By Joan Brown Wettingfeld
You never know when a chance piece of history will come your way, something that appears inconsequential and somehow was preserved through the years and happened to catch someone’s attention. Just such a coincidence led to this article when our Managing Editor found a small booklet while doing a random search of the archives at the paper. She asked me to peruse it and find a use for it in this issue.
The small red-covered pamphlet proved to be the second edition of a 1934 “Who's Who” of Bayside and its vicinity and was rescued from obscurity and forwarded to the paper in 1989 by the Arnold Robinson family, former residents of Bayside, who were at that time residents of Albuquerque, NM.
The little red-bound volume was published to assist the Bayside Band. The committee which fostered the endeavor was headed by Walter S. Dayton to mark the fifth anniversary of the formation of the band. Bayside Attorney Joseph Mandel still has fond memories of those days when he was a member.
Though an amateur organization, it was known as proficient in band work and for its capable handling of concert performances. At the time the band numbered 40, two of whom were working their way through college using their musical training, and many others were playing semi-professionally.
The band performed at important civic and social occasions including: the Opening of the Main Street Flushing Extension, the Opening of Bell Boulevard, Bayside; the N.R.A. Parade in Flushing; the Knights of Columbus Carnival of the Joyce Kilmer Council; a Baseball Game at Sing Sing, and one at the Polo Grounds; and the Army Day Parade in Manhattan among many others. The senior band was available for parades and concert engagements during the year.
During the Depression, the time of this publication, the task of keeping the band going was a challenge and help was received from the Ladies Auxiliary of the Band, formed by mothers of the band members. To perpetuate the band a junior organization was formed with a complement of 25 members.
This local “Who's Who” included not only Bayside businesses but also those in the vicinity that supplied services and materials that were not available locally. Among the attorneys listed is the partnership of Paltrow and Rice. If I remember correctly, Paltrow was Bruce Paltrow’s father and thus grandfather to actress Gwyneth Paltrow. I believe the office was located above the present day jewelry store on the corner of 41st and Bell.
Bayside was served by three banks in 1934: the Bayside National Bank on Bell, and the Flushing Savings Bank and the Queens County Savings Bank both located in Flushing. Dwyer’s Bayside Flower Shoppe was located at 38-42 Bell Avenue ( now called Bell Blvd.) opposite the then-Capitol Theater. Two “Beer Gardens” are listed: the Bayside Grill and Ramm’s Beer Stube and Grill. Cakes and pies could be found at Stuart’s Baking Company located at 40-07 Bell Blvd., which also did catering.
Abramson’s on Main St., Flushing, was the area’s only department store. Three pharmacies are listed for Bayside: Fisher’s at Bell and Montauk Ave., Budai’s at 32-42 Cross Island Blvd. (present day Francis Lewis Blvd.) and the most well-known, Voss’ Drug Store listed as “Bell Ave. and the R.R. Station.”
If you needed coal you sought the services of C.H. Hawley and Sons on 42nd Avenue. The local deli was the Mary Garden Delicatessen and Lunchroom. Two hardware stores supplied the town’s needs: Parker's at 42-19 Bell and Klein’s Bayside Hardware Co. at 40-19 Bell. Four plumbers were available including Van Siclen’s and Robertson’s. Opposite the National Bank was the Haberdasher, A.K. Mercer and Sons, at 40-21 Bell.
Bayside had one gift shop, two gas stations and two memorable hat shops: most well-known was Toby’s Ladies Hat Shoppe at “the blue and white cottage,” Station Plaza.
Ice skating in season was available at the North Shore Tennis Club at Northern Blvd. and 210th St. There were no local interior decorators. Lloyd’s Funeral Home was not only a funeral home but advertised “limousines for hire.” All Bayside’s Drugstores were also listed under “luncheonettes.” Two meat markets served the local community, Wenniger’s and Joseph’s, both on Bell. Millwork and lumber could be found at Holze’s Bayside Woodworking and North Shore Lumber Co.
The only motion picture theater was the Capitol Theater at 39th and Bell, now undergoing a conversion. If you needed a Vogue or McCall’s pattern you traveled to Ralph Atkins’ Shop on Main St., Flushing, but you could get a permanent wave at Naomi’s Beauty Shop at 33-39 Cross Island Boulevard (now Francis Lewis Blvd.). In 1934 there were 22 local physicians and some may remember, Drs. Ellard, Reuling, De Graffenreid, Nardiello, and Rogers.
Printing was supplied by Victory Press located at 29-09 200th St., and the Bayside Print Shop at 214-09 42nd Ave. Bayside Realtors included J. Wilson Dayton, and Douglas Van Riper, who had offices on Bell near 40th Ave. Bayside Savings and Loan (listed separately from “Banks”) stood at 39-21 Bell Blvd.
It seems that 68 years ago Bayside was more of a village than a town. Businesses were able to satisfy almost every consumer need and the services were uniquely personalized. Automobiles were becoming widely popular and affordable, but it was often imperative to find supplies and services nearby. Walking to “the village” was a pleasant experience but parking was never a real problem then. Neighbors knew each other well and a friendly atmosphere prevailed.
The story told in this little pamphlet from the past preserves for us a moment in time, and we thank those who took the time to realize that in its own special way, it is a part of history and helps to paint for the present generation the life of a bygone era they would never have had the opportunity to know.
Joan Brown Wettingfeld is an historian, free-lance writer and a member of the Borough President’s History Advisory Council.
