I grew up in Bethpage in the 1940's. You can't imagine how wonderful that was. Everyone was "poor" (money wise) but rich in friends & neighbors. We had an 'ice-box' and an iceman who delivered ice. No one used the front door-it was always the side kitchen door which was always open. We never had a key to lock it. Need I say more. A different world.
I delivered the Newsday in 1944 when I was 13. When I got older I met a man who was in charge of the routes for the kids. I told him about my route which crisscrossed with with my buddies route. That was one of the worst routes he had ever heard of because of the crisscrossing and distance I had to go. But back then we did what ever they told us to do because we needed the money which was about 3 bucks a week.
Amazing how, in 2020, people on the Island talk about leaving to get away from the traffic and crowds! The truth is this is anywhere in the US today that once was the land of milk and honey. People flooded in, ate it up and spit it out, leaving a trail of garbage behind. You can take off to some hillbilly town in the south and west, but I tried that, and, well, here I am back on Long Island! There's nowhere left to go.
Most of us who complain about LI, complain about the high cost of living and the ridiculous taxes paid. I hate that in Nassau County, you have to grieve your property taxes each year to avoid being taxed more than you should, and you can really only successfully grieve through a politically connected law firm (yes, I'm talking to you Maidenbaum!), who then takes half of whatever they've "saved" you. I shouldn't be paying nearly $30,000/year in property taxes for an 1,800sf home. It's a rigged system that people despise.
@@bkeen7013 Yes, that's why I always rented a sensible little apartment. They're not cheap either, but you're free to take off after any given 12 months. Most LI'ers are very spoiled. They're used to living in big spaces and cannot downsize. Besides that, when you're born and raised here, it's very tough to fit in anywhere else. The pace, climate, culture, etc, get's under your skin. You'll find yourself saying "back in New York...." over and over when you move.
@for the love of God I wish I had the nerve, but I just can't get used to the culture of small-town living. It's almost like you have to be born there to fit in. I feel creeped out by it to be honest. Maybe back 70 years ago, but in today's world, these seclude towns draw the dropouts of society.
what happened? That's a loaded question. A lot has happened to Long Island and America since this film was made around the year I was born in Oceanside, 1960. It would take a lot longer than a comment here to go through it all.
Grew up in Manhasset 1967-the 80’s. Truly blessed...dad made house calls in Flushing-easy commute. So sad to see the architectural changes & such that ensued.
Brentwood 1959-1965. What fun! In the Summer huge flatbeds would roam the neighborhood with small carnival rides, the Good Humor and Skybar trucks would have fist-fights over territories, and you could ride your bike up and down the street without a helmet because drivers were mindful of us. We went to Jones Beach, then Moses when the crowds got to be too much. We moved to CT, but frequently visited until the rest of our old neighborhood all moved out by the mid-'80s.
At 2:30 that swanky North Shore restaurant is Patricia Murphy's Candlelight Restaurant in Manhasset. My parents had their wedding reception there in 1957.
Joe. Growing up in old bethpage 1960s you ain't kidding two complete different worlds . What in hell happened? You could leave your bike on the lawn all night next morning still there, keys in the car. No problem. And the people were all nice. Not the crap me first attitude. Yeah give them pot it's not a drug it's recreation.
@@bkeen7013 Yes and no. All I can tell you is that I lived in Long Island with my Mother, then went to live with my Father in Florida. I love them both.
@@coachlombardi9657 Had a similar experience with my extended family (i.e. my eye-talian in-laws). Always thought their mafia posturing was fake, until it hit front page on the NY Post. Then I knew, they weren't lying. LOL!
This is a great piece of history. Is that A&S at 0:37 the one in Hempstead, which was torn down for the Stop & Shop (originally ShopRite) or was that the Great Bay Shopping Center A&S?
All of those factories that built airplanes and electronics mostly for the government (military) are gone, mostly to the south and not replaced. These were good well paying jobs, mostly union, many of my High School classmates went to work there immediately and had long careers there raising families. A lot of the shopping centers that were big in the 50s and 60s have dried up and were abandoned, the hockey team moved to Brooklyn. Today the island is the back office for the banks, insurance companies, and the stock market. The healthcare industry has grown massively especially for the elderly and the education industry has grown massively bigger (that may explain the very high taxes). The lack of industry is explained by several issues, a lack of connectivity to the mainline freight railways, very high wages, high taxes, very high electric rates and the lack of suitable industrial development sites. Everything that gets on to LI or comes off it must go through NYC and the convoluted highway system. Most of the better job opportunities are in NYC and long rides on packed commuter trains are the rule and not the exception. All local travel is by car, there is no rapid transit across the island. The island is totally dependent on deep wells (water mining) and the water table has fallen considerably, at some point they will just run out or desalinate ocean water (of which they have a lot). At the time this film was produced the island was a great place to live and work, much less so today, as was said, move west young man.
What year was this film made? Look on the leader, there should be some writing. Looks like mid 1950's? The Island is over grown, and gone to hell ! And TAXES !!!??
Newsday should find this old film (probably 16mm) and have it remastered. This looks like a poor VHS transfer. If it's not remastered it will disintegrate (assuming it hasn't already). 16mm film has a higher resolution than high definition video.
Moved from L.I. in 1991, to Phoenix AZ... biggest mistake ever made. I came from playing in the woods and A-corn fights, to literal 7 grade murderers and meth labs on every corner. To this very day, thee biggest mistake my family every made. I have yet to meet a kid with married parents, you can get a few OZ's of any drug you want, from any 12 years old in AZ. Cartel ran AZ, literal body parts and hears litter Arizona. Arizona is thee sickest and most violently warped land in this country, hands down.
Wow that's insane. Sadly dunno if you've heard but LI has its share of such problems now too, gangs, drugs, violence etc. etc. A lot of "suburban blight." It's not the "ideal" LI that you left, that much I can tell you. I lived in NYC for a long time but moved back to Nassau in 2005. I have family in Mesa, AZ. They seem to love it, not sure why. I haven't been there though yet, so I cannot comment.
Growing up we didn't have a 'Newsday' - just a local Bethpage News. How fortunate we were. Frankly my dear. I don't give a sht about Newday. Thank you and have a nice day.
We now live in PX AZ, HUGE mistake, my brother used to live in these tiny apartments near the Lake, next a tiny little bar Parsnip, I think. I grew up in the 1980's in Nesconset, greatest place to raise a family. It's sad when hear the complaints from people who live in NY, you guys have no clue what you have there in NY. I can say first hand since living in Phoenix since 1991. I cam to PX from Acorn fights, water gun fun, fort making in the woods, to 12 year old murderers, meth labs, 6th graders who just did a year in rehab from meth and Heroin. I am still shell shocked! From heads and body parts to physco's, that is what makes up Arizona. Cartel runs it all here. I wish we just had a few MS-13 Kats here, lol. We have the cartel, and PX is kidnap capital of the world. Drugs, broken families, murders, legit lunatics, to trigger happy cops, Arizona is truly thee worst place to live, and die. Road rage is a daily thing here, and we don't just flip the bird, everyone shoots.
Growing up on Long Island in the 1960s was awesome. Not so now. It's filled now with aggressive, angry, "me first" people. A sad commentary indeed on what was once a great place to live. Were it not for some pressing family obligations we would leave, kind of a heartbreaking reality actually.
Long Island, like much of the country is a wonderful place with high taxes due to good intention. Let's also remember that LI hit the map as suburban. I wish that shouldn't be lost. Long Island is neither Urban nor Rural but Suburban. Let's all celebrate that
