Visitors Nostalgia & Memories

(Archive #98: September 1, 2012 to September 30, 2012)


Date: 9/30/2012, 5:56 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N.Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Sundays were peaceful in Hedgeville. After the 9:00 a.m. Childen's Mass (approx. 45 minutes), the rest of the morning to early afternoon was family time, including cartoons, ball games etc. on T.V. Everyone awaited the mid afternoon dinner. My favotite was the baked chicken with stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, and all the other vegetables. After dinner, most families sat on their stoops/front steps, porches. Kids weren't allowed to venture too far away from the house. Not many cars going by, or people walking about. A day of reast ; a day of tranquility, a day of respect. Didnt have to wear my Sunday suit though, after Mass .

Date: 9/30/2012, 1:10 pm, EST
Name: Robert J. McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers:
Message: Reference to post 87...Sat on front steps as punishment. Recall my preteen years in Wilmington just sit on the front steps and be quiet, it is Sunday, a day of rest. This was after spending 3 hours in church and Sunday school. My brother and I would sit there each Sunday in our best Sunday clothes, not as punishment but for respect. Grandmother's could be very strict.

Date: 9/30/2012, 9:24 am, EST
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Connie, I don't remember a Dr. Post; however, on the east side of Market between 23rd and 24th, there was a Dr. Goleburn.

Date: 9/30/2012, 7:52 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: PAT - Now I remember, there was a Dr. Voss up there. But wasn't there a Dr. Post, too?

Date: 9/29/2012, 1:52 pm, EST
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Connie, Dr. Postles had the big house at the corner of 23rd and Market. He had the bird house. The other doctor a few houses down on the west side of the street was Dr. Norwood Voss. He was our family doctor.

Date: 9/29/2012, 10:29 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: PAT - Back when we were very young there were two Doctors within a block of us. One was Dr. Post and one was Dr. Postles. One had an office on the east side of Market (the bakery side) between 23rd and 24th. The other had an office in that huge house on the west side corner of 23rd and Market. That one had a Purple Martin house that was opened just in time for the arrival of the Martins.

Do you remember which doctor had which house?


Date: 9/28/2012, 12:08 pm, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS,FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON ST.
Schools Att'd: W.H.S. V.F.M
Employers: WILM.POLICE,SECURITY SUPVISOR INNISBROOK G
Message: HI CONNIE, BOY YOU HAVE A GREAT MEMORY YOUR CORRECT ,ONE OF THE TWO SISTERS NAME WAS MARIKA WHO MARRIED THE SON OF THE OWNER OF JOHNS RESTAURANT AT 4TH. MKT. ST. JOHN NEVER CHARGED A SERVICE MAN FOR THERE FOOD DURING W.W.2. AS A BOY I REMEMBER THE SIGN IN HIS WINDOW THAT READ , SERVICE MEN EAT FREE .GOD BLESS HIM ! AS FOR WARNER SCHOOL ,IT SEEMS THAT ALL IMMIGRANTS WHO SPOKE VERY LITTLE ENGLISH . WERE SENT TO DEAR OLD WARNER.

Date: 9/28/2012, 8:02 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: RALPH - I remember George Fakis and his sister Marika. They were friends with new Greek immigrants at school, one of which was a boy related to the owners of the Presto restaurant next door to the 9th and Market Woolworth. It seems a lot of small business owners were our class mates back then.

Date: 9/27/2012, 10:33 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville( S. Jackson), S.Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Thanks, Ralph, about the info. on the Fakis family restaurant.

One time in either 1959 or 1960, when 3 buddies and I, who were about 11 or 12 yrs. old, were shooting off firecrackers at the marsh ponds, near where present day Frawley Stadium is, the Railroad Police, who thought we were shooting off guns, called the W.P.D. Two or three W.P.D. cars and a canine arrived, and took us downtown. Boy, did we catch hell from our parents, who had to come and pick us up. I know that one of my punishments was that I could only sit on my front steps, and no further, for a week. My only consolation was that one of my buddies, who lived directly across the street at 303 S. Jacksion, had the same punishment, and we could talk/holler to each other. Good old innocent days. Now the W.P.D. has a lot more serious things to worry about.


Date: 9/27/2012, 11:04 am, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON
Schools Att'd: W.H.S , V.F.M
Employers: WILM. POLICE ,SECURITY SUPER. AT INNISBROOK GOLF RESORT,FL
Message: Jerr T. THE Small Restaurant across from the R.R. Station was owned and ran by the Fakis family. the Father Passed Away A Few Yrs. After They Came To America from there Native Country Greece . The mother and older Son Manuel ran the store there was 3- Boys and 2- Girls. the all went to Warner School. Grorge Fakis was a greatvlittle guy. and his older Brither Manuel was a hard wiorker , put in aout 14 hrs. a day ! sold hot dogs hamburgers etc,When I was In the uniform Division . either In 12 car or Patroling that area ( the 2nd. Dist ) I ate many a hot dogs at the Fakis Restaurant .

Date: 9/27/2012, 10:10 am, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S.Broom, N.Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: There was once a restaurant on Front St., directly across from the train station. Some years back, The News Journal did an article on that restaurant and the family who owned it. I can't remember now if they were Polish, or Russian/Ukrainian or Greek.

Date: 9/26/2012, 9:22 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: I remember the Reno's Pizza truck well, when it used to come down my street, S. Jackson, in the early 1960's. We used to call the guy who rode the truck, ' Hoagie '. Don't know how he got that name, or if it was just local for Hedgeville. He reminded me, later, a little, of Mel form 'Mel's Diner', in the TV show, ' Alice '. We used to try to keep him pre-occupied at the curb, while one of us pretended we were going to try to steal a slice of his pizza, from the other side window. I think he knew we were just playing, as he always missed our hand with his wooden baseball bat, slamming it down on the counter, with enough distance for a calculated miss. Good thing he never connected. Good old days : pizza and water ice from a truck. Good thing Ray Jubb didn't see us.

Date: 9/26/2012, 7:25 pm, EST
Name: Ed Dougherty
Web:
Location: 9th Ward
Old Neighborhood(s): (same)
Schools Att'd: C.O.K., Sallies, St. Joes
Employers:
Message: Any memories of Reino's Pizza truck?

Date: 9/26/2012, 3:44 pm, EST
Name: Sharon Woodward Klosowski
Web:
Location: Millsboro, Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s): 28th Street
Schools Att'd: Harlan
Employers:
Message: Does anyone remember the old diner, lunchenette owned by Grace and Nick Valko, that was downtown ?

Date: 9/26/2012, 1:02 pm, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS ,FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON
Schools Att'd: WARNER, W.H.S. V.F.M
Employers: WILM. POLICE, SECURITY SUPER. GOLF RESORT , IN FL.
Message: Its been a few yrs. since I was In Wilmimgton, A.K.A. ___,I would Fly into Balt, Md, To see my Daughter and her family. then take a train to Wilmington, are they still Doing construction work down at the North end of the train statuion ? I always arrived during the day light hours, and I could see where some things never change, as a cop patroling the 2nd. Dist. I would check out all the exits . since they were a muggers paradise ! and I could see it was still a muggers Paradise dimly lit etc.. !

Date: 9/26/2012, 12:35 pm, EST
Name: Sharon Woodward Klosowski
Web:
Location: Millsboro, Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s): 28th Street
Schools Att'd: Harlan
Employers:
Message: Ray and Ralph : Thank you so much. He has been gone so long and he is missed so much. I'd appreciate any memories you have to share.
sharon19966@yahoo.com

Date: 9/26/2012, 11:49 am, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS ,FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON ST.
Schools Att'd: WARNER, W.H.S. V.F.M
Employers: WILM.POLICE DEPT,SUPERVISOR INNISBROOK GOLF RESORT, PALM HARBOR
Message: Dear Sharon , I knew your Dad well, he was the best.

Date: 9/26/2012, 11:24 am, EST
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Connie, Frank was our iceman, too! He delivered for Diamond Ice and Coal and was a great guy. Loved those chunks of ice from the bottom of the truck on hot summer days.

Date: 9/26/2012, 10:23 am, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & DuPont
Message: Hi Sharon, knew you father very well, He was good
Marine and Police Officer. He and I went to the
Dupont Experimental Station together. On the
Department when I had to walk the First District on
the midnight shift and relieve him I knew that the
beat had been taken care of and that there would
be no gangs hanging around on the trouble corners.

Date: 9/26/2012, 8:51 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Here's another memory from the old days living conditions. When I was very small I would go in my grandparents' cellar with my "Daddy" and 'help' him shovel coal into the central heating coal furnace.

Across the street from our apartment, the people in a second floor apartment (in another house made into apartments) had a small coal stove in their living room. The only warm spot in that house was within a few feet of the stove. They also had an ice-box in the kitchen and left the sign in their front window to tell the ice man how much ice they needed. Then the iceman, Frank, would carry it up to the 2nd floor and let us kids have small chunks we found laying on the floor of the ice truck.


Date: 9/25/2012, 11:38 pm, EST
Name: Sharon Woodward Klosowski
Web:
Location: Millsboro, Delaware
Old Neighborhood(s): 28th Street
Schools Att'd: Harlan
Employers:
Message: Ray Jubb : My father retired from the WPD. 1959-1979 ( ? ) His name was Bob Woodward - Woody.
Did you know him?

Date: 9/25/2012, 9:39 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Ray : I almost agree with you about Canby Pool, but with the crime and drugs encroaching upon this once nice area, from 3 sides, the Hedgeville/Browntown area, Alban Park, and across Lancaster Ave., who in their right minds would like to invest in a privately owned pool/swim club. ? Even Cleland Heights is going under. I'm not sure, but what about the Jackson St. Boys' Club ? Did it sell ?

Date: 9/25/2012, 7:00 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul.s & WHS
Employers: WPD & DuPont
Message: Speaking of the old Swimming Pools brings to mind
something our new Mayor should look into. Doing
something with the Old Canby Pool. Rather then
just letting it deteriorate till it would cost too much
to get operating again he should try selling it to
some private Club or organization for a swim club.
Anything rather them letting it sit there and rot.

Date: 9/25/2012, 4:06 pm, EST
Name: Bruce
Web:
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Old Neighborhood(s): N Franklin St
Schools Att'd: sac
Employers:
Message: Speaking of rich kids and pools - I was friends with a boy whose parents belonged to a pool off of Naamans road and would invite me sometimes. This was a big treat since we lived on N. Franklin St. and the suburbs seemed like a big trip. I also remember one of the swim clubs was on Shipley road close to Springer Jr. High.

Date: 9/25/2012, 3:29 pm, EST
Name: Robert J. McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24,Warner, WHS
Employers:
Message: I surely can't recall any rich kids in Happy Valley. The area just one block west of the valley was referred to as rich bugs. I think it may have been due to always getting treated to apple cider in that neighborhood on Halloween. We trick or treaters' were treated to a large glass of apple cider in that neighborhood.

Date: 9/25/2012, 11:43 am, EST
Name: Pat (Stillwell) LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers:
Message: I sure do remember running through that cold shower at Price's Run! We felt lucky to be able to swim free in the morning - only the rich kids (were there any?) went in the afternoon when you had to pay!

Date: 9/25/2012, 9:16 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: We had those light switches. I remember in the mid 1960s my father was replacing the 2-button switches with the up/down switches.

Here's some more memories of the good old days in Wilmington.
Remember free admittance to Price’s Run Pool in the mornings? There was always a long line of kids shivering from the cold, then when we got in there we had to run through that cold shower before we got to the pool. I heard years later that time in history had been labeled a mini-ice-age. It was cold when we started Junior High School in 1952 after Labor Day.

I also remember when a section of Elsmere had a gas station on every corner. Loved those gas price wars.


Date: 9/24/2012, 9:44 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & Uncle Dupy
Message: I still have the gas pipes in my atic and basement, of
course they were disconnected years before I bought
the house in 1962. I bought the house from the Harper family. Mr. Harper owned a Tool and Dye Company out on North Broom Street, Harper & Theel
Tool & Dye Manufacturing Co. I believe the old building is still there but vacant as far as I know, and has been for many years.

Date: 9/24/2012, 5:29 pm, EST
Name: DAVE CAUFFMAN
Web:
Location: HOCKESSIN
Old Neighborhood(s): 25 TH & MADISON
Schools Att'd: BROWN
Employers: DUPONT AND EHR
Message: GEORGE
WE HAD THEM KIND OF SWITCHES IN OUR HOME ON PULLMAN PLACE AND ALSO MADISON ST ..THEY USED THEM ALOT WITH OLD KNOB AND TUBE WIRING.

Date: 9/24/2012, 1:09 pm, EST
Name: George
Web:
Location: Ocean View, DE
Old Neighborhood(s): South Broom, Maryland Ave.
Schools Att'd: St E's, Salesianum, U of D
Employers: AIG WSFS
Message: Does anyone remember the old light switches with two buttons, one for on and other for off. Harry, might you have a photo of one?

Date: 9/24/2012, 12:16 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: We had one of those gas pipes still sticking out of the middle bedroom wall on Jackson St. My brothers used it to hang their shirts on. Wonder when they stopped using gas for lighting in Wilmington ?

Date: 9/24/2012, 10:22 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Just 3 years before I was born "1936 The Rural Electrification Administration (REA) began the Delaware Electric Cooperative in Greenwood to aid the nine out of ten downstate farmers who didn't enjoy the benefit of electricity in rural areas."

I remember seeing bulges on the walls of my grandparent's home on W. 23rd Street. They were the spots where the pipes for gas lights were plastered over. We truly lived in a good time where we had many things that made life good for those who were willing to work for them, and very little violence.


Date: 9/22/2012, 7:21 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & Dupont
Message: I recently had the pleasure of seeing some old film of Market Street during the early 40's. I can remember my Mother trying to hold me by the hand
as the crowds bumped and pushed us to the extent that we sometimes lost contact. Especially during the Crristmas season. When I left the Police Department
you could fire a machine gun down Market Street and probably not hit anyone. Dennis Williams will be the next Mayor of ___ because he is a black Dem &
that is because of the Blacks running for Mayor he was the obvious choice, I hope no one thought that
a City 75% black would elect a white man. I wish him
all the luck in the world(he'll need it)because like many of you out there I too was very fond of my home town.

Date: 9/22/2012, 10:22 am, EST
Name: Maureen
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: St. Paul/Sacred Heart
Employers: retired
Message: Jim O'Brian was great and it was hard to replace him :-(

Date: 9/22/2012, 10:18 am, EST
Name: Maureen
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: St. Paul/Sacred Heart
Employers: retired
Message: Sat. 9/22/12 The News Journal A8 "Our View" Wilmington council should work with new - mayor elect. With its mayorial election essentially confirmed, Wilmington's mayor elect Dennis Williams read the articule very interesting.

Date: 9/22/2012, 9:15 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: I remember when Jim O'Brien of channel 6 drew smiling clouds on his weather map.

Date: 9/21/2012, 2:45 pm, EST
Name: Pat LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: St. Patrick's, Ursuline
Employers: duPont
Message: Who's the new mayor of Wilmington? Has an election taken place recently?

Date: 9/21/2012, 1:46 pm, EST
Name: Maureen Dunning
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: St. Paul/Sacred Heart
Employers: retired
Message: Hopefully the new mayor will have the guts to clean it up.

Date: 9/21/2012, 12:04 am, EST
Name: Ray Jubb-
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & Dupont
Message: What I think Chuck is, all the politicians and Police Officers in the world won't be able to fix ___,
only the people themselves can do it, and that tells you right there that it won't get done. It would take
some drastic measures and the people and politicians
that are left in this city don't have the guts for it.

Date: 9/20/2012, 11:59 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Chuck Wilson : You're right ! I never thought, either, that I'd live to see the day of 2 murders on that block. My grade school buddy, Ed Swalkowski, lived in that block on Read St., the first house up from Watson Grodzicki's store.

Maureen : don't get your hopes up. I hate being a pessimist, and love our 'old' Wilmington, but crime and drugs have reached pandemic proportions in Wilmington and most other cities, and has been fanning out . I don't think there are any feasible ' legal ' solutions. We can all hope, and pray, and strive to do our best. The 'illegal' ( ?) solution would be to run Wilmington, like Wyatt Earp and Doc Holday did in the Old West.


Date: 9/20/2012, 10:58 pm, EST
Name: Maureen
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: St. Paul/Sacred Heart
Employers: retired
Message: It was hard being a wife of Willmington police officer and watching him walk out the door every night so you kept the phone next to you and hope it would not ring with bad news. My kids were not aware of how dangerous their dad's job was, so we did not talk about it in front of them and just hoped for the best.

Date: 9/20/2012, 10:37 pm, EST
Name: Maureen
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: St. Paul/Sacred Heart
Employers:
Message: hope the city can come back evenually through new leadership, I love Wilm. and want only the best for the people who live in it.

Date: 9/20/2012, 8:51 pm, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TAERPON SPRINGS ,FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON ST.
Schools Att'd: WHS, V.F.M
Employers: WILM POLICE DEPT.. SEC, SUPER. INNISBROOK GOLF
Message: Maureen , each night ,i Would kiss my Son and Daughter good night when I went to work on the mid night shift while they slept, not knowing if i would see them again. It was a thankless job, and some of the people running our City Govt. were worse then the crooks walking the streets , this hindered us in many ways. thank you Maureen for your kind words, . Friend Ralph

Date: 9/20/2012, 7:18 pm, EST
Name: Maureen
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: St. Paul/Sacred Heart
Employers: retired
Message: WPD in 1968 starting salary was 7,000.00 a year. Police and Fire Fighter's certainly do not make enough money for the risk they take, but I know they do it because they love their job and that is dedication!

Date: 9/20/2012, 7:04 pm, EST
Name: Maureen
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: St. Paul/Sacred Heart
Employers:
Message: Hi Ray & Ralph, I love your stories, also want to thank you both for your dedicate service on the WPD!

Date: 9/20/2012, 6:42 pm, EST
Name: Chuck Wilson
Web:
Location: ___
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St Paul's & WHS
Employers: Retired
Message: Well ___ just had it's 21st murder. Was in the 1000 block of read Street. In the last year this is the second murder on that block. The last one was at a Barber Shop that used to be Watson Grodzicki's Grocery store. I used to live on that block for 17 years. Hardly had any fist fights there when I was a kid let alone two murders. It's a dam shame that the old Polish hood can never be the way it was. We need to come into the city with a trash truck and put all the thugs in the truck and remove them from our beloved city. I just realized that we could never do that because we would not be able to get all the trucks that would be required. Polotics can't fix the problem and I dont know what will. Ray(Unc) what do you thunk?

Date: 9/19/2012, 10:47 pm, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS ,FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON ST.
Schools Att'd: WARNER, W H S. V.F.M
Employers: WILM POLICE DEPT, CHIEF SUPERVISOR INNISBROOG GOLF RESORT , PA
Message: Jubby , just read your post message , In regards to what a off duty policer officer makes today.. like you said we made $3.00 a hour doing a off duty job , and as you also stated, we received Injuries on some of these off duty jobs. and wasting our time in COurt when we arrested a scum bag. ---$57.00 a hour ? ,Its hard to believe. we Were born many years to soon.

Date: 9/19/2012, 7:45 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N.Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: The topic of marbles and marble shooting contests came up recently. My 2 older brothers each had a nice sized metal can of marbles, which they used in marble shooting games in the 1940's. Don't think they got into tounaments, though. By the time I came along, growing up in the 50's to early 60's, I don't remember too many guys shooting neighborhood marbles, or tournaments. So, I used them all up in my slingshot. I wish I still had them, and so did they.

Date: 9/19/2012, 7:29 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S. Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Jim Kelley : Thanks.

Also, Brinton's(Bill's) Flower Shop on S. Union was a Landmark. Our family bought many flowers there, especially for all the funerals.


Date: 9/19/2012, 5:01 pm, EST
Name: Jim Kelley
Web: http://www.whs79.com
Location: Pike Creek
Old Neighborhood(s): North Jackson St, Alban Park, Richardson Park
Schools Att'd: Sacred Heart, Richardson Park, Conrad, Wilm High
Employers:
Message: To Jerry T,

I lived above Jackie-Carol's bakery in the mid 70s, and often talked to the Baker who owned it. I can still smell those Sunday morning donuts baking. While I hung out in that little back yard, I would often hear him on the phone in the back talking sports. However, I cannot remember his name. If it comes to me, I'll re-post it here.


Date: 9/19/2012, 3:36 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & DuPont
Message: My last post was in regard to the Jackson Inn
leaving us and going to be a WaWa. Well another
old landmark that is leaving us is the Brinton(Bills)
Flower Shop on South Union Street next to the Girl's and Boy's Club.

Date: 9/18/2012, 11:00 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U.of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Ray : nah, Radulski's was in the 700 block S. Harrison, Ragan's was on Maryland Ave. between Elm and Linden, and Schelich's/later Figiel's ,was on Stroud in Browntown. Our family shopped at all 4 Polish bakeries. I'd give up a day fishing, just to re-visit and buy at one of those bakeries.

Date: 9/18/2012, 10:47 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St.Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & Dupont
Message: Jerry T. could that have been Ridulski's(Spelling?) It was located somewhere in that hood.

Date: 9/18/2012, 10:35 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N. Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: An old topic re-visited : there was a Polish bakery in my neighborhood ( at Elm and S. Van Buren Sts. - 223 S. Van Buren) in the 1950's, only 2 blocks away from my house. Excellent baked goods, including pastries, especially those long Polish donuts filled with creme). Never really remembered a sign on the widows with the name of the bakery., or the family who owned it. Even Joe Rykaczewski couldn't remember. O.W. lists it as ' The Wilmington Cake Baking Co. ', but don't have a date for that name. Checking the 1940 Census, it lists the Seleski family as owning it. It may have still been owned by the Seleski family in the 1950's, but not sure. There were 1 or 2 Sosnowskis who were bakers, and lived on the same city block, but not sure if it was them or the Seleskis who owned it in the 1950's. 'Almost' sure it was the Seleskis. The son of the owner of that bakery, later opened the Jackie-Carol Pastry Shop(named after his 2 daughters) at 503 Maryland Ave. I remember visiting his store in the 1970's. He fondly remembered visiting my grandfather's store, Szat's/Shotz on Elm and Jackson. Can't remeber if he was a Seleski or a Sosnowski ?

Date: 9/18/2012, 10:18 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & Dupont
Message: I know over the years I had heard the Jackson Inn
mentioned so I thought I would let you know that the latest word is it will soon be a WaWa. Another old
land mark gone, what a shame, TIME MARCHES ON.

Date: 9/18/2012, 9:57 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul.s & WHS
Employers: WPD & Dupont
Message: Here is some real Nostalgia : I was driving dwon some local(___)road, stopped for a traffic light and there was a Police car parked with an Officer in same. he had his window down and I told him that I was a retired Officer and was wondering what he was
making per hour sitting at this construction site. He told me at that time he was making $57.00 per hour.
I told him when I was young and working off-duty jobs
I was paid $3.00 per hour and took as many as I could get, and most of the jobs I was able to get were at Bars fighting drunks and then going to Court in the morning, and by the way we didn't get paid for Court time like they do today. NOSTALGIA HaHa.

Date: 9/18/2012, 9:27 pm, EST
Name: Jerry T.
Web:
Location: at the shore, de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville(S.Jackson), S. Broom, N.Broom, Klair Ests.
Schools Att'd: St. Hedwig's, Archmere, U. of D.
Employers: U.S. Army, State of Dela.(retired)
Message: Ray Jubb : more old time W.P.D. stories; everyone likes them. Also, some more old stories about Hedgeville. I'm 64, but would like to know some more, before my time, from an older neighbor/geezer like you.

Saw on TNJ that 2 women were robbed in front of their house in the 1st block of Cedar St., and another guy robbed while walking in Cleland Heights.


Date: 9/18/2012, 10:59 am, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & Dupont
Message: How many out there remember the old August Quarterly's they used to have when they closed King Street from 4th to 9th Streets. They had tents set up
in the Street with all sorts of goodies plus Preachers
hawking the word. It was really a good time for African American folks but anyone was welcome. Many
of those Quarterly's I had to work, but it was easy money because there was rarely any trouble. Now if that were today there would probably all kinds of shootings and muggings going on. What a difference
40 or 50 years makes.

Date: 9/16/2012, 12:20 am, EST
Name: Chuck Wilson
Web:
Location: Bear
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgevile
Schools Att'd: St Paul's & WHS
Employers: RetiredWelcome back
Message: Welcome back.

Date: 9/15/2012, 2:53 pm, EST
Name: Ray Jubb
Web:
Location: ___ De.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: WPD & DuPont
Message: SORRY ABOUT THAT CONNIE, I ALWAYS GET YOU GOOD LOOKIN GALS MIXED UP.

Date: 9/15/2012, 1:37 pm, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Ray - Maureen wants to shout hello, not me. But I will shout HOORAY - Ray's back.

Date: 9/14/2012, 11:45 pm, EST
Name: rAY jUBB
Web:
Location: ___ de.
Old Neighborhood(s): Hedgeville
Schools Att'd: St. Paul's & WHS
Employers: City of ___ & DuPont
Message: Hi Harry, certainly glad you could get it going again.
And a special thanks to Mr. Pryor for letting me know that the site has been reborn. You no longer need to shout Connie, thanks anyway.

Date: 9/14/2012, 9:41 am, EST
Name: Maureen
Web:
Location: Llangollen
Old Neighborhood(s): 9th & Jackson St.
Schools Att'd: Sacred Heart
Employers: retired
Message: Welcome all! I still don't see post from Ray, guess we need to shout, hello Ray!!!

Date: 9/11/2012, 1:23 pm, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: "Sept. 11, 1945 The Wilmington Dry Goods department store offered women's bulky knit sweaters for the fall at $1.88."
I remember when a co-worker would be one of the people who waited outside the store early in the morning for them to open the doors for a big sale. Then she did her shopping and was in work by 8 AM.

Date: 9/9/2012, 9:26 pm, EST
Name: Pat LeVan
Web:
Location: Port St. Lucie, FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 23rd and Tatnall Sts.
Schools Att'd: St. Pat's, Ursuline
Employers:
Message: Wilmington was THE greatest place to grow up. I loved it. I have lived all over the US and there is no place like it. Heaven to me would be doing it all over again!

Date: 9/8/2012, 8:35 pm, EST
Name: Robert J. McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers:
Message: I can still recall when Wilmington was the venue for great childhood adventures that may have begun with ONCE UPON A TIME and ended with THEY LIVED HAPPILY EVER AFTER. Wow was it only a dream.

Date: 9/8/2012, 3:34 pm, EST
Name: ralph pryor
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS,FL
Old Neighborhood(s): 9 CLAYTON
Schools Att'd: WARNER,W H S , V.F.M
Employers: DELT .PUBLIC SAFETY, SUPERVISOR, INNISBROOK GOLF RESORT
Message: CONNIE ,THANK YOU FOR THE WELCOME BACK ! AND MAUREEN, THANKS FOR REMINDING ME THAT , OLD WILM. NET WAS BACH AND BETTER THEN EVER !Our children and Grand children will never know how much we loved our CIty , we had great times growing up In wilmigton even though W,W,.2 was ON. WE HAD TO DO WIHOUT SO MANY THINGS . CERTAIN FOOD AND CLOTHING. AND ALSO WORRIED ABOUT OUR LOVE ONES WHO WERE EITHER FIGHTING THE GREMANS OR THE JAPS ! IF WE ONLY HAD THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN PUBLIC OFFICE IN THE CITY GOVT.TODAY,.. WE COULD TAKE BACK OUR CITY FROM THE SCUM BAGS . OH WELL WE STILL HAVE OUR MEMORIES. !

Date: 9/8/2012, 3:08 pm, EST
Name: Patty
Web:
Location: Wilmington
Old Neighborhood(s): Little Italy
Schools Att'd: St. Thomas, WHS
Employers:
Message: I also started school in the mid forties. The nuns had more collections than I can remember. The church/school always seemed to need a new roof, the poor missionaries in _____ (you fill in the country). They even brought a scale into school and you had to donate a penny for every pound you weighed. This was all in addition to the collection plates that were passed around in church.

Date: 9/8/2012, 11:27 am, EST
Name: Robert J. McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers:
Message: During World War 2, the most useless item we had to wear was a round fiber disc. Held in place about the neck with a piece of string. Our name was written in ink on the disc. We were told if an enemy plane were to bomb the school we could be identified. By the way the man with the rifle was the Minute Man.

Date: 9/8/2012, 9:13 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: I started school in the mid 40s and we had red feather drives where we received a red feather pin. They also had savings bonds programs where we could buy a stamp a week and when it added up to $18+ we would get a $25 savings bond. I still can see those red stamps with the guy holding a rifle.

Date: 9/8/2012, 8:57 am, EST
Name: Robert J. McKelvey
Web:
Location: Cape May, N.J.
Old Neighborhood(s): Happy Valley
Schools Att'd: #24, Warner, WHS
Employers:
Message: I remember that #24 school had bank day each week where the teacher would open accounts at the local bank. We would bring in a nickle, dime, or quarter in the late 30's and the teacher would turn the deposit in top the bank. Any one remember? How about the March of Dimes jars at store counters? Remember the red cross pin one would get if you gave at least a penny?

Date: 9/7/2012, 10:12 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Ralph - glad you're back in the lives of all us old folks from the days when Wilmington was a wonderful place to be.

Date: 9/6/2012, 4:01 pm, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON
Schools Att'd: WARNER,W H S ,V.F.M
Employers: DEPT PUBLICSAFETY WILM. & SECURITR SUPERVISOR INNISBROOK GOLF,
Message: CONNIE, SORRY TO HEAR THE SAD NEWS OF THE PASSING OF DANCING DAN CASEY , WE WERE FRIENDS, DAN ALWAYS WANTED TO PUT A TAPE TOGEATHER OF PAUL RICHARDSON AND I, FROM ONE OF OUR CONCERTS FOR HIS RADIO SHOW, . WE ALL WERE TO BUSY. I GUESS , IT STAYED ON THE SHELF ! .

Date: 9/6/2012, 3:53 pm, EST
Name: RALPH PRYOR
Web:
Location: TARPON SPRINGS
Old Neighborhood(s): 9TH. CLAYTON ST.
Schools Att'd: WARNER, W H S , V.F.M.
Employers:
Message: Hi Harry, glad to be back with you and a lot of my old friends, Ralph

Date: 9/5/2012, 10:12 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Love those Sloan Brothers!!! :-) "Sept 5, 1956 Aaron, Louis, Martin, and Samuel Sloan opened the first Charcoal Pit Restaurant on Concord Pike in Wilmington. Featured were big thick milkshakes, home made soup, and 45 cent hamburgers."

Date: 9/4/2012, 8:56 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Sept. 3 "1901 The new Wilmington High School opened at 800 Delaware Avenue. Though boys and girls were now taught in the same class, separate entrances into the building for each were maintained."

Date: 9/3/2012, 9:48 am, EST
Name: Connie
Web:
Location: Wilmington Suburbs
Old Neighborhood(s): Brandywine Village
Schools Att'd: George Gray
Employers:
Message: Sept 3, "1952 The Wilmington Blue Rocks baseball team lost its last game at Wilmington Park at 30th and Governor Printz Blvd."
We attended a lot of high school football games in that park. My father took me to a circus there when I was very small and I have a picture outside of the park the year we bought our Christmas tree there.