From the article: Queens Basics - Getting Your Bearings in Queens, New York
You grew up Rego Park, Bayside, Ridgewood, Astoria, Jamaica, Jackson Heights, Bellerose, Hollis, Woodside, or anywhere else in Queens, New York. Where did life bring you? Do you ever miss the old neighborhood? The folks back here want to know if the grass is greener on the other side. Share Your Story
my days in hollis
- hey i was hollis kid too grew up 197th st and 91st rd it was a dead end street but was my little world and when i got older got drafted and when i went back wasnt the same things houses were much smaller in fact everything was much smaller but i still miss those days
- —Guest jackmo
From the Queens Borough Historian
- I was born in Flushing and grew up in Bayside (when you could pick wild strawberries in empty lots!) I left NYC when I graduated from college (1963) and NYC was still a magnet for young people, yet I was ready to explore the world. I lived in three other countries and four other states before returning to NYC in 1976 at its low point. Since 1978 I have been living in the same apartment- about a half a mile from Flushing Hospital where I was born. I've witnessed the amazing transformation of Flushing from an neighborhood of aging folks of European descent to the city's largest Asian community. Since 1982 I've been leading walking tours in many of Queens' changing communities. (See www.GeogNYC./com ) Immigrants thrive here and young people have come back. History is being made here as Queens is in the avant garde of a globalization occurring on our planet.
- —Guest Jack Eichenbaum
Grew up in Glendale
- I grew up in upper Glendale. I attended Sacred Heart School, then on to Richmond Hill HS. Moved to Ozone Park after I was married. After 10 years we moved to Valley Stream where we raised our to children. In 2001 we moved to Pennsylvania. We stayed for 7 years. It was too quite for us. We are now back in Franklin Square, it's not Queens, but it's close enough. I will always have happy memories of growing up in Queens.
- —Guest Joann G
A few places in Queens
- I moved to Long Island City when I was 9, went to PS1, was at the opening of PS 76, then onto Oliver Wendell Holmes JHS 204 and then on to Long Island City High School. My family moved to Brooklyn for about 5 years, then I married and came back to Astoria after 12 years in Astoria I moved onto Richmond Hill/Woodhaven, left there to live outside the continental US for 4 years, returned to Richmond Hill/Woodhaven. I just keep coming back. I'm cold too much of the time, so when I leave my beloved Queens I will be going to a warmer climate. I am still a Mets fan and I've lived longer in Queens than any other place in my life. It's still a great place to live, with real people and real neighborhoods.
- —Guest Myrna
Miss NYC...especially Queens
- 51 yrs old. I grew up in Woodside,Sunnyside and Laurel hill. L.I.C. area. Went to school in PS 11,PS 199 and PS 125 before moving to NJ,PA in the 70s and 80s. In the 90s I moved to Las Vegas for 15yrs b4 moving to Houston then Nashville where I am presently. Miss the N.East and plan on being back there soon. My childhood was the best in Queens. Father and Grandfather were cops then.
- —Guest Victor L
Queens - always on my mind
- It's a delight to recall memories from 181st Street, Jamaice/Hollis, where I grew up in the 1950's & 60's and hear how much we have in common. What about catching fire flies on warm summer evenings? I have especially fond memories of ice-skating up at Goose Pond by Jamaica High School, bike rides in Cunningham Park, fabulous choice of books at Parson's Blvd. Library, trips to Jones Beach and indulgence at Nino's Pizzeria on Hillside Avenue! We moved from Queens just a few weeks before the JFK assassination and that event coincided with the security of living in Queens falling apart. Vietnam and the pains of the Civil Rights movement gave a very different reality. Since Queens, I have lived in California, the Bahmas, Florida and for the last nearly thirty years have lived and worked in Salisbury, England. The two big impacts when I last visited Queens, after forty years, were the disappearance of the Jamaica El' and AC on the E & F subway trains- no more tempers flying in hot Aug.
- —terenceherlihy
An adventure
- I grew up on 184th Place near Jamaica Avenue in Hollis. Attended PS 95, Van Wyck JHS 217 & Delehanty HS. After 2 semesters at Queens College, I enlisted in the Navy, traveling to Orlando, FL for boot camp, Great Lakes Illinois for Corps School, Bethesda, MD, & Jacksonville, FL. I left the Navy for 18 months then re-upped going to San Bernardino, CA, Pensacola, FL, back to Jacksonville, FL. 4 deployments brought me to Bermuda, Sicily & Puerto Rico. I left Jacksonville, FL for the Catskills - Ellenville, NY. Then I moved to Paupack, PA in the Poconos. A divorce sent me back to be near my daughter back in Jacksonville, FL. A reunion with a former love brought me to where I am today - Greenville, GA. I know I am not done moving yet, as our plan is to go back to Jacksonville to be near our daughters & his grandkids. Hopefully, that will be it! I am tired of packing & unpacking!
- —Guest Elaine
Astoria
- Believe it or not, I still live in the same place that I lived in since I was born and that was 51 years ago. That place is Astoria. I saw many stores on steinway street come and go, but the only store that is really still there is Fantasy. Fantasy is a place where you can buy stuff like bedding, kitchen stuff, stuff for your bathroom. Another store that I remember still being there is Villa Guido Pizza Parlor, and Rizos where you can get sicilian pizza. All the three schools that I went to are still there from gramma school which was P.S. 70, Junior High School which was P.S. 10 but now called I.S. 10 and Bryant High School is still there. I love astoria and would never leave.
- —Guest Debbie
Moved to Hawaii
- My family moved from Cobble Hill, Brooklyn to Flushing (near Union Turnpike-- called Fresh Meadows or Utopia today) in 1939, when I was five. Went to Catholic high school in Manhattan. Went to Cornell U. Joined the Coast Guard, served in Alaska and California. Worked in LA in aerospace, then retired in 1987 to the Big Island of Hawaii. NYC is a nice place to visit, but I wouldn't want to lives there: too crowded, too cold. Queens was a nice place to grow up: during the war, we played stickball in the street (no cars!)
- —PATRICKHCALLAGHAN
Hollis...Great place to have grown.
- I grew up on 186th Street between Hillside Ave and Jamaica in Hollis. I agree with a lot of the comments here. Playing a myriad of games outside till dark, shade of the big trees now mostly gone, going into the "City", riding bikes to other neighborhoods, diversity of people, friends wih varied backgrounds. Ended up in Central Jersey nice area but I miss the activity, hustle and bustle. Here you can't get anywhere without a car. My kids grew up in a rather homogenous environment. Also, I was amazed at the lack of kids playing outside even in summer! Apparently everyone goes to camp. I sent my kids to camp also because if they stayed home they would have had no one to play with. Shout out to the Hollis Kids!
- —Guest Guest sandyp
Where did you wind up?
- I was born and raised in Middle Village. I had a few apartments with friends in my 20's...Maspeth, Elmhurst, Rego Park & Sunnyside. Got married and moved to Jackson Heights with my husband. We've been up in the beautiful mountains of Greene County for the last 24 years. We both have wonderful memories of Queens and look forward to this newsletter each week to "bring us back." We race to the computer each Thursday to guess "where in Queens" first. Keep up the great work John!
- —Guest Helen Hauswald
Ms
- Lived in Maspeth- graduated Newtown High School. Children went to Grover Cleveland. Never thought I would live anywhere else but here I am in Clearwater, Fl. Love it- no more shoveling snow.
- —Guest alscar
Glendale Girl
- I was born and raised in Glendale where my parents moved to in 1955 and my mom, sister and neice still live. I remember playing stoop ball, dodge ball and rollerskating in the street. I moved to 'upper Glendale' when I married lived there for 5 years then to Middle Village for another 3. Bought a house and moved to Westbury and now back to Forest Hills after 27 years! Here now for 3 years and glad to be back to the activity in the city. I've seen a lot of changes but all positive!
- —Guest Violet
Grew up in Pomonok Houses
- I grew up in the Pomonok projects, went to P.S. 200 and St. Nicholas of Tolentine. I'm 50 now, and live in Nova Scotia. I'm a Queens boy at heart, and often think about long summer afternoons at the Rockaways, Flushing Meadows, Shea Stadium, skating at Kissena Park. Cheers to all!
- —Guest kevin N
Remember the orig. L.I. Press?
- Born in Forest Hills. Grew up in North Flushing/Whitestone and moved to The Hewlett-East Rockaway area of Nassau County and later back to NE Queens before moving to California. I'm 51 years old now, and have been living in California the last 33 years. Definitely feel more of a Californian than a New Yorker, however I have great memories of my childhood in 1960's - 70's era Queens. Back then it was soo much less crowded and downtown Whitestone (14th Avenue/150th St) was still very much a small town. Even today's bustling Flushing is unrecognizable as it to seemed like the downtown of a small city of its own, rather than a neighborhood of New York, with it's numerous historical landmarks and beautiful old homes. Those memories will always live with me even if the Flushing and greater NE Queens of my childhood no longer exist as they once were.
- —Guest alangregg
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