the List, which was published every week at St. Elizabeth's School and Church proscribing prohibited movies, and then we would go to see them. Some of the gangs that I recall The Gales Beacons, Enchanters, Fanwoods, Lucky Lords (I played football for them), Robins (a football team), Fordam Baldies, Egyptian Kings, they killed a guy in my neighborhood after I left. The murder made the papers, I believe that the killer was labeled the Cape Man. The state of Israel had just come into being and everywhere signed were posted "Guns For The Jews".

We had a lot of fathers who were WW 11 vets. Some of them were wounded and disabled for the rest of their lives. My best friend's father had a hip shattered in the battle of the bulge. He was an officer in the Fire Dept. When he came back he walked with a cain and drank too much. It took years for his hip to heal, and just as it did, he fell drunk, shattered it again, and ruined the rest of his life. My neighbor, right through the wall in the next apartment was of German extraction. When he was in basic training his eyes were damaged by a grenade. I remember his coming home and getting out of cab in uniform. A lot of the people in the neighborhood speculated that he had done it on purpose because he was suppose to have said that he would never go to war against his own people. In my neighborhood, we had a lot of Irish families living 6-7-8- to an apartment, some on relief, (welfare of the day) and usually with an alcoholic father. Later, we had a major Puerto Rican immigration and then Cuban immigration.

There was a couple the lived in the apartment above me. Johnny and Lorane Pie. He was Irish she was Jewish and they had twin girls. One day Johnny "slipped" off the roof and fell into the alley behind our apartment. Of course, everyone knew he had been thrown off the roof. There was a Williams family in my building. Mr. Williams used to get drunk and abuse his wife and children. One evening, the police came to our building and took him out. He was a handfull and by the time he reached the 34th precent, we was dead. The poilce said that he "fell" but they had beaten him to death.

Some years ago I returned to the neighborhood and it had all changed. The entire area was Colombian. All the open air markets were still there but I didn't see any of the old bars and so on. Colombian flags were everywhere. I have to close now and get back to work. These are just a very few memories I thought you might find interesting. I intend to return to the Heights in the near future and look around.

Born in 1943, my parents lived at 720 and then 730 Ft. Washington Avenue till 1963 when they moved "downtown" to 72nd Street and Park Avenue. Believe it or not, I was horrified. I'd gone to PS-187 thru 6th grade (I do remember M. Devany, Ms. Taylor, Mrs. Goldschein, Mrs. Wertheimer, Mr. Brainson) and lining up in the schoolyard and exercises before marching into the building. Then to JHS-115 for the "sps" and doing 7th, 8th and 9th grade in 2 years. Then to Barnard School for Boys (now part of Horace Mann) class of '59. Then Columbia College class of '63. I lived at home the whole time (all the way until I was 20) and commuted. As others have said, the neighborhood was yekke and totally focused on "core values" and education. It was in the air as was the need to win in the schoolyard and in the playground and to fearlessly go down suicide hill. I spent as much time in the Cloisters as in the schoolyard. I even read "Catcher in the Rye" in the outdoor courtyard of the Cloisters and studied 15th Century Flemish paintings and Tapestry there.........probably accounts for my Art History major at Columbia. My sister and I returned two years ago. We took the subway to 190th Street. Unfortunately, the "unique smell" was gone from the elevator but once outside (on a drizzly day) the air smelled as sweet as we'd remembered, Shrimpy was the same, and as we walked down to the Ft. Tryon Jewish Center for the Public Yiskur we almost cried from the nostalgia. Much has changed but nothing has changed. We were saddened by the condition of the schul that our parents had helped build. The roof leaks. There's no real rabbi (they have a rent-a-rabbi for the High Holidays) and so we made a gift as we left (never to return I guess). PS-187 was as good a school as any private school I know. Our daughters went to Dalton and Riverdale and they were great schools. But no better than PS-197 and JHS-115. Our grandkids go to public school in Armonk and at this time of year I hear them saying "I hope I don't get him next year......he's mean" and think back to saying the same thing 55 years ago. I guess some things really don't change very much.

My wife and I lead a very cosmopolitan life. We've been very lucky and, believe me, we give back. When I meet someone and we learn that we both grew up in Washington Heights in the 40's and 50's we give each other a knowing look and smile. One of my friends just married a guy who told me he'd gone to PS-187. He didn't know that I had and when I said "prove it", he was shocked. I started singing "we suggest it's the best" and he chimed in "you'll agree when you see" and I knew he was the real thing. We've become great friends.

I was born at Doctors hospital in 1958 and live at 900 W. 190th street and Fort Washington ave. I went to PS 187 when Mrs. Mendel was Principal and Dr. Ruler was Vice Principal. I have seen a post by Fred Madsen and was wondering if you are the brother of Jerry. I don't remember which ones grade I was in, but it was one of you guys I believe. I remember you guys used to mix it up with the Walsh brothers now and then. I used to hang out at Ft. Tryon park, the Cloisters and my boys (LOL, I was 6) used to clash with the boys at Bennet Park. I have been fortunate to talk (Email) Wendy Packer and to Evelyn Bick (My sweetheart) I can't picture Perry, but I'm sure I knew him. Madsen I remember as clear as yesterday.I remember the hippie lawn and the cafeteria in the park. The whole world was ours then. We roamed around like we owned the place. My grandparents lived at 720 and most of my friends lived at 730. Neighborhoods like ours don't exist today. It would be great to have a reunion. I would love to see everyone again. If anyone knows of a PS 187 reunion, please contact me at nm_f@comcast.net Nice hearing from you all.

and in 2007 being inducted into the RR Hall of Fame

I am so happy to have come across this site. It never occurred to me that I could miss my old neighborhood so much. My family was one of the first, if not THE first, black family to move into the area. What an experience that was! PS187 was my very first school. I still remember my first grade teacher Mrs. Fink, followed by Mrs. Gisenburger, Mrs. Schindles, Mrs. Heller (who years later taught my nephew), Mrs. Douglas and finally, Mrs. Schwartz.

My family lived in the basement apartment at 180 Pinehurst Avenue until my last year of high school. As I write now, the memories of the cobble street leading down Pinehurst to 187th Street, the pizza place around the corner, the bakery, the butcher shop (where my mom used to buy the Kosher franks) and all of my friends come back, reminding me of the bext moments of my childhood. By the way, I saw a post by Wendy Packer. I wonder if you are the same Wendy who is the brother of Perry Packer, one of my PS187 classmates and one of my group of friends. If I remember correctly, the Packers lived in an apartment building across the street from PS187, and a little further south on Cabrini Blvd.

I grew up on Pinehurst Avenue, between 180th and 181st Sts, and went to PS 132, JHS 115, and George Washington High School, graduating in 1960. My husband, Paul lived around the corner. We married in 1962 and have two children and five grandchildren. We often talk about those great times, where everyone watched out for everyone else, and all that we wanted was close by. I've been trying to catch up with old friends and classmates.

We were there in the forties, right up to early fifties and going under the desks to escape atomic bombs, no kidding. Even then, I knew that was crazy. We had great teachers, and what happened to the kids? We were together from kindergarten or first grade, right through, and now there's no way to find each other. That was the IG class and in JHS 52, the SP classes which got us out in two years, rather than three. Maybe it was elite, but so is the basketball team for basketball players. (We never had basketball, anyway.) Fort Tryon park was a true wonder with rocks and a giant willow tree that was halved in a hurricane in the forties. We had blackouts during the war where the black shades were pulled down, and we had Ohav Sholaum near Jewish Memorial Hospital and Wadsworth Hospital was in the other direction. We were all Jews and a few Irish Catholics and one or two Presbyterians. We were lucky kids even if having a car was rare and we all rented apartments and did not have a house. We were in the country part of Manhattan.

Just by chance I've run into the Washington Heights web site. What a treat. When I get a chance I'll write some about growing up from about five years old to my late twenties on 160th and 161st, living on the 'Wall' with a dozen different languages from Europe, belonging to 'The Rajahs', headquarters in a back alley converted storeroom on 161st with ping pong table, music, dancing...hanging out at'The PX', dice against the Wall... how families used to have their special whistle from the fifth and sixth floors of the apartment buildings to call kids in to dinner from the streets where we played stickball. Later on, I moved from photographer for The Hatchet at GW High School, graduating in 1951, to the newspaper business as a re-writeman, reporter and editor...then TV writing and producing news programs at ABC-TV. My brother, Jules, was Science Editor and correspondent for ABC-TV for many years. There have been thousands of success stories, you have already put together so well.

My fondest memories are of growing up in the Heights. My father was a doctor and we immigrated to the US and NYC in 1959 ( from the Dominican Republic) and lived on 176th between St Nick and Amsterdam from 1959 through 1961. In 1961 we moved to a much bigger apartment at 47 Ft Wash Ave on the corner of 161. The building is still there and my mother still lives in the same apartment. I attended Incarnation from 1st through 8th grade graduating in 1969. I can tell you that not many people even knew where the Dominican Republic was when we first moved to the US. If you were Spanish back then in NYC everyone thought you were Puerto Rican! I have fond memories of growing up in the Heights and going to the RKO and Lowe's as well as spending most summer days at Highbridge pool and buying penny candies across the street from the pool afterwards (although I can't remember the name of the candy store.). I was also witness (and part of) to the change in the people who lived in the Heights. When I started at Incarnation, it was a mix of Irish and Spanish and when I lived at 161st it was mostly Jewish with some Italian still there. Nothing will ever replace playing stickball in the summer and football in the winter on the street right in front of my apartment building. I remember the older folks sitting in chairs in front of the building worrying about us hitting them with the ball. Does anyone remember the game of "points"? Or how about stoop ball? We played them all including Johnny-ride-a-pony. I also noticed a lack of anyone talking about Van Cortland Park. I know it's in the Bronx but whenever you wanted to go to the real "outdoors" nothing beat a ride up on the #2 train (?) to the 242nd street station, last stop for the park. And for those of us who lived in the 161st through 164th street areas in the 60's and 70s who remembers Roger the Good Humor Man? Or how about Freddy's Record store on 165 and Broadway (or was it 166?) where you went to buy your 45s? I would like to see if any of the kids I grew up with see or use this web site. This would include Cookie and Frankie Weisbart ho lived across from us on 161. Johnny Ragonessim Frankie Lopez, Carlos, Tony, Suzanna, Alvin, Eugene, Bruce Barrera and Mark. I have a good number of pictures of growing up in the Heights. I'm trying to figure out how to get them scanned and downloaded on the site. I was referred to this site by a young lady who works for the same bank as I do. She came to a training session in Pittsburgh and in the obligatory introductions at the beginning realized we both grew up in nearby neighborhoods. She attended Good Shepard. I owe her a big thank you for turning me on to this web site. I look forward to being a regular contributor and reader!

Mr. Steve Voloshin Wappinger's description of Washington Heights brought memory induced tears to my eyes. His recollection of my old neighborhood took me back to a place that has seen many changes throughout the years, but continues to serve as a vestige of both old and new world New York. I am guessing that I am probably the youngest contributor on this site, but like the rest of you I too have found memories of the "Heights." From the age of eight I lived at 820 Riverside Drive and 158th Street in 1969. I too recall "The Wall" and its seemingly sprawling "snake like" concrete divider between the upper and lower Riverside Drive. Hornsteins Stationary store was the place were my mother would purchase birthday cards while I would droll over the newest Duncan yoyos or Hotwheel cars for sale. That store was one of my favorite places in the neighborhood to buy toys or gifts.

Speaking of my mother, She worked at the "Rexall" drug store as a counter waitress before the owner skipped town and they turned it into a Kentucky Fried Chicken. That newsstand in front of the drugstore was where I began my comic book collection. If any of you remember the Rexall drug store next to the IRT train station, my mother's name was Edythe and she worked there from 1969-1974. Many celebrities from my era would eat there daily. Tiny

Tim, Freddie Prinze, Geraldo Rivera, Garrett Morris, Charles Rangel, and many more future stars where served by my mother and other hard working waitresses at that establishment. From there, my mother worked as a waitress at Wilson's Bakery up on Amsterdam Avenue and 158th Street. It was also a pleasure to read that Mr. Wappniger remembers Ernie's Supermarket as I do. Boy, have supermarkets changed! I too graduated from P. S. 187.

Although, by the time I graduated it had became I. S. 187. The principal at the time was Sarah Mandel. She like other faculty members, where strict disciplinarians like Dr. Rulas who was the Vice Principal. However, I also remember teachers like; Ms. Lipsky, who, as a sign of the changing times,where very hip and free spirited. 181 street like so many others remember was the place to shop. It seemed like every Christmas season my motherwhisked me onto the #4 bus, which made its way up Fort Washington Avenue, to do our Christmas shopping on 181st street. I attended GW High School for one year and next year I was transferred downtown to the brand new Martin Luther King, Jr. High School on 66th Street across from Lincoln Center and Julliard. It seems that GW became too rough of a place to attempt to get a decent education so for my safety my mother had me transferred. In those days, my movie theater of choice was the San Juan theatre (next to the Audubon ballroom) Two movies and a cartoon was all the entertainment my friends and I ever needed. My life in Washington Heights was beautiful and joyous time for me, and I too will go to my grave with cherished memories of my ole upper Manhattan existence. benelson@earthlink.net

I lived at 605 West 170th Street. I went to PS 173, JHS 115 and Stuyvesant HS. A group of us rode the A train to school every day. I was a member of Boy Scout Troop 718 that was located in the Broadway Temple Methodist Church on 173rd St and Broadway. We used to go to summer camp at the Ten Mile River Scout Camp in Narrowsburg, NY. I lived across the street from the Uptown Theater where we would sneak into the movies as often as we could. I also went to the Loew's 175th Street and was a member of an Irish gang called The Celtics. I was a refugee from Hitler's Germany but because of where I lived, most of my friends were Irish Catholics from St. Rose of Lima parish. I remember running in CYO track meets in the 169th Street armory and watching both roller derby and the 6 day bike races in that armory. We played basketball in the schoolyard of PS 173 and swam in Highbridge pool. I was a Lifeguard at Rockaway Beach 103rd Street for 2 summers then wound up going to Syracusre University. Made a career of the US Marine Corps. Visited the old neighborhood in the early 90's, thought I was back in Vietnam. Things changed a little. Tried to go into my old apartment building but it didn't look too friendly and since I had my wife with me, we opted to return downtown via the #5 bus. That was also quite an experience.I had great times in the Heights. I remember The Lakes of Sligo Inn on 169th Street and the Conemara Bar on Amsterdam Avenue. The Knights of Columbus and the Hibernians would hang out there after their meetings in full dress uniforms. Ah, those were the days. I am now retired in Pacifica, California, 10 miles south of San Francisco. I will always be a New Yorker. Thanks for this website.

Interesting website! I lived in the Heights for 20 years from 1946. In 1973 I emigrated to Australia, where I've been ever since, so my memories haven't been refreshed in a long time! Our family lived on Pinehurst Avenue (no. 187?) until 1954, when we moved around the corner to 240 Cabrini Boulevard. I went to PS 187 when Mrs Froehlich (spelling?) was principal. Her favourite motto was "Just Enough Is Not Good Enough". We had excellent teachers, among them the wonderful but no-nonsense Devanny sisters. I left the neighbourhood on schooldays from 1958 to 1962 to attend Bronx HS of Science, and from 1962 to 1966 to go to the uptown campus of NYU.

Many contributors have remembered particular shops. I can remember many of the shops around 187th St and its junctions with Fort Washington Ave and Cabrini Blvd, and am amazed to think how like a little village it was, with drugstores, groceries, a barber shop, fruit and vegetable shop, liquor stores, bakery, Chinese laundry, laundromat, pizza shop, etc etc, and even an old Italian shoemaker. We were almost self-sufficient in retail! But it was always exciting to walk down 181st St to Broadway and beyond, to Woolworths and the bigger clothing outlets, and to see what films were on the "coming soon" boards outside the RKO Colosseum and Loews 175th. I remember a tradition of walking to the canvas-protected kiosk outside the IND subway entrance on Fort Washington Ave, opposite Bennett Park, very late on a Saturday night to pick up the next day's Sunday NY Times. I also remember a tradition of buying hot rolls and rye bread early on Sunday morning at the bakery at FWA and 187th St, close to "The Steps", which makes me wonder how much I could have slept on Saturday nights!

Like other contributors I have very fond memories of Fort Tryon Park and its gardens (and the Closters), both in the lush, bright green of summer and the pale light of winter (another sled nut from Suicide Hill here). Did the garden sign read "Let no one say/ and say it to your shame/ that all was beauty here/ until you came"? Sundays there were German immigrants, mainly, dressed up formally for a promenade through the gardens, and near the entrance was an old man with a magnificent parrot on a perch. The Sunday crowd was probably the highlight of the week for the squirrels and pigeons, who were fed peanuts (bought in little packets from the Park kiosk) by dozens of little kids.

Bennett Park was also pleasant and safe, partly thanks to the humble man in a green uniform (The Parkie) who kept us little kids in line in the 1950s. There was a plaque on a granite outcrop in the Park announcing that this was the highest point on Manhattan Island, and at the south end of the Park was a set of concrete playing tables where serious-faced European immigrants spent long hours at chess.

It was a nice ethnic mix in the neighbourhood then, with German and Russian Jews, Irish, Greek, Chinese, Hispanics - even a Japanese family, the Otanis, on Pinehurst Avenue. I learned the rudiments of Spanish on the street before I studied it in high school, and what a treat it was on a weekend to walk to Broadway for a family meal of (wait for it) Cuban Chinese food, from a menu in 3 languages. We seemed to be a pretty tolerant lot then, although it wasn't until my high school years that I noticed the black/white divide and realised I had to travel outside the neighbourhood to see black friends.

Before finding this website, I looked over the old neighbourhood on Google Earth, and could hardly believe how little the basic geography has changed in 50 years. The street trees are still there, only bigger. "The Lots", a wonderfully neglected woodland across Cabrini Boulevard from the Mother Cabrini complex, still looks as undeveloped as it did in the 1950s, and is probably still a nature playground for adventurous neighbourhood kids. I hope so! Hello,

Hi - Heights resident from 1933 - 1954. Born at St Elizabeth Hospital (now gone?), lived on Pinehurst Ave, then Fort Washington Ave and 178th St, was torn away from the Heights at age 21 by The Army. As the token WASP in the neighborhood, I attended PS 173 across from Jay Hood Wright Park, then JHS115 (Humboldt Junior High), then downtown to Stuyvesant High and NYU. Enjoyed the tennis courts under the GW Bridge, the pool halls around 181st and Broadway (that is until Rev. Poling from FW Collegiate Church chased us back to church).

The "rich kids" all lived in Hudson View Gardens or Castle Village. From a pub booth down 181st St and about Cabrini Blvd we used to see the baseball announcer Vin Scully who dropped in after a game on his way home to Castle Village. I could go on and on.

I have lived in Arizona for about 50 years. I had heard that the Heights now was all about slums, gangs and drugs. My granddaughter is visiting NYC this weekend. She called me from in front of my old flat at 400 Ft. Washington Ave, just yesterday. I asked her what it was like. She said fine -- older folk, young people, kids, clean and well-kept -- and we're not getting mugged Pappy. I was relieved and surprised. Thank you for your website.