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View Poll Results: Please share your thoughts about ...
395 Oliver Place (1943-1953) one-block street between Decatur and Webster Avenues, The Bronx. 2 33.33%
collecting "pip-less" trading / playing cards 0 0%
PS 46 & Catholic School across the Street (1945-1948) 1 16.67%
"a gang" - 1952 3 50.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 6. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 06-20-2010, 11:33 AM
 
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? -- Pip-Less Playing Cards ?

I was born at Bronx Royal Hospital in November 1939 and was raised (1942-1952) by my grand-parents in a 5-floor walk-up at 395 Oliver Place. Oliver Place was a one-block street (between Decatur and Webster Avenues) in The Bronx.

As an only child, I attended PS 46, Mt. St. Ursula. Friends were few, and so I quickly learned to amuse myself. In those days a child was tolerated to be "seen, but never heard" ! I collected Dixie Cup ice cream cup lids with photos of movie actors.

At the corner candy-store (Marion & 198th) I bought something I'll call "trading cards" -- except there was no one with whom to trade -- so I just collected 'em. The same size and texture as a deck of playing cards ... except the backs were plain white ... no pips (numerals, playing card faces) on their backs. Each card was different - a reproduction of a famous painting, Native American in Fancy Dress, a beautiful fabric pattern, a lovely flower: everything I had never seen, but -- one day -- I dreamed that I would find "for real" ...

I remember walking to Kindergarden (PS 46) and then 1st & 2nd Grades at a Catholic School (across the street from PS 46) where I had a devil of a time trying to catch-up with learning French !

For 3rd Grade my mother took me to live in Florida so she could get a resident's divorce from my father. We returned to my grand-parents' Bronx apartment, and I was put into Boarding School in Putnam County (St. Claire's Academy).

On the corner of Oliver Place and Decatur Avenue was the abandoned Edison Film building ...on the opposite side of the street was a vacant lot through which, years later, I'd walk up the steep hill to school (the Ursuline Academy at 200th St.).

Mom married in 1952, so we moved to New Jersey. One visit to my grandparents apartment, I remember meeting one of the boys who, years ago, used to tease me by shooting his pea-shooter at my bare legs. Wearing the neatest satin jacket I had ever see, I asked him about it. His reply: "Oh, I belong to a gang." ... "what's a gang" I asked ... he knew that I was deranged.

Is there anyone out there from Oliver Place ?

I especially hope to learn more about my "Pip-less Trading Cards"

... thanx from g'ma ellie
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Old 06-21-2010, 07:49 PM
 
12,115 posts, read 33,533,991 times
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Default I didn't live there

but I read about the studios and an apartment house on Bedford Park Blvd off the Concourse where actors and actresses(like Ava Gardner) stayed coming and going to the studios. Must have been a beautiful area back then. Wasn't it heavily irish at that time?
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Old 12-21-2010, 03:07 PM
 
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Default Born in 1938 and lived on Oliver Place, too!!

Hello there!

I read with such interest and nostalgia that you lived on Oliver Place in the Bronx and I did as well at 392 Oliver from about 1942 until 1957 when my parents moved to Long Island. I also attended Kindergarten and first grade at P.S. 46 and then, as you, transferred to Our Lady of Refuge across the street. I graduated from St. Simon Stock High School on 183rd Street near the Grand Concourse. I then continued on to Hunter College in Manhattan. I, too, remember "climbing" that steep hill which took one to Mt. St. Ursula Academy; there was a candy store on 198th Street between Webster and Decatur where I'd often buy ice cream. I never did trading cards, though. There was another ice cream parlor (Sinnigen's) on 200 Street--I believe at the corner of Decatur--where my parents would take me for a real treat! I practically grew up in the Bronx Park where I enjoyed the plants in the beautiful hot houses and all the rocks in what I called the "rock museum!" I learned to ice skate on the frozen lakes and to sled--a sled that carried our Christmas tree from the supermarket on Webster and 200 back to our apartment.

I had a sweet friend across the street named Margaret--perhaps, that was 395 Oliver. I cannot quite recall, but I believe her parents, or maybe they were her grandparents, were the superintendents. She must have gone to public school because she was not in OLR. At some point she moved away. Wouldn't it be ironic if you were Margaret........?

Hope to hear from you and Merry Christmas!
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Old 12-22-2010, 10:23 AM
 
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Dear MsFriedL . . . Sorry, I'm not your Margaret.

Since I was an only-child and there's no one living to ask -- I'm not sure if I / we lived at 395 or at 392 - but I know it was Oliver Place. If one walked up (north) along Webster and turned LEFT - on to Oliver Place - my building was on the left-side - NOT on the same side as the Edison Studio building.

I had only one Friend during those years. Her name was Frieda, and was a few years older than was I - she lived on the floor above me and my grandparents. As children we never knew Family names. I remember visiting inside her apartment only once. On Frieda's bed were a dozen fragile imported German dolls. I had only one doll and remember how I longed to touch them - but it was not permitted.

Might you be Frieda ? I have one photo of us - it was taken on Halloween.

Please let's exchange eMail -- NYeggNog@Verizon.net
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Old 06-30-2011, 12:08 PM
 
2 posts, read 9,780 times
Reputation: 10
hi, one finger here.
do you know obout obrians bar,erinreich,s candy store,black widows,
twin lakes baseball or any of the crowd that hung out at 198 and webster ave.

I read with such interest and nostalgia that you lived on Oliver Place in the Bronx and I did as well at 392 Oliver from about 1942 until 1957 when my parents moved to Long Island. I also attended Kindergarten and first grade at P.S. 46 and then, as you, transferred to Our Lady of Refuge across the street. I graduated from St. Simon Stock High School on 183rd Street near the Grand Concourse. I then continued on to Hunter College in Manhattan. I, too, remember "climbing" that steep hill which took one to Mt. St. Ursula Academy; there was a candy store on 198th Street between Webster and Decatur where I'd often buy ice cream. I never did trading cards, though. There was another ice cream parlor (Sinnigen's) on 200 Street--I believe at the corner of Decatur--where my parents would take me for a real treat! I practically grew up in the Bronx Park where I enjoyed the plants in the beautiful hot houses and all the rocks in what I called the "rock museum!" I learned to ice skate on the frozen lakes and to sled--a sled that carried our Christmas tree from the supermarket on Webster and 200 back to our apartment.

I had a sweet friend across the street named Margaret--perhaps, that was 395 Oliver. I cannot quite recall, but I believe her parents, or maybe they were her grandparents, were the superintendents. She must have gone to public school because she was not in OLR. At some point she moved away. Wouldn't it be ironic if you were Margaret........?

Hope to hear from you and Merry Christmas![/quote]
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Old 02-27-2012, 09:00 PM
 
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from pafla 2/27/12, sorry about the long delay,xmass and all. could margaret be margaret a. my sister-in-law married her older sister barbara a. in 1956. we are still one and live in fl. all our kids are in poughkeepsie ny.
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Old 09-08-2012, 04:20 PM
 
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Default edison theater

I remember when they put in a bowling alley across the street from Oliver Place and for a short period became the place for the kids in the neighborhood to hang out. I believe that the television show "Man Against Crime" was produced at the Edison studio. The girls from the Black Widows used to hang at Eherenriech candy store on Webster and 197 th St. O'Briens bar had a large green neon sign attached to the corner of the building that the candy store was located. Closer to 198th on Webster was the Bedford Chop House serving pizza (the whole pie cost 1.00 circa 1958) and other Italian dishes. Proximate to this was the bakery where we go on Saturday after our newspaper route (the Post) and have potatoes and eggs, coffee, toast and two donuts for $0.40.
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Old 09-08-2012, 07:26 PM
 
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I was born in this area in 1985, and have been raised on the corner of Oliver and Decatur. 2822 Decatur Avenue to be exact. Thanks to G'Ma Ellie I looked into Edison Film factory that happened to be an empty lot when I came along, I used to play here a lot and always wondered about the neighborhoods history. Especially seeing that Oliver place is still sporting its nice red cobble stones. That empty lot was turned into an elderly home around the year 2000. The vacant lot across the street that leads into Marion Avenue is still empty, unfortunately, but the neighborhood guys have turned it into an outdoors gym. I also went to PS 46, Loved that elementary school.

Thanks for the history.

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Old 04-18-2013, 11:19 PM
 
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Hello all from Oliver Place! I lived in the walk-in apartment at 390 Oliver place from 1949-1966, when I got married and moved to Marion Ave, up the hill with my then, new husband. As kids, we used to play 'off the curb' ball on Oliver and Decatur. That vacant lot was always a home run! All our windows (except the living room)faced the alley way, and I remember when I had the chicken pox and had to stay in my room! One day, I just crawled thru my window and went out and started playing ball on the corner. When my brother saw me, he told mom, and boy did I get it!! We used to have a cat named Pywackett, and she would lay on that little ledge of the Edison studio and catch pigeons. As a gift, she would always bring them home, and right into my bed. We always left my bedroom window open just enough for her to go in and out as she pleased. I remember when Angelo owned or ran that studio around the early/mid 50's. I remember them filming 'something' with Dion, and he came outside and signed all our Spaldine rubber balls for us. (wish I still had that). They did film a number of productions there, and one series was with Ralph Belamy! I just can't remember the show name? Angelo and Mr. Belamy sat at my kitchen table having coffee, and explaining to us that they would be using the fire escape right outside our living room window. We had a little white dog named sniffy who laid there all day watching everything that would go on, and they asked that we please shut the window while they filmed. Well, we did that of course, but Sniffy went crazy barking when she heard peoples voices, and then saw a pair of legs only a foot from her nose. Of course after that, she was put away in the bedroom so they could finish the filming. Angelo used to let some of the neighborhood kids help out around the studio, sweeping, running errand and such, and I was one of the lucky ones. So in turn, I got to meet Ralph Belamy, Dion, and Joe DiMaggio, who I believe was there filming a commercial.
I do remember the candy store around the corner on 198th, just off Webster. I believe it was called Catz's. He was a large balding man who was deaf, and lots of kids used to take advantage of that. I can tell you, he did make the best chocolate egg creams, and we did the dunking of our 2cent pretzel in them all the time. Bought lots of penny candy, comics and the newspaper there all the time.
I have lots of great memories of growing up on Oliver Place, and I was actually back there about 5 years ago, and took my picture in front of the old apartment lol.
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Old 02-25-2014, 11:10 AM
 
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i was born in 1929 and lived at 390 oliver place...from1935 to 1943...went to ps 46 and later to evander childs hs.
we played "curb ball,stick ball,ring-aleevio& box ball...
everyone was in the street immediately after school until dinner time...bronx park was our other playground and that included botanical garden&the famous zoo...mrs hans was our "super" and everything was ****&span...
years later when I married I learned that my wife attended OLR at the same time I was across the street @ps 46...
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