Author Topic: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit  (Read 19391 times)

Offline BLeafe

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The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« on: May 24, 2010, 03:50:06 PM »
I finally remembered to go see the "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit at Bergen Arnold Community Constable College at Main and Passaic. I asked a security guard how long it would be up for and he said it's coming down some time this week, so if you haven't seen it, don't waste time like I did.

I took some shots with my cell - mostly of images that I hadn't seen before or never owned. There were a couple of reflection/glare problems, but overall they came out semi-decent.



1. How long did I wait before going there? Apparently, it opened on April 15.








2. While most of the exhibit is inside, some of the items are in the outside display windows. I found the Holy Grail 1876 Bergen County Atlas and its perfect counterpart sign on the Passaic St side (along with some unsightly window reflections):








3. This photo wasn't labeled and I have no idea where it was, but I'm sure Mr. Editor does:








4. How cool would it be to see this structure on Anderson St today?








5. The Bijou was located at 150 Main St. I found something online that's about 25-35 years old that says "Today, the site is Lowit's parking lot".








6. I've NEVER seen this before:








7. Someone who used to go here mentioned this place to me last week and I wasn't aware of it. You can tell we grew up on opposite sides of the river. This was located just north of Johnson Park.








8. The old Five & Dime:








9. I'm not sure what year this is from, but it appears to show less information than the 1896 map:








10. Can't ignore any grouping that Jimi's in:








11. I'm finishing up with one of my childhood memories. I could see Santa's sleigh and reindeer strung between the two Packard's towers from my street in Teaneck - a mile away (I had to angle the shot because of glare).







.
« Last Edit: May 24, 2010, 10:15:38 PM by BLeafe »


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Offline johnny g

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2010, 04:27:12 PM »
wow, great pic of Packards!  does anyone remember when Main St became a one way? In the pic with McCrory's it had the traffic moving south. And when did McCrory's become Woolworths?

Offline Homer Jones

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2010, 05:39:03 PM »
I believe that main Street became one way in 1976.

Offline prospectgirl

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #3 on: May 26, 2010, 12:25:46 AM »
wow, great pic of Packards!  does anyone remember when Main St became a one way? In the pic with McCrory's it had the traffic moving south. And when did McCrory's become Woolworths?

Awesome Packard's Christmas memories... just plain awesome... I concur!!!  From my memory, I  certainly remember Woolworth's standing a few doors down from Central Avenue and across the street from a big clock on the corner opposite where the #82 used to drop off its riders from Main Street in Bogota. To my best recollection, Woolworth's had been long-standing at the end of Main by Central.

I do seem to recall a smaller variety store though, not unlike today's dollar-type stores, situated toward the direction of South Hackensack in my younger teenager years. However, I thought that Mc Crory's was located elsewhere and do not recall that Woolworth's replaced it at any later time.

 Does anyone else remember that Lamston's, another variety store, was on the North end of Main Street (toward the direction of Fairmount), perhaps past Passaic Street (?), but not far from the corner where a big sporting store stood [the one where I bought both roller skates and ice skates each year. I cannot remember its name. I know that Lamston's stood  somewhere nearby it on the side of the street opposite from Sears and Roebuck...

 Moreover, testing my memory further, I am stretching to remember if that afore-mentioned sport shoe place had been the place that also carried the soft-bottomed ballet shoes my mom bought me, which came in many colors. Throughout those years though, I more clearly recall a very small,  boutique-like specialty store, near the center of Main(in the vicinity of Johnson's Library and Singer's)where I would purchase my tap shoes and then later the beloved first ballet toe slippers when I finally attained toe dancer level. Oh, how thrilling to buy those pink slippers with their long silken wraps of ribbons, a young dancer's dream.

As a young child, I remember taking lessons somewhere on or near Main Street and later danced at a studio out of town (toward the direction of Maywood)... Would anyone remember names? I think that a girl named Patty Campbell attended dance classes there, too ( in Hackensack).  Patty attended Holy Angels Academy, not HTS, although she lived on Maple Avenue on the same side of the street as the convent, a few houses before reaching the railroad tracks.  Can anyone clarify or confirm any of these musings???? Locations or names of stores?....
« Last Edit: May 27, 2010, 05:12:34 AM by prospectgirl »

Offline HHS72

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #4 on: May 26, 2010, 09:19:17 AM »
I believe Lamstons 5 & 10 was next door (just to the south) of Arnold Constables. 

Offline Top of the Hill

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #5 on: May 26, 2010, 12:31:07 PM »
HHS72 is correct about the location of Lamstons. This was my first real job in 1974 as a 15 year old. Didn't have to produce any paperwork regarding my right to work, didn't have to prove I was a citizen, didn't have to show a work permit. Worked behind the luncheonette counter. Served coffee, cooked hamburgers, hot dogs, grilled cheese sandwiches. Cleaned up afterwards. Washed pots in the basement, where there  was a small kitchen where the day cook/manager prepared the daily specials and soups. Behind the counter was a 2 sided griddle press that was used to make grill cheese sandwiches. The manager always complained about how we never got it clean enough. We used to scrub that thing like crazy. I remember he went on vacation for 2 weeks and nobody cleaned it. I thought his head was going to pop off. I started working there in early November and in late December employees got Christmas bonuses. Bonuses were based on how long you worked there. I never expected to receive a bonus, but to my surprise was called up to the office and presented with a bonus check of $1.65, of which I think I got to keep $1.01 after taxes. This job prepared me for my next 2 jobs as a dishwasher, first at Wellington Hall and then at Hackensack Hospital (it wasn't a medical center yet) where I earned almost $8 per hour. A lot of money for an after school job and they would give me about 25 hours a week.

The sporting goods store referred to by Prospect Girl was Cowan's. They used to sponsor a little league baseball team.

Offline WarrenG

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #6 on: May 27, 2010, 06:29:34 PM »
"Awesome Packard's Christmas memories... just plain awesome... I concur!!!"  I also concur!!  Packard's was always a treat.  I somehow doubt the hot dogs and chocolate shakes from the snack bar under the escalator could really have been that good!  And for that special occasion the restaurant in front (was it Sam's?  The Green Room??) was the epitome of class (of course looking back, a restaurant in a department sore entry couldn't have been that classy!).

I clearly remember escaping to the 3rd floor to fantasize in the toy department while my mom did the more pedestrian grocery shopping downstairs.  Those shopping carts were pretty weak...  But at Christmas time, Packard's was a real fantasy world both outside and in!

Offline BLeafe

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #7 on: May 27, 2010, 09:27:49 PM »
And for that special occasion the restaurant in front (was it Sam's?  The Green Room??) was the epitome of class.

I think you're referring to The Print Room.
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Offline WarrenG

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #8 on: May 28, 2010, 06:21:46 PM »
Yes, I do believe it was called 'The Print Room'.  I remember the windows into the Packard's entry were covered with white curtains to give it a little privacy, and the tables were all white tablecloth.  It was a real special occasion to dine here!!!

Offline GinnyT

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #9 on: June 07, 2010, 11:12:01 PM »
Like Top of the Hill, Lamston's was also my first real job, but it was in 1963.  I was paid $1 an hour and worked 5 days a week after school and then all day Saturday.  I was assigned to a couple of aisles to keep things stocked and neat, and to help customers find what they needed.  My areas included sewing and knitting supplies and toiletries.  It was quite a thrill at the time.

Offline Editor

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit (McCrory)
« Reply #10 on: November 13, 2017, 01:37:02 PM »
Check this out. It's on the south wall of 151-153 Main. Woolworths was at 149 Main.

I'm posting it here as johnnyg asked about it 6+ years ago. (Better late than never).

This information is from the Bergen County Historic Site Survey which I converted into a walking tour document some years ago.

Second Marcus Jewelers. Constructed 1897. Architect: William Augustus Lambert. Style: Romanesque Revival. Facade: Pair of gablets with large, arched opening with projecting bay window (now gone) on 2nd story. The Odd Fellows Hall is an interesting, eclectic building with bold, round arched openings with conspicuous rock faced stone trim. In 1898, the building was described as "one of the finest in town". The building was erected in 1897 as the second hall for the oldest paternal lodge in Bergen County, founded in 1848. The U.S. Post Office was located her until 1910. In 1910, the stores were leased to J.G. McCrory & Co., five and dime store. The building as listed in Forbe's Key to the Architects of Greater New York of 1899, 1900 and 1901 as the only representative work of William Augustus Lambert who had offices in Manhattan until 1896 and lived in Hackensack. He designed a large number of houses in Hackensack.


(Thanks to Jeffrey Muller for alerting me.) 
« Last Edit: November 13, 2017, 01:48:18 PM by Editor »

Offline johnny g

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #11 on: November 14, 2017, 01:37:56 PM »
Love it!! Thank you :))

Offline Homer Jones

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #12 on: November 14, 2017, 02:32:41 PM »
It would be nice if we could get the developers to spring for a grand or so to put plaques on the historic buildings and sites downtown. The City did that back in the 1970’s during it’s early redevelopment efforts. There were plaques installed on the old bank building at Main and Mercer. Hopefully these plaques were saved.

Offline Homer Jones

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Re: The "A Stroll Down Main Street" exhibit
« Reply #13 on: November 14, 2017, 02:54:31 PM »
That painted McCrory sign from yesterday’s post can be photographed and lasered onto a plaque. Wouldn’t that look fantastic?