The Sunnyside Hotel

Located on the Southwest corner of Jackson Avenue and 38th Street. Early accounts from the "Newton Register" listed this roadhouse style hotel as the site of Sunday afternoon social and wedding parties, in 1850 the railroad built a station across from the Hotel. This is where the community name came from.  The Pennsylvania Railroad later purchased this site along with all the surrounding farms and in 1907 developed the railroad yards; in 1910 the community of Sunnyside was evicted and moved to the north, our present location. (Look to the beginning of this web site called "Brief History of Sunnyside" for more information on our community.) (circa 1869)

The Preston House

his house was located on School Street and Van Dam (now 31st Place) .  This would later be torn down to make way for the railroad site.  In the early days most homes had no bath tubs and a few houses still had toilets in the yard. There was no hot water, you had to boil hot water to wash up. There was no electricity, but there was a meter. It cost about twenty five cents to pay for gas for two days. Also there was a fragile gaslight. There was no refrigerator, everyone had a ice box. The iceman for a few pennies sold a block of ice two foot by two foot. (circa 1898)

This picture comes from the Municipal Archives of the City of New York.

Sunnyside Garden Arena

The Old Sunnyside Garden Arena located on Queens Blvd. and 45 Street, was originally built by the millionaire Jay Gould as a private club catering to the rich Manhattanites who played tennis. In 1945 the building was sold and converted to a boxing arena. Later wrestling matches were produced here in the early days of television. Do you remember a wrestler named  "Gorgeous George"?  In 1960 John Kennedy helped make the Garden famous by having a presidential rally here. Due to lack of interest in boxing and wrestling matches from this site, the Garden was rented for teen dance parties and proms. Saturday and Sundays,  the Garden was used as a flea market by Charity groups. In 1977, sadly, Sunnyside Garden was sold. The building was torn down and replaced by a hamburger chain. (see our Entertainment section for a picture of a film being made in the Garden)
(Circa 1942)

The Original Sunnyside Gardens

This pictures faces 45 Street with Skillman Avenue on the right and the spires of the Queens Borough Bridge in the background. The clock on the Brewster building was clearly visible.  One of the neighbors set his watch by the clock, which was visible from the upper floors of their home.  No doubt the homes in the background were razed and the site cleared for the Railroad yard.  In these houses lived the Huther and Foy families.  Mr. Foy and Miss Huther taught in P.S. 4 in Long Island City (a good walk) and were my teachers in the early 1920's.  As told to the Chamber by Alice Havlina who donated this picture.  (Circa 1914)

Near the Bliss Street Pond

  Sunnyside, Queens, New York – circa 1915
Skillman Avenue (looking south) between 45th Street and 44th Street

The early residents of Skillman Avenue were (from left to right):

44-20    Jakob and Katherine Hüther – this home was built before 1900 and was previously a small hotel used by hunters who hunted in the Sunnyside woods.  It was purchased about 1900 by the Hüther family and became their general store and residence.  In addition to the general store, Jakob delivered produce door to door with a horse and wagon.  He used the pond in the foreground to raise ducks.

44-18  Nicholas Hegadus family.  The Hüther family owned this rental home.

44-16    Chisholm family.  This Hüther family rental home was built using parts from houses that were dismantled when the Sunnyside Railroad Yard was built.  Later, Frank and Louise (Hüther) Leahy owned it.  They lived in this house until their retirement in about 1960, at which time these houses were demolished to expand the Queen of Angels church.

44-10    Peter Foy family.  The Foy family raised nine children in this house.

44-08  Nee family.  The Puppalo family owned this rental house. 44-06    Puppalo family.

(This 1915 picture and information comes from the archives of the Leahy family)

Original Sunnyside Housing Surrounded by Farms

Sunnyside, Queens, New York – circa 1915
Houses along 45th Street looking west 

The house in the right side foreground of the photo is at the corner of 45th Street and Skillman Avenue.  The area behind the house was for wagons and horses.  It faced Skillman Avenue and was owned in 1915 by Jakob and Katherine Hüther.  46th Street did not exist at that time.  Skillman Avenue ended at a duck pond where 46th Street was later built.  Early residents of 45th Street were (in the center foreground from left to right): the Maxaner family (trees in front), the Klein family and the D’Amato family.  The D’Amato house was later converted to a synagogue.

 Some of the houses in this photo were actually moved here when the Sunnyside Railroad Yard was build.  It is thought that the Maxaner house was moved from the area of Middleburg Avenue.

 On the right side of the photo, you can see the viaduct over the railroad yards at 39th St.

 In the background is Long Island city.  The bridge in the upper right is the Queensborough Bridge.  The clock on the Brewster building at 23rd St. in Long Island City can also be seen.

 Note: This information was compiled by Mike Leahy based on interviews conducted in the 1970’s with original residents: Louise Hüther Leahy, John Leahy, Isabelle Foy Weber and Margie Burke O’Neill.  Cathy Maxaner, daughter of Dora Hüther Maxaner, owns the original photos.

(This 1915 picture comes from the archives of the Leahy family)

View of Queens Boulevard

Looking east along Queens Boulevard from the roof of the Packard Building. The gleaming new elevated structure is just about finished but not yet opened.  Queens Boulevard in the foreground is a two-lane road with a trolley track
on either side. All of Sunnyside lies open and undeveloped all the way out
to Woodside in the distance; within ten short years the whole area
would be built up.
(Circa 1917)

Courtesy of  the LaGuardia and Wagner Archives/La Guardia Community College. 

Metropolitan Houses

Start of Metropolitan Buildings 1923
 
The ground breaking photograph shows the Metropolitan Housing start,  August 16, 1922, this picture was taken on 48 Street  and 47 Avenue. Look towards Queens Blvd.,  you can see a train in the background. This housing development was originally built by the Metropolitan Insurance Company for low income families. The developement was sold by the Met Corp. and is now called Cosmopolitan Houses.   (Circa1923)

Dublin Football Team in Celtic Park
 
At the Turn of the century till the early twenties residents of Manhattan would visit Celtic Park for family outings, sports and even picnics.  Saturday night dance bands played and people came from all around. For the grand cost of 3 cents people would take the ferry from Manhattan to Long Island City and then take a horse drawn trolley to the park.  For a short duration Celtic Park conducted Greyhound racing, this brought gambling and complaints from the near by residents.

Celtic Park was a great site for sports games;  unfortunately it was torn down in the early thirties.  Now it is the home of the Celtic Apartments.  While we do not have the space to play games anymore, happily we still have the teams coming out of area..  Check our “Clubs and Organizations site” and you will still find soccer teams like the Shamrocks and Irish Rovers.
 
(This photograph was donated by the late Larry Luby -Circa 1930)

Modica Brothers Grocery

The store first opened in 1931, it existed through the depression and throughout WW2, it finally closed in 1982. The store first specialized in Italian products and fancy fruits and vegetables. Among its customers was Perry Como who lived in the Phipps apartments, also Ira Gershwin who lived on 46th Street. The Sunnyside Garden homes was the living area of many artists because of its close proximity to New York City. This popular store was located on Skillman Avenue between 46 & 47 Street.  The photograph was donated by Gerry Modica who is and active member of the AARP and a community activist in our area. Gerry also told us that "the gentleman in the middle of the photo was an Architectural marble worker and he specialized in building bank lobbies. In those days banks and theatrical entrances were very ornate, he was unemployed when this photo was taken and he used to pass the time by conversing with my brother and father. There was three rooms in back of the store that served as our living area and also a very large yard where we would socialize when the store was closed."
(Circa 1931)

Sunnyside Florist 1940

Still owned by the same family all these years. This show the founders John & Mary Coles on the left and on the right is their daughter Irene. These are Bills grandparents and Irene is his mother. The store is still in the same location and has some of the best window displays.
Circa 1940

Silver Palms

Outside of this old nightclub you can see a man getting a shoeshine.  Notice the big "Air Conditioning" notice in the window, a big thing for that time. This was a popular meeting place for many of the servicemen that was housed in our area during the war years.

(Circa 1940)

Silver Palms

"The Show Place of Long Island", located on Bliss Street (45-16 46 Street) between Queens Boulevard & Greenpoint Avenue.  Entertainment Nightly.  This picture was taken from a post card. This was perhaps one of our most elegant night spots in Sunnyside during the war years.  It was well known by our local residents as well as the many visiting service men.
 
(Circa 1942)

Sherman Bootery

Sherman Bootery opened around 1920 on 47th Street between 46 and 45th Avenue. It was operated by Morris Sherman. Morris moved the store to  45-10 Greenpoint Avenue in 1943. His son Lester took over the store in the 1950's. Lester sold store in 1988. It was always a family shoe store, with personal service.

(Donated by Carol Sherman)

Greenpoint Avenue in the Blissville Community

Greenpoint Ave., Looking east from Hummerl's Drug Store
Looking up to the right you can see the gate of old Calvary Cemetery and past that you will see St. Raphael's. Looking up on the left was the Bradley Hotel which is now the CorkMan's Lounge and PS #80 which is now the Best Western City View Hotel.

(Circa 1908)

Donated by Tim Kehoe

Sunnyside Pool

Robert Roussos standing on the fountain that stood in the middle of the children pool section of Sunnyside Pool...it was high and it had openings under where my Bobby is standing that allowed the children to swim through the openings or hide. 

(circa 1951)

(Donated by Marie (Roussos) Steinberg)

Sunnyside Pool- 1941

This picture was taken in July 1941 of Marie Roussos at the Sunnyside Pool.  To the side of where she is standing is a snack bar.  The staircase in the background led to the roof which was another area where you could sun bathe if you didn't want to sit on the sand.  The Pool had lockers and you kept your key around you ankle.  Sunnyside Pool was unique because of the sandy area which made you feel like you were at the beach, it was beautiful.  In order to use the pool you had to go through the showers.  This was to keep the pool area clean from sand.  The pool consisted of two areas...one that went to about 2 or 3 ft. and the main pool which was deeper.  When it closed down we were all very unhappy.  It was located between Queens Boulevard and Roosevelt Avenue.

(Donated by Marie (Roussos) Steinberg)

Vacant Lot at 43rd Street and Greenpoint Avenue

Children of two families are shown here in 1930. Going left to right: Annamarie S., Aristotle R., Plato R.; George, Mitch, Dino- all Sioris; next, Helen, Chris, John- all Roussos.  The Roussos second floor apartment on 43rd Street can be seen directly over Annamarie's head.  Greenpoint Avenue is to the left.  The vacant lot became the site of the 43rd Street theater, and later Nelson Hardware.

(Donated by Plato Roussos)

We found Mr. Roussos  comments on the time he leaved here as interesting as the picture he sent. I share his thought with you to help remember the good old days.

 “Grocery stores of the neighborhood were A &P, Bohacks, and independent merchants along Greenpoint Avenue.  My mother brought fruit and vegetables from a vendor operating from a horse drawn wagon who usually situated himself at about 46 Street and 47th avenue in the 1930s and early 40s. However, Sunnyside played a part in the development of the "Supermarket."  "King Kullen" was one of the first supermarkets of the United States.  It was founded, I think,  around 1935 at Queens Boulevard and 49th Street to the west of Ruhl Animal Farm.  The founder was named Kullen.

 I believe he was from Jamaica, Queens and was involved with the "Red Lion," sometimes claimed to be the first grocery supermarket.  We dealt with the A&P who sold an unwrapped loaf of bread for ten cents but charged an additional penny if you wanted it sliced on their new slicing machines, circa 1933.  Milk was laddled from a large milk can into your own container.  Butter was cut out from a big butter tub.  Individually wrapped packages of butter had not yet arrived. Upon moving to 48 Street and 48th Avenue, we dealt with Butler's Grocery at the corner of 47th Street and 48th Avenue.  Fresh bread rolls could be bought for two cents each."

North side of Queens Boulevard at 46th Street

This picture from 1950 shows the following stores that are long time closed and no longer part of our neighborhood, Canes Florist, Santana Moving, Boulevard Rotisserie and VIM. Lots more stores but we can’t make out the names. Anyone with more information we would love to hear from you.

P.S. # 4 in Dutch Kill

Postcard of Public School #4
Dutch Kill, LI, NY

Donated by Allen Huies

P.S. # 125 - Class of June 1941

Top row (L to R)
2.. Aristotle Roussos, 5. TonySantola, 7. Wilbur Goodwin, 10. William Brozovitz, 13. Frank J. Lassor, 14. Frank Stancarone, 15. James Cooley

Second row from top (L to R)
3. June Moberg, 11. Ida Maxey, 12. Frances Kline, 15. Lillian Kaplan, 16. Carolina Ariola, 17. Murial Bengston, 18. Esther Romm.

Third row from top (L to R)
1. Robert Schmidt, 3. Alan Rosenthal, 4. Hiag Saxenian, 5. Raymond O’Connor, 7. Walter A. Jensen, 8. Edward Burnbaum, 9. Alan Jobson, 12. James J. Coughlin,17. Walter Zilinski

Forth row from top (L to R)
2. John Pfister, 4. Ken Rasmussen, 5. Katherine Sullivan, 12. Miriam Zeldman, 13. Janice Thompson, 14. Vincent Krey, 15. Alfred Smith

Second row from bottom (L to R)
5. Stanley Scheiner, 12. Monroe Postman, 14. Carl Kwiatkowski, 16. Charles Salem

Bottom row (L to R)
3. Ernestine Milazzo, 12. Patricia Waldron

Helping to hold school sign
Tom Neary (left of sign)

Principal (on left) Raphael C. Dooley, Assistant (on right) George B. Parry

(Donated by Aristotle Roussos)

Note: To better understand the times and how things were during  Mr. Roussos school years I asked him to share some of his personal memories. He was kind enough to do this and I share them with you.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I did.                                    

   Memories…..PS125

 My brother Plato preceeded me by one year in  PS125 as we progressed for ten years from kindergargarten through 9th grade. In our early years, half of the school yard surface was dirt and not fenced but that was changed in the mid 30’s.

 The graduation photo of June 1941 shows 102 students and I’m still in touch With six of them:  Ray O’Connor, Alan Rosenthal (Winter), Walter Jensen, James Coughlin, Frank Stancarone, James Cooley

In 6th grade we had a great stickball team. A male teacher, in charge of after school activities, organized a tournament. The winners would receive medals. We were inspired..MEDALS!! Our team beat them all-right up to the 9th graders. But, alas, we never got our promised medals. I’m still trying to get closure on that. Our winning team included Ray Kearney, Phil Condouris, Walter Zilinski, Frank Stancarone. Stickball was the main game by far, followed by basketball , particularly in higher grades.(I wish I could see those guys now.(

We had some good teachers and my favorite was Evelyn Patricia Burns.

    3B  Miss Montibovi                       7A  Mrs  Shefdhotel

    4A  Mrs. E.D.Larsen                      7 B  Mrs  Burns (another one)

    4B  Mrs  Romary                            8A  Mrs C.B.Cluney

    5A  Mr  Mace                                 8 B  MS R.O.Russo

    5B  Miss M.L.Powers                     9A  Mrs Albina K.O’hare

    6A  Miss C.Wallace                        9 B  Miss M.Crowley

    6B  Evelyn Patricia Burns

 I had a few fights. The two most memorable ones were with Timothy Murphy and Tony Santola. As usually happened with kids, we became friends afterwards. I wish I could see them now, also.

 Around 1939/1940, the school was opened at night for older students to play board games or basketball or just to hang around. We younger guys would sneak in by climbing a fence and gaining entrance through a door on 46th street whose lock we had jammed earlier during school hours. Our fun was to let those in charge see us and chase us. We would leap up a flight of .  stairs, run down a hall way, go down another flight of stairs in one jump. They could never catch us. At that age, we could half-way fly. Once, in an act of sheer bravado and defiance, about four of us ran through the middle of an on-going basketball game in the upstairs gym crowded with spectators......never got caught. Good memories…I chuckle on them. Another amusing activity was to get into the lunchroom/gym on the first floor, climb on top of a basketball hoop, grab hold of a gym climbing rope which a fellow conspirator would swing to you, and then swing away to another basketball hoop. It really was great fun. Sort of like Tarzan.

I was in charge of the hallway monitors in 9th grade. I wondered why Mr. George Parry, Assistant to the principal, selected me. I think I know but yet wonder a little at times.

 I look back on my ten years at PS125 with fond memories. I think it was a good school then and hope it still is.

Roof of PS 125

First man is my father George Roussos using the gym that was located on the roof of PS 125.  The picture was taken by my mother Viola (Fink) while they both attended this school.  The date June 22, 1934.

 Many years later I attended PS 125 and JHS 125 and had many of the teachers that taught my parents.  PS 125 went from Kindegarten (Kindegarten children used the front entrance only, which had beautiful marble staircases inside) thru 6th grade and then your school name changed to JHS 125 which went from 7th through 9th grade (1st year of High School).  It was a great school.  I met my husband there also when he transferred over from PS 150 which only went to 6th grade.

(Donated by Marie (Roussos) Steinberg)

All Saints Church 1954

This picture which was taken from All Saints Sunday bulletins from 1954 that were given out each Sunday at services. 

(Donated by Marie (Roussos) Steinberg)

All Saints Church 1954

This picture was alson taken from All Saints Sunday bulletins from 1954 that were given out each Sunday at services. 

(Donated by Marie (Roussos) Steinberg)

John F Kennedy Visits Sunnyside

In 1960 John F, Kennedy while running for President visited Sunnyside for a rally at the Sunnyside Arena. Many of us know this but no one had  any pictures. Thanks to the internet and our Sunnyside Chamber website a picture has been found

This picture comes to us from  former Sunnyside residents Diane Coyle Angelini and Maureen Gallagher Greenfeld. Diane  who grew up on 48th Street and Maureen lived on 49th Street. Both graduated from St. Teresa’s in 1959. This Polaroid picture was taken from under the elevator line. Very clearly you can see John F. Kennedy standing in the center with his father Joe on his left and Mayor Robert Wagner, Jr. on his right.. Its also interesting you can see the Queen of the Sea Restaurant in the background where Sidetracks Restaurant now stands. On the left is the corner of 46th Street (Bliss) and Queens Blvd. is a Priders Cut Rate Cigar Store and directly next to them is a Ann-G's Pizza Parlor. The Pickman Building was at that time 2 stories high but a fire a in 1971 reduces the building to its now present one story height

Many thanks to Diane Coyle Angelini and Maureen Gallagher Greenfeld for donating this picture. (1960)

Gosman Farmhouse

The Gosman Farmhouse was built in 1782, was typical of the houses built in our neighborhood in colonial times, it stood on 39th (Middleburg) Avenue and 48th Street until 1903.

(This picture donated by James Van Bramer)

1936 Sunnyside Gardens Eviction

Black Bordered invitations brought 1000 sympathetic neighbors to the home of J. Charles Laue and family at 39-61 46th Street, Sunnyside for the eviction of Laues from their premises whixh they occupied for over nine years, bizarre scenes have featured Sunnyside in recent months, but a new and unique note was struck in the Laue case, when, with Mr. Laue himself serving as “Minister”, the deed of the lost home was accorded a solemn Funeral in the park adjacent to the late home of the Laue Family. (International New Photo)

(This photograph was donated by Michael J. Moran - Circa 1936)

Early Sunnyside Gardens Photo 1

These are early pictures of the Sunnyside Gardens; note no shrubbery or heavy planting. Constructed from 1924 to 1929, Sunnyside Gardens. The residential area has brick row houses of two and a half stories, with front and rear gardens and a landscaped central court shared by all. This model allowed for denser residential development, while also providing ample open/green-space amenities. Clarence Stein and Henry Wright served as the architects and planners for this development and the landscape architect was Marjorie Sewell Cautley. These well-planned garden homes are now listed as a historic district and are also home to one of only two private parks in New York City.

(This photograph was donated by Joanne Billharz -Circa 1924)

Early Sunnyside Gardens Photo 2

These are early pictures of the Sunnyside Gardens; note no shrubbery or heavy planting. Constructed from 1924 to 1929, Sunnyside Gardens. The residential area has brick row houses of two and a half stories, with front and rear gardens and a landscaped central court shared by all. This model allowed for denser residential development, while also providing ample open/green-space amenities. Clarence Stein and Henry Wright served as the architects and planners for this development and the landscape architect was Marjorie Sewell Cautley. These well-planned garden homes are now listed as a historic district and are also home to one of only two private parks in New York City.

(This photograph was donated by Joanne Billharz -Circa 1924)