HERE’S a vintage shot that didn’t make “the cut” in the images shown during FNY’s 25th Anniversary “tours,” a series of live and Zoom presentations I have given during 2024. I have so far appeared in Woodhaven at Neir’s Tavern (thanks Ed Wendell of Woodhaven Historical and DeeAnne Gorman of Greater Astoria Historical for yeoman’s work in contacting several friends of the webmaster who made a heartfelt and touching wellwishing video); Bayside Historical; Old Stone House in Park Slope; Queens Historical in Flushing; and a remote presentation with the Bronx County Historical Society (that attracted 115 fans). My anniversary officially runs through March, and I’m casting around for more venues. I have been tailing my presentations for the neighborhoods where I am doing them, but am also presenting vintage images from 1999-2000.
This is a street sign at Jacob Street and Bedell Avenue way down in Tottenville, Staten Island. I had to doctor it in Photoshop to make it legible, as it was taken in nearly complete shadow. I got a better shot at a slightly later time but I seem to have lost it; a review of the Forgotten NY archives is overdue, in any case. I didn’t think to shoot the Bedell Avenue side; now that I work digitallly, there’s no decisions to be made.
These small yellow and black signs identified streets in Staten Island from the 1910s into the 1960s. In the 1950s, some began to be supplanted by metal and enamel signs, and in the 1960s vinyl signs took over. Through all those incarnations, the signs were yellow with black lettering. Finally, in about 1984, the current green asn white scheme was adopted.
Though much of Tottenville has been built up with new tract housing in recent decades, Jacob Street is something of a throwback as its old housing stock is still there and it’s sidewalk-free in spots. Yes, the current spelling is “Jacob” but when the sign was installed, perhaps it was “Jacobs.”
None of this type of street sign remains. When I began FNY in 1998, I found this one (you can see how rusty and pockmarked it is; the Department of Traffic, later Transportation, hadn’t produced this variety in many years) as well as a quartet in Richmondtown and one on private propertry in Oakwood Heights. Most are gone; but I have pictures of them all, and that’s why there’s a Forgotten New York.
As always, “comment…as you see fit.” I earn a small payment when you click on any ad on the site. Take a look at the new JOBS link in the red toolbar at the top of the page on the desktop version, as I also get a small payment when you view a job via that link.
12/23/24
1 comment
Rumor has it that years ago if a cop on the NYPD got in his commander’s disfavor he’d get transferred to the 123rd Precinct in Tottenville, as it would likely be a long inconvenient drive from his residence.