As a preview of an upcoming Bell Boulevard page, here’s one of the few cobblestone-exterior New York City dwellings. At 35-34 Bell Boulevard stands a magnificent two-story building with an exterior made of cobblestone walls, very much a rarity in NYC. It was declared a NYC landmark in October 2004.
The stones are naturally shaped, i.e. not beveled or cut in any way, and give some idea of what NYC street paving was like before cobblestones gave way to flatter Belgian blocks and later, smooth macadam and asphalt. The stones are closely set in concrete.
The house was built in 1906 and in the past, according to local legend, has housed a speakeasy during Prohibition. Utahan actress Maude Adams (1872-1953), who played Peter Pan in over 1500 performances, is thought to have lived in the house during her Broadway days.
On either corner of 36th Avenue you’ll also find cobblestone-exterior posts bearing slate signs with the former names of the cross streets, Lamartine Avenue and Bell Avenue.
I can’t resist mentioning that in the 2020s part of Bell Boulevard received retro versions of Triborough Bridge poles that were first employed when the bridge opened in the 1930s. They can also be found on Ditmars Boulevard and Jamaica Avenue in Queens as well as Elton Avenue and Hunts Point Avenue in the Bronx.
Kevin Walsh is the webmaster of the award-winning website Forgotten NY, and the author of the books Forgotten New York (HarperCollins, 2006) and also, with the Greater Astoria Historical Society, Forgotten Queens (Arcadia, 2013)
12/29/23
16 comments
Definitely more architecturally distinguished than the typical dentist’s office.
This photograph looked familiar; I thought it might be the office of my daughter’s orthodontist thirty years ago. However, after a brief consultation with my wife & daughter, I was informed I was mistaken. My wife wasn’t sure about this but she believes that this structure might have belonged to the Knights of Columbus in another era.
There are many of these structures still standing in Eastern Pennsylvania. Built during the 18th and early 19th centuries by German and Quaker settlers.
Great information !
My grandfather told me a noted
prize boxer from the 1930ies lived
in that house,,,when He was involved
in boxing,,
(He was a “golden gloves” boxer,,
my grandfather)!!
There was a cobblestone house on 137th Ave in Rosedale, just shy of the Nassau County border. Cool house.
That house is part of “Belcourt”, a subdivision created by the renowned firm of Rickert-Finlay, who also subdivided Douglas Manor, Broadway-Flushing and the village of Kensington in Great Neck.
There is a cobblestone house in the Bronx at 1768 ARNOW Ave. You can check it out on Google Earth Street View. Had to put street name all caps because lower case RN combination shows up as lower case m. ( I.e. Arnow)
That house is a noted and valuable piece of history. But no prizefighter lived there. The fighter you’re referring to lived in a nice private care house behind Crocheron Park.
Gentleman Jim Corbett
Yes, Jim Corbett, 35th Ave was renamed after him. towards the end of it going to the park There was a plaque in the lawn remembering him, not sure if still there
Here is a photo of the plaque , photo from 2012 probably still there
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartshay/7708744904/
https://www.flickr.com/photos/stuartshay/7708744542/
The prizefighter that is likely being referenced is “Gentleman” Jim Corbett. He died in his home at 221-04 Corbett Road, in Bayside, in 1933 at the age of 67. He was a World Heavyweight Champion, and was the only man to ever defeat John L. Sullivan.
I grew up in Bayside..Left there in 1964. I remember Corbett’s house, and many the other pictures here…. I lived in the house my parents built, and the guy that tore down the RKO Keiths tore my old house down…He built t4 houses on my old property… Look it up, or I can send pictures.
39-39 223rd St.
At first my recollection was that the Knights of Columbus hall was across the street… but that might have been a different lodge, maybe the Elks or Masons. This was 1960s. I think K of C was on West side of Bell, same side as that house, but maybe in a different house. Anyone else recall?
I remember it as a Masonic temple.