Worcester Talk
General => Looking For Former Worcester Residents => Topic started by: Diane on December 13, 2004, 09:24:48 AM
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I grew up on Bell Hill (Eastern Ave) in the 60's, anyone here familiar with that area or remember me?? I currently live in Calif. My maiden name is Bellione (Diane). Would love to talk to someone from that era or anyone who lived in that area............
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Well I went to Belmont St School from 1960 - 1966. Know anyone from there?
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Boy does that take me back!! Actually I went to Elizabeth St School...........then on to North High. I graduated in 1970....thanks for the reply! :D
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Well then you probably knew most of my classmates from Belmont. Most went to North High. I was the only one who went to Burncoat. Boy you know I can still remember most of their names too!
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Hi Diane,
I grew up on Shrewsbury Street and went to Gage Street School but attended Belmomt Street School once per week for woodworking class. We use to walk up Elizabeth Street to Bell Hill. I had a lot of friends from that area and at that time the whole east side was neat and friendly. I went to North High and graduated in 64 and had aunts who lived on Merrifield Street. I can still rememebr Bell Pond like it was yesterday. I have been in Florida for many years but always remember those days.
Frankie
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All my friends went to Venerini. I was the one who ended up at Sacred Heart and graduated from there in 1966. Living near San Francisco now but have a lot of fond memories of the area--Bell Pond, Shrewsbury St. hangouts, Speedy's Drive in, the fireworks at Green Hill Park. Going back to Worcester in a week to see if the meories are as good as reality. I doubt it.
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Have fun on your trip. Give us an update on what has changed, etc. I'd forgotton the fireworks at the park. Loved that park when I was a teenager, as well as hanging out at Speedy's. I wasn't from that area, I lived near City Hospital from about age 3 or so until I got married in 1965...moved to the Palm Springs area in 1978 and it's home.
Barb (Siergie) Knox
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Hello to All,
Wow! --- Speedys, I rememeber Lapsons Dairy and grew up on Shrewsbury Street(Risso Court). Will always remember all the great family stores on the street and those warm summer nights getting lemonade from Steves Spa.
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OMG you guys are taking me back!! I just got back from Worcester today. I went up to my old neighborhood (Eastern Ave) and could NOT BELIEVE how disgusting it has become. It almost made me weep! Absolutely horrible. Graffiti, gang bangers, dope dealers, you name it. I felt terrible. Worcester is a place I could never go back to. I've lived in Calif. for the last 30 years and now in Missouri. It was great to see my family but that's about it. And as far as Bell Pond, I remember it vividly too. Very precious memories. By the way I graduated from North High in 1970........I love reading these posts!!
Diane Bellione Morgan
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OMG you guys are taking me back!! I just got back from Worcester today. I went up to my old neighborhood (Eastern Ave) and could NOT BELIEVE how disgusting it has become. It almost made me weep! Absolutely horrible. Graffiti, gang bangers, dope dealers, you name it. I felt terrible. Worcester is a place I could never go back to. I've lived in Calif. for the last 30 years and now in Missouri. It was great to see my family but that's about it. And as far as Bell Pond, I remember it vividly too. Very precious memories. By the way I graduated from North High in 1970........I love reading these posts!!
Diane Bellione Morgan
:)
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I grew up on Bell Hill (Eastern Ave) in the 60's, anyone here familiar with that area or remember me?? I currently live in Calif. My maiden name is Bellione (Diane). Would love to talk to someone from that era or anyone who lived in that area............
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Boy, are you all making me me feel old! Well, I guess I am at that. I grew up on the Hill. I went to Elizabeth St. School, Class of 1948! Former City Manager McGrath was the principal, Miss Donnelly was 8th grade teacher. So.........any of your parents live on Belmont Hill? I went to East Kendall St. School when we lived on Eastern Ave. Then later, Elliott St. If you all have fond memories of your years on the Hill, you aint heard nothing yet. The Hill was the home of Armenians, Italians, Swedes and Finnish, Irish, and Yankees. In the 40's and 50's it was a nice, clean, friendly place to live. Not much crime that I recall. My brothers did get in trouble for hitching a ride on the trolley...#24 Belmont....think that was in the mid 40's. Later some one (I aint mentioning names here) chopped down a small pine tree in front of Venerini, giving one family a Christmas tree like no other. Olson's Spa, Skiests, The 5&10, Gooligians, I think. Jakes market on Edward St. The 50's were a bit wilder...I was 14 or 15, hanging out with kids around the school on summer nights. Sitting on the wall, sneaking around the back to have a cigaret. I won't bore you with anymore old-time happenings. But, have a favor to ask. If anyone knows anyone who might have class pictures taken in the late 1940's I sure would love to have a copy. Thanks much.
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Hi Jenna.............well once again someone took me back down memory lane. I sure do remember Skiets!! We used to go there everyday for penny candy. I don't recall seeing it when I went "home" last month. My sister went to Venerini back in the 60's. Remember Bell Pond?? I wish I had taken the time to go there on this trip. I wonder if it still exists?? If so it's probably pretty dirty!! We used to love going there every day. I don't even recall lifeguards when I was a kid. Yet it was so safe, or so it seemed. Was Ms. Gatti at Elizabeth St when you were there?? I am a youngster, I think. I was in the class of "66. Good talking to you!
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Hi Diane,
You're about 20 years younger than me, by 1966 I was married with 5 kids and one due in 1968. My oldest was born on 1952, so probably close to your age. Yeah, Skiests is gone, think he just died couple years ago. All the stores in that block from Edward St. down to what was Liberty St are different business now. From Edward on up to Bell Pond looks about the same. The 3 deckers are pretty run down and that whole section over to Shrewsbury St. is seedy and crime-ridden. But, I'm sure there are a lot of good people living there too. Bell Pond is still there and crowded with swimmers every summer. The weirdest sight to me is the high-rise apartments on the eastern side of the pond. And now another school is being built across Belmont St. on the corner Skyline Drive wher Green Hill begins. I'm pretty sure Miss gatti was the Art teacher when I was at Elizabeth, maybe not. She was also an Art teacher at Commerce when I was there. Nice talking.
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HI Jenna, well one of your children must be my age, I was also born in 1952........I am curious!! Any chance you could tell me his/her name?? When I was growing up I lived at the corner of Farwell and Eastern Ave. Do you recall that area? I wish I had gone by Bell Pond when I was in Worcester (just a few weeks ago!) It would have brought back so many wonderful fun times. Those were certainly the good days where people seemed more "normal" (for lack of a better word). My friends and I used to go to a club at the bottom of Bell Hill (where the "rotary" was/is and we would walk home at midnight w/o the least fear! Can't imagine doing that today. Again, if you don't mind I would love to know the name of your child born the same year as me....thanks so much
God Bless
Diane
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Hi Diane,
My oldest daughterwas born in November of 1952, but she absolutely flips out when I don't keep things private online. I didn't live on the Hill after I married. In fact we lived in Florida for a couple years and this daughter started school there. Later went to Burncoat Jr. then graduated from Burncoat High. The rest of my kids went to Harlow, then Burncoat. Her and her sister and friends hung out at the Comic Strip at Lincoln Sq. in the 60's. Think that's the club you mentioned. Ciao.
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P.S.
By the way....Sandy Lamorey is my cousin's daughter. I don't know her married name.The last I heard she lived in California but can't be sure. Her parents have both been ill and we haven't kept in touch but if and when I see another in-law who can help I'll let you know.
J
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Jenna, your daughter is absolutely right about keeping things private so I understand, and if she went to Burncoat most likely I don't know her. ( I used to go to the Comic Strip and actually WALK home at midnight with my friends) and we never had anything to fear! Try that today, I don't think so!! Good talking to you......
diane
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Hi Jenna,
I happened to read your message and just wanted to see if you were a Comic Strip regular ,in those good old days. I played in the house band and often think of how great things were in those days. I agree with you about how nice it was to walk around without the worries of these days. I use to walk from the Lincoln Square Boys Club / down Summer Street and to Shewrsbury Street with no cares at all. I can and often do think and appreciate growing up ion those times . Its nice to hear and read about Worcester especially since I have been away from there for so long.
There were so many great areas in that part of Worcester --from the east side on.
Frankie
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Jenna, I have been trying to find Sandy Lamory for years, I was good friends with her when we were growing up. She had a cousin named Wayne Morris, do you know him??? Maybe I will try and find him and he can help me. If there is any way you can help me I would appreciate it. thanks so much
diane bellione morgan
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Diane:
Your name is not familiar, but we had to have bumped shoulders somewhere, perhaps at Ralph's Supermarket at the foot of Catherine Street! I grew up on Bell Hill at the same time you did. There are so many memories, where to start? I went to East Kendall Street School, then on to Grafton St. Jr. High for a year ( the brand new Harrington Way Jr. High was behind schedule but I was in the first seventh grade class to attend). I roamed all over Belmont Hill as a kid. I helped a friend with a paper route which took me the whole length of Eastern Ave. (I climbed so many flights of three-decker stairs!). I lived at the Green Hill end of Eastern Ave. but spent many Saturday mornings at the Boy's Club at Lincoln Square. I remember feeling really macho the first time I swam across the middle of Bell Pond.
I could go on and on, and I would love to; but I'll wait to see if this reply gets viewed. I somewhat new to discussion boards but I've been checking Worcester Talk every week or so. I have been trying to locate childhood friends of my own on this forum with no luck so far.
I now live outside of Shreveport, Louisiana and I would love to hear from you-even if it turns out that our paths never crossed.
Regards,
Dan (formerly "Danny") Granfors
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Hello Dan......... :) If you don't mind me asking how old you are?? I was born in 1952. We lived at the corner of Eastern Ave and Farwell, then we moved across the street to 115 Eastern Ave. I went to Elizabeth St School in the late 50's, early 60's. Where have the years gone???? Sure flew by didn't they?? I was so happy to find this website. I am anxious to reconnect with some old friends who grew up in that area. Do you remember Vessio's market and the store directly across the street??? I went to North High and graduated in 1970. I've lived in Calif. for almost 30 years and now live in Missouri. Sure wish we could exchange childhood pictures, then maybe we'd recognize each other. My maiden name is Bellione. I have 3 sisters. Do you recall anyone at all that lived on Eastern Ave??? Do you remember a girl named Susan that lived on your end of Eastern Ave?? I don't want to give her last name but maybe if we end up emailing each other I will share more info. Great talking to you!! Will be waiting for a reply.....take care!
diane
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Hi Diane:
I'll be fifty-one next Valentine's Day. I surely do remember Vessio's and the store across the street was the Hillside Spa. One block east up the hill on Belmont (at Rodney) was Ogasian's Market. I would buy "Ghost Stories" comic books there and when I had the cash, vanilla milkshakes. I believe that the Ogasian family was Armenian and the store always had an exotic Eastern smell about it; or it could have easily been my imagination.
My very first job was at Sam's car wash on Shrewsbury street for a buck an hour! That was ok because right there on the same corner was first Turo's and then later Toscano's market where one could buy Italian club sandwiches wrapped in white butcher paper for 25¢.
I am sure that most of these places only exist in a finite number of minds now. I have been away for thirty-four years, but my memories are still sharp and vivid about that early time in my life. Now I am a math teacher in Louisiana- about as far removed from my childhood circumstances as it is possible to get.
I must cut this short for now but I will be back to follow this thread very soon.
Warm regards,
Dan (formerly "Danny") Granfors
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Dan, do you remember Skiets across the street from Memorial Hospital??? I remember going there every day buying penny candy. And do you remember the Comic Strip club at the bottom of Bell Hill (where the "rotary" was??? It was a blast. We used to walk home at midnight and not be afraid. Boy those days are gone aren't they??? The old neigborhood is in really bad shape now. Very sad. I go "home" every year and could almost weep at what's become of it. A few people in our age range have passed away, too. We'll talk more later! take care
diane
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Hello To All,
Does anyone remember Joe Vesscosi"s and Dan's Market that use to be on the corners of Lyons Street and Shrewsbury Street and the little store that ujse to be on Plum Street?
Frank in Fort Lauderdale
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Hello To All,
Does anyone remember Joe Vesscosi"s and Dan's Market that use to be on the corners of Lyons Street and Shrewsbury Street and the little store that ujse to be on Plum Street?
Frank in Fort Lauderdale
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Hey Diane,
I remember Skiests very well. It was in a strip of very old storefronts along with Frudy's Package Store (before Frudy's moved up to the corner of Edwards Street), a fish & chip place, and I think, a distribution place for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. I do recall the penny candy!- Squirrel Nut Caramels (I wish I had ten pounds of 'em now), Necco Wafers, those stupid wax things with the kool-aid in them.
Further down Belmont on the right toward Lincoln Sq. were Our Lady of Fatima and Belmont Baptist churches. I went to Belmont Baptist for a long time as a kid and played for their basketball team (I was pathetic). Before they built those high-rise public housing flats on the left, there used to be brownstone apartment buildings with big stone front porches and a John Jarvey TV repair place on the first floor of one of them. At the very foot of Belmont, at the rotary, were two taverns side by side. The Somerset Cafe was a haunt of my dad's and the Valhalla next door was where his sister, my Aunt Betty worked as a waitress in the daytime. I remember mooching free cokes with Maraschino cherriies from Aunt Betty at the Valhalla on my way to the Boy's Club.
I remember the Comic Strip but I was always too young to go there. You have a few years on me! I do remember sneaking into the Worcester Auditorium many times to see car shows and such. I left Worcester in 1972 when my dad died; I was 16 so most of my universe had to be within walking dsitance.
Do you remember the carnival that they used to hold every year at Mt. Carmel church at the foot of Queen Anne's [?] hill?
Was it Gage Street School that was at that end of Eastern Ave? I remember that the school building came right up to the Eastern Ave. sidewalk.
Diane, you have to validate a childhood memory I have. On Saturday or Sunday mornings, there was a children's show on TV called Boomtown. It was basically the Bozo format but instead of a clown, the star was a cowboy named Rex Trailer with a sidekick named Pancho. They would run Tom Terrific and Davy and Goliath cartoons within the show. Do you recall this show or is it just a grotesque dream I had?
I've read your other posts about how seedy and run down the old neighborhood is now, but I suppose that it was inevitable. We see these places populated by ghosts of people living and gone, but the residents there now don't see them. Virtually all of my family has passed on now: so I often get all sad and melancholy when I think about those years, but they are indelible mental pictures we will carry to the grave.
I suppose that I should wrap this up for now. There was a girl named Susan Turcotte who lived at my end of Eastern Ave. I was best friends with her younger brother Bobby. She was very pretty with dark, straight hair. She was a few years older than me so maybe she was in your circle.
Bye for now,
DanG
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Boy you just brought back so many memories!! I remember everything you mentioned. I knew a neighbor on my street that used to go to the Valhalla all every weekend and come home drunk and in a rage. It was pretty awful. I remember him being very violent when he was drunk. He used to walk home. I went to Our Lady of Mt Carmel church. I do remember those carnivals!! Gosh, I feel so sad and melancholy myself when I think of those good old times. Things sure seemed better then. Never had to worry about school shootings and all the violence, tho' I suppose it was there but certainly not as bad as things are today. As for Susan Turcotte, I am still in contact with her. I talk to her via email quite often. She is doing well. Do you have children? What brought you to Louisana???? Please stay in touch when you have the time ok??? (there is another person I "met" here that I email. She grew up right in my immiediate area and for the life of me cannot remember what she looked like, and she doesn't recall me either, but we do chat occasionally. take care till next time...... :)
diane
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Hi.. If I may add a few comments regarding Belmont Hill. I drove on Eastern Ave. just yesterday, on my way from Belmont to Shrewsbury St. I remember the the days from the 50s and 60s having grown up on the "other" side of Belmont past Bell Pond. Here`s a quick description of Eastern Ave. , Merrifield St. area as it is today.....abandoned cars, litter, most houses in bad need of repair, and that`s just for starters. Trying to drive thru after a snowstorm is impossible as these streets become about six feet wide because of the illlegal parking etc. Traffic is a nightmare on lower Belmont from early morning to early evening. Sorry for the rather dim view of the area, but giving an up to date observance I thought might helpfull. Near the Vallhalla was another place called the Silver Dollar Cafe and if I remember another joint called the Golden Nugget.
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You know down here where I am in Florida is a bulk food store that sells all those candies. I avoid the place or I know I'd be buying the ten pounds
Hey Diane,
I remember Skiests very well. It was in a strip of very old storefronts along with Frudy's Package Store (before Frudy's moved up to the corner of Edwards Street), a fish & chip place, and I think, a distribution place for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. I do recall the penny candy!- Squirrel Nut Caramels (I wish I had ten pounds of 'em now), Necco Wafers, those stupid wax things with the kool-aid in them.
Further down Belmont on the right toward Lincoln Sq. were Our Lady of Fatima and Belmont Baptist churches. I went to Belmont Baptist for a long time as a kid and played for their basketball team (I was pathetic). Before they built those high-rise public housing flats on the left, there used to be brownstone apartment buildings with big stone front porches and a John Jarvey TV repair place on the first floor of one of them. At the very foot of Belmont, at the rotary, were two taverns side by side. The Somerset Cafe was a haunt of my dad's and the Valhalla next door was where his sister, my Aunt Betty worked as a waitress in the daytime. I remember mooching free cokes with Maraschino cherriies from Aunt Betty at the Valhalla on my way to the Boy's Club.
I remember the Comic Strip but I was always too young to go there. You have a few years on me! I do remember sneaking into the Worcester Auditorium many times to see car shows and such. I left Worcester in 1972 when my dad died; I was 16 so most of my universe had to be within walking distance.
Do you remember the carnival that they used to hold every year at Mt. Carmel church at the foot of Queen Anne's [?] hill?
Was it Gage Street School that was at that end of Eastern Ave? I remember that the school building came right up to the Eastern Ave. sidewalk.
Diane, you have to validate a childhood memory I have. On Saturday or Sunday mornings, there was a children's show on TV called Boomtown. It was basically the Bozo format but instead of a clown, the star was a cowboy named Rex Trailer with a sidekick named Pancho. They would run Tom Terrific and Davy and Goliath cartoons within the show. Do you recall this show or is it just a grotesque dream I had?
I've read your other posts about how seedy and run down the old neighborhood is now, but I suppose that it was inevitable. We see these places populated by ghosts of people living and gone, but the residents there now don't see them. Virtually all of my family has passed on now: so I often get all sad and melancholy when I think about those years, but they are indelible mental pictures we will carry to the grave.
I suppose that I should wrap this up for now. There was a girl named Susan Turcotte who lived at my end of Eastern Ave. I was best friends with her younger brother Bobby. She was very pretty with dark, straight hair. She was a few years older than me so maybe she was in your circle.
Bye for now,
DanG
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Hello tommyj.........yes, I know what you mean about Eastern Ave. When I was growing up there in the early 60's it wasn't bad at all. People took care of the yards and houses. We had cook outs and there were always nice kids playing outside till dark. It's a pretty sad now as it looks. I was in Worcester in May with my husband and son and DIL and they couldn't believe I grew up there, but of course I told them it was not like that then. Made me very very sad to see my old 3 decker look like that, what the heck happened????:(
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Hi Tim, yeah, I avoid that candy now, too. Too bad we can't eat the way we used to as kids uh?
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Oh yeah .. to bad we can't do a lot of what we could when younger. Hey did you know a Gerry Beliveau?? I think he lived on Rodney St
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Tim,
I just might have to pester you sometime for the email of that bulk candy store. iI haven't had a Nut Caramel in probably thirty-five years!
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Hi Tim,
I grew up on Shrewsbury Street and now live in Coral Springs Fla. The east side was a great place to grow up in.
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Hi Frankie, where on Shrewsbury St did you grow up???? My 85 year old Italian mom still goes there to those old stores. I feel like I've walked down memory lane with you guys, thanks so much!
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Diane,
Hello again. I am astounded that you know Susan Turcotte! Would you please give her my email address the next time you talk and pass on that I have been trying to locate her brother Robert or sister Elaine for years now and I would love to hear from her?
To answer a few of your questions in your last post, I came to Louisiana in 1972 to live with my mom when my dad died. He and my mom had split up a couple years before and I stayed with dad and my brother Bill. I joined the Coast Guard from here, stayed in five years, then left the service and went to college on the G.I. Bill. I met and married my wife Rose while going to school. She had three kids from an earlier marriage, all of which are grown now and who have given us nine grandkids. On any given weekend, I have two or three of them camped out and under foot at my house. It’s wonderful!
Weren’t those three-deckers interesting dwellings? I lived in three of them growing up and although those tenements would seem impossibly cramped to me now, every one of them had a front and back porch, front and back hall, and a kitchen pantry- refinements you don’t find in too many modern homes. I remember how people would string up Christmas lights on their front porches and the whole street would be lit up from them.
A lot of the streetlights in Worcester back then had been converted from old gaslight fixtures, and I am ashamed to say that one of the pastimes of my renegade friends and I was to try to put out the bulb with a stone. The only thing I can say in my defense is that I was a lousy shot and I don’t believe that I cost the City of Worcester too much in light bulbs!
Isn’t it revolting that all of those magnificent brick school buildings like East Kendall Street, Belmont Street, Grafton St. Jr. High and probably dozens of others had to be pulled down for PARKING LOTS? Sometimes I really despair that our country will ever reach adulthood as a nation.
I hear a wee voice calling for Pap-Paw from another room, so I guess that I’ll close for now. That email address for Susan is djgrnfrs@cox.net. It’s probably not very wise to put it out like this but I am so loaded with junk anyway I just destroy it without a thought.
Warm Regards,
DanG
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Hi Diane,
I lived on Risso Court which is across the street from the Boulavard Diner or just across the street from Plum Street. I went to Gage Street School/ and then to North High, so I grew up smack in the middle of the good old street. I played in the New Breed which was the house band at the Comic Strip but my memories of the area are just wonderful especially in those days. I have been away from there for a long time but my dad still lives there and resides on Tampa Street , off of Plantation Street.
I am now living in Coral Springs Florida and have been here for some time and get back to Worcester once a year or so and some of the old areas are justa blight but that is coomon in so many areas but sad for all of us. I really enjoy this site and stumbled across it a few month ago.
You all write so many things that take me back and think abouit how great the east side of Worcester was and still is in many ways.
Its really nice talking with you
Frank
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Tim,
I just might have to pester you sometime for the email of that bulk candy store. iI haven't had a Nut Caramel in probably thirty-five years!
Boy I doubt they have an email address, and I can't think of it's name but if you want to do a little research it's on Cleveland Ave in North Fort Myers Florida 33903. I haven't been in it for awhile but I'm in the plaza often so I'll look. My Travel Agency has a Worcester phone where you can leave a message if you want to. It's 508-635-2464. It's a web base phone so just leave a message.
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Hi Dan, yes those 3 deckers were really amazing when you think about it! They were roomy and always had big front and back porches, a cellar, hallways, etc. But I never really liked living there as opposed to living in a single family home. For some strange reason my parents never bought a house. We lived in those 3 deckers till I moved out at 22. Thankfully my parents moved away from there just in time before they got really bad. Still breaks my heart at what's happened to the old neighborhood. Let's post a little more often and go back down memory lane, it's wonderful. take care till next time and God Bless.
diane
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I remember Rex Trailer - in fact, when I worked for the T&G their annual children's Christmas party featured him. My boys were small and I recall that he was not very "user friendly" although the show he put on was pretty good. The party was held in the auditorium and I think it was 1974 or so.
I grew up in the Castle Park area of the city. It was not a great neighborhood then, and it's very bad now as I understand. I live in the Palm Springs, Ca area but my two brothers are still in Worcester. One is a postman, I'm not sure about the other. I graduated from South High School in 1964.
Barb (Siergie) Knox
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Thank you, Barb
I might have gone to my grave thinking that Boomtown was some bizarre hallucination or that someone had dropped LSD into my Moxie!
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LOL about Boomtown!! I sure remember that too. Do you all remember Bozo?? And the Seinfeld episode where "George" was having a fit about no one knowing Bozo the Clown?? Boy those were the good old days, I remember watching Bozo every night at 5 p.m. Wonder if he's still alive???
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Nope, Boomtown definitely existed, it was one of my brothers' favorite shows. Everyone remembers Bozo ;D Went to a show in Whitinsville(I think) where he was appearing and he was great! Big red nose, big shoes, big hair...
Anyone remember Big Brother - it seems I'm a lot older than you two so... Watched him a noontime when I was home from school (we went home for lunch). The big deal with his show was that every day we raised our glasses of milk for "a toast to the president of the United States", a picture of Dwight D. Eisenhower as I recall.
Barb
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Rex Trailer info link
http://www.rextrailer.tv/
Coming to Boston
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Neil, thanks for the rextrailer link!!
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Wow! So old Rex is still going strong...did anyone notice that Bozo the clown was in one of those pictures?
Barb
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Can you sing the song.. Check out this video link. Rex Trailer Boomtown.
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=5202940698975412644&q=boomtown
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More info on all the kids shows out of Boston.. Major Mudd etc.
Link below
http://www.tvparty.com/lostboston.html
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I remember really loving to watch Boomtown........do you think the kids today would appreaciate a show like that?? Somehow I doubt it. But at least we got to enjoy it. thanks again Neil. (I gather you grew up in Worcester????)
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Yes Diane , I lived on Canterbury street in my younger years and Belmont St . from the 70's. Our home on Belmont St. has been in the Donahue family since about 1940... It was built in 1894.
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Thanks Neil, Barb, & All:
It was great to hear the Boomtown song again (from those links). It's remarkable how sounds and smells can trigger buried memories! I remember when my dad bought a "second" TV at the Salvation Army Thrift store for my brother and me. It had an eight-inch screen and a thirty-inch cabinet. I believe that we could only get four channels in Worcester at that time, Channels four, five, seven (WNAC I think), and when the weather was right, Channel nine (WMUR-TV) from Manchester, NH.
At this time of year, my dad would try to make a few extra bucks on the weekends picking apples in Sterling, Brookfield, and a few other towns in northern Worc. County. We would drive north on Lincoln Street, branch left in front of Nordgren's Funeral Home (didn't it become Burncoat at that point?), continue until Burncoat ended at a park I believe,left, then right on West Boylston Street. We would sometimes go one block beyond West Boylston to stop at the Pinecroft Ice Cream place. I would look out the window from the back seat of dad's '63 Ford Galaxie and eat my ice cream as we crossed the Wachuset Reservoir. I alwys looked for the the ruined stone church on the bank-I've heard that it has collapsed.
It seems that everyone who had a few apple trees would put an old kitchen chair out by the road with a bushel of apples and maybe a plastic jug or two of apple cider sitting on top. That freshly pressed cider! What I wouldn't give for a drum of it now! Of course, I would probably have to sleep in the bathroom for a month, but it is a price I would be willing to pay!
Bye for now,
DanG
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Neil, where on Bell Hill was your family home????
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162 Belmont Between Eastern Ave & Merrifield Next to Vesssio's old market.
Check this link from the 1978 Blizzard for photos.. the white 2 family.
http://www.worcestermass.com/places/blizzard78.shtml
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Good grief, Neil!
I used to sit on the stone wall in front of your house to wait for the bus to carry me to North High! Do you remember old Charlie who used to walk up Belmont Street to the State Hospital where he lived?
Dan
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Dan, I dont know Charlie by name, but talked to many heading that way...to 305 Belmont.
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Hi Neil.........I remember that house so well!!!! I am so happy to be having this "conversation" with all of you:) It's making me feel so good to recall a happy time in my life. I was looking at the pictures and reading some of the comments, and someone mentioned working at the radio station WORC. and brought up Dave O'Gara's name. I knew him and his brother. Does Dave still work there????? And does anyone recall Marty Monroe? He lived on Merrified St. I often wonder what became of him. LOVED THOSE PICTURES! :D
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Hello all:
Diane, you're right. Those pictures were great! I had completely forgotten that the three-decker that Vessio's was in had a conical spire. I wonder if the old fire station on Eastern Ave is still there. I remember as a kid always getting a friendly wave from the firemen in their lawn chairs out front. I remember some cold mornings waiting for the bus to Harrington Way Jr. High; I would stand in Vessio's doorway to try to block the wind.
DanG
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I remember standing in Vessio's too, waiting for the bus to go "downtown"........and me and my friends going into the firestation when we were about 8-10 years old. Those firefighters were always good guys and used talk to us and were very kind. I drove up Eastern Ave in May but can't remember if it was there or not, DUH ......Do lyou recall a Marty Munroe?? He would be about 56. Lived on Merrified St. I often wonder what became of him, we were good friends.
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Diane,
I'm afraid that I never knew Marty Munroe. I'll be fifty-one in February so you and he were out of my orbit. My brother Bill would be about 56 if he were still alive. Perhaps you knew some in his circle of friends. Let me see if I can remember some names: Charlie Sharigian, Artie Skovone (not sure of the spelling on some of these), Nick Gilardi, Dave Anderson, Susan Gustafson (I was friends with her youger brother Larry), a girl whose last name was Cisca.
DanG
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Eastern Ave Fire Station is still there.
It was bought after fire damage done by arsonist years ago . Around 1997..for $5,000 ..
It became a Studio for a company call Firehause...
Was almost completely rebuilt and had living quarters on the top floor.
A sound recording studio in the basement..
New Heating systems..almost 90 % restored -windows, woodwork etc..
Sold again last year for around $360,000 plus or minus.
I can't believe the city didn't buy it back.. In like new condition ...
See link below that will show you photo of it last year for sale...Neil
Photo Link.
http://www.fallenbrothers.com/community/showthread.php?t=4407
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Hello Dan, I used to be chummy with Susan G.... wonder what became of her??? Any idea?? A few of those names sound familiar. Neil, thanks for that picture of the firestation, brought back great memories. Does anyone remember Diane Fowler? Or Jimmy and Billy Reilly???
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Hey Diane,
I remember Skiests very well. It was in a strip of very old storefronts along with Frudy's Package Store (before Frudy's moved up to the corner of Edwards Street), a fish & chip place, and I think, a distribution place for the Worcester Telegram & Gazette. I do recall the penny candy!- Squirrel Nut Caramels (I wish I had ten pounds of 'em now), Necco Wafers, those stupid wax things with the kool-aid in them.
Further down Belmont on the right toward Lincoln Sq. were Our Lady of Fatima and Belmont Baptist churches. I went to Belmont Baptist for a long time as a kid and played for their basketball team (I was pathetic). Before they built those high-rise public housing flats on the left, there used to be brownstone apartment buildings with big stone front porches and a John Jarvey TV repair place on the first floor of one of them. At the very foot of Belmont, at the rotary, were two taverns side by side. The Somerset Cafe was a haunt of my dad's and the Valhalla next door was where his sister, my Aunt Betty worked as a waitress in the daytime. I remember mooching free cokes with Maraschino cherriies from Aunt Betty at the Valhalla on my way to the Boy's Club.
I remember the Comic Strip but I was always too young to go there. You have a few years on me! I do remember sneaking into the Worcester Auditorium many times to see car shows and such. I left Worcester in 1972 when my dad died; I was 16 so most of my universe had to be within walking dsitance.
Do you remember the carnival that they used to hold every year at Mt. Carmel church at the foot of Queen Anne's [?] hill?
Was it Gage Street School that was at that end of Eastern Ave? I remember that the school building came right up to the Eastern Ave. sidewalk.
Diane, you have to validate a childhood memory I have. On Saturday or Sunday mornings, there was a children's show on TV called Boomtown. It was basically the Bozo format but instead of a clown, the star was a cowboy named Rex Trailer with a sidekick named Pancho. They would run Tom Terrific and Davy and Goliath cartoons within the show. Do you recall this show or is it just a grotesque dream I had?
I've read your other posts about how seedy and run down the old neighborhood is now, but I suppose that it was inevitable. We see these places populated by ghosts of people living and gone, but the residents there now don't see them. Virtually all of my family has passed on now: so I often get all sad and melancholy when I think about those years, but they are indelible mental pictures we will carry to the grave.
I suppose that I should wrap this up for now. There was a girl named Susan Turcotte who lived at my end of Eastern Ave. I was best friends with her younger brother Bobby. She was very pretty with dark, straight hair. She was a few years older than me so maybe she was in your circle.
Bye for now,
DanG
Who was your coach at belmont baptist. Was it Bob Pallanius
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I grew up on Bell Hill (Eastern Ave) in the 60's, anyone here familiar with that area or remember me?? I currently live in Calif. My maiden name is Bellione (Diane). Would love to talk to someone from that era or anyone who lived in that area............
Do you remember Jerry Belliveau?? He married my oldest daughter's God Mother Irene Johnson from Shrewsbury. Well sad to report he passed away in April after a long battle with cancer. Even thought we're only 20 miles apart here in SW Fla we never did get together, Sadly!
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Hi Tim, it's been ages since I've been on this board..........I guess I just forget about it....do you know offhand if there are any more new members from Bell Hill???
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Hi Tim, it's been ages since I've been on this board..........I guess I just forget about it....do you know offhand if there are any more new members from Bell Hill???
Not that I've seen. I haven't been here for 6+ months either. Hey did we know each other from school??
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I don't think so, I graduated from North in 1970...what about you?
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there use to be quite the rivalry tween speedys an flying saucer off rt 20 and greenwood st
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Did you happen to hear or know of a young man that jumped or fell off a building around 1977 in the Bell Hill area and died?