Sunday, May 19, 2013

Hamilton Park / Pavonia Avenue

before
after



It took me a long time to understand exactly where this postcard photo was taken, despite the details of the location on the postcard. Today the location looks nothing like it did a hundred years ago - none of the buildings that are clearly visible to the left in the old post card are standing today. But the recent photo is taken in exactly the same location.

The first building on the left in the old postcard, behind the brick wall, is the chapel at St Francis Hospital. That whole structure can be seen in this older post. It was the postcard in the older post (that I got more recently) that confirmed the exact location of this picture.

The next building, the building on the corner of Erie St (202 Pavonia Ave at Erie St) with the sign outside was a bank - Fifth Ward Savings Bank.

The sign on the sidewalk looks very much like an advertising sign for Dortmunder Beer that I have seen in some other old post cards from Jersey City. But I am not sure if that is what this sign is advertising - the text is just too small to read.

The large building on the next block facing pavonia was St Micheals Home. I plan to feature that in a future posting

Note that Pavonia Avenue used to be wider than it is today. But I also believe that recently, before the construction of the current buildings, Pavonia Avenue was blocked by a hospital building at Erie, and did not reach the park.

I would like to hear from you! To post comments, you may have to click a 'No Comments' hyperlink below(not 100% intuitive, I know).



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3 comments:

  1. Excellent post. I was checking continuously this blogs and I’m impressed! Very helpful information specially the remaining part I care for such information much. I was looking for this particular info for a long time. Thanks and best of luck.

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  2. I attended ps 37 and lived on coles st. just off of pavonia ave library was on corner of east Hamilton and pavonia great picture I will look through my photos

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  3. This is fascinating. In the article you mention you planed to feature St. Michaels Home in another post. Not sure if you ever decided to do that but would be very interested to read about it since I heard there was a home/orphanage in that area but have never come across much, or any pictures and I live right there now.

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