I remember:
Fishing and swimming at the Pond.
Parking the car and partying at the Pond at night.
Standing by a warm fire at the Pond on a cold morning in April, waiting for Trout season to open.
Playing in the pipes at Veteran's park.
Smelling the coffee before it rains.
The fire in town when the movies burned.
The "riot" in town.
No school, teacher's strike!
No school, flat tires on the busses!
Riding the elevators at One Court House Square.
Selling programs over and over again to betters at the Freehold Racetrack.
Following the mosquito sprayer on my bike (lots of kids were in that fog).
High Road / Low Road
The "Freehold Street People" getting arrested for marching in the Memorial day parade.
Yelling to the prisoners in the alley at the old jail.
How I spent the night at Clair's Furs.
My first Kruise Night.
The fire at the Rug Mill.
Growing up in Freehold, going to Freehold High, class of 1954.
Hanging out in Ring's barber shop with all the old gang, Red Hill, Bobby Jones, Tommy Staples, Jackie Cullen, Johnny Mullen, and Bobby Clark.
Working at the Strand Theatre as an usher, man, those were the good old days. Even though we were from the wrong side of town, I guess we made it in the real world after all... and most of us made it pretty good too.
Hopping the train to the orchard for some fresh fruit.
CYO at St. Rose of Lima.
Running into the Hall of Records to tell my mother, who was working there, that President Kennedy had just been shot.
Bruce Springstein. (sic)
Going sled riding on Bergens Hill. That was the place to go after a snow storm.
Friday night "canteens" at the YMCA on Throckmorton Street.
The High School Band, Majorettes, and Cheerleaders marching from the high school down Main Street after winning a home game. Night Pep Rally and a bonfire.
Cruising around town in our cars...making the circuit, meeting friends and making new ones while on the move.
Hanging out at the Freeze.
Going to the Parker House on Broad Street at night! Getting chased by bums into the warehouses behind them!
The fire at the raceway.
Friday evenings when all the stores on Main would stay open until nine, all the people from the surrounding farms and towns would fill Main Street. We would meet a lot of friends.
The evening of V-J Day in downtown Freehold. People in streets, fire trucks with sirens blaring, all in celebration.
Dusty Miller sundaes at Porky's.
The Sweet Shop, The Newstand (with Mrs. Boe) or Tickys!
Freehold 100th Anniversity Party, all day long, even beer at the track for minors!
Igor's records on Main St. One day Igor suggested I buy a just released album called "Greetings From Asbury Park." He said this Bruce guy was going to make it big some day.
Hanging out at the courts with the gang and sneaking over to Durand's Pond and spending time at Feds!
In the winter I remember ice skating on the lake in Turkey Swamp with my entire family & warming up at the big fireplace inside the main building. Then in the summer we would go canoeing on that same lake or we would walk one of the trails around the lake. It was great fun. The park was kept in beautiful condition by the rangers.
Walking to town after high school classes were out and putting in a few hours as a salesgirl at JJ Newberry's.
I remember the beautiful memorial the 7th grade accelerated class from F.I.S. made remembering the 9/11 victims.... may they all rest in peace!!!
Fireworks at the racetrack on the forth. Cutting class to shoot pool at Ring's barber shop. Skiping school in June and hitchhiking to Manasquan to see the senior chicks who cut also.
Drag racing on Asbury Avenue.
Sleigh rides at Crow hill.
Raiding apple orchards in the fall.
Riding on my aunt's school bus route to the sweet shop after school, where my Uncle Harold would be waitng for me with a thick chocalate shake!
The traditional Little League parade from the bus station to the fields. I made that walk with the kids every year 'till I moved to the Township.
The absolute best pizza anywhere at Feds. Still go there today.
The fun bicycle races every year around town in the mid eighties. You could always see pro cyclers from all around the world compete. Why don't they have them anymore?
The fire that destroyed half the rug mill in the mid 1980's. You could see the flames from the other side of town.
The Anti/Pro War demonstations at the Hall of Records in 2003.
Pizza @ Feds, Ice Cream @ the Freeze, The American Hotel, Breakfast @ The Freehold Diner, AL from Al's Bootery.
W.W.2 yrs: block dances on Trockmorton where Ft. Monmouth soldiers and girls danced.
Liberty and Strand theaters.
Hotdog roasts at the Pond.
Zlotkin's meat market on South, where my G.pa was a butcher; the Big Chief supermarket on Main where he worked later.
Vanderveer's market on Main near Liberty and tracks.
Every Halloween buying cases of eggs at Opatut's and throwing them into the streets from the top of the Freehold Pharmacy roof.
Going to the Sweet Shop after the Saturday football games for the best burgers in town.
Climbing the fence at the YMCA pool (which was called something else at the time) to go skinnydipping.
Hanging out in the Bite Shoppe before the afternoon session at Freehold High School when they were on split sessions for a year.
Federici's when you could afford the pizza.
Walking down the street and knowing everyone you saw.
Being sent home from school on St. Patrick's Day for dying my hair green.
"Battle of Monmouth Parade and muster +jollification" w/ a all day jammin parade lots to eat and drink and "Colonial week" when the whole town dressed up with jibbows and buckles on with tricorner hats.and I could drive a truck at 15 years old for the parade.
The "old Freehold day" at the pond with the sleged car and live rock bands-n- nickle beers by hot rod hill.
Fred Sanders park dedication...
Being chased by Fat Willy at the Parker House.
Toni, from the bowling alley and setting pins for ten cents a game.
Joe and Flo from the MONMOUTH diner.
Whistlin' Pete.
Whistlin' Pete's buddy, Crazy George a/k/a Tarzan!
Decorated cars following each other, beeping in celebration, after a wedding ceremony at one of the churches in town.
Saturday morning basketball league for kids at St. Rose all winter long with the "Championship" game on a Friday night in early spring.
He's still around today: Condor Man riding his crazy bicycle through town all year long.
There is nothing like the buzz in the town when the Freehold High School football team is playing in a big game.
Snow days and going sledding at the racetrack.
Counting the fire whistle (more like a loud fog horn) so we knew where to run for the fire).
Catching lighting bugs, freezing them and getting paid a penny each. What did that company do with them? Does anybody know??
The popcorn bus on friday nights in the 1950's on Main Street across from JJ Newberrys. Hot carmel corn.
Left Foot, Hullabaloo, West Freehold Dances w/The Castiles, The News Stand, The Sweet Shoppe, The smell of coffee, the circuit-egg fights, CYO dances (where I met my husband of 31 years), Turkey Swamp, The Pond, Jersey Freeze, Sorrento's Federici's, Trotters & Pacers. Making friends that will last a lifetime!!! My Hometown...
Looking through the windows at a CYO dance at St. Rose of Lima and seeing Del Shannon's band playing.
Going to what used to be a big gulley on Conover St. to sleigh ride at night.
Main St. closed off between Court St. & Throckmorton for one Saturday every October to display the "new" cars.
Going to the old Freehold Raceway for Easter egg hunts where they gave you little baby chicks as prizes.
Going to Bruce Springsteens house on South St. with my sister Anna who was best friends with Ginny Springsteen and seeing bruce annoy the girls with his guitar with 2 strings.
Playing in the deep water in front of my house on South St. & the railroad tracks where it flooded every time it rained hard.
Building a clubhouse out of wood we salvaged from the West Main St. downtown fire.
Hopping the train to the Black Bridge on Rt.33 just for fun after watching it crush coins we put on the rails.
St. Rose of Lima Carnivals.
Throwing rocks into big grey piles behind the Nescafe factory to see what appeared to be explosions.
Playing bugle in the VFW marching band in the Memorial Day parades down Main St.
Riding your bikes as fast as you can through the market yard to see the latest wrecks at Agosano's body shop.
Every year on the last day of school at St. Rose of Lima when every boy threw his baseball cards in the air...including Mickey Mantle & Roger Maris ones.
Santa Claus "suddenly" appearing on the roof of the Hall of Records.Always gave me the chills!
The saddest day of my childhood...when we moved 500 miles away from Freehold.
Growing up across the street from Bruce Springsteen. He used to annoy his sister and me by "playing" his old guitar.
Being able to Trick or Treat through the whole town (or it seemed to be!) and everyone knowing your name, even with the best disguise!
I remember going to get the newest car model kits with my brother Pete in the early 60s, AMT called them annuals, from a hobby shop on Rt33 near the peanut brittle place not far from Nescafe...wish I could remember the name of that hobby shop!
Being by the window on the second floor of our house next to the tracks on South St. and watching a circus train go by being pulled by an old steam locomotive. That house is now gone...sigh!
Peanut brittle from Monmouth candy on route 33.
Sid's market on Mechanic Street, Freedman's Meat market on Main Street and West bakery on South Street.
Kingsley Square - before they built the condos. The Freehold Pond - riding bicycles all through the woods. One-armed Pete who lived back in the swamp area where Kingsley Square now sits.
Freehold, back in the time of innocence when you could play with the neighborhood kids until 9 PM each summer night.
Taking clorox bottles to the hardware store on Mechanic street for two cents return....... Standing in the doorway at 41 south st and watching Main St burn down......trying to follow my brothers down the tracks to the "black bridge"........Sunday mass at St Rose of Lima......
Playing in the tunnel in the Rug Mill parking lot.
Playing softball in Bennett St. School yard.
Going to Igor's the day Jimi Hendrix died.
My brother and I were in the movie theatre when it burned down in `62. A Disney cartoon (Paul Bunyan) was playing when it started.
Ice skating at the high school when they flooded the tennis courts and let it freeze.
Borough and Township highschool kids attending the new Township school together for a year (`71-`72) while the boro school was being renovated.
Wondering if Clair's fur really was a cathouse.
Collecting money in uniform for little league on "tag day" (whoever put money in your can got a paper tag to wear so they could show that they gave and also, I suppose, so that they wouldn't get asked for another donation).
Hanging out at the "Bridge" in Colts Glenn.
Frick's Market on Main Street (formerly Frick & Decke).
It just didn't feel like Christmas until they put up the decorations across the road all down Main Street.
Roller skating in the gym at the YMCA.
Ice skating at the "sewer farm."
"Mike's" (Goldstein's) at the corner of Jackson and Center Streets, across from Caiasso's Music on Center.
My Dad buying his first new car in 1962 from KING CADILLAC & OLDSMOBILE which was located on Main Street,across from the firehouse.
A group of high school guys who called themselves "THE COMPANY" and a great friend who passed away..Kevin Burdge.
Shooting pool in that "back room"
The car crash that killed Monica, broke Shirley's back and all our hearts.
Seeing my first horror movie at THE STRAND
Driving to Freehold Raceway in Joel Opatut's Caddy Convertible to see the 4th of July fireworks.
Driving (on my Dad's knee) to the bus station at 6:30 pm every weeknite to get the WALL STREET JOURNAL that was delivered by Bus ( called the LATE ADDITION ).
When Sorrento's moved from South St. to Hwy 33 across from FoodTown and next to the Jerry Lewis Theatre that was built a while after.
Don't cook tonight, call Chicken Delight" (fried chicken delivery/takeout). Also, I think over near the Jerry Lewis theatre.
That Hobby shop on Rt 33 in the 60's was H&F. My dad would bring my older brother and me there to get a toy. I remeber it smelled like rubber toys.
A peace demostation at Veteran's Park during the Vietnam War.
My first Knish from the Jewish Deli downtown.
Going to Britt's or Burger Chef during lunch hour at Intermediate School. Who anybody ever let middle school students off campus in this day and time?
Hangin out at Charney's while my Dad fixed typewriters.
Going to the Strand Theatre to see Weird Al Yankovic
Being allowed to smoke cigarettes on the bus while riding to high school back in the early `70's
Back in the early 70's, at the highschool they used to unplug the coke machines until after school let out.
Delivering groceries for Norkus Bros. on Main St.The bycycle had a big wheel in back and a small wheel in front with a large basket for groceries I traveled all over town.
Bill & Ralph's Bite Shop on Main St. (early 70's),
Smoking in the Boys Room at FRHS in the 70's. Do they still do that?
Listening to "Born to Run" on the 8 track in `76 while cruising around town.
My first real job at Jersey Freeze.
Smelling the coffee from Nestle when it's gonna rain.
Playing jailtag at Bennett St. Schoolyard until dark.
Penny candy at Weinstein's on Center Street.
The Freehold Paint Store...my family's business. Growing up in Freehold at 12 Broad Street, 68 South Street, and then 88 Broadway. And who do you think lived for 6 months on the right half of the duplex on 68 South Street? My family!
Sit'in around, lazy summer day's, side porch of the firehouse. (hb)
Sleighriding at the racetrack parking lot in winter. (in the days before the track was open year-round).
Buying white one-piece gym uniforms and blue-and-gold gym bags at the Town Shop.
Sitting in old Doctor Lewis' office waiting room, which hadn't been re-decorated since the 1920's, and staring at his Depression-era medical textbooks. His wife, in curlers and housecoat, appearing in the door, pointing at me: "Next," before going in for my shot of penicillin (the doctor's universal cure-all for everything from strep throat to nearsightedness).
Mrs. Woolford, the school nurse at Broad Street School, who had been school nurse when my dad went to school there.
Miss Beech at the Library, who seemed a hundred years old.
The Easter candy showroom at Old Monmouth Candies on Rte 33. What an amazing variety of stuff they had: chocolate Last Suppers and Jesus Praying in the Garden right next to the 3-foot chocolate bunnies and candy eggs. And the marvelous chocolate aroma that pervaded the place -- wonderful!
The "Cramit Family" FRHS 1976.
The Lunch counter at JJ Newberry's.
Painting scary scenes on the store windows at halloween as part of the high school art department project.
Hanging out at Britt's in the "Freehold Mall".
Seeing the man I married (35 years later) in high school and saying, "I'm gonna marry that man someday". Better late than never. Freehold Boro HS.
Ice skating at the pond at Turkey Swamp Park, and warming my frozen feet by the fireplace inside the building there.
Going to Freehold Intermediate School when the "new" annex was first opened in 1969. It all looked **so** modern -- my 5th grade classroom with wall-to-wall carpet, fresh paint, brand-new chairs and desks, and a TV! Once in a while, if we were very good, our teacher Mr. Petrosky would let us watch that new educational show on Channel 13, Sesame Street.
Waiting for the bus to go to high school in pitch dark during the early 1970's gasoline crisis. President Nixon had made the US revert to Daylight Savings Time in the middle of winter, so my dad gave me a flashlight to light my way to my bus stop in the mornings, and insisted that I wait for it underneath a streetlight.
The serene quiet of the Public Library on Main Street. The smell of books, the comfy leather chairs, and the whole restful atmosphere of the place. Even on hot summer days, it always felt cool inside. One of my favorite places in town.
Working a summer job as a chambermaid at the Sheraton Hotel in the '70s, and seeing the celebrities who were performing down the road at Great Adventure. Had to scrub Wolfman Jack's ballpoint ink autograph off a marble cocktail table in the bar!
Working at Belle Terre dairy farm, hauling hay and cutting "Bull Thistle" for $1.00 per hour in the Summer of 1970. I was 13 and one dollar was the minimum wage for farm workers, 13 the minimum age to work on a farm (or so they told me). By 1974 I had moved on to Defideli's vegetable farm, loading "fennuch" (fennil), swish chard and other vegetables into refer trucks. I don't remember the wage but it wasn't much.
The blackboard sign in front of Moore's Inn, with its pithy comments about local people and events.
Memorial Day parades down West Main Street in the 60's and 70's. Sitting on our porch steps watching the floats and marchers, waving to the people we knew, drinking lemonade, and then pestering my dad for money to buy a cheesy balloon from one of the vendors walking past.
4th of July fireworks at the racetrack.
The big 4-H fair at the racetrack every summer.
Who knows where the airport was in Freehold?
Walking to the High School from Intermediate School so that the girls could take Home Economics and the Boys could take shop classes. All of this was accomplished by letting all of us walk between the schools. The wonderful part of all of this was that we had been taught to be responsible about crossing streets and getting to our destination without an Adult in sight. I don't remember that we had to run or have a time limit but we always arrived. I was a lucky one who could stop at my home and leave off my homework and cut through the back yard to Broadway to catch up with the rest of the kids. Wasn't it nice to live in such a safe community where children were taught to be that responsible?
Happy Time Day Camp, though not IN Freehold, was a great summertime experience for a lot of kids from Freehold and the township. I went there for 8 years all summer in the 60's. Coach Nelson, Mrs Nelson, Tommy, Judy and one other son (I can't remember his name) all worked there and it was a really great place. The bus picked us up in the AM and dropped us off in the afternoon. We swam, hiked, played ball, did crafts, watched old cartoons on 16mm film, shot arrows (double-dips of ice cream on Fridays for bullseyes)... we travelled to Howell to play Camp Bergerville at softball every year. Coach Nelson blew his whistle for "Pow wow" and all the kids came running to the pavillion. Anybody else got some Happy Time stories?
Tighten up, Carl, you need to update this area a little better :) A lot of us check this quite often and would like to see the remembrances. (Sorry, I'll do better)
Family dinners at the American Hotel for special occasions. Dey and Prest candy shop located on Route 33. The Saker Brother's new Shop-Rite super market at the intersection of South Street and Route 9.
Freehold Mall and Jersey Freeze the best ice cream place in the world.
Waiting for Ice Cream Joe to come by with his horse and ice cream cart ,for ice cream.
The Freehold Sweet Shop owned by the Tillman's.
Miss McNinnie was the formidable principal at Hudson Street School in the early 50's.
Great Double Dutch jump rope in Hudson Street's playground.
Sleigh-riding down the hill behind the house near the end of East Main Street.
Math teacher Mrs. Conklin's "Say What You Mean and Mean What You Say."
Cattle and Horse Auctions at Zlotkin's Farm.
Air Raid "practice" in Hudson Street's basement.
Going to town where everyone truly knew your name.
When is the next CYO dance?
Being able to walk to the movies at the Jerry Lewis Theatre -- when they had just 2 movies at a time. And paying the outrageously high price of $3.00 to see "Jaws."
Sleigh riding at the race track.
Fishing derbies at Freehold pond (Lake Topanemus).
I remember every third Thursday when thy did the cheif's test. The hook and ladder woild put ladders up on the Court St. side of the court house. The firemen would climb to the top and come back down each in their own way .Then after that one of the pumpers would go up the other end of Court St. where there was a large field and there would test there pumping pressure and test the condition of the hoses.
Does Jersey Freeze still close down for the winter? (No)
Did they tear up the train tracks that went behind the rug mill, over Center Street and across 537? (Yes)
I know the old Bennet St. school served as a Boro police precinct office up until recently. What is it being used for now?
Tell us about the rug mill: How much burned down? What's it being used for now? Maybe you could post some pictures?
(Everything south of Center Street is gone, and is now a parking lot. The remainder now houses the Police Dept, the YMCA, and senior apartments)
Going to old Doc Lewis to drop trou and cough for my high school football physical. (so embarrasing)
The breaded mushrooms at Chicken Delight.
Finding dozens of bails of shredded money in the old rug mill while playing with friends. there was so much of it, we could jump from ledges into it.
Biking through the woods behind the pond near Hotrod Hill.
Watching as nearly the whole town turned out to watch the track fire, just as it began seeing the town filled with so much smoke that day nearly turned to night.
The high school football team from 1983 to 1987. Anyone remember the winning waggle? Or the 85 state playoff game?
Scott Applegate's warehouse parties at the orchards '86.
FTHS Class of 1980 Graduation. We're having a reunion this year. Email theprimespot@aol.com.
Mrs. Zaborniak at FLC making you count off multiplication tables every morning.
The coat factory fire near Stokes Street.
The lunch counter on the corner of Mechanic Street and South Street.
Working at Brockway Glass as Summer College help.
Every kid in High School had a part time job. (I worked for Matty and Merlo cleaning banks)
Selling poppies for the American Legion before the Memorial Day Parade and then marching in the parade. The parade at that time ended at the Freehold Race Track.
Square dancing in the basement of Hudson Street School under the direction of Mrs. Ropah (sp?) who later became Miss Turner.
Taking showers - actually walking in the shower room and flicking water on each other to appear wet - after gym class at Freehold Intermediate and getting a check plus if we had soap as well as a towel.
Sitting on the basement steps or peaking in the window at Georgie Theiss' house to watch the Castiles practice.
Nineteen cent flip flops at John's Bargain Store, AKA Cheap John's.
Mrs. Daniels, the red haired elementary music teacher, playing "The King of France, with forty thousand men..." for the entry/exit music for walking on or offstage for each and every school program.
Miss Mallard's absolutely wonderful art classes.
Buying penny candy from the store around the corner from Hudson Street School on the way back to school for the afternoon after having walked home for lunch.
Watching in awe as the Jungs pressed clothes on the big pressers in their South St. Chinese Laundry.
The Scrambler, the Swings and the bright lights of the carnivals at St. Rose of Lima School's parking lot/plaground and hoping to see boys there.
Parties upstairs at Federici's.
The thick, white cloud of mosquito spray spewing from a noisy machine being pulled by a pick-up and kids riding their bicycles
right behind it in the cloud.
Happy Time Day Camp - Coach Nelson saying his toe was bitten off by a shark, thinking the Nelson kids were the luckiest kids in the world, raking and making stone pathways in the woods for a contest to see which tent had the nicest "yards", my first dive from the diving board which seemed like 20 feet from the water, singing songs to and from camp on the bus.
Church basketball leagues for girls, played at the Y on Throckmorton St.
Going to the stables up on the hill by the track to look at the horses with my dad.
Senora Nardone at Freehold Intermediate wearing a red bra underneath a white blouse.
Losing two classmates, I believe in the same year...Dennis, who drowned along with another child in Freehold Pond, and Joyce, who
died as a result of an accident trying to climb in a window in her house. Devastating to a second grader.
Buying comics at the Newstand, by the bus station.
Walking uptown on Friday nights with my dad to go to the bank and get a pint of hand dipped Breyers vanilla at Porky's.
Seeing "The Time Machine" at the new theater after the one in town burned down.
Being afraid of the St. Rose nuns from hearing the horror stories my friends who went there told me ... cracking knuckles with rulers if your handwriting was not neat, making kids sit in trash cans, writing sentences a hundred times, and from seeing them make the kids walk in straight and silent lines to the street corners at dismissal.
Tom R's HS graduation party on Union Ave, June '81.
The evil Mrs Davis, 2nd grade, St Rose. - Sr Loretta Marie simply said she was "a bit strict."
Freehold High School's beach that happened to be located in Manasquan.
Moses and Koba.
Going to Harry Frank's Print shop to watch him and my Grandfather working.
Playing Pinball machines at the bus station.
Dugan's bakery truck. Came through neighborhood's, you could climb in back and see what they had to offer.
The scissor grinder winding his truck through the streets of Freehold, Heckman's ice cream parlor on South Street, swimming at Freehold Pond and enjoying the concession stand, ice skating at Freehold Pond with the First Aid And Fire Company using big searchlights for lighting the pond up, Dolly Madison Ice Cream Parlor on Main Street, Ostermiller Bakery on Main Street and their competitor on South Street whose name I forget, Woolworths Five and Dime across the street from Newberrys on Main Street, the Telephone Company on Court Street, Rossi's Sub Shop on the corner of South Street and Mc Lean Street, the original Saint Rose Catholic School on Mc Lean Street, the old Broad Street School, Hellmans Beauty Parlor on Main Street, Alpern Real Estate office on the corner of West Main and Throckmorton Street, The Y.M.C.A. building that is now the Hispanic center on Throckmorton Street.
Playing softball at Bennett Street School when I was a kid (late 60's/early 70's)and having the mean old lady next to the school yard keep the softballs whenever we hit them over her fence. Special thanks to Gregg Higgins for hitting me in the eye with his baseball bat :)
Buying a bag of day old donuts for a quater and throwing them all over town, had to be at least forty or more buns.
Who remembers Milo Schumacher @ FIS? Working Hayfields for Zlotkins & the range for Sliverglate's(?) chicken farm where the Manalapan High School is now. Never mind Dr. Lewis how about Dr. Carey, (cough now).
Catching pigeons at Patten's coal yard barn on Conover Street at night. Don't fall into the coal bins or you were marked for the night.
I remember Scott Applegate's Orchard parties too? FUN!!
Walking through town during snow storms with my dad and stopping at the firehouse.
The night before Thanksgiving at Oh Brothers! (Now it's at the Legion)
Boro vs. Township Thanksgiving Day Games... GO BORO!
Tireless hours at the Freehold Little League field watching my brothers play and dad coach.
You forgot Tony at Rings barber Shop! Hunting Ducks and Geese at the Freehold Pond, Shooting darts at Gus's tavern, Going to the Shady Rest Inn, Having the Cardinals beat the Indians for the 1964 Freehold "World Series," Playing Babe Ruth Games at the Jerseyville Ave Field. Hunting in Freehold Township after school. Leaving doors at your house unlocked all the time and never having a problem.
Chewing gum in St. Rose and Sister Pat making me wear it on my nose.
Sorrentos Subs - still the best!
Sitting across from the track on the hood of my parents car to watch the fireworks on the 4th.
Going to the Court Jester during snow storms and all of Freehold was there! You could always depend on the Jester being open!
The Two Brother's Store for clothes. Gettin thrown out of the Strand by the giant bouncer named JINX. Strickland's bakery best Crumb Buns. Getting gas at Duckie's. The Public scool kids making fun of the Catholic kids for doing calastethics in the St.Rose school yard. Two Vets Pool room. The original Saker's Shop Rite on Conover Street.
Marching in the big Opening Day of Little League parade every spring. We all marched in baseball uniform with coaches/dads up Main Street and around past Mrs. Parkers house. She donated the property for the famous Parker Field. The highlight was all took of their ballcap passing by her house to tip the hat to salute and thank her. I believe there is some low income housing/apartments on the ballfield property now.
Center Street.
When Freehold Boro beat Long Branch 3-0 for our only football victory from '64 to '68.
Hockey games all winter long at Durands' Pond before global warming, all of us trying to be like Mike Eruzione beating the Russians.
The old "Freehold circle" right in front of Jersey Freeze and driving it the first time w/ all my friends in the "big blue wagon"!!!
The parking lot people (the black Trans Am)
Hitting Doug Barkalow in the eye with a bat at the Bennett St. School -- I'm really sorry about that.
Cutting class at the Boro and going to Eli's Bagels (don't get caught by "MAD DOG Thompson").
Friday or Saturday nights after partying, going to Donut Chef or Manalapan Diner to order a porkroll, egg and cheese and don't forget the fries with gravy.
The old Freehold airport was between Center Street and Route 33 (behind Frankie Fed's)
Southside Johnny and Hall and Oates playing at the Racetrack. (I don't wanna go home)
What was the name of Hank Wood's dog?
Being called a "Lima Bean" for going to school at St. Rose and being scared of the FIS students when walking home.
Playing kickball at braun's field for many hours.
This Just In: The American Hotel Fire 2005 SP
I remember Miss Curley's dancing classes in the YMCA on Throckmorton Street. In the early 1950's almost all kids took dance lessons from Miss Curley. We learned the waltz, the fox trot and the Lindy hop. Girls were on one side of the gym and boys on the other. The biggest sin was anyone who ran to one side or the other to capture their next dance partner. Miss Curley was there to teach us dancing and manners. She was a very colorful and exotic lady of undetermined age. She took great pains to tell me that she was in school with my mother but what she did not say was that she was an adult and my mother a small child. She was agless and determined to remain that way all of her life.
Bowling.
Mr. Serencko, who taught history at Freehold High School. The kids used to call him "Fred Flintstone." He had a second job selling tote tickets at the racetrack; I guess teacher pay back in the '70s really sucked. Poor guy.
I remember walking home from highschool and stopping at the subway that is now the bus station.
Spending all day installing "glass paks" on my car. Then getting a ticket that night from Tony LeMoine for loud mufflers in the Market Yard.
Crazy George.
Crumb Buns and Hard Rolls from Ostermillers Bakery.
Ray Harker, George Thompson (Mad Dog), Mike Whaley, Ronnie Bush, and Kenny Mount when they were allowed to bring you home when you got in trouble and your Father would kick your butt.
Growing up where every body knew your name and to whom your belonged. Any kid could get help from any adult in the years I grew up.
The Broad Street school with Miss Symmes in second grade. She would read us wonderful stories of Mrs.Goose and all of the other animals that live with her. While in that school, when at recess I could walk to end of the fence and visit my great grandfather who took care of Dr. Friedman's yard. No one ever yelled at me for going to visit him.
Texas
Falling down on the Molly Pitcher monument while I was running and climbing, ripping my best dress and catching H... from my Mom.
Going to Porky's on sunday morning for a Cherry Coke and then catching the other Catholic School kids to find out about the sermon so my brother and I could skip Mass on Sunday mornings.
Walking down Stokes Street on Christmas morning to go to Mass at St. Rose of Lima Church wearing the new scarf and mitten set I got for Christmas. It was dark and cold but my baby brother and I still felt safe no matter where we went in town any hour of the day or night.
Seeing the windows painted for Halloween all all the down town department stores. Sure missed. Have traveled the world and never found a place where I did not have to lock a door and Scotty the Mail Man delivered the news with the mail every day on his route. The friends, the closeness, going to de-segregated schools and not know in 1949 that they were segregated everywhere else. Though every one was the same, but the Black Church on Throckmorton Street near Jack's stand sure had better music than our did!
I remember the dances at the YMCA on Throckmorton Street, walking to and from school in "all kinds of weather", (Be sure and tell that one to the kids), and my dad's lumber yard (Freehold Lumber) - and Mrs. Kruse's shorthand classes. Without her a lot of us wouldn't be where we are today. I remember also the ice house on Morris Street - remember?
I remember split session in Freehold HS. One day when we were in the afternoon session, the keys to the art room were not there and Mrs Skidmore had me and another friend walk to Mrs. Wolvington's home on MOnumet Place. So we walked there and meandered down town, got an ice cream cone at Dubois' drugstore and walked back to the High School with out anyone worrying about us being acosted or taking off. I am now a retired teacher and I know that I would never let a student of mine do that today. Life was good in the early fifties! But that doesn't mean I'm an old fogey now because I feel like I did all those years ago.
Reaching my hand up under the flapper, in the old red coke machine in the Y, to steal a bottle. Back when coke came in a small bottle.
As a kid, going with my mother to the grocery store (might have been the original Saker's) on the corner of Conover St. and Institue, and getting these little loafs of wonder bread about the size of your hand.
Chalie Malko pulling up in his old truck to coach his Babe Ruth team (the Phillies)
Getting "tainers" of beer from Ollwerther's bar after mid-night. What do you mean do we have ID, we'd always have someone's older brother's license or draft card.
Hearing the Fire House whistle (more like a fog horn) everyday a noon.
Playing basketball all hours of the day and night, snow, wind, rain... at the Intermediate School courts. We often had to supply our own nets.
The goofie races (horses, cars, locomotives...) they'd show before the movie at the Strand.
Being awarded my pink felt tad-pole cut out at Happy Time, after leaning to swim. what a moment...
FRHS Graduation at the Racetrack!
Miss Button for English class at FRHS.
Monmouth Peanut Brittle.
I remember going into the lobby of the Post Office on East Main street to look at the painting of Molly Pitcher done by a WPA artist trying to stay alive during the Depression. I hope it is still there now that it is no longer the Post Office.
The wonderful library with Mrs.Nell Meyers. The smell of that building remains with me to this day. There was also and elderly lady who lived at the American Hotel pouring over books and writing. She was there everyday and children knew enough not to be loud around her. There was a bowl of water near Mrs. Meyers office for the visiting dog to get a drink. That sure doesn't happen today. I am now old enough to be that elderly lady and I would love to be able to spend my days in that library.
Remember the concrete dividers in the middle of the intersection of South and East Main Street? I also remember the Bank on the corner across from the Rexall Drug store. It was also the site of Ed Cottrell's barbershop where I came in for a hair cut and my Dad would stop in to pay for it later in the day.
I remember Joe's Taxi stand in front of the American Hotel which was where the Western Union was located. Telegrams were delivered by Joe. I will always remember that on one of my birthdays, I received a telegram from my father who was away. A
ten year old receiving a telegram was very big in my 1950 world.
Remember Coach Hal Schank and the football victories in the late 1950's. How much fun to walk through town after each win. Singing all the way. We'll never stagger, we'll never fall..........
Remember when Mr.Dithomaso sorry if I spelled your name wrong, he was sitting in the back of one of the big opened windows in the A building of the high school teaching his class and fell backwards out of the window! Ouch I bet that hurt!
I remember walking with my Dad holding his hand to the old A&P store on Broad Street. It still had wood floors. He would buy his 8 o'clock coffee every Sunday am and have the beans grounded up in the machine, and buy the Jane Parker Crumb Cake. Then we would stop at the news stand for the Sunday paper and his pipe tobacco. I miss those days and holding my Dad's hand.
I remember walking to school (all schools) in all kinds of weather and people would actually ask you if you wanted a ride. I don't think people do that anymore.
I was in the 4th grade at Bennet St. school (1966-67). We were having a party I was asked by the teacher to go around the corner to Mike's (Goldstein's candy store) to get the ice cream...by myself...and it was no big deal. What a different world we live in than that one less than 40 years ago.
Marshall, the guy who used to walk the streets of Freehold, and drew a map of the whole borough from memory. He was in my high school class in the late 70's.
Moving to freehold and the nice people.
Who could ever forget the best chocolate brownies in the world at the Strand Bakery in Freehold.
Buying milk from the milk machine in front of Sinclairs gas station on South Street. 25 cents for a quart, 50 cents for 1/2 gallon.
I remember sweeping the parking lot at my father's sub shop, Sorrento's.
I remember my school days in Freehold and the venerable teachers that I had. Most of them were along in years and so most of them knew both my mother and father. One year, in the Intermediate school of 1952-54, I had a wonderful teacher, Leona Conover. She not only taught my mother and father but had also taught my grandmother. She retired shortly after I went to high school. My Y group spent a week in Manasquan and we all walked to her house to visit with her. She was delighted to know that we remembered her so fondly.
Remember the tree swing in the woods off Cannon Road? Every kid in the neighborhood hung out there at one time or another.
As another Memorial day is approaching, I will always go home for the parades. It is not in reality but inside of me. Freehold was so proud on that day and they are even prouder today when we think of Kevin Coynes book. When I was a child my earliest memories were the cars that carried the oldest Veterans who were the civil war veterans. I was aware even then of how they were honored. Next in line were the Spanish American war and then the WWI, WWII, and the Korean War. Today it is the Veterans of WWII that are in the very thin ranks. It was always a family day and it was picnics all afternoon and into the evening. It was a very big family day but now we are in 2005 and almost all of that is gone except for a hand full of people who attend their own local towns now that Freehold is far away from where many of us live. That is the day I "go home again."
George's Restraunt on Main Street-great Turkey Dinners and a back bar area.
First National Bank of Freehold, Monmouth County National Bank and my boss C.Edward Tilton.
Mr.Freehold- Fred Sanders.
Talking to Elmer VanDerveer on the side porch of the firehouse.
Saturday afternoon Dominoes games in the firehouse.
Freehold Intermediate '05 was the best. We are known as the ghetto school and everyones scared of us. go boro!
Picture in the winners circle Freehold Raceway Tommy Staples.
Living on the lower end of Throckmorton street and all of the kids that were my friends there. We would get large juice containers and open two holes with a church key, string was threaded through them and they became our stilts. We would hold on to the strings and run up and down the slate sidewalks. I am sure the adults were not thrilled with the clopping which went on until the cans were all dented and crushed. The hunt would go on for another two cans so we could start again.
Living across the street from Colanear's garage. They became the auto dealer for Hudsons. It was a big day just after WWII when the first new cars came in from Staten Island. It was too soon after the war for chrome bumpers so they temporarily sported wood bumpers until they were retrofitted at a later time.
I remember walking to school even in the rain. One rainy day my brother decided to float MY lunch box down the gutter on the way to school. When it came time for my lunch it was MOOSH and so my teacher shared her lunch with me. My brother, who will be nameless to protect the guilty, did not remember the ventilation holes on the ends of the lunch box.
The smell from the Nestle factory on an early fall morning.
Principal Zaborniak at FLC always preaching "self control" every morning during assembly.
School ending early at FIS on June 6, 1998 so that they could finish putting on the huge new addition which I have yet to ever see the inside of...even though I live 5 minutes away from the school.
The Freehold Raceway Mall "riot" of 1997 (I think).
Weight-room and dog walking detentions with Moses.
Being chased around the parking lot at FHS by Mad Dog (circa 2002) for trying to leave school early...I did get away though :-)
Watching a Barnes and Noble and Chili's be built in the parking lot of the Racetrack.
Playing "on the other side of The Creek" in Kingsley Square(and getting a TON of Poison Ivy)...falling in the "creek water"...worrying if my children will have 5 eyes because of me comming in close contact with said water.
The little candle shop on Elm Street along the red brick wall, 1960 something. I think it was owned by Mrs. Lamb, who lived on the corner of South and Lincoln St.
Going fishing for Catfish with my friend Bob Searby Jr. at Lot's Pond on Route 33 behind the old ice cream stand that was across the street from Foodtown. Just a note: Great web site. Wish I knew who the people are sending you info. Maybe a name after each one might be a good idea. Bob Rhodes RRhodes@schiavone.net
KNISH
Mr. Judson Post, special education teacher @ Intermediate School (ret C 1970) Boyscout Troop 151 leader in the 60's. Recently passed at over 90 years old. A fine fellow...
Air-raid drills at Broad Street School during the mid-60's. We had to troop down to the basement in single-file, then stand in a line against the wall with our arms over our heads. Even in second grade, I had serious doubts about how well this would protect us in the event we were ever nuked by the Russians.
Having Miss Collins (blue hair and all) as my sixth grade teacher. I will always remember her reading such wonderful books to us. She would read a chapter to us and if we were really good she might read and extra chapter. We were mesmerized by her
and she introduced me to such wonderful books. It was before most of us had much TV and what programming there was was very brief. We entered the world of Louisa May Alcott, Robert Louis Stevenson and Mary O'Hara. She was a formidible woman but we loved her. We were the only class still writing with a pen and nib using the ink wells for holding ink in Hudson Street school...no fountain pens or ball point pens for us! CHulseBenton....nazec@aol.com
I REMEMBER ALL THOSE GREAT FOOTBALL VICTORY PARADES IN THE 5O'S AFTER OUR TEAM WON (5) DIVISION "A"
SHORE CONFERENCE TITLES...I REMEMBER ONE GAME IN PARTICULAR WHEN THE GAME WAS CALLED OFF BECAUSE
OF A SNOW STORM..MATAWAN WAS THE TEAM WE WERE PLAYING...THE PREVIOUS YEAR THEY HAD INJURED OUR
STAR QUARTERBACK JACK MAYES...THEY HAD A STAR ALSO DON MARVEL....THE GAME WAS PLAYED THE NEXT
MONDAY AND SCHOOL WAS LET OUT TO SEE THE GAME AGAINST MATAWAN WHO WAS A DIVISION POWER...OUR
TEAM DESTROYED THEM 40-0 WITH GREAT PLEASURE AND FURTHER ATHLETIC CONTACT WAS CANCELLED..
THE TEAMS IN THOSE DAYS WERE COACHED BY OUR BEST COACH..THE LATE HAL SCHANCK...A NICE MAN.
I ALSO REMEMBER THOSE GREAT "BATTLE OF MONMOUTH" PARADES FOLLOWED BY THE FIFE & DRUM MUSTERS HELD AT COURT & MONUMENT AT THE BATTLE MONUMENT...I LOOK BACK TO WHEN MEMORIAL DAY PARADES INCLUDED MANY BIKES DECORATED WITH FESTIVE PATRIOTIC COLORS AND TO THE PRIZES GIVEN TO WINNERS...I REMEMBER GOING TO THE "LIBERTY THEATRE" ON SATURDAYS AND BEING GIVEN A NICKEL TO GET A BOX OF CANDY FROM THE VENDING MACHINES...MR SNYDER HELD A CONTEST WHERE U WERE GIVEN TICKETS WITH NUMBERS FROM 1 TO 10.. A MOVIE RACE OF ONE TYPE OR ANOTHER WITH MANY ZANY CHARACTERS AND IF THE ONE WHO WON HAD UR NUMBER U GOT A WHOLE BOX OF CANDY OR OTHER PRIZE..WE ALSO LIKED THE "SERIALS" SHOWN...I LIKED WHEN IN THE FALL THE STORE WINDOWS WERE PAINTED FOR HALLOWEEN AND THE SMELL Of LEAVES BURNING..I REMEMBER MANY OF MY FELLOW FIRE FIGHTERS WHO HAVE ANSWERED THE FINAL BELL AS A 40 YEAR MEMBER OF THE GOOD WILL HOOK AND LADDER CO. OF THE FREEHOLD FIRE DEPARTMENT OF WHICH I WAS THREE TIMES PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY AND CAPTAIN AND LATER A CHIEF OF THE DEPARTMENT IN 1982-1984 AND ASST. CHIEF FROM 1978 - 1981..I WILL NEVER FORGET FIGHTING FIRES IN FREEHOLD, MILLSTONE, MARLBORO, HOWELL AND ATLANTIC NOW COLTS NECK) JACKSON,MANALAPAN TWPS....GOING AS FAR NORTH AS JAMESBURG AND EAST TO MATAWAN AND HOLMDEL AREAS. THE EAST MAIN ST AND WEST MAIN ST FIRES ALONG WITH THE FREEHOLD RACEWAY FIRES WERE MY BIGGEST IN MY MEMORY YET THERE WERE MANY,MANY MORE.TO NUMEROUS TO LIST....WILLIAM DENISE HULSE 2nd.
I remember going to the teen canteen every Friday night at the YMCA where I met my first girl friend from Colts Neck..then going down to Dolly Madisons on East Main St for sodas and french fries...
I remember going to the high school to see our team play Somerville for the state championship..with Joe "the Jet" Henderson running wild only to have our coach pull him from the game as we were winnning and see Somerville come back with the Jet out of the game and lose....it was the worse football disaster i have ever seen...
I remember stopping at the old bowling alley on East Main St between Dr. Richmonds office and Gibson Plumbing..the best bowlers in town were there..and bowling at Tony Russo's on West Main st before it burned down (fire started in furnace room of the bowling alley) it was in the remains of the old Liberty Theatre...
I remember the day I was working as the dispatcher at the firehouse when I got a call from then Ptl. Robert Freeman reporting that heavy smoke was now coming from the rear of the bowling alley causing one of Freehold's worst business area fires..
I remember in 1984 while chief of the fire dept. responding to a report of a fire in the air condioner on the roof of the racetrack dinning area.. upon arrival my asst. chief Hank Stryker told me it was a "piece of cake" and all was under control.. only to find that the entire betting area under the grandstand was fully engulfed in fire and led to its total distruction. Fire was caused by electrical short in tote board in the grandstand.
I REMEMBER WHEN THERE WERE BIG SNOWSTORMS (WE GOT A LOT OF THEM IN THE 40'S & 50'S) ALL THE BIG SNOW PLOWS WERE DISPATCHED FROM COLANER'S GARAGE ACROSS THE STREET..THEY WERE STATE HIGHWAY DEPT PLOWS.
I REMEMBER FISHING & SWIMMING AT THE POND..BEST FISHING WAS OFF WHITMANS PIER...(THE WHITMANS WERE TEACHERS AT THE HIGH SCHOOL) IF YOU CAUGHT LOTS OF FISH OR A SNAPPING TURTLE AND YOU DIDN'T WANT THEM YOU GAVE THEM TO "OLD SONNY BROWN" WHO LIVED AT THE BACK OF THE POND ..YOU COULD RENT A ROWBOAT AT MR PIKULIK'S...
I REMEMBER GOING THRU THE DUMPS WHERE BETTING TICKETS FROM FREEHOLD RACEWAY WERE PUT LOOKING FOR WINNERS SOMEONE HAD THROWN AWAY...GOT LUCKY ONCE IN A WHILE..
I REMEMBER THE LADD'S WHO LIVED ON MC LEAN ST..THEY TOOK ALL THE SCHOOL CLASS PICTURES FOR THE GRAMMAR SCHOOLS...
I REMEMBER GOING UPTOWN EVERY FRIDAY NIGHT TO GET THE MOST DELICIOUS "CARMELCORN" MADE ANYWHERE BY "RUBY" (HE HAD FLAMING RED HAIR) FROM LAKEWOOD..HE MADE IT RIGHT THERE ON HIS BIG RED & WHITE TRUCK HE PARKED ON WESW MAIN ST BY SOUTH ST.
I REMEMBER WHEN WE LIVED ON THROCKMORTON ST..WE HAD AB0UT 15 KIDS ON THAT SMALL BLOCK BETWEEN WEST MAIN AND SOUTH STS...THE SH0EMAKER "MIKE" HAD A SON WHO BUILT THE BEST PUSH CARTS FOR THE KIDS WHICH HAD HEADLIGHTS ON THEM...WE WOULD RACE AROUND THE YMCA BUILDING AT NIGHT..
Hanging out at the Freehold Mall because when you're an 8th grader from Colts Neck theres nothing better to do at night.
I REMEMBER BEING NERVOUS WATCHING MY FATHER/HARRY HULSE (SANTA CLAUS) MAKE HIS YEARLY TRIP DOWN THE FIRE DEPT LADDER FROM THE ROOF OF THE "OLD" COURT HOUSE AT MAIN & COURT STS. (NOW THE HALL OF RECORDS) ON HIS VISIT TO THE CHILDREN OF FREEHOLD..GIVING OUT CANDY CANES TO ALL.
Walking up to Woods drug store on the corner to buy candy.
Going into town with my Dad on Saturdays when he did his banking and stopped off at the Exxon to shoot the breeze. Lunching on hamburgers with Dad at the diner next door.
Hi Miss Penny we might come to see you tomorrow.
I remember the wonderful strings of Christmas lights wrapped in laurel that were strung across the middle of town when I was a kid. The later decorations never quite were the same. Everytime I see"It's a Wonderful Life" I go home again to the magic of Christmas. On Christmas, Father Garlick of St. Peter's had an afternoon service for all of the children of the parish and as I walked home after the service and all of the lights were on, I knew nothing was more magical than that. I knew that by the next morning Santa would have found our home and all would be wonderful sitting at my grandparents dinner in Jerseyville.
This morning I am sitting by my window and watching the snow fall. I remember as a kid feeling so happy to see snow. We walked to school and so it was always an event. I was fun with snowballs although not a school. Since I lived in the heart of town, snow always made everything look beautiful especially up West Main Street with all of the trees. I attended Broad Street and then the Hudson Street schools. No one ever took us to school. We walked like the postal delivery people which is a far cry from today's kids.
I remember walking to school and standing in front of the window of the man making cigars on Mechanic Street. When it was cold it was hard to see him behind his steamed up window. He never seemed to notice us but any kid I knew could not walk by without watching for a little bit.
West end, one arm Peet, the shacks, Tickie's store, gutter ball on Vought Ave.
As I was out with the dog this morning looking up at the cold, crisp sky, I was remembering the morning that I was walking to high school across Jackson Terrace and seeing a large silver marble traveling across the sky in daylight. It was the first time the earth had a new satellite named Sputnik. While watching the Leonid meteor showers many years later I saw a star or what I thought was a star that turned out to be the Astronauts in a space station traveling around the earth. I feel so fortunate to be living in this day and age.
On December 14, 2005 there was a photo of the store on the corner of McLean and South Street of a painted Coca Cola sign after the stucco was removed from the side of this building. It brought back memories of the grocery store that was there on that corner. It was a store we could go to without crossing a street when we lived at 14 Throckmorton St. We could buy penny candy there and I remember loving the smell of fresh ground coffee. I remember it as the American store but it could also have been an early edition of the A&P. I also remember the shoemaker being there and how we used to watch him repair shoes through his front window.
Nescafe baseball field.
Summers at the Pond. Walking from home to the Pond was a hike but in the heat of the summer what else could we do? No back yard pools except for a pool that was never full in the backyard of Dr. Mason's home on West Main Street. During the summer swimming lessons were given at the Pond by Mrs. Louden who was Red Cross certified. One day I was the "drowning victim" and was rescued and given artificial respiration to those learning the life saving course. It was a sensation because most of those on the beach did not realize it was a training session and everyone thought it was real. Especially my brother and sister. The Merola family ran the refreshment stand for several summer and we really enjoyed the days we had on those hot and humid summer days.
I remember the old airport out near the Shady Rest in Weaverville and old Asbury Avenue. Is that where Frankie Fed's is today? I also was with my brother out at the old Welfare home looking for planes for the civiiian air spotters, a left over from the WW II days.
I know today that this might be politically incorrect and insensitive but I remember the wonderful Minstrels and English Music Hall that were done for a fund raising by St. Rose and St. Peters Churches. My memories of these shows were of humor, songs and laughter not at people but with people. In St. Peter's it was Music Hall because so many of our parishioners were weavers and textile workers who came to work at the RugMill from Kidderminster and surrounding towns in England. One of the funniest acts was when "Uncle" Stacey Matthews was in long red underwear on a swinging trapese singing about the Man on The Flying Trapese! I was a youngster and it was all fun, laughter and music. I only remember them after WWII and they ended before the 1950's.
I remember being in the Strand theatre with almost every other kid in town to see Clarabelle come to town from the Howdy Doody show. It shocked me that the costume he wore was green and white. I only could watch him in Black and white. The entire theatre was jammed and even the balcony was filled with parents and kids. Most of the kids came without parents but it was a big deal in Freehold on that day! Judy Kaplan was the only kid I ever knew who was in the Peanut Gallery on the show and it was her claim to fame. We all watched that show just to see Judy.
Driving the wrong way on the Freehold Circle with my friend, Jeannie Norman.
At Christmas time each year I think of Santa Claus. The Freehold Fire Department each year had a Christmas party for the children of the firemen. It was a fun party and we looked forward to it. One year my mother had to explain to me that my father would be Santa because she was afraid that we might recognize him and spoil it for the youngest kids. When it was my turn to go up to Santa and as I stared at him I simply could not see my Dad but I was in the presence of Santa. Such is the power of Santa for small children. My mother need not have worried about me. The mystique of Christmas and Santa were much stronger than she realized it would be.
How about a page of e-mail addresses for those who would like to be listed? I have been getting notes from Classmates.com from some of my old friends and some of my students. I keep telling them about this web site and I know that they are now visitors. The site is wonderful and it could be enriched with even more contributions. It is obvious to me, who has not lived in Freehold for the last forty years, that this web site reminds all of us the roots that we came from and how all of us touched other lives in some capacity.
I remember Friday nights for many reasons. First of all it was the night my mother did not cook. We had the treat of Federici's, the juke box and of course the tomato pie. I never called it pizza until I was in college at Montclair State. After eating the best, it was hard to eat anything else. Once dinner was done, we got our 50 cents allowance and continued uptown where our stops were usually the Woolworth and JJNewberry's. We bought orange and spearmint candies for 15 cents or carmel corn from Ruby's truck. A comic book was another search and then it was a big decision about what to do with the other 25 cents. I usually saved it or used it during the week. The walk home was fun and then the TV on Friday night without a strict bedtime. To this day, I think of tomato pie on Friday more often than not but since Fed's South is so crowded and there is no parking, I wait until another night. I heard that in Arizona, near the boarder of Nevada, there is a pizza place that brags about it's pizza was like Federici's of Freehold, NJ. I've not seen it myself but one of the pie makers was wearing his Fed's work shirt and he was approached in the Casino's by people who told him about it. Next time I am there I will seek it out. Keep your eyes open out in Northern Arizona!
When I think of Freehold and the stores along Main Street, I have to remember all of the places that I used to look in the windows. I still have the images of White's Hardware Store. It was a fascinating place and I was often sent there to buy something for my parents. I can still remember the old, squeaking floors that had been swept and oiled for many, many years. The windows always were filled with interesting things even if I did not know what they were used for. It had bins of nails just under the counter where you would pay for your purchases. There was a lady who was so much a part of the place and she always wore a smock over her clothing. I do not remember her name but I think her father had owned the store previous to her running it. I was near Kings Cadillac and I loved to look at the old cars that Sam King had collected. These cars were always in the Memorial Day Parade and usually driven by his son, Edward. I also remember Wynn Jewelers with Mr. and Mrs. Wynn manning the store. I had heard that Mr. Wynn was related to Ed Wynn from Vaudeville and early television and so I went into the store to really look at him and he definitely was related because he looked like the man on television. I think his store was next to Woolworth's.
Does anyone remember where Joe Levy had his auto dealership? I think it was where the WTGrant Store was at one time but I could be wrong. What kind of cars did he sell? I was dreaming last night and that is what came into my head and now I have to know. My first married home in Freehold was rented from Mrs. Levy at the corner of East Main Street and Jackson Street. She had built the small house next to hers for their son who used to run a small green house there.
Most of the years of my life are measured in school year calendars. I remember when the town was redistricted in 1947-48 I was going into 3rd grade at the Hudson Street School. One of the dearest teachers I have ever known was my teacher that year. Louise Baskerville Jones was my third and fifth grade teacher. I simply loved her and to have had her twice in my life was a wonderful gift. Many of the teachers from the Court Street School were now in the school along with some of their students who came to us from the Court Street school when the elementary schools were desegregated. She was one person who I would often see in town when she left teaching and became a part of the towns social services. I always got a big hug and a kiss from her and for her. She always asked about my family and she had the best smile in the world. On days when she would be absent from school for any reason I would get a call from her in the morning and she would ask me to help the substitute and to be sure to show her where things were kept, etc. That was a responsiblity I took seriously and was very proud that she thought I could and would do this for her. Her family is an old family in Freehold and she went to high school with my father. I always think of her with great respect and fondness. It was only later that I began to realize what she had to do to get her education. I became a teacher because of people like her in my life.
Freehold was a town of many small neighborhoods. My grandfather always referred to his home being in Rustly Park. I am not sure of the spelling of that but it was his phrase for the homes below the Elks. Living in this town, one of the best things about being there was having friends in all of the smaller neighborhoods. Behind the Rug Mill was Texas and I do not know where that came from either. Just outside of that area was Weaverville where many of the men and women from the Mill had their homes. Does anyone else have the designations for the other parts of town?
My first real job was in JJNewberry's. I liked working on the central check out in the middle of the store but eventually I was sent downstairs to handle the basement all on my own. One day the manager followed this little old man all over the floor upstairs and then he followed him to the basement floor. I checked him out with all of his things. After the transaction, Mr. Wiltsey asked me about the purchaser. I told him he was my great-grandfather who thought he was doing me a good turn by letting me ring up the sale and not a shop lifter! After that he never followed him again and if Grandfather had ever known he was being suspected of shoplifting, he would have never come into the store again.
Going to the Hall of Records after school and getting money from Mom. Then on to Tillman's (Church's) for vanilla cokes in the back booth.
At the time I was just going into high school, I remember watching the band lead the football teams walking up through town after a winning game. I loved the majorettes and the drum major who was a very tall young man named Bob Griffith. He was a very imposing image who led the entire group. When I was finally in high school none of us missed the games and we all loved every minute of it.
I remember riding out towards Smithburg on Rt.537 past all of the farms of the Claytons, Sergents,and so many others. On the hot nights of summer when the fields of potatoes that had be turned over and needed to be picked up by the migrant workers who came to work in the area. There was a smell of the earth that was warm and dusky and when there was a full moon, you could see the sacks of new potatoes sitting in rows across the field where workers would still be working. The fields were also filled with lightning bugs that twinkled like white Christmas lights. In town every kid I knew would get a jar and using a nail punch the air holes in the top of the jar which were filled with the bugs. We would take them in to bed and watch them until we fell asleep. Worthington Bio Labs would pay kids for jars of the lightning bugs but I never took any to them. I think they were studying the phosphorence from their lighting tails. I have no idea if anything ever came of the research and today there are fewer and fewer lightning bugs to be seen here. It is something I think of as I pass the McMansions now in those furtile fields.
During WWII I lived in the heart of town and I can remember the steam engines that moved through town that connected us to other parts of the state. I was very young but I can remember the long, large ammunition trains that would roll through the town in the middle of the night. They seemed to go on for a long time. Any disruption of these trains could have removed Freehold from the map but they proceeded very slowly and I could feel the rumble of them as they passed our door. I also remember when the ammunition plant blew up in Morgan. It shook windows and caused problems in our area and that was located near Perth Amboy. A Day or two later I was on a trip with my Brownie troop to see the Bronx Zoo and we saw it up close when passing the area going on Rt.9 near the bridge in Perth Amboy. Another event happened one Sunday night just at the start of the Toast of The Town or the Ed Sullivan Show. There was a really loud boom that shook windows and lighted up telephones all over the area. It was a plane piercing the sound barrier and none of us had ever heard of this before that night. I was simply paralized with a moment of fear because we thought it was a giant explosion or a bomb since the cold war was well established in our psyches. People at that time were thinking of building bomb shelters in their basements at the encouragement of the Federal Government. In school we were doing drills for such an event. How going under our desks with our hands over our necks was going to help us we did not know but we did it anyway. It was later decided that moving into the inner hallways at the Hudson Street School and away from the windows would be much safer and so our drills were held in the hallways with all of us crouching on our knees and with our heads down and arms protecting our necks and heads. I would guess that all of us felt a little safer at least if we were in school.
Buying Hunting licenses and fishing licenses at the Western Auto Store off Broad Street.
Watching the Memorial Day Parade with tanks and Soldiers going down Main St.
NewBerry's and Woolworth were our sources for paper dolls. My friend Gwen and I used to play with them for hours. Cutting out the paper dresses were the hardest part and we especially liked our Betty Grabel and Lana Turner sets. We often found a way to use the dresses on more than the doll they were made to wear them. We all loved the musicals of the late forties. The kids on my street could meet in the evenings and sit on the front porch at Mary's house and sing at the top of our lungs. Now is the Hour, I'm Looking Over a Four Leaf Clover, Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition and Coming in on a Wing and a Prayer were some of our favorites. It was so much fun but I don't think all of the neighbors thought so. It was also at this time when we saw the papers and knew that Babe Ruth had died. I am not sure why except that our parents and grandparents were very sad about that event and I can still see the headlines on the front of the New York News and the Daily Mirror. It was a topic for all of us and that night we sang Take Me Out to the Ball Game. This was all a part of the culture just after WWII ended.
Winning the Freehold Little League Championship in 1962 when The National League Cardinals beat the American League Indians two straight games. The Indians ended up with a 20-2 record while the Cardinals had a 21-1 record. Jack Stankiewicz got a triple in the bottom of the 7th inning and with Jimmy Leon at bat, the catcher balked on an intentional walk to Jimmy Leon. Stankiewicz scored and the Cardinals won 8-7 clinching the Little league Championship.
Does anyone remember when the Doctor came to your home to see you when you were ill? I can remember that and when Elsie Stewart was the Nurse who visited. I also remember having Quarantine cards posted on the door or in the window when were were ill with chicken pox and other illnesses. Since I was one of three, I can remember being out of school when my brother was ill one spring. It was so much fun for us since we played outside when we could not go to school because of the quarantine.
I remember riding my bike at the end of the Memorial Day parade. All the kids would buy crepe paper streamers in red, blue, white or all three in one roll. We used small flags and stars to decorate the bikes. It was fun to find different ways to do it each year. There were always a lot of kids back there. Once I was in Girl Scouts and then in Band, I could not ride my bike anymore because we had to march in our troop. My troop was Troop 22 and I was proud to help carry the flags in this parade a few times. The Cub Scouts, the Boy Scouts and 4H clubs all marched on that Day. It was a true parade for everyone. I also remember those that played in the Elks band as well. Everyone was there that day.
Just after WWII, I remember taking items to school for the Red Cross boxes that were packed and sent to the children who had survived the war. We would each bring in an item from home. Some of the things we could bring in were toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, combs, Bandaids, washcloths and small toys like a top, marbles, box of crayons, balls, jacks and yoyos. Each class would pack and send the boxes intended for these children and the Red Cross would collect. We felt good that as small as the boxes were they were meant for kids like us. Just after the war, one of my classmates had to leave with her family to live with their father who was stationed in Occupied Germany. She would send us letters and tell us about what she saw and did each day. We packed a box for her and her family and we sent things that we liked that were not available there. It might be Ovaltine, Cheerios, candy and most of all she asked for Bubble Gum. It was a big thing for kids in the second half of the 1940's and she could not get anything like it over there.
The fires on Main Street---Strand Theatre; bake shop next door to theatre; fire over Mulholland's; Liberty theatre fire.
When I entered high school, one of the greatest things about being there was that we had art more than once a week. I loved it and had an interest in it but my talent was not the best. The best in my class was Bobbi Reynolds. It did not discourage me and when I came into Olive Nalevanko's class she convinced me to think about becoming an art teacher.I went to Montclair State and spent four years there to come back to FRHS four years later to begin teaching art in the afternoon session of art students. I have finally found the place for me in art when I was fifty years old. I am now a painter of very large Intergalactic Images from The Hubble space telescope and I am also a sculptor who works in Alabaster. So my message is to never give up and you will find yourself even if it is thirty-five years later. I have to thank all of the art teachers who gave me the hope and drive to find what I was looking for all those years ago. Now that I am retired it is so exciting to have the time to do this work and to show my work. I am sure that everyone had a dream in high school and the thing I learned is that it can happen at any time in your life.
One of the perks of growing up in Freehold is the roots and connections you might have with a total stranger. This happened to me about forty years ago. I was in my twenties and I had to go into the hospital for major surgery. I had moved south into Brick Township and so I was in Pt. Pleasant Hospital. I was feeling very alone and had never been in a hospital before this time. My mother had passed away earlier in the year and I was missing her. As I came out of the anathesia, I heard the nurse talking to another patient in my room. The elderly woman was telling her that her son lived in Freehold. The nurse came from Freehold. When she could see me waking up she came over to see how I was and the first thing I told her was that I was from Freehold too. She asked me my family name and then told me how she knew both of my parents. Her name was Georgianna Errickson. I found her again many years later in Kevin Coynes book. The moment I knew she was someone from my hometown, I could relax and know that I would be taken good care of in the hospital. She also could tell me a few stories about my mother and dad that were from high school days. Our connection was instant and I think Freeholders can always connect because of the nature of our hometown.
Does any one remember the old blue gym suits that the girls had to wear in high school. Once we went back to full sessions, we were required to change into white gym suits but those who still had their blue suits could still wear them. I finally wore mine out before my senior year and a girl friend gave me her old suit and so I never had to wear those terrible white suits with the belts and shorts almost to our knees.
I remember shopping for my mother at Mr. Frick's store near the library. I loved to go there because the Fricks were such nice people. I also remember the bike that was parked in front of the store where a large basket had been installed to carry all of the grocery bags. Boys would peddle all over town to deliver the groceries to ladies like my grandmother who always walked up to the store. She walked everywhere from her home on East Main Street and never learned to drive a car. My grandfather had a 1931 Pontiac and I had to sit in the back with my grandmother who always had a wool lap rob on the back of the front seat. We had to put it over our laps no matter what I thought. She was still thinking about riding in open cars and buggies. We had this car well into the 1950's as did many who lived through the Depression and WWII.
As a child I would ride out to Rueben Doerers on Route 537 to buy eggs and live chickens with my grandparents. They had a large farm and the chickens were on both sides of the road. He also had a small peach orchard which were added to our purchases in August. My grandfather took the chickens home and my grandmother would use every bit of the chickens because she would pluck and boil the feathers to make pillows from them.
At the end of WWII, I remember how excited everyone was when our soldiers were coming home. At St. Peter's I remember Aunt Grace's son was coming home. We were all excited to have each and everyone of them as they returned. It was never a surprise because the news would filter through out the town when each of them arrived home. I was still about five when this began to happen and even though I did not know most of them, I was so excited because all of the adults were excited to welcome them home. It was an excitement like no other and it was infectious.
Living in Freehold when the iceman still cometh. In the mid 1940's I can remember a man coming around from door to door delivering large chunks of ice for those who still had an icebox and not a refrigerator. He would have it in the back of his truck and it had straw around it to insulate it a bit. He would chip off pieces of ice for all of the kids who would flock to his stopped truck with the big ice tongs. I also remember a man coming through our neigborhood with his vegetables and his scale hanging on the side of it to weigh the vegetables that he was selling. It is another job that is long gone. I know it was really gone when the super markets began to appear in the early 1950's. Our first was the Saker Shoprite out near Van's or the old Freehold Inn on South street.
I remember one of the biggest events while at the Hudson Street Grammar School was the firing of General Douglas McArthur. To show how important this was at the time, all of the upper grades were taken to the Auditorium and we sat there to hear his famous speech. It was the Old Soldiers Never Die speech and to see it filled with students sitting in silence listening to the radio. My class sat near the radio in the front right side of the Auditorium....a proper name for the event. I do not know how the others could have heard it because it was a small radio sitting on a table. Today big events are seen of screens of TV in every classroom although on 9/11 2001 no one was allowed to watch it and I had to go to the TV studio where it was running all day. It was one of the longest days I ever experienced in school.
I know this was 48 years ago and I am not sure why I remember this but does any one remember the speech that Principal Frank Weinheimer made each year at the beginning of each high school year? Every year he would begin my greeting the students in the Gym by quoting James Whitcomb Riley's poem "When the frost is on the pumpkin" speech. I guess the reason I remember it is because after that bit as an introduction he would continue explaining the rules of the school and he would always tell us that he was being frank with us as he spelled out his expectations for dress and behavior. I thought it was funny because since he was Frank, I found it funny that he used frank to tell us emphatically what he expected. I am sure he never realized how funny it was, at least to me. Years later, I met his son who headed up the evaluation for the Middle States Assoication that I served on. It is a small world.
Sundays when I was a child were for going to Church and Sunday School. It was the morning the family all had a breakfast together and the dinner was served at about 2:30 in the afternoon. After that it was time to go out for a drive. That meant jostling for a seat by the window and looking at everything you could see. We would also play games like looking for out of state license plates and playing a game called Initals. This game was about a clue and the initals of the person and playing until you got it from the clue or you gave up. RR was one of the first we used because it was Roy Rogers. By this time my father had been driving and looking for roads that he didn't know down in the Pine Barrens. They were simply sandy paths and he wanted to know where they went. One time we drove a single lane until we ended up in a bog of cranberries and had to back all the way out because there was not place to turn around. It was always the afternoon sport to lookout to see how far the traffic was backed up. Route 9 was the way down to south Jersey and the Shore areas by the mid-fifties with the new Garden State Parkway, that was all over. The traffic was solid bumper to bumper returning to north Jersey and New York. Locals would never go near it but it was interesting to see the vendors walking up and down near the Inspection station selling Eskimo pies and soda to those creeping along. There were vegetable stands all along the way so that the travelers could get fresh produce on thier way home. Remember McCormicks on the south side of Rt. 9.....ahh! the sweet corn of the summer!
HEY CARL, I DONT SEE PIECES I SENT IN ANYWHERE ?? A WORD ABOUT THE LATE LEON PERRY AND HIS REDICULOUS DECORATEED BIKE..I REMEMBER GEORGE'S RESTAURANT WHEN IT WAS ON MECHANIC ST...I REMEMBER GOING TO MR HENRY'S ORCHARD ON WEMROCK RD AND GETTING FRESH MADE CIDER....I REMEMBER STOPPING AT MOUNT'S BAKERY ON THROCKMORTIN ST WHEN COMING HOME FROM A DANCE AT THE HIGH SCHOOL AND GETTING "HOT" CRUMB BUNS .....I REMEMBER WORKING AT WHITE'S HARDWARE WHERE NEAFIE & FRIEDA WAITED ON YOU ..IF YOU COULD NOT FIND WHAT YOU WERE LOOKING FOR YOU WENT THERE.. I REMEMBER PLOWING SNOW WITH BORO STREET DEPT. WHEN "PAPA" RYAN WAS FOREMAN...STORMS WITH 20/30 INCHES OF SNOW AND THE ONLY HEAT IN MY SNOWPLOW WAS A KEROSINE LANTERN AMND THE PLOW WAS WORKED BY "SNAPPER" KEARNS...I REMEMBER SITTING ON MY MOTHERS LAP DURING "BLACKOUTS" DURING WW11... I REMEMBER THE 4-H FAIR WAS HELD ON THE OLD HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL FIELD ON BROADWAY...I ALSO LIKED THE RIDES THEY GAVE US KIDS IN A HAY FILLED WAGON AND "BOND" BREAD GAVE OUT TINY LOAFS OF BREAD.. HOW ABOUT THOSE GREAT FREEHOLD FIREMANS CARNIVALS HELD THE FIELD BETWEEN JERSEYVILLE AVE & PARK AV. WHERE FOODTOWN IS NOW...BEFORE THAT IT WAS HELD IN FIELD ON MANALAPAN AV KNOWN AT THE TIME AS FIREMANS FIELD....
When I was a kid, I remember two grocery stores just below the Acme and on the other side of the American Hotel. One was Frick and Decke and the other was Norkus Brothers. Both had boys on bikes to deliver the groceries to homes all over town. Norkus went on to establish a large Supermarket on the outskirts of town on Rt.33 where it was called Foodtown. I think of the large groceries of today and I rather liked the small stores because they were so personal and they seemed to really take care of their customers.
The smell of coffee from Nescafe just before it rained. Hudson Street School, Ms. McCann - my first grade teacher. Mostly as has been said many times everyone knowing you and your family. Knowing that you could go to any street and someone would look out for you. Memorial Day parade when the Freehold Fire Department and First Aid marched by. My family always sat on the corner of McLean and Main and we had family and friends in both departments. The feeling of being safe and at home in our Town.
I remember shopping at Diskay on Main St. with my mother and then crossing the street and going into the Freehod Boro Library to check out books. Miss Beech was the librarian for as long as I can remember. I graduated from Freehold Boro High School in 1975. Mr. Koba, Mr. Moses and Mr. Starsinic were three of my favorite teachers. Freehold was a great place to live. Alvia Lewis Frey
I remember Friday night at the Strand theater, then going to Federici's for pizza. I also went after school to Dolly Madison's for ice cream after school. I also remember going to the Strand Bakery where my mother worked for some good pastry. then Miss Evertt and the Drill Team.
It is beginning to snow and the forecast is for a lot of it. When I was a kid, my mother delivered the mail on a Star Route and I would go with her on the second part of the route if it was snowing. Being the only woman in the post office, she felt that no matter what she had to get thru no matter what. I remember one time in high school where Mel Willet told this story to my class about her and how she finished the route when most of the men did not. He worked there as he was going through school and he admired her for her tenacity. I can remember finally finishing the route about 7pm a few times and I would walk the mail to the mail boxes and would be wet all the way through from getting the mail delivered. She really did take the oath seriously about neither rain, snow nor dark of night kept her from completing her rounds. She was ahead of her time because this was in the late 1940's and 50's.
I also remember all of the kids sledding down Bergen Hill but I used to sled in the field at the end of East Main Street off of Jackson Terrace. Mrs Howell was a kindergarten teacher and it was near the back of her house and she used to like watching all of us have so much fun. That field was a great place to fly kites in the spring and to pick daisies in the summer. We could lay in the grass and watch the clouds roll by and we were soon joined by some of our cats who would follow us down to it. It was funny to the Hendrickson ladies who owned this field because they could watch us in the field but the only thing they could see of the cats was their tails following us around.
I remember sitting on the porch of my home in the summer eveings and listening to the clatter of the looms working over in the rug mill. No air conditioning in those days and everyone had their windows open so the sound was a continuous clacking that would lull us to sleep on hot summer nights. On one of those hot summer nights, I actually saw the Northern Lights which danced in the sky for a very long time as we laid on the grass just to watch them. My parents brought all of us out to see this wonderful sight and I have never seen them since in this area. I think it was about 1952 when this took place and they were vivid reds and greens dancing across the northern sky. I have never forgotten it.
Freehold is a lovely town of tree lined streets and sidewalks. But most of all it was a town of Porches and rocking chairs. They were often with awinings or other types of shades. On warm summer evenings it was a wonderful place to sit and rock until the mosquitos made you bring out the citronella candles. It was a place where people spent their evenings before a lot of TV and Air Conditioning. We took it so much for granted. I miss that very much today because now we have decks and sun rooms but the porch was much better. I was a shy child and yet it was expected that if anyone sitting on their porch suggested you stop and talk with them, I did so. I learned so much from many of these ladies. On Throckmorton St., Mrs. Sagotsky used to sit and rock and talk with me and tell me about something in her Hebrew newspaper, The Ryan ladies who lived next to the Telephone Bldg always had something to say and some of my fondest memories was being taken by my grandmother who would visit with friends on Hudson Street, Murray Street and on Broadway or even Broad Street. She never drove so she would take me by the hand and off we would go no matter how far it was. It was a really kinder and gentler time that is simply missing today. Freehold still has many homes along its beautiful West Main, East Main and other streets with porches. I do not know how they are used now but in my memory they were wonderful places to sit and rock while the ladies visited with each other.
I remember being in grammar school and at this time of year was the Valentine Box. It was covered in pink or red usually and in it were Valentines brought in by all of the students in the days preceding the big day. I was a day for heart shaped cookies and all of those candy hearts with things imprinted on them asking you to be their valentine, tell you they loved you, etc. They were often like the Necco wafers that we ate the rest of the year but something about heart shaped candies were even better. Red heart shape lollipops,too.
My dad drove for Warren's Taxi. I was always know as John the cab drivers daugther. I would never have it any other way.(Rosemary Bogumil)
The bus station. Town Shop. Warren's Taxi. Sleigh riding at "the Freehold dump". The Rug Mill. Hudson Street School. Jays Pharmacy. My home on Insitute Street.
My dad coaching Little League for 17yrs even when my brothers were too old to play. The bar-b-que's he gave after every season. The great boys that he had on his team. The parents that told the kids to have fun.
I REMEMBER WARREN MCNINNIE WHO HAD TAXI'S AND WAS IN CHARGE OF THE GROUND OBSERVERS IN 50'S & 60'S WHICH I BELONGED TOO. THE OBSERVER POST WAS AT THE NATIONAL GUARD ARMORY JERSEYILLE AVE.WHERE WE SPOT PLANES AND CALL THEM INTO THE CONTROL CENTER.....EVERY NIGHT AT 6 PM A HELICOPTER WOULD LAND WITH MAIL FOR THE POST OFFICE...I REMEMBER WHEN THE MAIL CAME ON THE TRAIN AND MR. OUTCULT WOULD TAKE THE MAIL TO THE POST OFFICE...I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS A KID AND LIVED ON THROCKMORTON ST THE BIG TRAINS LOADED WITH POTATO'S THAT STRAINED TO GET UP THE STEEP GRADE THE WHOLE NEIGHBORHOOD WOULD SHAKE AS THE OLD STEAM ENGINES HUFFED & PUFFED.. SOMETIMES THEY USED 2 OR 3 LOCOMOTIVES...
I remember during President Eisenhower's presidency how the words "under God" were inserted into the Pledge of Allegiance. It was difficult at first but we came to get used to it. I also remember that my first year in high school in September 1954 all the freshman homerooms were held in the auditorium because we were in afternoon session that year. I was one of the kids in homeroom who led the opening of school for the entire group and I had to read a psalm everyday at the beginning of school and I also had a part of my English class where we studied some of the Old Testament. How things have changed. During my school teaching career we came to have a moment of silence and the Pledge in each room to having it said to the entire school over the television in all the rooms. The moment of silence was dropped and a mandatory pledge turned into a voluntary recitation or silence but every student had to stand even if they were silent. Now we are going back to discussions of removing the words "under God" and we still stand in silence during the Pledge. I was about the only voice heard in my classroom/homeroom. The only good thing about all of this is that kids are still kids and they can be surprisingly Patriotic as we were as teens.
I remember Joe's Meat Market, Stewarts, Diskays, Al's Bootery, Woody's, Foodtown, Lincoln Park, Trotters & Pacers, Freehol Grill, trying to make it across Main street before the light changed.
Old Monmouth Candies, Pizza at Federici's, working for Carl Blackmore at the good old Jersey Freeze, Mr. Figg and Mr. Gregory at Southern Freehold Regional H.S. - go REBELS!, smell of coffee from Nescafe, fireworks at the racetrack, Britt's, Newberry's and open land with farms, parades in town, and back country roads to the shore.
Bruce Springsteen Saint Rose
When I was a kid there were always school yard bullies and three that I remember vividly. One was a little girl in first grade. I had just gotten an hand-me down dress up snow suit and not my brothers hand-me down. I went to school so thrilled about my new snow suit. I stopped to talk with some of my friends and this girl was a part of the group. I never knew what made her do it but she pushed me down into a big mud puddle and I was soaking wet and dirty. I got myself up and simply forgot about school and ran home sobbing. The house was locked because we were all in school. I went in the front door and sat at the foot of the stairs until my Dad came in at 11am to get our lunches ready. By that time my snow suit was dry and he brushed me off and took me back to school. I was afraid that he was going to scold me but he simply soothed me and back to school I went. It was never spoken of again and that little girl never came close to me again either. She finally left school and was put into a boarding school when we were going into Intermediate School where we were put into ability levels. How I had loved that hand-me down snow suit and I wore a lot of them in the late 1940's. My out grown clothes would go to my sister but she soon was taller and bigger than me so that was the end of my hand-me downs. I also remember that in post-war Germany many of my clothes were sent to children in the Eastern Sector of Berlin because a Friend of my mother was a woman with family and in dire need for a twelve year old girl who was wearing the clothing that a nine year old had out grown!
Who in Class of 68 FRHS had their pictures mis-represented "Twice" in "2" publications, "twice" not "once" in the year books.I was one of them. J.C.
The late and great Coach Schank. All he had to do was whistle, not loud, but we all heard it and came running. He is Freehold's Vince Lombardi." Nalton "Goodie" Goode
I remember teachers, Mr. Koba, Moses, Parker & Riley and Principal, Mr. Figg. I also remember the Jerry Lewis Theatre and going each Saturday afternoon with my sister, regardless of what was showing. I remember going to Buster Browns for shoes and getting a balloon, Jersey Freeze on the hot summer nights, Federici's on Friday night, Sorrentos on Saturday, penny candy from the Newstand. But, most memorable was the long walk to and from HS from Jerseyville Avenue every day and the countless number of people I waved to along the way.
Continuously driving around and around and around the circle by Jersey Freeze...
Going to the R&S store and trading in our old Barbie dolls to get a brand new one???
Going to Al's Bootery and getting new school shoes, then going in the back to get a pencil box!
I remember going into Freehold every Saturday morning to take piano lessons from Miss Armstrong at the Woman's Club on Broad Street in the early 40's and walking to my aunt's house on Lafayette Place after the lesson...I was only 7!
Going to summer Day Camp at the "Y" on Throckmorton Street and our trips to Lake Topanemus. Singing in the FHS Choir ..Miss Dorset. Miss M. Pearle Button and her reading "Idylls of The King" Freshman trip to NYC to see "Kiss Me Kate" and sitting next to my boyfriend on the trip home. Edna Kelly on Fridays...Wash that gymnsuit!! Donald Wood's convertible. Staying after school and taking the Trenton Transit home for 10 cents. Cokes at Churches..Parking your bike in front of the strand for matinees. (No Locks) Double dips from Heckman's on South St. Or penny candy if you didn't have 5 cents for the cone. The Central Bank on Main and South St. Watching the fireworks on the 4th at Maplewood Cemetery. Last but not least..our glorious Memorial Day parades.
Friday nights (tomatoe pie) from Fed's...
Riding the two antique rocking horses at the American Hotel.
There was no "PIZZA", it was "TOMATOE PIE", and when taken out it was in "BAGS", not "Boxes"
The bread man came and left bread and sometimes cup cakes at the mail box. The cup cakes were huge and had flat iced tops!
Going through town at Christmas with the decorations that dangled down across the street! Hanging bells of something? And such deep snow's, that my Dad would put chains around the tire's to drive in it!
Going to "Costa Cottage" after the movies over by "Britt's", off route 9.
Joanne and I making Spaghetti dinner at the Hope Luthern Church! (My father taught her how to make sauce, saying you can always feed a crowd with a pot of sauce). Also going to yoga classes there too!
Crow Hill Road the old potatoe cellar door into the little cave! (Scary)...
When I think of Al's Bootery, I remember pink bucks and white Bonnie Doone crew socks which were worn with out felt poodle skirts and elastic cinch belts that we wore to school with a silk scarf around our necks. That was an offical uniform for Intermediate school and into high school. I also remember the guys wearing white bucks with slacks and no jeans were allowed in school.
Freehold had two great Stationary stores. Charneys was on Main Street and Murry's was on South Street. I was always excited to go into these stores at the end of August to get ready for another school year. A new notebook, paper and a new Esterbrook pen were some of the essentials in the upper grades. Getting a new pencil box was so exciting in the elementary years. It had a pencil, an eraser, a small ruler and the mysterious half circle template that I never used but I loved to make pictures using it. That pencil box was place in my row desk in every elementary classroom I was ever in and before long the eraser and pencil were gone or lost but the thrill of a new pencil box was a sure sign that school was starting once more.
When I was in third grade, I was moved from the Broad Street school to the Hudson Street School with the closing of the Court Street School. One of the most important persons in this school was Charley Collins. He was the total man of all trades at that school. In those days we had newspaper drives. The homeroom who brought the most papers in got an award for the number of pounds of paper that we collected. It was not an early recycling effort but rather a money maker for the school in those days of the late 1940's and 50's. We would take then and take them down into the basement where Charley would weigh them and add the total to our classroom's total. Anything you needed and Charley was there to help. When I was grown up and went to the school to vote, Charley was there and he took me upstairs to see my old classrooms. Unchanged since my father went to the same teacher's classroom. It was really sad when the school was closed and torn down. A part of childhood had disappeared.
I remember the Monmouth County Library (three floors)was in an old house on the corner of Broad St.and Manalapan Ave. (the house is still there and has been renovated), later moved to what is now the Boro Plaza, before eventually moving to Manalapan.
I remember eating lunch at the JJ Newbury's counter.
I remember walking to work at DuBois Pharmacy on Court Street, right after the bell rang at the end of the day at Freehold Boro HS, best one in the district.
I remember in the spring of 1973 riding my bike to raise money for a fairly new (Freehold Area Hospital), now Centra State. Mr. Walter Earle was extremely generous with his pledge per mile, a big thank you to him. He has since passed away; may he rest in peace. God bless him and his family.
I remember marching in the Thanksgiving Day parades through downtown Freehold before the BIG football game at the Boro football field. I also remember freezing to death in those cheerleading uniforms. Those were the "GOOD OLD DAYS!"
The summer days in Freehold were spent hanging with our neighbors and everyone's Mom was your Mom, so you couldn't get away with very much. We used to ride our bikes to the newstand (now Rita's) to get a ten cent fudgesicle. We would also play all kinds of games, running bases, mother may i, baseball, red light, green light and basketball. Boy, what our children are missing out on today! The only mall was in Eatontown and parents certainly weren't going to drive us that far to hang out. They would drive us to Manasquan Beach" though. Many great summer memories of Manasquan.
I remember my beautiful, gentle mother Elaine Snyder (sic) Urbelis. I remember the stories she told me about Freehold and my Grandpop Pete and my Uncle Gene. My Dad, Herb Snyder is still here and watching all the changes that the boro goes through.
He is my rock. He had Mr. Spalholz for history in FHS and so did I.
The Liberty & Strand Theaters on Main Street.
Keith Brown, Author of "Sacred Bond" Black Men & their Mothers graduated from Freehold Boro High School, Class of 1978.
Bene and Pete...Herb and Elaine...Doris and Ole.
I remember The Freehold Sweet Shop and Porky's, we used to go there after school and get french fries with gravy. I worked at both places, my parents owned The Sweet Shop and I worked at Porky's.
My first kiss !!!
MURPHY'S
Hanging out with Willy, Herb, and Art on Dead End Parker street Those were the days.
I remember Milo Schumacher. He taught me woodworking skills that I am still using 57 years later on behalf of Habitat for Humanity.
My all-time favorite Q & A: Guess what? One cent, down at Noppy's.
I remember playing pill pool at Ring's (sometimes, I never got a shot). And do you remember how great it felt when we beat Lakewood at football for the first time since 1936? That was the beginning of FHS greatness on the gridiron: Buddy Russell to Bobby Kerwin; Ed Hampton and the "42 trap" that often got us a touchdown on the very first play from scrimmage (Wasn't it Francis Martin who opened the hole for Ed?); Danny Lewis at the beginning of a great career that led to his being the leading rusher for the Detroit Lions; Coach Schanck, you did Freehold a great service.
The 4-H fair at the race track with the great JC's bar-b-que.
The deer hanging in front of Conway's bar for the week of the deer season.
This morning at 5:30 am, while walking my dog and tripping over the Asbury Park Press, I was remembering when it was an afternoon paper. My brother had a paper route and I delivered it for him on Saturday afternoon during football season during the championship years of the Colonials in the fifties. Later my father developed a large rural route for the Press and we delivered all over Freehold Township, Manalapan, Marlboro and Howell. It was a full time job and as we got older and could drive, the 5-H News Service expanded and was divided up into three sections. I also began to think about the old Freehold Transcript based on South Street. It was published on Thursdays and we all waited for it. I loved its format and when I see todays paper, I do not recognize it at all.The only place a newspaper still has that type of format is in the rural areas of Maine! I sit and real the Ellsworth American and think of the Transcript and home as it used to be.
Women migrent workers walking to and from their camps,to shop on Sat.
I remember my mom picking my brother and me up from St. Rose when it snowed. She was fearful that the bus would have an accident in the snow. She would walk to get us and half way home we stopped at Freedman's bakery for cocoa and a pastry and to rest and warm up a bit. Then walk the rest of the way home.
I remember St. Rose dances at the Knights of Columbus.
Partying with friends on the sod field behind Jerry Lewis Theatre 70's.
Sneaking into the raceway grandstands late at night for some cold beer from tap.
Winning the senior league 1974 and 1975 state championship.
On warm August days, smelling the earthy scent of freshly dug potatoes being loaded on trains at the Central Railroad yard.
The time that the FHS football team picked up Coach Hal Schank's Nash Metropolitian and moved it into the gym. Canteen dances at the YMCA on Throckmorton St. Afterward we would go to Federici's and share a tomato pie and a pitcher of orange soda. The Intermediate school students were allowed to paint on store windows for halloween, with prizes and/or ribbons for all.
Francis Norkus (Table Talk) Store, then Foodtown!
Huckapoo Shirts in the 70's at the Syloette Shop!
Going to the Army/Navy Store "Barney's" through the alley by the Bar, to get "Blue Jean's" (Karen Lykes working there)!
Billy (Bones) Theiss coming over to the house with my brother!
Thanksgivng Day 2006 is a day when I remember all of my family and friends. In the 1950's it was a big day for Football in the morning. It was fun and we were all there wearing chrysanthemum's and bundled up for the games. It was a great day when we won and marched up town. I have been lucky to have had 66 Thanksgivings and today as I sit here thinking about it one of the best things that I have to be thankful for was growing up in a town like Freehold. The older I get and the more people I meet, I am made aware of just how fortunate it was to be a child growing up in the 1940's thru the early 1960's. Everyone has helped make me who I am today and when I find out that so few people have that experience any longer, the more I realize how thankful I am to have grown up in a town where everyone knew who you were and to whom you belonged. There was no way to be overlooked because everyone knew you and your parents, grandparents and so many generations of your family. People are amazed when I tell them I went to school for thirteen years with the same friends from K thru 12. So I am thankful today for all of those who touched upon my life all those years ago and still do today.
One of Freehold's sports greats was Danny Lewis who played for the Detroit Lions. They often played in Miami at a bowl game. Whenever my Dad would be in the Keys around New Years Day, he would always have a few tickets for the game at the gate for my Dad. It was such a thrill for him to see this fine athlete and he was so appreciative of this kind gesture over the years. Freehold people are always welcomed by other Freehold people no matter where you might find each other.
Q. Guess What?
A. One cent, down at Noppy's.
Has it been that long ago?
Woody's Ice Cream on Friday nights. Fed's take out pizza (in paper bags) on Sunday nights. Mom walking to the Broad Street School with my boots when it started snowing after school started. Walking to St. Peter's Church one Christmas Eve in the newly fallen snow. Teachers who were special - Mrs. Munch, Miss Turner, Mrs. Conklin and tons more who really cared about their students.
Skating on the flooded tennis courts at FRHS back in the early sixties.
Walking down a very, very long dark hallway to get to the bowling alley in town.
Watching David Garrison play a Siamese child in the high school's production of The King and I.
Katie Ryan,stopping me everyday on my way home from school, and talking to me. Not until 25 years later, did I learn she was actually related to me! Church bells ringing, the smell of Nestle when it was going to rain, walking with my grandmother on Brinkerhoff Ave admiring the houses, eating lunch at Newberry's lunch counter with my grandma, going shoping at Foodtown. Chicken Holiday, Sorrento's, Jersey Freeze twist cones with sprinkles, walking from my grandmas house on Institute Street back home on Saturday mornings and not being scared, getting in a fist fight with Police Chief Burlew's daughter in front of the school, getting a pair of shoes at Al's Bootery. Rainy Day, Hubble, Tickey's, Crazy George, Augun's gas station, falling of my bike in the parking lot of the racetrack when i was six, still have a scar! the smell of Eli's Bagels on Sunday mornings.
Seeing my Uncle's Memorial stone in front of the Legion. It makes me proud!
Rollerskating with Betty Lou Bresnahan in in the St Rose gym.
I grew up in the Stonehurst development during the sixties. It was a wonderful place to grow up. All the houses in this huge development were built at the same time, so everyone knew each other. We cut through each other's yards, etc. My parents and other parents partying to Herb Alpert music. Summers at the Stonehurst Swim Club and Cabana. Playing basketball at the Laura Donavan School. Canteen nights at the Barkalow. Going to play street hockey with the guys who lived in Juniper Farms. I could keep going. Graduated in 1972 from the new High School, I remember how many of the teachers said they wouldn't leave the borough, but did. There were a lot of racial problems in the boro school, blacks hanging out by the phone booths in front of the cafeterias, getting hassled for money, avoiding certain bathrooms, But I also had many good black friends. It was a difficult time for that, and it was a real issue, which I believe was one of the reasons the High School was built on the other side of town. I remember Mr. Alpert, a wonderful Western Civilization teacher who brought in current music, talked about the news, and was a strong influence to me. He helped in my decision to become a writer, I recently won a PEN award for my novel Surf.Com. I remember--I think it was Miss Williams--an English teacher who played a recording of Chekov's "Uncle Vanya," and it blew me away that adults would yell at each other like children, but she also brought a passion for literature. And Mr. Smith who had these trivia contests and divided the classes in teams, and I thrived in this class; in fact, what was funny is the straight-A front-row students who thrived in grades and tests did horrible that a wiseass C-student like me in his loosely structured class, and I was surprised to find I knew more than they did about current events, movies, history, whatever. I played on the Freehold tennis team, and I remember Manny Amor, a gym teacher rules freak with a crewcut who was the coach. He and I didn;t get along, and rightly so on his part because I was a cut-up, clowning around. I was kicked off the team for not square dancing--he was a big square dance guy for gym (and I hated this, because it was hard enough to ask girls out let alone partner up and get rejected, which I deserved because I was a wiseass), and then I told my parents I got cut, and they said to square dance the next day and wear a tie on Friday. I did and Mr, Amor let me back on the team, It was a lesson in the way the world works sometimes--and unfortunately--really works. But i vowed never to treat anyone this way. Then when Mr. Amor was no longer the coach, guess who became the number one player and captain of the team, me! It never would have happened under him, he liked those human stick-pins. In fact, I remember how the Varsity guys had their own group, and when I became a Varsity tennis player in my second year, they asked me to pal around with them. I thought no way, and hung out with the buddies I always had. I could go on and on, but Freehold was a great place to grow up and it's amazing to read the entries on this page and see how we all share the same affection for the place, which shows how real it was, and will always be. And yes, I've never tasted a better Sub than Sorrentos, or a better pizza then Federicis. Sometimes I think those meals were potting soil, And Stonehurst, does anyone remember the model names for the houses--there was The Willaimsburg, The Salem, The Newport, The Monmouth, and one or two others, Thanks for this site. Fred Reiss Class of 72, who lives in California now.
One of the most imposing teachers of the Hudson Street Grammar School was Miss Collins. She was seemed tall to me as a sixth grader. She had blue or purple tints in her white hair. On my first day in class she asked me who my father was. I told her, as she towered over me walking down the aisles of our classroom, my father's name. She seemed to grow a few inches taller as she looked down on me and told me she hoped that I was better behaved than he had been. During that year, I found a book of newspaper clippings that my grandfather had collected for many years. I loved reading them and it seems that one of the articles was about four young people "joy-riding" down Main Street. They were pulled over and detained. The two men were chided for their recklessness and it happened that one of the two young ladies that they were trying to impress was none other than my teacher. I remember bringing in the book with the articles and giving it to her because she might enjoy seeing some of them. I know that she had to read that one and I have to say, from that day until now, I never told anyone about that article but she and I were certainly on a much friendlier footing for the remainder of that school year!
Playing baseball on the Babe Ruth Field almost every day with my friends "Russ, Donnie, Stevie, Mike, Pete, Bruce & others".
Right there in front of the monument that is now in front of the Monmouth County Court House, I was playing football on the downhill lawn with Doug Tashion, Billy Stryker, Joe King, Rickie Muntz, and his younger brother, and others. We were standing there in between plays and something silvery moved from the horizon to just overhead in a split second and sat motionless for about 5 seconds. It moved back in the precise direction it came from in a split second and disappeared. I have thought about that day many many times. It was around around 1961 - 1962. I've never seen anything like it since, and still cannot imagine what it was. I wonder if any of the boys I was with remember it too. DJS
Working At Kehs Liq. Store
Being old enough to have shopped at the original Sakers grocery store on the porch of their house and then the brand new on around the corner. Working all through FRHS (class of '67) at Shoprite. Seeing it burn down and all the employees going to the Foodtown as temps to only get fired in a week or two.
Remembering Mom and Pop Fed. at the pizza shop. Pop smoking those old nasty imported cigerettes, Mom in the kitchen or working the floor. Spat and Frank the boys.
Goldsteins corner store returning soda bottles for 2 cents, going around back stealing them back and turning them in a few days later to do over. Then they went to 10 cents CHA CHING. Having the largest tent in town built in your own back yard all built by hand and housing up to 8 or 10 at a time sleeping during the summer. The best Aunt ever to always cover for "her boys".
Bruce's original band where he wasn't even an original member, Paul Popkins George Theiss Bart Haynes ( the first guy I really personally knew to be killed in Nam)Tex as the manager...
Having a local liquor store that delivered a case of beer to your door.
Stealing seltzer bottles from the mean old lady next to Bennett St school and squirting each other.She would never give our home run balls back that hit her house.
Buying a pet goldfish at Newberry's...hanging out with my best friend on the steps of the Hall of Records building downtown...roller skating on Friday nights at the old YMCA on Rt 9...drinking beers under a Rt 9 overpass...riding my bike to Manasquan in the summer (fun going there, not so much fun riding home!)
Washing my bowling balls in Lake Topenemus.
Easter time always reminds me of sunrise on that Sunday morning. Out at Old Tennet Church and also up at Maplewood Cemetery a Sunrise Service was held on dewy wet mornings where the sun would come over the horizon and this was a multi-denominational service. Today those fields now have Mc Mansions which block that sun coming over the horizon but I know that at the Monmouth battlefield it can still be seen. Easter also reminds me of Porky's and going out to Dey & Prest to see the chocolate rabbits, jelly beans and so many other lovely Chocolate cream and cocanut Easter Eggs with beautiful flowers all over them. At St. Peter's it was the most joyous holiday of the year. The Church was filled with lillies and hymn when the procession entered the church. I know that all of them could not have been sunny but that is how I remember them. It was a glorious day on that Sunday Morning.
Spring reminds me of getting a pair of Union roller skates that clamped on to my shoes. The skate key was worn on a ribbon around the neck. I skated to school and back and to the library and to the Newberry's as well. I love the old slate sidewalks which were smoother and faster than concrete slabs. The trick was to jump over the cracks that happened when old tree roots raised them but that made it more fun. This predates inline skates and skate boards but it was so much fun.
It is May,1937,and I was in nursery school on Main street,next to the Clark estate on the corner of Main and Mclain. One of the teachers told us to come into the back yard. Above and very low above Freehold was the air ship Hindenberg.You could hear the engines in the distance.I doubt if the airship was more then a thousand feet in the air. I was told later that the ship had been delayed at Lakehurst because of storms.It had gone to Atlantic City.It came back north and was making its final move to land at Lakehurst. I was taken to Lakehurst the next day to see the remains.
The Sunday "Blue Law's", where all clothing and apparel was literally roped off and was forbidden for purchase on Sundays.
The one room school house on Thompson's Grove Road and Rte 537. Thought it was Circa'ed. It was torn down....
The dairy farm on Route 9, after the over pass of Throckmorton Street, on Rt 9 South.
The Township VS The Boro Football Game on Thanksgiving Day at the Township HS.
The RED BARN Restaurant on the V at Routes 524 and 537.
The Smithburg General Store, and Rt 527 before realigning it. Remember when it was a blinking light?
The Beauty Parlor on Rt 9 South where The Golden Bell sits now. It was a little pink building.
The Sunoco gas station that was torn down because Rt 537 and the 33 Bypass was slated for development, this was just as you exited the Freehold Raceway Mall prior to it's existance.
The Happy Highway-bet you don't recall where that was? Or the Pearly Gates?
McCrory's
ShopRite on Sunday morning...remember the sweet smell of rolls?
Dunkin Donuts original spot was were Cingular is now.
R&S Store is where the new Dunkin Donuts is located now.
Trick or Treating-the old fashioned way.
Mason's Department Store on Rt 9 North.
Sherman Toyota
Huffman Koos, by Perkins, remember the houses that were in front of Huffman Koos?
The Roller Skating Rink-Indoor in the Mason's Shopping Center.
The bus stop in the field across from Shop Rite for the Lakewood Roller Skating Rink (on Rt 70)
Home bakery on South St. they had the best cream puffs in the world. The dances at F.H.S and graduating in 1965.
I remember standing on Main Street during WWII and watching the Blue Army from Fort Dix chase after the Red Army.One I used to walk home from the Broad Street School and the drill was some time about 3 or 4 pm.One(and only) time,the Armies used tanks.Great for me--bad for Main Street.The state sent a crew in the next day for repairs.
I remember Ben's Shoe Store and Cottonland Clothing Store on Main Street, and taking driver's ed in high school with Mrs Kelly.
Growing up in Kingsley Square: hanging out on the wall, making out in the chicken coops, almost drowning in the pool, pool hopping in the Kingsley Pool and at the Cinnamon Tree Motel, getting drunk at the Monument and running from the cops!
Sorry to hear Leon Perry passed. I will never forget our talks at 6-12, the laundrymat or just downtown. He had an exhuberant explanation for everything on his bike. Is "Ronnie" still on his trike? He was usually found watching traffic on the corner of Main St. and Park Ave.
Burger Chef on Route 9 in Freehold, (was a gas station and a former Dunkin Donuts)and (now a Cingular store) in close proximity the Buxtons Restaurant. Further south on Route 9N was a Mr. Steak-Steakhouse (now a Burger King) in the Drug Fair Shopping Center- Formerly know as the Ocean Plaza Shopping Center, now known as the Acme Shopping Center.
The Original Freehold Mall.....
Miles Shoe Store
Kinney Shoes
The Sillouette Shop
R&S Store-now Dunkin Donuts and David's Bridal
Eddie's Speed Shop
Lane Drugs
Vinnie's Pizza-still second Best to Federiccis
Carvel
The Bell Terre Farm on Route 9 South before the Freehold CIRCLE, had the best milk and a dairy farm to see as well.
Trotters and Pacers Diner Golden Bell Diner Pathmark-sits empty now. Channel Home Improvement Store Two Guys, Craig Road
Steinbach's Upscale Department Store
The Red Barn Restaurant Herman Stier's General Store-Smithburg Ben's Bar- Smithburg
The Lone Pine Landfill-they took anything and everything!
The original Freehold Twp. Fire Department-can you name the founding members?
Mr Figg, Slyvia Harris, Richard Barlum, Betty Jehle.
Teaching myself how to drive in the parking lot of the National Guard Armory on Rte 33.
H.S. Graduation (Boro) Class of "79" and joining the military 10 days later.
Traffic would back up on Route 33 for the South Street light.The main road to the beach would be full of cars going to Asbury Park. The line would be backed up to what is now the grammer school. Living at that time on Stillwell Place,we would love it. On the right side of Park Ave.(Rt 33) was a Good Humor truck. He made a fortune and we bummed money from cars for ice cream.
When I think back to this time of year, I remember loving being out on the playground on the Hudson street School. There were Hopscotch games drawn on the ground and jump ropes going all over the place. Double Dutch was our favorite and we brought our own ropes to use on the playground and any one could join in the game and we lined up to jump in when the next opening came around and two could jump at the same time if the rope was long enough. I also remember the open windows at school where an occasional bee would enter the window and a small panic would occur. I remember cupping my hands around one and simply walking over to the window and putting it outside again. I did not worry about getting stung because I did not try to crush it. I was the hero on those days in Mr. Baggot's room at the Intermediate School. I do not know why but they really liked that room. That is a big difference from today where the rooms are air conditioned but it is amazing how we survived in those open windowed classrooms. I do not remember suffering too much until the end of school in mid-June. I only recall the wonderful spring and early summer days when school was winding down for another year.
Growing up in Kingsley Square: hanging out on the wall, making out in the chicken coops, almost drowning in the pool, pool hopping in the Kingsley Pool and at the Cinnamon Tree Motel, getting drunk at the Monument and running from the cops!
I think watching Freehold burn, Feds pizza, ice skating on the tennis courts of the High school..and just that hometown feeling of everyone knowing and caring about you...
Sherman Pontiac
Playing ball at Veteran's park during summer break getting a malt at JJ Newberry's with Aunt Bee Babe Ruth league by Nescafe waking up to the smell of coffee in the air and knowing we have rain on the way Kevin O driving first aid cruiser in Memorial Day Parade fishing tournament at freehold pond sledding at the racetrack and getting stuck on frozen parking lot riding our bikes at the end of the Memorial Day Parade my favorite teacher at Bennett St and Hudson St school Mrs.Steel. Who remembers the Rev.Steel at Intermediate School?
After pep rallies in the 1950s everyone hooked arms and made a snake chain up Broadway from the high school to the middle of town.
The old Dan Donovan Farm is now Centra State Medical Center...
Being a very young child and all the local teens coming to hang at our house at the top of the hill in Colts Glen. I wonder where all those people are now. I'd love to hear from them.
Being in the bicentennial 4th of July parade, just after 1st grade... 1976. I dressed up as Betsy Ross, I think. L. Freiday
I'd love to hear from people who knew the Freidays in the 70's. email: freiday[at]laserone[dot]org
The News Stand on the corner of Throckmorton and Main!
What a thrill! I moved to Knoxville, TN, 13 years ago. I was born and raised in Freehold. I just happened upon this site. Boy did the memories come back. I remember going to the movies and then Costa Cottage afterwards for ice cream back in the early 70s. On Saturdays, my sister and I would go with our dad while he got his hair cut at the barbershop, I can't remember the name, but we always went to the Sweet Shop afterwards for burgers, fries, and of course, a gigantic shake poured from a metal shake container. Thanks for for site.
Freehold should be justifiably proud of their foresight. June 28th was the anniversary of the Battle of Monmouth. I never miss that day because it was a date that was emblazoned on me as a child learning local history. I attended St. Peter's and we knew that our church was used as a hospital by the British forces on that day. In the 1950's I remember people beginning to realize that a plan had to be made to preserve the battle site. By the 1960's the plan became an action. Distant relatives owned a part of the sight and I remember when their farm was committed to the park. Since I am a history buff and remember my visits to the Monmouth County Historic Museum and its relics and paintings, I carry those images vividly. I also like to read and Jeff Shaara wrote about the Battle in great detail while David McCullough, like many who write from that period wrote about it in passing. In Jeff Shaara's book the account was really detailed and vivid. I did write him a note concerning this part in his book and he had come to Freehold and had walked the Battlefield as researched for his book. The people of Freehold have to be especially proud that this site was preserved because it is the only one of the Revolutionary battlefields that has been preserved and still intact. I am happy about that or we would have had McMansions all over that site. Another native from Freehold wondered if it would have been called Molly's Manors or something worse.
Tillman's Sweet Shop, corner of Mechanic and South Streets, and Joe's Barber Shop, on South Street.
Anyone recall memories of the trolley car type diner on South Street by Throckmorton Street?
Gus's Diner Rte.33
The Motor Vehicle Agency in the Villiapiano Building on Schanck Road, Freehold Twp.
Sleepy Hollow and Juniper Farms developments being built in 1969 and 1970...
Rural Route mailboxes at the end or corner roads where we lived in Freehold Twp.
Santa Claus arriving by helicopter in the parking lot of Britts.
I REMEMBER WALKING IN MEMORIAL DAY PARADES FOR SEVERAL YEARS DRESSED AS A INDIAN WARRIOR FOR THE
"FREEHOLD REDMANS CLUB".. SCARING LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS ALONG THE WAY... WILLIAM HULSE
Does anyone remember the ice house on Bowne Avenue? I remember that my parents rented a locker there at the end of WWII. My mother would blanch and freeze all kinds of vegetables, especially our family favorite lima beans. She would order huge baskets of lima beans in season and there would be three of them. We spent and entire day shelling all of those beans so that when she finished her mail route run, she could blanch them and fill bags and boexs of them. They would take them up to the food locker and she would retrieve them for dinner all during the year. We complained about all the work and our parents reminded them all during the winter how good they were compared to canned vegetables. I was in the post war era that homes finally became acquainted with frozen vegetables. We had a really large one in the basment where all of those vegetables reposed from summer until spring and especially love in the long winter months. We take all of this for granted now but it was new then.
Wow...I grew up in Freehold and left it behind 30 years ago.I visit on occasion but it's so different now. I found this site and for a few minutes that it took to read it...I was back. Thank you.
The Easter Egg Hunt at the racetrack. If you found a "golden" egg you turned it in for a live chick.
Catching fireflies and taking them to 3M the next morning where they would give you a penny a piece for the live ones. They were testing to see what made them light up.
The yo-yo contest every Saturday morning before the feature film at the Main Street theater before it burned down.
Having a soda with Mom everyday at the counter in Newberry's and then picking out a penny toy.
Hurrying to the Sweet Shop on Main St. next to the bank after school to get a booth.
The fantastic potatoe salad and fresh meats at Jakelis Market on South St. Ronnie was also very handsome!
The Easter processions at St. Rose when we boys had to wear extremely starched white shirts and white ties and our hair was slicked back with Jocur. My hair was blond and it made my hair look greenish! The nuns at St. Rose were either really great and played basketball with us or they were very frustrated women. In 1957 St. Rose won it's first and ony grammer school league basketball championship with Richie Kane, Terry Ryan, Ronnie Jakelis, Jimmie Gleason and Wayne Cashion. We were awarded wonderful green jackets with championship patches on them and the nuns would not let us wear them to school. I remember the great personality of "Dim" Cashion. He was my coach for a few years and I learned more about baseball in those few years than I ever learned in the Many years that followed. His legacy was carried on with Don Cashion, Wayne Cashion, and Glenn Cashion. Really good people.
Freehold Little League with "fireball" Don Rooney and "curve ball king" Ed Henderson on the Pirates and Butch Burlew with his wonderful wind-up on the Cubs. My best pal Joe Collins on the Pirates and the two Sherman brothers on the Indians whom I could never strike out.
The perfect game pitched by Ed Ostrowski.
Weinstein's store on Center St. where we could collect a few pennies for about a hundred pounds of newpapers. The neighborhood street baseball games played on Ford Ave with Bill McGackin and some of the other "Texas Boys" Running through the old railroad yard after a movie at the Liberty. Fishing at the Freehold Pond on opening day and trying to come up with fifty cents to rent a row boat. We grew up in a Our Gang kind of neighborhood and I would not trade it for anything.
Hurrying to the Sweet Shop on Main St. next to the bank after school to get a booth.
Riding home from Britt's with two new sun dresses and going head over heals through town on my ten speed bike, I bought with my own money that I earned from Corbisaro's Italian Restaurant.
Roller skating with Keith Lewis in Saint Rose's gym. My first steady boyfriend. Sorrento's Subs on the corner of South St. & Maclean St. (Glenn Lykes worked there.) So Did Pete Zosnoski & Jimmy Abernathy.
Walking through Silvert's furniture with my sister through the maze. In retrospect, it looked like so much furniture with so many twists and turns.
My mother dragging me up and down every aisle of "John's Bargain Store"
Mr. Francis Norkus holding the PA microphone very close to his mouth as he announced a long list of Foodtown's bakery specials.
Buying baseball cards for a nickel a pack at Gilmore's news stand.
Having to "freeze" in the St. Rose of Lima parking lot when the recess buzzer went off. If you moved and were spotted by a nun you were in big trouble.
Catching a three pound Black bass.
Convincing Harold at Gus's Tavern that I was 21,I was only 17,and having $0.15 draught beers while my buddies stared in the front window green with envy.
The high school students painting Halloween scenes on the store windows in town, the week before Halloween. They were colorful, cute and scary. I couldn't wait till I too was in high school to paint store windows for Halloween, but it ended sometime in the late 50's or early 60's.
The great looking waitresses at Buxtons and being able to eat 2 Big Bux thereby getting them both for free.
Buying fishing tackle at the Western Auto store on Main Street near the Hall of Records.
Going to B.S.'s house on South St. with my sister Ellen who was friends with Ginny, sitting with Mrs. S. while Bruce played his guitar. Riding bikes for 8 hrs. straight and never leaving town, Hudson St. School play ground, St. Rose basketball Cheerleading and the Carnival, Castiles at the Y, the Left Foot, Working at Porky's, Sorrento's on Saturdays, Pizza d's, the Sweet Shop after school, Veteren's Park, Manasquan Main Beach on Memorial Day, the Pond, Friday night circuit, Tex & Marion's.
Playing hide and seek and dodge ball on Conover Street until the street lights came on. Meeting my best friend, Felicia DeAngelis, we are still friends 45 years later.Left Foot, Hullabaloo, Canteen at the Y and CYO dances at St. Rose. Watching through the windows at Tex's house to see the Castille's practice...Motif's playing local dances.
That's it, after about 10 years I'm out of room on this page, no more rememberances will fit. I hope you've enjoyed reading and contributing to "Freehold Things Remembered" and thank you to all who have helped.
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Freehold Things Remembered
