West Oakland Memories Published: December 31, 2008 WEST OAKLAND MEMORIES By Bob Blumenthal It was a magical time, and I was lucky to be a part of it. For fifteen summers I experienced a “high” that no drug can induce. Who knew that the summer of 1948 would change my entire life? I was an eight-year old city boy who was accustomed to the fumes of buses and the clanking of garbage cans. Then, one day, my parents decided to spend the summer in a place called the West Oakland Bungalow Colony. As I sat in the back seat of a ‘48 Dodge, I took in the sights. After crossing…
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Known as The Colony
The Colony Fifty years from now, what will the children of Oakland be remembering about the time, the people, and the place. For Saul Weitz, Bob Blumenthal and George Cohen, fifty years have come and gone, and the memories remain. As Spencer Tracy might say, “I can tell you the memories are still there- clear, intact, indestructible, and they’ll be there if I live to be 110.” The trio are on a mission to find others who can recall the bygone days of Oakland, specifically to what was, and is, known as The Colony. For those unfamiliar with the term, The Colony refers to a development of housing on the…
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Ramapo Hills Sanatorium
Oakland’s Ramapo Hills Sanatorium This is that time of the year for Oakland to celebrate the establishment of the Ramapo Hills Sanatorium with a parade, a proclamation and fireworks. As a point of fact, it officially opened its doors to the relatively well- heeled but fatigued paying public on October 9, 1909, a mere 108 years ago. What? You never heard of it? Well, you are in good company as neither have 99.999% of current Oaklanders. What was it, who founded it, where was it and what happened to it? All great questions that I’ll attempt to answer here. Here’s a hint: If you have ever been in the parking…
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Some History about Muller’s Farm
History of Muller’s Farm in Oakland Emilie Grootendorst Barry, Evanston, Illinois – for 61 years (March 19, 2018) Well, I am the youngest, and the last of the six grandchildren of Katie Pfeiffer and William Muller, who came to Oakland in the 1890’s. They were married in Manhattan in 1887, when both were 23. My grandmother had no premonition she was to leave her mother’s high-stooped brownstone at 502 West 43rd Street neighborhood on New York’s West Side to spend the rest of her life in Oakland, Bergen County, NJ! But someone put the bug in grandfather’s ear about the countryside in Oakland. And he acquired the property with the…
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Sonya Hansen Huhn – Growing Up in the Hansen House
Sonya Hansen Huhn Recalls Her Life and Times Growing Up in the Hansen House with Her Parents Mom and the Men Who Came to Dinner Growing up in a boarding house/ vacation resort/ tourist home is different than growing up in a regular house or an apartment. We always had guests. In the summertime guests would fill all of the 27 rooms. Usually they’d stay a week at a time. When the summer ended my folks would welcome boarders. Some stayed a month…the ones I remember best stayed longer. There was this one man called, “Christiansen” he came for a weekend in the summer and stayed for two years. Story…
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Sonya Hansen Remembers Ruth and Didi Nielsen and the Nielsen House
Sonya Remembers Ruth and Didi Nielsen and the Nielsen House Nielsen House located on the site of the Post Office Parking Lot Across from the Ponds Church Ruth and Didi They were sisters, but you never said….Ruth or Didi…it was always the Ruth and Didi. Ruth committee suicide at 57….four years later Didi died of cancer. Neither married… we could only speculate on why Ruth killed herself. She was a nurse, and she died from an overdose. After Ruth died, Didi was alone, she was teaching math in Butler High., I don’t know why she decided to retire so young, perhaps then you could retire with a pension at that…
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Encampment on the Ramapo – 1776
The Revolutionary war “Encampment on the Ramapo” Today, the location known as “Green Meadow” is part of Ramapo Reserve, a high-class luxury development on the west side of the Ramapo River in Oakland, New Jersey. Access is limited to residents and little if any of the original setting remains. The property extends up the mountain and into old Camp Todd boy scout camp. This mostly quiet stretch of the river once passed by the early colonial style home of the Fox family, and since the 1930’s was home to Mr. Sidney Kingsley, a famous early screen producer and playwright. His wife was a silent screen actress, Madge Evans and they…
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The Colony
Linda Anders & Bob Blumenthal On Sep 3, 2009, at 8:14 PM, Linda Anders wrote:From: “Linda Anders” Subject: The Colony Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2009 Linda Anders & Bob Blumenthal Hi , I just discovered your website & am enjoying so very much. In 1971 my dad was told that by the time he would be 40 years of age he would no longer be able to walk due to a back injury (He is 81 now & walks just fine) but because of this my parent sold their house in Bergenfield & moved to The Colony. We bought 2 attached houses on riverside drive . #48. Two log cabins…
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Oakland History: An Op Ed View
presenting the history of Oakland I’ve been engaged for a few years now on Facebook presenting the history of Oakland to all who desired to fondly recall their roots. And I have done this as a relative stranger among the multitude who grew up here in Oakland and indeed lived, breathed and who were so enriched by the simple, wonderful joys of our Mayberry. Along the way since my wife and I moved here in 1979, I have been blessed with many friends, many of whom grew up here and shared what it was like then. I am insanely jealous. one of ten children in 1951 I grew up in…
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Once There Was Indians All Over This Place
“Once There Was Indians All Over This Place” By Kevin Heffernan That wonderful and memorable quote is directly from a sign that was once proudly displayed from the flagpole for generations in Bush Plaza. Flagpole at Bush Plaza The quote and depiction of an Indian of an unknown origin form a tearful lament, a proud but sad reminder of Oakland’s past and a vehicle for the questions as to why they left, when did they leave and where did they go. It is tearful lament because it weeps for the despicable and shameful treatment of primarily the Dutch toward the Lenni Lanape Indians and then continued by the British. It…
