That Avery was so beautiful and people was so friendly it was so good growing up in that area me as a Puerto Rican teenager listening to sassa it was great
What a beautiful memory of our Wiilyby. Grew up on South 3rd and havemeyer st from 1968 thru 1980, when I moved to North 8th st and Havemeyer from 1980 thru 1995. The neighborhood has change a lot since. Went to transfiguration catholic school from 1972 thru 1980. Played handball at people's park. Played sponge ball behind the post office. Wow great memories. Thanks Ray
I also lived on N8th I was born in 1973 my mom still lives there but, I couldn't wait for the Italian feast to start that was pretty much the only excitement on that block. Wow how the neighborhood has definitely changed. I miss the old neighborhood tho.
I also lived 160 havemeyer st right next to benny pizzeria I was friend with his daughter and niece I knew the family very well still friends with Benny’s son . Benny passed away a couple years ago … I also as a young kid in the summer worked in the pizzeria . ❤
Anybody remember a chubby kid name or nicknamed Curi from South 2nd street near Marcy ave, 1970's. He use to hangout with us kids from South 3rd and Havemeyer street. Just wondering if he's ok.
Waoooooo amazing memories I was born here in 1971 and my dad Benny Garcia is the man you could see in the pizzeria I miss him so much 😢Thank you for sharing these wonderful memories
OMG.. this is amazing... this is before my time in Williamsburg - things I always wondered about.. Wish my dad and mom were here to see this video. it's during their time. Love it.. I always wondered about the trolly cars. I remember eating at Benny's pizza but he was older. I was born 1963.. I lived there 24 years.. went to school in Transfiguration Roman Catholic Church, Brooklyn- Hopper street.. Seeing the pictures brought back so many memories, the library, Marcy Ave subway, bus terminal etc. Thank you for this film.
I have been in Lindsay Park since the beginning. Many of the photos took me back and we are actually going to celebrate 50 years. The trolly cars went back further than I, but I do remember the KK train and the movie theater on Broadway (Audrey Hepburn in Wait Until Dark stands out). I am going through a box of old 8MM and finding some nice memories, not a old but it is nice to take a nostalgic trip now and again. Very nice video
My parents migrated from Puerto Rico in 59.We lived in Varet between Manhattan ave and Graham.I used to shine shoes on the corner of Varet and Graham in front of the bank..The very first time i saw snow was that winter.Loved it so much because schools closed for several days and for a kid whom had never seen the snow that was like the greatest thing ever..Good old Williamsburg Brooklyn.
Thank You. I am 48 years old now and had been living on South 2nd between Marcy ave and Havermeyer st for 47 years. I had attended PS 17/ John D Wells 50 and Easter District HS. I do appreciate you video.. it did bring a tear upon me 😢 for the memories that today nobody gathers together as when I grew up in..every on is compartmentalized in their world.
Very happy you enjoyed the video... I lived just down Havemeyer near Hope St... I remember everything on this video.. yes it was a time with a lot of memories to store from the neighborhood.. you take care and thanks for sharing your comments
I grew up on the North side of WIlliamsburg, North 7th, between Berry and Wythe (my sister would call it Barry White). I went to PS 17 and JD Well JHS 50 too. Back then they had the SP program where you skipped 8th grade. I was in that program. I remember everyone calling Eastern District HS, ED standing for educated dummies. I did not go there, but I still live in Williamsburg, now on the Southside. My mother still lives in the apartment we grew up in and is a rent-controlled apartment. She pays $152/month in rent. My son lives with her and will inherit the apartment and it will still remain rent-controlled. She is 80 and he is a nurse, so she is well taken care of. I saw all the changes in the neighborhood. I used hang out on the stoop during summer vacation and go to McCarren park. I would play handball and skelzie on the sidewalk with bottlecaps filled with melted crayons. Those were the days when I would go down Berry Street past the warehouses to Greenpoint to the Greenpoint Savings bank to make deposits for my mother. I was only 10 years old. Now no children hang out in the streets unless they are part of a gang. Hipsters have taken over, and the funny part is that most of them are transplants from other parts of the country and either make it in NYC and survive the high rent or in a few years go back to where they came from. Living with roommates just to make ends meet can take its toll. You see all the Ikea mattresses and furniture out on the curb at the end of the month when they move out.
Thank you Mr. Martinez for this wonderful video. I grew up in Lindsay Park from 1964 to the mid 1980s. I delivered newspapers in the buildings when I was a boy. What a wonderful video and memories.
Great Video ! I grew up in the 60's and 70's in the Jonathan Williams housing projects! Loved seeing the many movie theaters of my childhood on Broadway, where after a movie you could hit Steven's for an ice cream custard cone.
Andrew. Then I may have delivered groceries to your apt.... I worked at the grocery store on Havemeyer .... .me and the owners son, Ruben would always be there after school and Saturdays Glad you enjoyed the video.
My family was on the 17th floor...great view, watched the Twin Towers go up (and saw a few blackouts too!),,,,I remember the Woolworth's near the old Commodore movie house, and triple features at the Marcy , a comedy, a horror movie, and a kung fu flick! Most of my friends lived on the Southside (we were an Italian family that moved from Metropolitan Ave in 1964 to the projects). Do you remember places like Jack and Lil's diner or Pastrami King, or John's bargain store, all near Havermeyer St.)
I grew up in Williamsburg, on 78 South 6th Street, between Wythe and Berry Streets. My maternal grandmother use to own that building until my sister sold back in January, 1996. Several things wasn't shown in this video. The Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Domino Sugar Plant, and Sand Park. Of course these were near South 6th Street. The building behind the Brooklyn Library was my old high school Eastern District. Mel Brooks, Barry Manilow, Red Auerback also went there. Also Williamsburg, was the second biggest Puerto Rican neighborhood in New York City, behind Spanish Harlem, when I was growing up in the 1970's.
That area is all luxury condos now. I live on scholes street between Leonard and Lorimer gentrification now taking whole you probably won’t even recognize the neighborhood?
Born & raised South side Brooklyn 42 yrs old now all my family is in Los Sures. 2:45 That’s my Girl Scout Troop we did our meets at the church on south 5th & Rodney. Wow!!!
Wow. I'm from Willie B little further down Bushwick Ave but definitely remember coming down to this area as a child and teen. My Dad was a Motorman on the KK as well and I remember riding with him as a child and how scary those trains were - no gap protection like these days - but fun at the same time. Also going to the Williamsburg and Commodore theaters as a teen...Good Times!
hi i just watched this video and i’ve lived here in williamsburg my whole life and never seen it in the past, i also just viewed your ps19 final year video and i was a student there in that year you actually posted some of my friends there and old teachers. you did get me in one picture it’s hard to see me but it’s so cool to look back into memories 🥰
The piano mucic just got to me. I have so many great memories of growing up on Leonard between Stagg and Scholes I attended P. S. 18 went to St. MARYS for religious classes made my Communion there. My Land Lord was Margie Bianco she had a Daughter and Three Sons . I remember Nick John Anna Marie thats it. We went to Pete's Candy store played in the projects and park everyday. My dear friends Rachel Sammy Easter were Sisters and one Brother. Thiere Father was a Minister . I use to go to there sevices and played the Tambourine it was great. Another family was the Chinchilla Family. Antoinette was my play mate she had the Shirley temple Doll she generously shrared. I Think her Dad name was Patrick' they had an awesome Station Wagon. We had a few grocers it was 5 cents for a pickle out of the Barrel One in particular was Bens on Lorimer and stagg street. I often wonder what happened to my friends. 71 yrs now I moved away to Greenpoint 1962. I know everything is gone but the memories are forever so Thank you for a happy day.
Grew up in Williamsburg on Meserole street and Leonard street, went to p.s. 141 and then it was torn down to make Lindsay co- ops, we were moved to P.S. 250, it was so peaceful in the 60s love this video, lots of memories ❤️
So nice to go back to our childhood. I lived directly accross from the Veterans housing on Leonard St between Tenyke Scholls St. We plard in the park off of Graham Ave. We also plated hide and seek in the lower level of those building. There was a Laundry and I use to bring my Moms wash to get dried there. There was a Chinese Laundry on Leonard called Sing Lee the reason I remember is I went to the store for Mr. Lee for half and half. He always tipped well 25 cents so I would go to Pete's Candy store and get penny candies there also were Italian Clubs one on Scholls and Leonard and one on Lorimer and Tenyke thats where I got the bus to go to P.S.110 my first day at school was P.S. 18 on Maujer and Leonard St.Down the block was the Maujer St. Health Clinic. I loved my friends and Neighbors especially the Chiachella Family they wete very kind people. There was Antoinette Patty I think thier Mothers name was Viola and the Dad was Patrick. They had a Cook Station Wagon. Antoinette had a Shirley Temple Doll which she shared with me. Another Hispanic Family lived right next store the childrens names were Rachael Ester and Sammy. Thier Mom made toast and spanish coffee coffee for breakfast that was a treat it kept me going all day.The Biango Family was our Land Lord a lady by the name of Margie was the owner her chilfrens names were Nicolaus, John Michael and there Little Sister Anna Marie. I made my First Holy Communion at St Marys the Nuns were kind I shoveled the snow for the Convent so I got invited a the table with all of the Sisters one I remember in particular was Sister Melanie she was a piece of work she played Ham Ball in her Habit. The Italian people were excellent I have great respect brcause they believed in family vlaues and community know body went hungry the Lady of Snow organization ran food drives and came to the homes personally to help the families in need. Something I did later in life because I remember being hungry and that knock came on the door it was like a Miracle to me so later in life I worked as a volunteer at St. Anthony's in Grenpoint of which I have lived for over 60 yrs but my favorite early childhood memories will always be Williamsburg Bklyn.God Bless those that had such positive experiences living in such a close knit community. We were poor but rich in spirit because we had each other.
Thank you so much! I miss the old neighborhood. It was beautiful with many historical buildings and cultures. Behind the Brooklyn Library is my old high school, Eastern District High School (now a Jewish school for girls). When I was nine, I would travel 10 blocks with my seven year old brother to the Marcy Avenue Theater. We would spend a whole Sunday there. Where can kids do this safely now by themselves? The hipsters ruined Williamsburgh (yes, real natives spell it with an "H" at the end like it's supposed to be.).
Can you handle the truth?... I'm not a hipster, but I have to correct you. They did NOT ruin the hood. It was ruined BEFORE they arrived. The beginning of the end was when Robert Moses destroyed Williamsburg by building the BQE which split it in two. Then the importing of people that just DID NOT want to work, and with that, CRIME ruined the neighborhood. So anyone who owned a home sold it and ran away to safer places. The "hipsters" actually arrived after the crime wave which mayor Dinkins. allowed to happen. The original hipsters were artists who moved into the cheap apartments and they did not commit crimes even though they were poor, they WORKED. Later on when mayor Giuliani cleaned up the city, Sex and the City made NYC popular again, the YUPPIES moved in which caused the rents to skyrocket THUS the children of any remaining native williamsburgers that didn't own homes were not able to continue living there. Modern "hipsters" have rich parents and are school-smart but street-dumb autonomous drones. The hood no longer has any sense of character or culture because it's current inhabitants lack both qualities. Good day.
Hey, Raymar, thanks so much for posting this great look back on my old neighborhood. I used to get Pizza at Benny's - I lived around the corner on South 2nd. Across the street from Benny's was Herzog's, where my mom would occasionally take me to buy clothes for school at the beginning of each new school year. But Herzog's was a bit over our budget, so most of the time we shopped for "imperfect" clothing at Izzy's, next to Benny's. Like many of my neighbors then, Izzy was a Holocaust survivor. My neighbors were from Ireland, Italy, Puerto Rico, Germany, Eastern Europe, Africa, all in search of the Great American Dream. Some found it. Others died trying. Oh, if only I had the foresight then, as a kid, to journal all the stories those fine people could tell...
Thank you and glad you enjoyed the video… so many of did not now what the future would hold for us, and here we are reflecting back on how it was and how change has come over these streets that are embedded in our mind.. I used to work after school in many supermarkets and delivery groceries for the hustle to shop at Herzogs, Cheap Charlie(next to the liquor store) and of coarse Delancy St.. and yes, we grew up with a mix culture and ate foods from other countries, with out traveling abroad. It’s those memories and experiences that at times were rough, but would do it all over again… it’s what I tell my kids, it was the street life… you worked anywhere for the pleasure of treating yourself to the movies at the Commodore or Marcy theater… or getting that pizza at Benny’s or even the ice cream at Steven’s on Broadway… Great times in Williamsburg Brooklyn.. !!!
@@raymar77 Wow, Raymar, not sure of your age, but it sounds like we might have passed each other on the streets or in those places you mentioned. I used to spend all day Saturday with friends and other kids from the neighborhood at the Wmsburg Theatre -- $.25 for the whole day! Cartoons. Abbott & Costello, Laurel & Hardy, Frankenstein. The Mummy. The matron would have to "shusshhhh!" us all day. My first job was at 13 and DiMarco Brothers Butcher on Grand Street; second job shortly thereafter was at Hy-Lyn Dairy in the Havemeyer Street Public Market. Hy and Ruby Lyn taught me the basics about hustle, customer service, work ethic, which I still carry with me today. I can still say "four milks" in Polish. Across from the Market on So. 1st and Havemeyer were the live poultry store and across the street from that was the live fish store. Up the block at Havemeyer and So. 2nd was Schorr's (I believe that was the name) Pickles and Deli. Yep, remember Cheap Charlies -- quite a character. And yes, when Izzy's didn't have clothes that would fit me, we'd go over the bridge to Delancey. Yep, great memories, indeed, despite the fact that we were all piss-poor, and yep, so glad I'm from there and would do it all over again.
I had a summer job at Benny pizzeria in the late 70’s I was about 10-11 years old I was friend with the family Benny passed away a few years ago I still stay in touch with his youngest son . I lived in the building corner of south 2nd and Havemeyer st . I miss my childhood life living there not so much my teens 😢
That's my old church at 2:49! Church of the Immaculate Conception. The parochial school I attended, St. Mary's, is just next door to it. Both shut down now I think.
+Hector Cepeda I attended St. Mary's school too. but only for 3 years. my teachers were Sr. Elizabeth and Sr. Gerald (I was held back) and Mrs. Moreno.
Wow, I was raised in Grand Street. 1979 thru 1989. I remember Father Sepe too. He died and father Morales took over in St. Mary's church. My aunt lived a few houses away from St. Mary's and her two apt building burned, now they made a high riser. I went to P.S. 18, the school across from St. Mary's. So many memories that I have.
Few New Yorkers today that there were already electric buses in Brooklyn that ran on double overhead wires that went from Williamsburg to Downtown Brooklyn, to 1 neighborhood in Queens. It ended on July 1960. Replaced by obnoxious diesel fuel buses.
Hola Robert, ...I used to play ball with many in that area... had a good friend name JohnnyBoy, who's dad had a grocery store near the the pharmacy on Havemeyer St...
D N ... I went to the apt that I grew up and went to school from... the rent was $75 in the 70’s... I saw with tour inside and the current rent being paid by tenants/couple is $2200/month. Great improvements but overpriced.
I knew benny and his whole family I was his daughter friend I even got to work for him in his pizzeria back in the 70’s and I was 11 years old sadly he passed away and I’m still friends with his youngest son .
I grew up at 783 Grand St between Humboldt & Bushwick Ave back in the 1950s until 1963 when I got married and moved away......I miss that neighborhood and the great memories......Sids Candy Store, Kestlers, Jimmys Barber Shop, the Holiday Lounge......
The Gospel of salvation of our souls: 💜💕💜💖💕For what I received I passed on to you as of [first importance]: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time,
Dear God🙏💕♥️ in heaven, I come to you in the name of Jesus. I acknowledge to You that I am a sinner, and I am sorry for my sins and the life that I have lived; I need your forgiveness. I believe that your only begotten Son Jesus Christ shed His precious blood on the cross at Calvary and died for my sins, and I am now willing to turn from my sin. You said in the bible that if we confess the Lord our God and believe in our hearts that God raised Jesus from the dead, we shall be saved. Right now I confess Jesus as my Lord. With my heart, I believe that God raised Jesus from the dead. This very moment I accept Jesus Christ as my own personal Savior and according to His Word, right now I am saved. Amen.
