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SubTitle: Stapleton and Westerleigh
Posted by: aj on 3/02/1998@19:40hrs:
So we went to Van Duzer Street, and to Targee Street, and to the Marine Hospital, and to St. Vincents, and to the old Staten Island hospital, and we talked to lots of people.
On Van Duzer street when we drove up to where mom lived a man was standing on the porch. He came to the car and we talked for maybe 20 minutes about old times, who lived where, and who lived there then. He seemed to know, and the place didn't look too bad.
The Goggi winery is, of course, gone, but she showed me where it had been, we saw the openings to the caves, and she talked about walking by it on the way to her grandfather's house (Van Duzer and Targee). Cute story, she looked down the street and said that they had removed a bush. "Ok, Mom, what is that about?" Seems she used to hide her hated "high-top" shoes in that bush and wear her good shoes to school, PS14, changing again before she returned home.
As we came up Broad street she said, "Oh look, the Paradise is still there." She showed me where the brewery had been and about watching them bottle beer. What about those town houses, did some one spill a box of town-house seeds on the island?? All of them seem to be growing. Even at the Woodland cemetary, a nostrivia comment indicated that they were pretty close , I agree.
All the houses we needed to see were still there, and althoughas all of you know Stapleton is ripe for urban renewal, we certainly did not have any but pleasant experiences. Our copy of the Advance had an article about the Stapleton lib re-opening--Great! We focused on the good, what was still there, and tried to imagine what will be done as the island is re-discovered.
We went to the old SI Hospital, found out that it is to be redone yet again and that the castle will be saved (its designated a landmark or historic buillding according to the young man providing information). That is good news. What a site, what a building.
In Westerleigh we were driving along and she said, "turn here" and showed me where we lived when I was born. So many memories for her, such joy for me. Thanks for letting me share with you!