This photograph of my brother and sister was probably taken around 1946. They're standing on the south side of Findlay Avenue, with 167th Street behind them as we look north. This was the block where we grew up before moving to the north Bronx many years later. The street was relatively clean, and many of the windows on the tenaments had new striped canvas shades. Unfortunately, this part of Findlay Avenue was completely treeless. Although it's not visible in this picture, the Daughters of Jacob Home for the Aged was located at the northeast corner of the intersection of 167th Street and Findlay Avenue, and behind its high stone walls there were many lush trees. As a child, I never gave much thought to the absence of greenery on my block, but looking back I realize how sad it was that the property owners didn't think any was necessary.

--Larry B.

Last century (1977), I made a "pilgrimage" back to all of the places I've lived in my life to take pictures. Although it had changed a lot since my childhood, this area of 167th Street looking east from the Grand Concourse was still quite familiar. The Kent Theatre, which was closest to my family's home, was rarely our choice for movies since it didn't offer good "weekend specials" for kids like the Luxor on 170th Street, or the Earl on 161st Street did (25 cents for two movies, a cartoon, newsreel, and coming attractions). Next to the Kent was Zico's, a candy shop where I would often spend my 15 cents of lunch money for a quarter pound of white chocolate. In the distance, the tunnel which ran beneath the Concourse emerges at the intersection of Sherman Avenue.

--Larry B.

This picture shows Ed's then-new 1955 Plymouth Savoy parked on Starling Avenue in the Castle Hill section of the Bronx. The intersection in the background is Purdy Street, which ran parallel to Castle Hill Avenue (the next street beyond the larger apartment building), connecting Tremont Avenue at its northern boundary and Westchester Avenue to the south.

--Ed A. of Petaluma, California

"That's me in front of Yankee Stadium, probably in 1933, the Babe's last year with the Yankees. Behind me is the Woodlawn elevated above River Avenue. The apartment house behind the El fronted on Gerard Avenue. During games, its roof was used as a bleacher annex. The sign on the ticket booth indicates Grand Stand admission $1.00. Bleacher admission was half that. Kids were admitted free to ballgames until the top of their heads reached the ticket counter (when accompanied by an adult) and I saw many ballgames before I could read the scorecards."

--Ed A., Petaluma, California

"This photo faces east on McClellan Street. Barely visible behind my sister and me is the intersection of McClellan and Sherman Avenue. Way off in the background (past Grant Avenue) are the tennis courts that ran through from Morris to College Avenue. Not too many years later they were replaced by a playground. Those tennis courts were frozen over for ice skating during winters. On the northwest corner of Sherman and McClellan was Finklestein's (Finky's) Pharmacy and the candy store hangout was on the northeast corner."

--Ed A., Petaluma, California

Editor's Note: Behind the person taking this picture was Sheridan Avenue, and P.S. 90.

"Pretzels...getcha pretzels! Jerk! Whattya read? The Mirror?" --Thanks to Steve Morgan of Wilmington, North Carolina for loaning us his copy of CCNY's Microcosm '71 which contained this shot of the ubiquitous Raymond the Pretzleman. Reproduced with permission.

Joel couldn't identify anything other than his Mom in this picture, but after a recent trip there, we can confirm the fact that this shot was taken at the Bronx Zoo, near the Administration Building (in the background) which is just at the top of the stairs from the Rainey Gate. The picture was taken in the late forties or early fifties.

--Joel S., Arlington, Texas

Back in 1955, 5 blocks from my apartment building was "JOYLAND," an amusement park in the NW Bronx, at about 237th Street and Broadway. In the background (top of photo) you can see the elevated subway station where the IRT (#1 Broadway local) still runs. Just a block or two further north on Broadway is the Stello D'oro Factory whose wonderful bakery smells permeated the entire park. A few blocks further north is Van Cortlandt Park (the Bronx version of Central Park). On the south side of JOYLAND was Kelton's Ice Skating Rink (renamed the Riverdale Ice Skating Rink) with Kelton's Bath and Tennis Club adjacent to it. I grew up thinking every kid in the US had easy access to such an array of entertainment--and all within easy walking distance!

--Sherry P., Annadale, Virginia

Delights of the Bronx: this is a 1957 photo of Kelton's Bath and Tennis Club at West 237th Street and Broadway, with Joyland's Ferris Wheel in the background.

--Sherry P., Annadale, Virginia

This is a picture of my Mother, Sister and me on Easter Sunday in St. James Park around 1962. It is looking south in the park, with Creston Avenue in the background, going toward Fordham Road. The spot we're standing in is now tennis courts, I think.

--Eddie T.