If You Grew up in Levittown New York............
There are so many sites on Facebook for those of us that grew up in Levittown Long Island, New York. As a matter of fact my most popular blog EVER (judging from the amount of emails I received) were about Growing up Levittown, named after one of the sites on Facebook. Real Estate Blog - Growing Up Levittown New York: The Way it WAS ...
I'm not the only one that feels this way about this magical childhood we had. To date I have not heard or read even ONE comment from anyone that didn't grow up there and not realize until our childhoods were gone, just how special they really were.
Levittown New York was nothing but potato fields. It was also a vision by William Levitt and his sons to create a true Community. He had GI's who were returning from the Military in mind and he thought about the children that would soon be arriving. He wanted to build not just a place for returning Military men to retire but build it with all the things you would want for your family.
If you grew up in Levittown NY, there are some places and things you will never forget: The Village Greens (Billy Joel remembers these fondly). You will remember TSS and Mays stores, the Candy Store and The Family Lounge. There was also Putt-Putt, Carvel, Quong Ming and Jolly Rogers (also known as "Happy Land)." Many of us lived at the Local Pools in the summer (mine was on Slate Lane).
Zorns was a popular spot for chicken and Dominicos for Pizza. Cherrywood Shopping Center was just a stone's throw away. All American was a popular dining spot. The Wantagh Movie Theatre and the Levittown Movie Theatres always had great movies playing and when you wanted Ice Cream, you went to Jahn's. They had every conceivable ice cream combination including "The Kitchen Sink" and if you went on your birthday, it was on the house.
The Roller Rink was right next door. Teen Center in the High Schools were open on Friday nights to keep us out of trouble. Some of us ventured, later on to a place called Cloud 9 in Farmingdale New York. We had teen centers with dancing and soft drinks, no alcohol served. And we had a blast!
I recently ran across a newly erected sign that declares the importance of Levittown as a Community. A place that is still physically there but where the Community aspect has long gone; Long gone except for those of us that grew up there and loved every second of it!
America's First Suburb, Levittown Long Island New York
http://www.LongIslandFengShui.com
*Carole Provenzale is a Certified Feng Shui Consultant and is the Founder of Feng Shui Long Island & New York established in 1997 providing on site Feng Shui and Design Consultations for all of Long Island, New York City (Manhattan) and Queens New York.
Hi Carole,
Thanks for putting such a personal touch on Levittown. It was always in the U.S. History books we had when I taught American History but you have shown me that it was much more than America's first suburb! COMMUNITY!!!
Carole - I find it amazing how fast the suburbs are swallowed up by the Cities they were once a suburb to. As a child I grew up in the country outside of Toronto and it was considered at one point to be a bedroom community for Toronto. Now it has lost its country feeling, its bedroom community status and is part of the Greater Toronto Area.
Well, memories certainly are forever....
Carole it is always fun to take a walk down memory lane. Levittown sounds like a great place!
Sounds like it was a quintessential upbringing, straight out of a movie set to a certain degree. The nostalgia of looking back is always fun when you can attach so many wonderful memories.
Hi Carole, My Mom took me to jolly rogers so many times as a kid. I loved that place! A friend of mine grew up in Levittown and my husband is from there as well.
WoW, Carole, that's quite the claim to fame....it sounds like you had an absolutely idyllic childhood in Levittown.
Jo
Carole-Unfortunately I left Long Island when I was just a toddler but I remember going back several times a year for years and going to Jones Beach which was always one of my favorites. It sounds like you have many happy memories there.
Carole, Levittown sounds like a wonderful place to grow up - especially the swimming pools in the summer!
Although I didn't grow up in Levittown, I did live on Long Island, as you know, for a long time and remember almost ALL of the things you mentioned in this post!
I love visiting the Feng Shui Queen's blogs! Your posts always bring back memories of my time on Long Island!
Well done Carole!
Carole Levittown sounds like a great 'home'. Long Island is now on 'our' place to visit list!
Well Carole..I have chose you...this comment will make my 200,000 points you are one of my favorites so i chose you
HELPFULHANNAH
Thank you ALL for your comments. I loved that they put up this sign and couldn't wait to get a shot of it :)
I didn't know we made the history books, Bruce :) This was an absolutely wonderful place to live growing up....Hannah, CONGRATULATIONS and I thank you for the honor!!
Carole, every US History book that I taught out of since 1978 had at least 1/4 of a page to well over a page talking about the importance of Levittown and how it would change America. I would like to see it someday. I did not know that they did all that great community planning and common space. Again, thanks for another great history lesson Dr. Carole!
I had never heard of Levittown before but I'm glad I know something about it now. What a great story!
Levittown was a great place to grow up in the 60's i moved away in 72 but still remember Torino's and Sammy's pizzeria. Riding our bikes all over the place in the summer and then going to the Slate Lane pool.
I was at Slate Lane Pool myself with my pool tag :) I lived only down the block from there. Goodness, I don't even believe it's still there, I'm going to have to check! Thanks for your comment.
Bruce, I am sorry for such a late reply but THANK YOU for letting me know....I had no idea "we" or Levitt made history! I am facinated to think we are in ANY books and hope it got most positive reviews.
Irene, It was a wonderful childhood. I still love Levittown although it's changed because it reminds me of so many happy memories!
Please don't forget the MEADOWBROOK MOVIE THEATER on hempstead turnpike/newbridge road. back in the day it just showed one movie at a time. my dad took me and my sister to see "Hard Day's Night" because we were too little to go alone. The line was around the building twice and we begged him to wait because it was The Beatles after all!!! he did and we eventually got in, couldn't hear a thing over all the screaming. growing up in levittown was kinda like "Leave It To Beaver" in so many ways...summers were great, stayed out all day until dark, rode our bicycles everywhere, spent as much time at the village green pool as possible and we thought it was so cool to wear the pool tag on our ankle!! such wonderful memories...