John Bohn's Walk Down Burg Memory Lane

John Bohn's Walk Down Burg Memory Lane:

John Wrote:
Hi Mike. Good to hear from you. I was born in the house of
1108 Dayton Street. My Grandfather, (Aurora) had a saloon on
the corner of Woodland and Dayton (328 Woodland Street) after
Prohibition, it became Apt. Bldg. Father, Peter, had Semi built
by Siedenglanz, 141-143 Howell Street. Mother's Brother, Peter
Hiel, bought 143. His son, Charles, joined USMC. after Pearl
Harbor. So did I. After the War II, he joined the TNJFD. So
did I. He retired, moved to Florida. So did I. We live across
the street from each other. My Father had his tailor shops at
locations as, 10-- and 1127 S. Clinton Ave., Across the Street.
from Urken & Kohn's, (the owners), with 3 stories that had a family
living upstairs; When the stock market collapsed, one of the owners
came out screaming that he lost everything. Part of their bldg.,
was on Division St. with a shoe store. A drug store on one corner
across from there, a deli on the other corner, and a post office
on the remaining corner. Bijou Movie across at Chestnut. Blechl's
Dry Goods on other corner. At the triangle of Clinton and
Woodland was a Poultry Mkt. About 1922 our tailor shop was a 3
story building a couple of doors from Division which later was
Eagle Cleaners, Prop. Shanberg (?) and (?) Moser (?) Near Broad
& Elm a (?) soda parlor with a pinball machine which paid if you
were winning. (Don't tilt the machine though) and sometimes the
machine would pay too much out, so the owner pulled the plug for
repairs. Messaro's (zz ?) Bros. had a butcher shop with fresh
meats, and a bone for the dog. My mother, Eve; (almost like my
wife's name), made soup with it. Produce store across from Bijou,
was where Mom sent me to get .02 cents of carrots, 2 cents
parsley, celery, etc., and from the quarter she gave me buy the
other things needed, I brought home about half of it in change.
I guess I'll give you time to catch up on all of this and if you
have any questions of further, I will gladly try to accomadate
you. Thanks again for giving me that GOOD home feeling. Just
recalled: I took a picture while on 143 of the Hindenburg over
the 3rd. house from corner, which exploded on attempted landing
at Lakehurst Hangar. One of my, "So-called" Treasures. Could be
the last ever taken before Lakehurst. Also, if you may recall,
a tall building on the corner of Morris and Division which was
the Original Aurora German-American Club which my late
grandfather was one of the original creators. It was a Singing
Society. I later became a member and there were two bowling
alleys in the cellar in which I was on one of the teams.
Also a bar (but I was not of drinking age). Tenth Ward Park,
across the street. Aisles to walk from one corner to the other.
I have a couple of paperback books of the Aurora with advertisers
listed in them. Speaking Honestly: I don't know how my
bureau/file of memory can remember so many things, but as I
always have said, the computer may be new, but the mind was
one long before WINDOWS, Etc. Keep keeping Old Foggies like me
happy with memories.


Thank You for this John, its great:)
Its the first time someone like me ,who came along later ,was given
a vision of walking out of the Aurora Club with a park across the
street. Must have been a pretty sight. In my Burg day those were
Baldassari Regency and Washington School:)
I knew there was an apartment building at Dayton Street and Woodland
Street but never knew it was a Saloon before prohibition.

Wow. Again I thank you for this John:)