My Old Bronx Neighborhood
Here is where I look back to the past. A visit to where I grew up, went to school, church and the places where I went to visit the family. I went back to The Bronx one Saturday in April and here's what I found.
On the spot where this low red brick building now sits, was a five-story walk up. LaSalle was the name on 815 Hunts Point Avenue. We moved from there when I was about 5 years old.
Here's a shot looking down the block towards Bruckner Boulevard. When we left the area in 1970, that entire row of houses looked like a bomb hit it. Now they have all been renovated and they look beautiful once again.
Now I'm looking across the street from 815 Hunts Point Ave. Gilbert Place is the name of that street where the laundromat is. We're looking towards Bruckner Blvd. Hey look! That's Roddy sitting in the red car in the foreground.
Now we're looking the other way. This is the corner of Hunts Point, Lafayette and that's Coster Street straight ahead. In the background on the left you can see a part of PS 48 way down the block.
This empty lot on the right used to be 1078 Southern Boulevard. On the top floor looking out onto The El was Abuela's apartment. We spent many a summer day sitting on the fire escape waving to all the people in the trains as they went by.
Across the street was the Art movie theater. At the time, they showed Spanish movies there. Now here it is, a house of worship.
Around the corner from Abuela's old building was Fort Apache, the 41st Precinct. Can you believe this is the same Simpson Street we used to know and love?
I'm standing with my back to Westchester Avenue, looking down Kelly Street. I think in the middle of this block was the building where Uncle Georgie used to live. I'll have to get a confirmation on that and get back to you.
From Hunts Point Avenue we moved a few blocks down to this house on Bryant. It's the middle one.
Around the corner from our house on Bryant was my elementary school. Here it is, PS 48. The Joseph Rodman Drake School. This is looking up the hill from Faile Street. That center divider wasn't there when I was a kid. That used to be home plate when they played stickball on Spofford Ave. Yeah, they played going uphill. Talk about a workout running the bases.
Here's the school looking down from Coster Street.
And now I'm standing on the corner of Faile Street and Spofford Avenue looking at the park. That's right! this is the park across the street from the school. Looks a lot different than it used to, doesn't it?
Look how everything has changed. This is the Hunts Point subway station. Back in the 50s to early 60s it was a beautiful park. Then it got ugly. And now look at it!
We used to go to church here at St. Athanasius. Doesn't it look absolutely beautiful? I don't remember the church looking this good when I was a kid.
And for those of you who attended St. Athanasius Church, you must remember the Library on the corner. Here it is, on Southern Boulevard looking up towards Hunts Point. Let's see.....how many times did I go there and check out "The Cat In The Hat"?
Now up a block or two looking the other way on Southern Boulevard, towards 149th Street is St. Athanasius School. That's it on the left.
OK, some things don't change much. This is where I spent a lot of my summer days. Casita Maria, doing crafts, playing games and going on occasional trips. It is still a part of St. Athanasius Church.
After I finished at PS 48, it was off to junior high school. Here's where I went, Henry Hudson Junior High School 125. I either jumped on the number 5 or 5A bus, or I took the number 6 train from Hunts Point to Parkchester. The school is on Pugsley Avenue.
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