21 old TIMES • SEPTEMBER timer 1, 2016 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.qns.com PRESENTED BY THE WOODHAVEN CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY TRAVEL BACK IN TIME ALONG JAMAICA AVENUE If you have any memories and photos that you’d like to share about “Our Neighborhood: The Way it Was,” write to The Old Timer, c/o Ridgewood Times, 62-70 Fresh Pond Rd., Ridgewood, NY 11385, or send an email to editorial@ridgewoodtimes.com. All mailed pictures will be carefully returned upon request. Many centuries ago, local Native Americans developed a pathway stretching from East New York to Jamaica and further on into Nassau County. Tribes and tradesmen from distant reaches in these United States traveled this pathway to trade skins and furs. This roadway was later used by Dutch and English settlers who renamed the central settlement Jameco after the Yamecah Native Americans. Over time, this settlement became known as Jamaica. The pathway to Jamaica was a dirt road that was prone to fl ooding. Settlers tried to improve navigation by covering the roadway with wooden boards, leading it to be called “Plank Road,” but over time the pathway developed and eventually became known as Jamaica Avenue. In the late 1600s, settlers began arriving in the area that is today known as Woodhaven, and they began building farms and homes on either side of this thoroughfare. One of the earliest settlements was the Ditmars farm, right at Woodhaven Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue. A few of these early settlers that came to Woodhaven ended up staying here permanently as they were buried in the old cemetery on 96th Street behind All Saints Church. There were other families that owned farms on or near by Jamaica Avenue — the Lotts, the Wyckoffs, the Elderts — but over time, the heavy traffi c began attracting more and more trade and commerce. Blacksmiths, farm supplies, grain shops and grocers began to build and open businesses and over time, a business district was born. By the dawn of the 20th century, the road was paved in cobblestones, and people were commuting by trolley cars. Buildings were built along Jamaica Avenue, the majority of them still standing today. Some of the businesses that operated out of these buildings thrived and survived well into the 20th century. Some of them are still doing business today. For example, Manor Delicatessen and Schmidt’s Candies sit across from one another at 94th Street and Jamaica Avenue and would be familiar sights to residents of Woodhaven from nearly a century ago. Popp’s Restaurant opened in 1907 at 86th Street and Jamaica, and there’s a Pop’s Restaurant at that corner today. Other businesses thrived and passed the baton over to other businesses that are familiar names to longtime residents. Charles Douglas opened the fi rst fl orist shop near Forest Parkway in the late 1800s. As he neared retirement, he sold his business and all his stock to one of his employees, a young man named Oscar Karlson. And Karlson’s Florist would go on to serve Woodhaven for the next 60 years. Jamaica Avenue boasted a wide variety of shops with names that sadly have been placed on the shelf long ago. A “millinery” shop was where you went to purchase hats. If you were interested in shopping for “toggery” it meant you were looking for clothing (the shortened version of the word, togs, might be more familiar to modern ears). And a business that specialized in men’s toggery would be commonly known as a “haberdasher.” These names sound as foreign to our ears as the “head shops” of the 1970s probably sound to the young people today; and yes, we had one of those on our Jamaica Avenue! A century ago, in 1916, the look and feel of Jamaica Avenue forever changed with the erection of the elevated train. The residents of Woodhaven fought against the “El,” asking instead for a subway. But the city dismissed their concerns, promising that the elevated train would be “practically noiseless.” Residents of Woodhaven would do well to bear that in mind whenever the city makes promises to them. Over the years, past and present residents of Woodhaven have found endless fascination when it comes to the topics of the stores and businesses on Jamaica Avenue. A very popular group on Facebook entitled “Your Memories of Growing up in Woodhaven” contains frequent discussions about the various stores people shopped in when they were young. And a board game listing the old businesses of the 1970s entitled “Woodhavenopoly” has gained almost legendary status among past and present residents. The Woodhaven Cultural & Historical Society has spent several months performing deep research on just one block of Jamaica Avenue — from Woodhaven Boulevard to 91st Street (the north side). Starting at Dunkin’ Donuts and ending at McDonald’s, the research has uncovered a comprehensive list of stores in each building going back over a century. The society will be taking residents on a 100-year virtual tour of Jamaica Avenue, detailing the rich and interesting history of this one block of the historic famed shopping strip on Tuesday, Sept. 6, at the Avenue Diner, 91-06 Jamaica Ave. The presentation starts at 7 p.m.; it is free and everyone is welcome to attend. Through a display of old photos, news articles and advertisements, you will watch the development of one portion of a shopping strip develop and bloom. You’ll learn about the interesting (and mostly forgotten) history behind each building going back to 1912. You’ll learn about some of the large chain stores which used to operate along that stretch of the avenue. For example, did you know that there used to be a Bohack’s between Woodhaven Boulevard and 91st Street on Jamaica Avenue? We’ll not only show you where, we’ll show you a picture of it. We’ll show you where one of the most popular fi ve and dime stores on Jamaica Avenue used to sit. You might think we’re talking about Woolworth’s, but we had a different popular fi ve and dime in mind. And unlike Woolworth’s, this business is not only still operational, but has developed into one of the largest retail giants in the world (as well as one of the largest philanthropic institutes). And in addition to the stores, you’ll learn a bit about the people who used to live and work there. You’ll learn about the chemist who had an interesting connection to General Custer. You’ll learn about the two young men who were killed in different World Wars, and whose names can be found on two of the Woodhaven monuments honoring their sacrifi ces. And as we do at every meeting on the fi rst Tuesday of every month (7 p.m. at the Avenue Diner), we will encourage attendees to share their memories with each other. It’s always a fun evening and we hope that you will join us!
RT09012016
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