Ironbound in the 1970s

Pardon me, this is not exactly Newark in the 1970s. By the looks of cars and busses it must be Newark in the 1950s. This is the post-card I sent my folks back-home in Brazil when I went to live there in 1971. Newark was a city in a fast stage of decay then.

Market Street in 1982. 

Market St corner with Broad St in the 1940s. 

Broad Street 1953 (or 1945?) showing S. Klein Store and the new Art Moderne façade on McCrory's.

Kresge Deptment Store closed its doors 1964.

'Two Guys from Harrison' opened its doors in the Fall of 1967, where Kresge had been since the 1920s.

This is the infamous 'Sing Sing' apartment building on Lexington Avenue in Newark. I took this picture in 2001 but apart from the few cars parked by the curb it looks exactly like it was in the 1960s and 1970s. Nowadays the streets surrounding the complex is much cleaner than it used to be in the 70s when it was a health hazard to stroll down the sidewalk because people used to throw stuff from their windows into the street. Times have changed a bit in the Ironbound, Newark, N.J.

Elm Street in the summer of 2001. Except for the cars' models it might as well be the summer of 1972.

Synthetic Plastics Co. on Francis Street; a factory where I worked making 45 rpm vynil records in 1972 and 1973.

Same factory, different angle... photo was taken in 2001 but it might as well be 1971.

'Brazilian Go-Go Bar' at the corner of Wilson Avenue & Barbara Street. I lived on the 2nd floor just above the juke-box where they blasted Diana Ross's 'There ain't no mountain high enough' and Rod Stewart's 'Maggie Mae' many-a time.

A diner near 'Sing Sing' where I heard Led Zeppelin's 'Black dog' for the 1st time.

Saint Stephen's on Ferry Street; on the right is Wilson Avenue which up to the Great War was called Hamburg Place.

Saint Stephen's Church is an Ironbound landmark. Built in 1874,  for a German-speaking congregation, which it remained until the 1930s. The church is still Lutheran but uses Spanish and Portuguese in its services. The architect was George Staehlin and the interior has some of the most ornate woodwork in Newark. The church is shown as the first alien spawning point in Steven Spielberg's 2005 'War of the Worlds'. Locals call this site "As Cinco Esquinas/Five Corners." See the scenes here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlBJsD8tBco 

Wilson Avenue

Walking up Ferry Street and Wilson Avenue was a particular pleasure when I was new in the neighbourhood. After paying a visit to Tia Eugênia's newsagency on 112 Ferry Street, I would hang around the area chatting with Brazilian fellows who were bound to turn up at any given minute. At the corner of Ferry & Wilson there was a Greek restaurant called Andros which kept its door open 24 hours a day.

On Wilson's first block there was Wilson Avenue Public School which could be noisy with students running around and shouting during class recesses. On the right-hand side a little further up there was a 2-story house in which 3 Brazilian young men from Franco da Rocha, lived. Luiz aka Dentinho worked with me at the record factory on Francis Street - he was a 'paste man' who delivered hot vynil paste to all of us machine-operators who then cut it in smaller pieces which would be smashed by two hot plates in the process of making up two 45 rpm singles at a go. 

Dentinho was fond of wearing a blue overall which was quite popular among young males in the early 1970s. He shared this flat on the 2nd floor with Alfredo and a tall fellow I can't recall the name. This particular fellow sported long straight hair and owned a red Mustang. Owning a 2nd-hand Mustang was a 'must' among young Brazilian studs. 

I remember visiting them one evening on my way back from Two Guys, a department store on Broad Street still bearing the 'West Side Story' sound-track album in my hands I had just bought. When I walked passed their house on that Saturday evening I decided to stop, knock on their door and see if Dentinho was in. Not only him but all three of them were in. I already knew Alfredo by sight for he worked at the record factory in different shift.

They had a record player in the living room, so they were eager to listen to records. They probably thought it was a rock'n'roll album and didn't know anything about a 1961 musical flick or had ever listened to Marnie Nixon's soprano voice. As soon as they listened to Tony & Maria sing the first strains of 'Tonight', they looked at each other, sniggered and burst out laughing. They probably thought I was queer or old-fashioned. I swiftly changed the record on the turntable to Donovan's heavy Scottish-accented folk songs in 'For little ones'. They couldn't make heads or tails about my particular taste in music but they didn't mean to hurt my feelings.   

This must have been late-November, probably during the 1971 Thanksgiving holiday or the following weekend. As they lived near Saint Stephen's, the 3 boys often heard the bells from the Lutheran Church. They told me they usually became really sad near Christmas when they heard the bells tolling for they remembered their families back in Brazil. They must have been in the USA for at least 2 years to have this feeling of despondency. 

The fellow who owned the Mustang must have been in the US longer for he seemed to be more knowing and outgoing. Actually he offered me a lift home but I told him I lived only 4 blocks away. He insisted he was going out anyway so I let him give me a ride home. He had long legs and a pleasant smile. I wish it would have taken longer for I wanted to know more about him. He seemed to be a caring person and had a special charm. That was the last time I saw him. 

There was a travel agency on the same side of Dentinho's abode. As one got nearer Lafayette Street there was a Pathmark, the largest supermarket in the area. I was impressed with almost everything they had, especially one-gallon milk cartons which were huge and heavy to handle.  

A little further up nearer the go-go bar where I lived upstairs, there was a place with coin-operated washing machines where I used to do my laundry. 

There was a musical instrument store on the left-handed side of Wilson Avenue a few houses up from the Pathmark. It was usually empty of customers but if you looked really hard you saw a lady who was the owner or the shop assistant. I went in a few times and once I bought me a guitar-capo made by Dunlop.

Express bus from Broad Street in Newark to Port Authority Bus Terminal on 8th Ave with 41st Street in New York City circa 1958 or 1959. See the new Prudential Bldg on the left and Kresge Department Stores which would turn into Two Guys in 1967, on the right. 

Broad Street looking towards the new Prudential Bldg in 1969. 

Ferry Street in the Ironbound in 1972. One can see a record shop; I wonder whether this is the record store which had a Sarita Montiel album cover on its window when I arrived in town on 2nd October 1971; further down one can see Lo Biondo's Market (shop & eat) and further still Lisbon Liquors.

John M Abeigon HD wrote: that's Ferry Street between Congress St. & Jefferson St. I lived on the  second door from right.

Frank Vieira wrote: I see Lo Biondo's;  we used to get our lunch there, also the Cubin record store had many exotic instruments. The bakery was on the corner where a stinky BBQ place is now. I was around 13 years old. This is when Ferry Street had some great stores, not like today, nothing but cell phone stores and 99 cent junk stores.

Rosa Cunha Henriques wote (from Portugal); If I remember well this should be between Jefferson St. & Madison St. 

Wynona Russell wrote: I lived down Neck in the 1960s. Does anyone remember Mr Frankie Rose's store? He sold candy, ice-cream & sandwiches; he sold just about everything in his little store. It was next to Jefferson Street. He was the sweetest old man; he always gave my Mom credit. He was down there for many years; since the 40s, 50s & 60s. He reminded me of Jimmy Durante, that funny piano man on TV. He always wore a Durante hat. Maybe someone knows my brother Rollen F. Burns; he graduated from Lafayette Street School and went to Eastside High School and graduated from there in 1969 or 1970. 

Lafayette Street School kids anticipating 1956 Christmas; Dyamond Vasquez, Elaine Amador; Pau Eng-Wong & Joseph Evangelista. 

Delancey St. & Jefferson St. in 1961.

2 Barbara Street corner with Wilson Avenue. 

The 2-story-house on the corner of Wilson Avenue and Barbara Street where I started living on 2nd October 1971. It used to be the colour of red brick...apart from that it looks almost the same of 51 years back.