I was checking out some 1940 Municipal Archives photos and scrolled over to the Rockaway Beach boardwalk, known officially as Ocean Promenade on maps. I dug those boardwalk lamps, of which I hadn’t seen any photos before; archivists of architecture and tax records in previous decades didn’t waste precious film on taking photos of lampposts, and with the advent of the digital camera, geeks like me can fire away to their heart’s content. It appears the posts were concrete-clad (as remaining classic lamps in Boston are) with a metal mastarm that held a radial-wave fixture that had an incandescent bulb.
The building shown still stands at the boardwalk and Beach 115th Street. It was likely an apartment building in 1940 and today is the Park Inn Home for Adults. Who knows, maybe I’ll wind up there in a few years. Ocean views are relaxing.
The boardwalk, of course, was utterly destroyed by “Superstorm” (just short of a hurricane) Sandy in October 2012, which ripped up Staten Island and the Rockaway Peninsula. When it was rebuilt, wooden boards weren’t employed and instead, thick concrete pads reinforced with sunken steel pilings built above the flood level were used. Sick transit, Gloria!
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7/30/2023
9 comments
The architecture is more akin to a small hotel, which were common along the Rockaway Boardwalk in those days, when the summer population doubled in the neighborhoods along the Peninsula. The first floor looks like a combined solarium and dining area.
In 1954, my parents held a catered affair, their wedding, at that building. At that time, called the parking hotel.
Joe here. I remember moving to Rockaway Park in the early 19i70’s after I was discharged from the Army. My fiancee (now my lovely wife!) and her friend found me a very nice boarding-house room that had a shared bathroom . The owners of the building also owned a deli on 116th street, & sometimes I would get free food! I remember using my token to get the subway at 116th Street. I worked for Western Electric at the World Trade Center during its construction. I have very fond memories of walking the beach & boardwalk during spring, summer, fall, & winter with my then fiancee.. I enjoyed the beach in the winter the best because it was deserted & I felt as though it was all mine! There also were great shells on that winter beach & I have several on my fireplace mantel! These are especially fond memories for me because I grew up in Detroit before I was in the Army.
I wonder what that lamp base looking thing next to the woman on the bench is.
that held a fire alarm
I thought it was the home for boys on 110th Street
Near the White House restaurant!
Very popular hotel in the early fifties.
10 out of 10 content !
This was the Park Inn Hotel as far back as I can remember. I lived on 114St from 1955 to 1986. We used to sneak in to swim in the pool in the pool at night.