What is now the major parcel Part 8

From Jackson St we turn west and enter Valley St. There was a three faily on the south side and St Joseph's Parochial School to the North. A two fanily on the north side of which the Shey family lived, John J, Shey was the first young man to die, from Willimantic, in the First World War His house was a very small cottafe on the corner of Broad and Valley.. A member of his family was a god parent to my father when he was baptized. There were fourteen families living on Broad St, (that ran from Valley to Union St.) At one time The Strand Theatre was there and we spent may happy Saturdays watching serials of cowboy movies and sometimes taking home a free plate that was given away. Valley  St from Broad St. going west has St Mary;s Parochial School on the north side and Willimantic Plumbing Supply on the south. There were four families living there. Valley St from Broad St. to Center:  St Mary's French Roman Catholic Church and two families across the street.Electronic Radio and Television was located next to the dwellings.

St Mary's as seen from redevelopment neighborhood

Returning  back toward Main, turning left on Valley St. Extension there there was eleven families on both the left and right sides of the street.The street ended on Milk St. At one time there was a fruit and vegetable warehouse at the end of the street because in those days produce was carried into Willimantic by train so many businesses had there back doors facing the track.

Twenty four families lived on Center St., from Union to Valley St  The Franco American Club (French Club) was located half way between Union and Valley Steets.   It was in an old factory building  and was used for many parties.  My cousin, Helen McShay and John Smith  had their wedding reception their and I was called on to help serve the dinners, I also gave my mother, her seventy fifth birthday party there. Ray's Electric Co was on the street as was The Center St Garage.  My cousin, Twiddle Lucy like to tell what was a joke but was actually true. Some one asked him where the Center St. Garage was. (On Center St. of course) Riquier Vending Machines was also on the street.

Temple Street which ran North from Union to Valley housed The Willimantic Institute of Hairdressing and Cosmetology.  There were twelve families living on the street.  My friends Faye, Benny and David Semel lived on the street and I visited often.

On Valley Street between Temple and Church was The A&P and a liquor store.  Only the liquior store remains.  Today the facade has been remodeled and the A&p space is now occupied by the Food Co-op

So I say again as in the song
Where have all the people gone?


Threadcity.com   Has been kind to share 3 galleries of Willimantic Redevelopment 
Pictures.Thank you Threadcity 
http://www.threadcity.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=18&page=1
http://www.threadcity.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=18&page=2
http://www.threadcity.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=18&page=3

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What is now the major parcel Part 7

American Legion, Broad St

Walking the major parcel before redevelopment, Part 7


First I will start with Union Street where the only building still standing is the Babtist Church. After that is the Columbia Cleaners, two families, Losen's Tailor Shop, Goodwill Industries, six families,Willimantic Glass Co, Morris Hardware and nine famlies, Central Building and El Barrio. Next came Walter Gottlich and four families. Next came the Library Service Center and Laperle Memorials.Mademoiselle Beauty Palor, Lindy;s Resturant owned by Rose Hadded and five families. Hickey's Drug Store and LaEsquina Records were at the end of Union St. at Jackson St.

Going north on Jackson St from Main St.was the Friendly Variety Store, Frenchy's Tavern, four families, Wonder Bar and two families. McGraw and Durand Barber Shop, seven families, Lenny's Package Store and one family. Haddad Furnished Rooms. Sussman Oil Company, Subkist Donut Shop and one family. The American Legion John J Shea Post #19 Then came Dukes Restaurant. a single family house, The Knights of Columbus Hall. a two family house and Mrs Blair's candy store. (Her daughter Phyllis went to St Joseph's School) then a three family house.

Coming up next and turning right at the corner building was Jackson Place. At one time it was called Cork Alley because many Irish immigrants that worked at the thread mills lived there Going east on Jackson Place there was thirteen families living on the right and eleven families on the left. The street ended with a fence at the tracks on Milk St..We use to sneak through the fence as a shortcut and walk the tracks to Ash St where we lived at "Down Sodom."

Back on Jackson St was Klowowski and Son, Tailors and then a six family.  Then came our favorite place for hanging out at night and dancing to the jukebox, Bill Orange's Coffee Shop and later George Bourey's Collage Shop. It was a great place to hang out with swell young people having fun. Next was a two family house and then Kinczyks Tailors followed by a four family house. Osso's Candy Store was on the left corner of Jackson St where children for many, many years went to buy candy and toys because it was in a great location amounst three grammar schools: St Josephs, St Marys and Natchaug  School . There was alway a nice police officer, Pinky White who would carry small children across the street, including yours truly and my sister included.

Returning  back toward Main, turning left on Valley ST Extension there there was eleven families on both the left and right sides of the street.The street ended on Milk St. At one time there was a fruit and vegetable warehouse at the end of the street because in those days produce was carried into Willimantic by train so many businesses had there back doors facing the track.

From Jackson St we turn west and enter Valley St. There was a three faily on the south side and St Joseph's Parochial School to the North. A two fanily on the north side of which the Shey family lived, John J, Shey was the first young man to die, from Willimantic, in the First World War His house was a very small cottafe on the corner of Broad and Valley.. A member of his family was a god parent to my father when he was baptized. There were fourteen families living on Broad St, (that ran from Valley to Union St.) At one time The Strand Theatre was there and we spent may happy Saturdays watching serials of cowboy movies and sometimes taking home a free plate that was given away. Valley  St from Broad St. going west has St Mary;s Parochial School on the north side and Willimantic Plumbing Supply on the south. There were four families living there. Valley St from Broad St. to Center:  St Mary's French Roman Catholic Church and two families across the street.Electronic Radio and Television was located next to the dwellings.

Twenty four families lived on Center St., from Union to Valley St  The Franco American Club (French Club) was located half way between Union and Valley Steets.   It was in an old factory building  and was used for many parties.  My cousin, Helen McShay and John Smith  had their wedding reception their and I was called on to help serve the dinners, I also gave my mother, her seventy fifth birthday party there. Ray's Electric Co was on the street as was The Center St Garage.  My cousin, Twiddle Lucy like to tell what was a joke but was actually true. Some one asked him where the Center St. Garage was. (On Center St. of course) Riquier Vending Machines was also on the street.

Temple Street which ran North from Union to Valley housed The Willimantic Institute of Hairdressing and Cosmetology.  There were twelve families living on the street.  My friends Faye, Benny and David Semel lived on the street and I visited often.

On Valley Street between Temple and Church was The A&P and a liquor store.  Only the liquior store remains.  Today the facade has been remodeled and the A&p space is now occupied by the Food Co-op

So I say again as in the song
Where have all the people gone?



Threadcity.com   Has been kind to share 3 galleries of Willimantic Redevelopment Pictures.Thank you Threadcity
http://www.threadcity.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=18&page=1
http://www.threadcity.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=18&page=2
http://www.threadcity.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=18&page=3

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Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 6

Hurley Grant foreground, HC Murry, Church Reed

North side of Main Street, Part 6


Benny's Auto Store was there.  My uncle,Ed Ashton was the manager. Cecila's Snack Bar was next to it and upstairs was the Gibson and Driscoll's Beauty Palor where my Aunt Alice worked. I use to stop there every day and run errands for them. When ever my aunt's customers needed a baby sitter she sent me and I baby-sat for many children in town.

Willimantic Savings Institute,Sam Gordon's Surplus Center was next followed by  National Bank where Mr Ridgeway gave me money to pay  the rent for my mother and myself when I didn't have a job. What a nice man he was. I later saved his son Michael's life when we worked together at Barkers and Mrs Ridgeway (a very lovely lady) often thanked me for saving Michael when he was overcome by cleaning material he was using.

Then there comes Brown's Department Store.(my friend, young Eddy Brown's family store) where we were able to trust for things we needed. W.T. Grant Dept. store was next and this is where my younger sister Margie worked. Next was F.W. Woolworth's where I worked for many years. This building replaced the Loomer Opera House. When Mr Loomer, who owned a lumber company. built the opera house, many people thought he was foolish but many people came to Willimantic to perform including summer stock.  Many, many people were in the audience so it was a big success.

Main Street Looking West

Crossing over North Street was Tood's Department Store, a new building that replaced an old building where my grandfather had a restaurant and where I lived upstairs when I was was baby. Then came Wilson's Pharmacy, Bill's Number Seven, a favorite night time restaurant, Mac's Cigar Store and Ame's Butter and Egg Store that had the best tub butter and peanut butter ever.They also had peanuts in a jar of oil.
There were lots of businesses upstairs in these buildings also. Down the streets was Art's Jewlers. (I use to babysit for their son and they would have me work in the store once and a while). One day I caught my finger in the door and I nearly fainted and I was wringing wet because of my poor circulation so I couldn't work that day. The H.C. Murray Co. (Boston Store) was next on the corner of Chirch St. They had four floors of just about anything you could want. They had a nice man, Calvin Harris, (Billy Joe's father) who ran the elevator.  We use to go upstairs to buy hats and I use to take one of the kids with me because lady's hats didn't fit me and I was embarrassed to try on the kids hats.

Main Street Looking East

Savings Institute, Surplus Ctr, Windham National Bank

Crossing Church St.there was Church and Reed (Men's Store) and there were apartments upstairs. My sister and I use to babysit for my uncle, Bobby's son, Bobby. The Country Squire was next and I bought the dress I got married in there, Sherwin-Willian's, that burned down, then The Bay State Drug Store, The Candy Kitchen and The First Babist Church. Then came Union St and what became the major parcel.

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Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 5

North Side of Main Street: Part 5

Starting on the North side of Main Street, going East we have Santa Lucia Grinder Shop and Groceries run by Remi and Lucy who were very famous for their grinders.  Roy Auto Parts and then The Willimantic Town Hall with all of its many offices including the mayor's, John Lesco who was the last mayor of Willimantic and he picked me for Cupid of Romantic Willimantic in 1983. The police station where, my father worked, at one time as a supernumery, was located in town hall.  At the the back end of the building was the town library where I spent a lot of time. It had a small room for children's books and I think I read all of them..  The adult books were in the back room.

Town Hall, Heller and Mazzola Buildings

At High Street was the post office and coming from school we  always went in the door at High Street, through the building and exited through the Main St door. Heller's building (Torn down and replaced by a parking lot,ed) was next and I worked in their office for many years.  My friend Patsy LaMort's paper store was in the building as was Moore;s Package Store. A guy named Rudy Polock lived in the building.  He was the grandfather of parachute jumpers or that is what he told me. Mazzola's building  (Now home to a popular breakfast  spot, ed) was next, at one time it was home to a grocery and an appliance store. Then Welch's Restaurant where a bowl of spaghetti was sixty cents and lobster was two dollars, if I remember correctly. I worked across the street and many days I ate a bowl of spaghetti for lunch. One day a custom said to me: "Do you know you smell of garlic?" So that ended my bowl of spaghetti days.

At Walnut St. was the Luncheonette and at lunch time when I worked across the street I use to run over there at twelve o'clock, wait tables because they were short of help. take a few minutes to eat and run back to my office for 1 pm.

Mazzola's Grocery Store

Terri's Kiddie Shop was next and then Menditto's Barber Shop, Callahan's, where we would stop after school for an ice cream sundae. Next was Jenal's Clothing for Women. Next came Pete's Tavern (later Tony's Barber Shop.) The Nathan Hale hotel came next, the Tread City Garage and Hathan Hale Drug Store and a record and radio store. Hooker hotel had Archambault Barber Shop, Hersant Development and Contos's Windham Card and News Store. Crossing over Bank St was the Willimantic Savings Institute Bank with offices upstairs.  Years ago the Teachers College was located on the upper floors.. Dr Rafferty, dentist, was the first dentist to tell me why whenever I got a tooth ache, all my teeth ached. He told me it was my "achilles heel" and whenever I got tired and rundown my teeth ached.

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Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 4

Brett's Drugs, Jim's Coffee Spot

Main Street, South Side, Part 4

The next building housed The Lucky Strike Bowling Alleys, Haggerty Insurance, Bus Terminal, Luncheonette Travel Agency,  Grayhound Bus Lines, New England Transportation, Arrow Line and Blue Line Bus companies.. ( We had many ways to go to Norwich, Hartford and Providence) ,.The next building had offices and a labatory on the first floor and Toney's Hair Stylist on the second floor where I went to get my haircut. Fox's Sportswear was in the Capitol Theater Building along with Caron's Beauty shop and The Bottle Shop, Horn's Clothing Store and of course the marque and entrance to the best theater in town. (My friend Patty and I use to go to the Capitol on Sunday afternoon, go to eat at the Lucky Strike lunch counter and then go bowling. That made for a nice afternoon.) Upstairs there was a insurance office where I worked for years, a doctor, a dentist, Dr Mason (where I had all my teeth taken out), a lawyer (who had me be a witness whenever he needed one), The textile Workers of america, local #460 and The Council of Eastern Connecticut.

Lizee Jewlry

Arnold (Tin Sin) and Meehen Building

The Italian Garden came next.  It has been there since the late 1880's, in the same family.  I worked there as a waitress for many years. The Capitol Dinner was next door to Italian Garden. We called the diner Sputniks because the people that owned it had a last name like that. I used to stop there for coffee in the mourning. There was a shoe repair shop next to that and then The Metropolitan Life Building.

That was Main Steeet in the 1950,s and 1960's Someone in Willimantic decided that Willimantic needed an overhauling and they went through a large portion of the city knocking down building after building and calling it revitilization. They drew up a map showing what the restoration would look like but this did not come to pass and left a blank area called "the parcel." that once had nine streets, dozens of business and hundreds of families that call Willimantic home.

And now I ask: Where did all the people go?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 5

North Side of Main Street: Part 5

Starting on the North side of Main Street, going East we have Santa Lucia Grinder Shop and Groceries run by Remi and Lucy who were very famous for their grinders.  Roy Auto Parts and then The Willimantic Town Hall with all of its many offices including the mayor's, John Lesco who was the last mayor of Willimantic and he picked me for Cupid of Romantic Willimantic in 1983. The police station where, my father worked, at one time as a supernumery, was located in town hall.  At the the back end of the building was the town library where I spent a lot of time. It had a small room for children's books and I think I read all of them..  The adult books were in the back room.

Town Hall, Heller and Mazzola Buildings

At High Street was the post office and coming from school we  always went in the door at High Street, through the building and exited through the Main St door. Heller's building (Torn down and replaced by a parking lot,ed) was next and I worked in their office for many years.  My friend Patsy LaMort's paper store was in the building as was Moore;s Package Store. A guy named Rudy Polock lived in the building.  He was the grandfather of parachute jumpers or that is what he told me. Mazzola's building  (Now home to a popular breakfast  spot, ed) was next, at one time it was home to a grocery and an appliance store. Then Welch's Restaurant where a bowl of spaghetti was sixty cents and lobster was two dollars, if I remember correctly. I worked across the street and many days I ate a bowl of spaghetti for lunch. One day a custom said to me: "Do you know you smell of garlic?" So that ended my bowl of spaghetti days.

At Walnut St. was the Luncheonette and at lunch time when I worked across the street I use to run over there at twelve o'clock, wait tables because they were short of help. take a few minutes to eat and run back to my office for 1 pm.

Mazzola's Grocery Store

Terri's Kiddie Shop was next and then Menditto's Barber Shop, Callahan's, where we would stop after school for an ice cream sundae. Next was Jenal's Clothing for Women. Next came Pete's Tavern (later Tony's Barber Shop.) The Nathan Hale hotel came next, the Tread City Garage and Hathan Hale Drug Store and a record and radio store. Hooker hotel had Archambault Barber Shop, Hersant Development and Contos's Windham Card and News Store. Crossing over Bank St was the Willimantic Savings Institute Bank with offices upstairs.  Years ago the Teachers College was located on the upper floors.. Dr Rafferty, dentist, was the first dentist to tell me why whenever I got a tooth ache, all my teeth ached. He told me it was my "achilles heel" and whenever I got tired and rundown my teeth ached.

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Main Street Before Redevelopment, Part3

Hurley Grant, Footbridge, Curran's Terry's

Main Street, South Side Part 3


Sweeney Stationery, where we bought our school supplies, Smith-Keon Jewelers and Windham Pharmacy were in the next building. Upstairs there were many offices: Southwind Real Estate, Mustard Insurance, Healy Insurance,(where I once worked) Atwood Hypertrichcholy and Family Finance (that was managed by a very nice man who loaned me money to buy a bicycle when I was sixteen years old. I had a running account even though the company changed hands and names over the years for forty one years.(I could always count on them.)

The next building housed Ben's Eagle Shoe Store and Frank's Sundial Shoes and this was a family affair and I am still friends with the young Prague people, Ben and Jay. Next is the Franklin Building .   Singer Sewing Machine  is on the ground floor and law offices above. Then The Arnold Building (Know later as the Tin Sin Building, ed) with The Willimantic Camara Center, Arnold Insurance, Travelers Insurance, Charlie Shell Plumbing and Windham Under Price Clothing Store. Still on the South side of Main Street, (Now known as as the Meehan Building. ed) there were lawyers, accountants, insurance offices, Social Security, Selective Service, Adult Probation, another finance company and Western Auto, Dr Basden who use to make house calls and Beller's Package Store.  

Next was The YMCA where we went swimming and later took exercise classes. The Gem Theater, one of three movie houses in town, Colonial Studio Photos and Evelyn's School of Dance. In the Kimball Block was the Department of Motor Vehicles where I took my drivers test and got my first driver licence. T.V. Sales and Service, The Hartford Courant, a real estate office, a chiropractor and Hyde's Magazine Shop. Then A & B Poultry Market and Jim's Coffee Spot which was s very, very favorite spot for hot dogs and grinders each with there special Jim's sauce.  People are still nostalgic for that sauce. 

Next was the Air Force Recruiting office and Star Furniture Store. Sam was a true friend, one day my mother and I wanted to move but couldn't afford to pay $50.00 a room for movers.  We had four rooms of furniture.  I was walking by Star Furniture and Jesus' words came to me: Sell all that you have and come follow me." So I went into the store and made a deal with Sam. He took all of our furniture and gave me credit and brought all our old furniture to his store and delivered new furniture to our new apartment. (No carrying charges) and all I had to do was make a small monthly payment to him. He said he usually wrote numbers under second hand furniture but he wrote, "Claire" under mine.

Brett's Drugs, Jim's Coffee Spot

Main Street, South Side, Part 4

The next building housed The Lucky Strike Bowling Alleys, Haggerty Insurance, Bus Terminal, Luncheonette Travel Agency,  Grayhound Bus Lines, New England Transportation, Arrow Line and Blue Line Bus companies.. ( We had many ways to go to Norwich, Hartford and Providence) ,.The next building had offices and a labatory on the first floor and Toney's Hair Stylist on the second floor where I went to get my haircut. Fox's Sportswear was in the Capitol Theater Building along with Caron's Beauty shop and The Bottle Shop, Horn's Clothing Store and of course the marque and entrance to the best theater in town. (My friend Patty and I use to go to the Capitol on Sunday afternoon, go to eat at the Lucky Strike lunch counter and then go bowling. That made for a nice afternoon.) Upstairs there was a insurance office where I worked for years, a doctor, a dentist, Dr Mason (where I had all my teeth taken out), a lawyer (who had me be a witness whenever he needed one), The textile Workers of america, local #460 and The Council of Eastern Connecticut.

Lizee Jewlry

Arnold (Tin Sin) and Meehen Building

The Italian Garden came next.  It has been there since the late 1880's, in the same family.  I worked there as a waitress for many years. The Capitol Dinner was next door to Italian Garden. We called the diner Sputniks because the people that owned it had a last name like that. I used to stop there for coffee in the mourning. There was a shoe repair shop next to that and then The Metropolitan Life Building.

That was Main Steeet in the 1950,s and 1960's Someone in Willimantic decided that Willimantic needed an overhauling and they went through a large portion of the city knocking down building after building and calling it revitilization. They drew up a map showing what the restoration would look like but this did not come to pass and left a blank area called "the parcel." that once had nine streets, dozens of business and hundreds of families that call Willimantic home.

And now I ask: Where did all the people go?

Saturday, September 15, 2012

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Willimantic Before Redevelopment, Part 2

Main St looking east to Lincoln Square

Downtown, Main St., South Side Part 2

I would like to start with The Windham Grill Resturant which was at the railroad crossing. It was owned by two families and some of the children went to school with us  When I was very young my father worked as the chef at the Windham Grill and years later my aunt worked there as a part time waitress. I got written up in a book when a lady write about diners, all the trolley cars that were turned into lunch wagons on the tracks.when they closed down the trolleys

Willimantic had a unique piece of land in the middle of the road which had Main St on one side and Union Street on the other and had a gas station at the"V" that devided Main from Union Streets.On the north side of Main St was the Windham Gas Station and Martin's Radio and Martin's Home Alliances,Winham Grill, The Jillson House( Before redevelopment the Jillson House front faced Union Street ed) and Knights Service Station at the corner of Main and Jackson St. On the south side of main Street was The Eastern States Farmers Exchange (later Agway), Goettlick Furniture Store, Saba's Package (Later I use to stop in and talk to Phosy about baseball because he went to Windham High and played sports with my two uncles.)  Next to Saba's was The City Lunch. an early mourning resturamt and next to that Gene's Shoe Hospital where we got our shoe's repaired. Next was the Willimantic  School of Music. Then came The Willimantic Frozen Food Center, then Rosen's Dept. Store which we frequented often. On the same side the Jordan Building which housed the Jordan Hardware Store, WillimanticTrust  and many offices on the upper floors:  Sumner & Sumner Insurance offices, Potter & Kelly, lawyers, a beauty palor and The State of Conn. Employment and Unemployment office.(where I went for my first job afte  getting my working papers when I turned sixteen.) Willet Plumbers followed .Then Hurley's Men Shop, Wolmer and Case Jewelers, Fullerton-Fournier Women's Clothing. (This was like a New York store with seamstresses on premises) Then Wolmer Optometrists. (Where I was sent for glasses when I was sixteen years old and I never wore the glasses and ten years later I was sent there again. while applying for a new job and Dr Wolmer said my eyes were better and that happened one and a million) Then game The Internal Revenue Service, Lizee Jeweler's, Hurleys Boy Store, Gerry's Studio, (Mr Gerry was a friend of mine and looked back into his archives and found two pictures of my father for me, one picture was when he turned sixteen wearing his first pair of long pants as young boys in those days wore knickers and the other picture was of my father when he was a little older.  Mr Gerry was so nice to do that for me.) Hurley-Grant Co. was next. Some of the stores had steps in front a people, mostly retired older men would sit on the steps and talk to their friends.

Crossing past the footbridge.  we come Curran's Pharmacy which had a soda fountain.as a water fountain in front of Curran's. On hot summer days just about everyone stopped for a drink and even little children could get a drink as there was a cement step for them to stand on. We stopped for a drink every time we past bye.
Next came Weicke's Jewelers, Phil's Barber Shop, D&L Auto Accessories, and Hallocks Resturant. I worked there when I was seventeen.  Just about everyone on the street ate  at Hallocks. I got two jobs out of working at Hallocks from old customers years later. Next to the restaurant was Puritan's Clothing and the best thing was we were able to charge. I was able to buy my niece, Martha a beautiful white coat that she still has. Then there was Lorrain's Beauty Shop and Tubridy's Ladies Cloths where they also had a seamstress.There was Plotkin Jewelers, Cohen's Shoe Store, The Federal Land Bank. Eastern Conn. Farm Loans and the Sadd Block where we lived when I was nine. There were thirty six  families living on the upper floors.  Woolworths and Sears Roebuck was on the Main St.

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Willimantic, Before Redevelopment

Claire Mickle has been kind to share her thoughts, memories and recollections of what downtown Willimantic was like, before redevelopment, in the late 1950's. early 1960's.  If  you have memories to share please add to the comments section at the bottom of the page.  Now, Claire's memories in her own words.

South side of Main St  Introduction
For many years downtown Willimantic was family oriented. All of our families knew all shop keepers and business people and they all knew us. For years Main St never changed. I would like to show Main St. as it is very nostalgic. When people get togeather and say: Oh, "I remember this" or I remember that." This is Main St in the fifties and sixties.

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